What does a conductor do?

[JuanHamm]

Everybody in an orchestra knows their parts, right? They aren't improvising are they?

What's he (or she) doing up there!?

[macphisto]

What does a football coach do? They’re not even on the field!

[JuanHamm]

Is that a good analogy?

[Jorge]

Up on stage they're like a cross between a metronome and a director. But what the conductor does on stage (or in the pit or whatever) is just a small part of what a conductor does. Yeah a coach is a good comparison for the rest of what they do

[tragabigzanda]

They’re:

1. cuing each individual instrument/section
2. Controlling tempo changes
3. Controlling dynamic changes

Just because it’s written in the page doesn’t mean 20 violas instinctively know what 64bpm feels like, or how hard to hit a transition to mezzo forte.

[JuanHamm]

What about Train conductors?

[tragabigzanda]

Same thing

[macphisto]

This thread has tree energy.

[JuanHamm]

This thread has tree energy.

Thank you

[BurtReynolds]

What about heat conductors?

[Bammer]

I’ll tell you what a conductor doesn’t do: A conductor doesn’t just do something half-assed.

That’s what a semiconductor is for.

[wease]

They’re:

1. cuing each individual instrument/section
2. Controlling tempo changes
3. Controlling dynamic changes

Just because it’s written in the page doesn’t mean 20 violas instinctively know what 64bpm feels like, or how hard to hit a transition to mezzo forte.

Also, they go over the music before it’s presented and make their own personal adjustments. Not to the actual notes per se, but other ways to make them flourish. For example, if a particular part has been traditionally played by flutes, they may change it to where clarinets are playing it. Or if it traditionally has 13 trumpets and 5 trombones, they may change it to 9 trumpets and 9 trombones. Just different ways they can put their own touch on the music.

[knee tunes]

I’ll tell you what a conductor doesn’t do: A conductor doesn’t just do something half-assed.

That’s what a semiconductor is for.

[knee tunes]

This thread has tree energy.

Thank you