Music at the games

I know this may be a post that will either get a lot of attention or none at all.

This is just an observation.
It seems that the same old music is played game after game, season after season.
The only music that really seems to get the crowd going imo is when the Generals score.

Also, when Terry is introducing the starting line up players, it is very hard to hear him while loud music is being played in the
I have spoken to a few people and they feel the same way.

Miss the old organs that used to be played but I guess people got sick of those to and you ended up with the same old stuff being played game after game; season after season.

What does everyone think on this subject?

I am not going to complain about the music type but the music VOLUME which is always up way way too HIGH...I find it very hard sometimes to hear the people sitting right next to me if they are saying something to me.Then I have to ask them to repeat themselves 2 or 3 times because the music continues to be too loud which is very rude.I find myself sometimes having to cover my ears or shake my head cause of the VOLUME of the music and leaving at times with a headache is annoying.
I am not the only one in my section that thinks this either,makes it very difficult to carry on a conversation with anyone with the loud music.
Getting the guys pumped up is one thing but just playing the same old stuff during stoppages in play or tv time outs loud enough where you cant hear nothing sometimes gets very annoying.I love to cheer loud and go along with the chants for the team but can we just turn the volume down a bit please. We are not DEF in this place and would love to stay that way.

BIGGSTIMEGENSFAN wrote:I am not going to complain about the music type but the music VOLUME which is always up way way too HIGH...I find it very hard sometimes to hear the people sitting right next to me if they are saying something to me.Then I have to ask them to repeat themselves 2 or 3 times because the music continues to be too loud which is very rude.I find myself sometimes having to cover my ears or shake my head cause of the VOLUME of the music and leaving at times with a headache is annoying.
I am not the only one in my section that thinks this either,makes it very difficult to carry on a conversation with anyone with the loud music.
Getting the guys pumped up is one thing but just playing the same old stuff during stoppages in play or tv time outs loud enough where you cant hear nothing sometimes gets very annoying.I love to cheer loud and go along with the chants for the team but can we just turn the volume down a bit please. We are not DEF in this place and would love to stay that way.

Personally I like the music loud as it creates atmosphere in the right spots. Our sound system is not very good which makes it blarey (word or not). Go to an NHL rink music is very loud but good quality system makes all the difference. My annoyance in this rink is that damn video board. That thing is an embarrassment to the league. How city council got hosed on that thing is beyond me. Rear projection technology is 20 plus years old and this should never have been purchased. Sorry off topic........I like the music loud keep up the volume!

I'm curious to know whether you're talking about the entire season or lately. My last game was the teddy bear toss on Dec. 8th - hence my return to the forum as I had stopped posting at a time when the Gens staff asked me to. Now I'm free to speak my mind.   

If you're commenting on a change since then, the change in person selecting the music might explain something. If it's been like that all season, that's just pretty much the way it is no matter who does it. Different people prefer different sound levels. One of them happens to own the team and he wants it very loud. If you call the Gens or the arena and tell them you would prefer it quieter, they are caught between a rock and a hard place because they want to be courteous to you but at the same time, there are other fans that like it loud and the owner of the team wants it loud.

You can't have real organ music at the GMC because there's no organ. I did have some organ clips that I played periodically, my favourite was the "If you're happy and you know it" because that was generally the one that got the best audience participation. While it's a different person, the new guy has access to the same collection of music since I didn't delete anything but I'm sure he's added his own stuff too. As an aside, the quantity of organ music has shrunk as the number of announcements and promotions went up and up and up over the seven and a half seasons I did that job. Not intentionally, just the fact that there were less stoppages where I'd be free to play what I want.

As for variety, my wallet would have to disagree with the same music being played season after season since I've spent a lot of money constantly buying new music. I tried my best over the time to play all genres. Across all arenas, you hear a lot more pop and dance than 10-15 years ago and I definitely followed that trend but I always tried to make sure I'd play some modern rock and classic rock like Van Halen, Metallica, AC/DC, Ramones and this year I introduced more country simply because country is more popular these days than it used to be. The last in-game song I played was Red Solo Cup. Some songs are played every game since the crowd responds well to it - We Will Rock You, Blitzkreig Bop, Gangnam Style, etc. If the kids dance to it, it gets played every game. Most crowd noise is coming from the kids. Some songs also go along with promotions - if you're told to take out your BMO card, the song will be Blue by Eiffel 65 for example. With the crazy high number of announcements there is, I do think that perhaps the effect of the few songs that get played every game would be more noticeable simply because there are less available stoppages to work with. (As in I'd like to play Jimi Hendrix but I haven't got Gangnam Style in yet and the game's almost over so I better get that in).

As for the video board, the arena was built just before HD became standard. If they waited a couple more years, the video board would have been much better. Yes, the city paid a lot of money for an older technology because at the time, HD screens were very expensive. Now the price has come down significantly to the point that all new arenas have newer technology and much better picture quality - but do Oshawa taxpayers want to foot the bill for replacing a screen that's not even 10 years old? That's a question for council to decide. The Generals obviously would like a new video board, the question is how and who will pay for it.

I've been enjoying the games on TV over the last couple of months so I have no idea what's happening now but I will buy a ticket at some point in the near future. Nice to be able to watch the game with my full attention now.

OK FINALLY SOMEONE BRINGS THIS UP , AND I HOPE THE GENS ORGANIZATION PAYS ATTENTION .

THE MUSIC IS WAYYYYYY TOO LOUD ALL THE TIME , I UNDERSTAND WHEN THE TEAM SCORES IT SHOULD BE LOUD AND PROUD !

BUT THE MUSIC IS TOO LOUD ALL THE TIME , WHENEVER THERE IS A BREAK IN THE PLAY ITS LOUD TO THE POINT OF BEING ABNOXIOUS , THERE IS ZERO OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE DURING THE GAME WHILE WATCHING THE GAME .

WHO ARE THE GENS CLUB TRYING TO CATER TO ???? THE YOUNG KIDS ???? I think its safe to say the young kids are not paying for the tickets !!!! and its SERIOUSLY TURNING THE PAYING CUSTOMER OFF !!!!!


ITS JUST BECOMING UNBEARABLE AND EXTREMELY ANNOYING AND IT NEEDS TO STOP

Ive been told the owner wants it loud !!! well i wish he would come by the platinum section and ask us the fans , WHAT WE THINK

USED TO BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE GAME WITH YOUR FELLOW FAN ……..ITS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TOP DO THAT

YOU CAN EVEN STAND AT A URINAL AND GET A BREAK FROM THE NOISE ……IST CONSTANT , ITS EVERYWHERE !!!!


REGARDING THE BIG SCREEN , WELL THATS JUST A JOKE !!!! AND I THINK WITH OVER 5000 FANS AT MOST GAMES , SOMEONE CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR A NEW ONE ………..THE TEAM AND THE CITY OF OSHAWA , BOTH ARE MAKING GOOD MONEY !!!!!

I totally agree about the loud music and announcements.  They are ear piercing! The decibel level is much higher than Ontario safety standards.  A dB level of 85 can cause permanent hearing damage after 8 hours and a dB level of 90 can cause permanent hearing damage after 15 minutes!!  Does anyone have access to a decibel meter? If we could prove that the sound level is higher than 85dB, perhaps a phone call to the Ministry of Health might change the owner's mind!  I have constantly seen numerous people covering their ears throughout the game, during the past several weeks.  It seems to me that it changed after 'hockeybeats' left the organization.  Perhaps Mr. Tullio should come over to Section 114 and sit in our seats. Let's see how much he enjoys the dangerous sound level in the stands, instead of being tucked away in his private box, where the sound level isn't as high.

AHMEN to pointdexter, and mygens......u nailed it on the head!!!

Maybe the music is loud because the rink itself is one of the quietest I've ever taken in a game at.

I use the word loud only because that seems to be the opinion of many here. I for one don't feel it is that loud at all, and have had no problem carrying on conversations with my friends and family during the musical stoppages.

I swear some users here won't be happy until there is no noise at all

I say it again the speaker system is not that good...A Leaf game is much much louder....I have no problem as a season ticket holder conversing with people I sit with...I am not young. With so much passion and capitals about the loud music and that it is effecting your life in a dangerous way why would you buy tickets to a sporting event where this is the norm.... The old quiet Civic is gone. This is the times now in all rinks. You have a choice not to go whether it's the product on the ice you don't like or the in game stuff. If it effects your health I would stay home watch on TV muted.

  there will always be opinions for and against when it comes to the noise level at the rink. Nerfherder i've been to many Leaf games and Canadiens games and of course these arena's are much larger and better systems the the GM place but they don't compare to what we have to go thru when attending a Gens game. i'm hard of hearing and wear hearing aids and i can tell you it hurts to wear the aids when going to the games and then of course not wearing them i have trouble hearing my fellow fans or carrying on a conversation. if they toned it down a bit and had a much better system things might improve or had a true Pro adjust the system to the arena maybe that would work. thank goodness the product on the ice is better than the musical inteludes.

There is an opportunity for some compromise here I think JPH and Nerdherder , JPH you are right about one thing , the only time you can have a conversation is when there is no music and that is Only during the actual play , nobody wants to converse during the play ....and as far as your ignorant remark Nerdherder to Ag48 , no I don't think we will stay home , we will get it reduced , because most of us don't like it and we are paying the bills as season ticket holders

Clearly the music doesn't NEED to be that loud , and there should be some time during the event when we are not bombarded by the PA system , it's not a rock concert , it's a hockey game

mygens wrote:

REGARDING THE BIG SCREEN , WELL THATS JUST A JOKE !!!! AND I THINK WITH OVER 5000 FANS AT MOST GAMES , SOMEONE CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR A NEW ONE ………..THE TEAM AND THE CITY OF OSHAWA , BOTH ARE MAKING GOOD MONEY !!!!!

The City is still losing on money on the building. Not sure if the owner is making money but I doubt he wants to spring for a new big screen. As a taxpayer in the city of Oshawa I know I don't as long as the building continues to operate at a loss. Once they get that sorted out and start making some money then yes lets get a new screen.

I hate the current one but not enough to want to fund a new one.

It amazes me that the Generals organization ignores the requests to have the sound turned down. I have had tickets for
50 years and most fans want to see a hockey game and cheer their team on. In this case why would anyone cheer?? The music kills fan participation. When you buy your ticket there is no disclaimer that states `` we will not be responsible for loss of hearing.
It is a sad situation when people bring their youngsters to the game and must buy ear muffs so their hearing won`t be damaged.
If the person playing the music was sitting in the stands with the rest of us, he would surely turn it down.
I have been to other rinks, and regularly go to the ACC for hockey games, raptor games and concerts and
not even during rock concerts are my ears hurting. It is true that it is difficult to hear Terry announcing when
Mr DJ has the music cranked. If this is instructed by Mr. Tullio then perhaps on mass we need to approach him
to have the situation corrected.

I've been to multiple OHL arenas this year an Oshawa by far is the worst for sound. It's an un-natural loudness... If that makes any sense. What I mean is you go to barns that are loud but that's do to fans cheering not overly loud techno music. I've been to the ACC for Raptors, Rock & Leafs game this year an the only time it's excessively loud is when the fans get loud. The announcing an music while loud is not mind numbing an doesn't leave your ears ringing. Oshawa seems to put their fans experience last. I mean look at the start of the year they had that stupid stuff along the bottom of the glass. I love the Generals but honestly it's one of the worst places in the O to watch a game right now.

mygens wrote:There is an opportunity for some compromise here I think JPH and Nerdherder , JPH you are right about one thing , the only time you can have a conversation is when there is no music and that is Only during the actual play , nobody wants to converse during the play ....and as far as your ignorant remark Nerdherder to Ag48 , no I don't think we will stay home , we will get it reduced , because most of us don't like it and we are paying the bills as season ticket holders

Don't make this sound like I attacked ag48!!! His note was after mine. My comment was my opinion and really geared for people like you that are never happy at the GMC whether its the coach the players the rink the owner etc... Typing everything in capitals makes it even more like you are yelling at everyone. You will never be happy.
I have Tinnitus (which is a constant ringing of the ears.....forever) I made my comment on the music because I have no issue with it being loud..and also mentioned the system could be better. ag48 has his hearing issues and I respect his opinion of it and sympathize with that.
Stop coming on here and picking fights with people about their opinion and worse yet twisting words for your own agenda. Your fight is with the Generals organization not me....

Hence my comment that you could never satisfy everyone. That goes for both what music you're playing and the volume. This is really a pointless debate to have online because there isn't a correct or incorrect answer, it's purely personal preference. I've sat in the bowl during the warmup to check the sound level which is when it's the loudest and found the volume level to be perfectly reasonable as some others have said here. My opinion though is completely irrelevant to people who want it lower.

As I said, I have no idea whether it's louder since I left but I do know that if it were lowered, some people would say it's too quiet and some would still say it's too loud. When I go to visit my in-laws, my father-in-law has the TV insanely loud in my opinion but that's how loud he enjoys watching television.

When trying to set a sound level for 5000 different tastes, there is no ideal level, it's just a matter of trying to make the least amount of people angry. The players will always say louder, the owner will say louder, older fans will usually (not always) say quieter and everyone else is in between. I did the music for 7 and a half seasons but only controlled the sound board (ie. volume) for the last season and a half. Every once in awhile, I went down to the bowl and asked 10 people what they thought of the sound level. Typically seven or eight would tell me it was fine and two or three would tell me it's way too loud and ask to turn it down. When 70% say it's okay, when it comes to volume, that's as good as it's gonna get. That's the level I generally kept for my entire time there (generally because it always varies - you need to bring the level up when there are more people in the stands, down when attendance is low). And since I'm no longer with the team, I can now admit that every time Rocco told me to turn it up, I put the next song a bit louder and then brought it down again for the following one just so he thinks I listened to him.   

Seeing what this discussion turned into makes me glad I'm not doing that job anymore although I did very much enjoy doing it.

Biggest Issue to me is not enough speakers. Parts of the Building are much louder then others.

All though not as bad as Iroquois Park and other smaller rinks that have only a few speakers that blare. (some sections you can't hear a thing and others you can't think because its so loud).

Personally I like it loud. Just not Blaring.

It's not that bad to me. Sure sometimes louder than normal but it's a hockey game. I find the atmosphere at times is too quiet during the game . When the fans get into the game and get loud the generals usually get amped up and play well. Just my opinion and I have been watching for awhile. Would love a new scoreboard but that wont happen until we get four rounds of playoff gate in this year maybe.

Couldn't care less about the music... Not a fan, but it doesn't bother me.. What I do see is about two or three thousand extra new  fans dancing in the stands, and like most, I care about the success of the Generals in Oshawa.. I have been coming to the games back to before I was even too young to remember, and has seen how things have changed... Teams that failed to grow, and  sustain their fan base are struggling. Meanwhile we are among the leaders. The scoreboard is a total embarrassment though, and I don't think anyone feels any different about that.

we all don't mind it loud at certain times , but man , its blaring every second that the play is stopped and even during intermission , do we really need to have it going constantly ???

i love music like the next guy , i go to concerts etc , but i would like to have some time during the event where you can hear your neighbour without having to yell !

well Hockeybeats , thank you for your input , but the music is louder than it needs to be 90 % of the time .

if you came into our section in front of restaurant , and asked if it would bother us if you turned down the music , except when the gens scored , i bet you the same 70% would say sure no problem , and that other 30 % would say …..thank you lord !!!!!

I have heard Rocco is the one pushing for loud music , to what purpose ???? sell more hotdogs ? or coke ? or beer ? i don't get it ??? and I'm going to write him a letter before i renew my season tickets next season !!!

interested in his rational ????

well Hockeybeats , thank you for your input , but the music is louder than  it needs to be 90 % of the time .

if you came into our section in front of restaurant , and asked if it would bother us if you turned down the music , except when the gens scored , i bet you the same 70% would say sure no problem , and that other 30 % would say …..thank you lord !!!!!

I have heard Rocco is the one pushing for loud music , to what purpose ???? sell more hotdogs ? or coke ? or beer ? i don't get it ??? and I'm going to write him a letter before i renew my season tickets next season !!!

interested in his rational ????

No purpose or other motive. Just his vision of what a hockey game should be like. He's just the sort of person that assumes that what he wants is what most people want and if you try and tell him otherwise, he isn't the listening type. It took about a season and a half for him to eventually realize that if it's loud in the upper level suites, it's stupidly loud in the lower bowl. While some are complaining now, I doubt it could ever be as loud as those first few games after his arrival.

Hopefully more fans will speak up and the team will realize that you don't have to have the constant noise to enjoy the event