Abstract
In ensembles of electronic instruments with loudspeakers and unplugged instruments, we should consider that the radiation characteristics of sound of general loudspeakers are different from those of sound from unplugged acoustic instruments. Many people would think that loudspeakers surpass acoustic instruments in volume. Contrary to this prejudice sound from loudspeakers is often attenuated more significantly than the sound from acoustic instruments. This makes balancing volume between them quite difficult.
Sound from acoustic instruments generally radiates in all directions and produces various reflected sound that mitigates attenuation of sound. On the other hand sound from general loudspeakers radiates within limited directivity and relies on direct sound that attenuates easily. To balance volume of the two, careful consideration to the place and the direction of loudspeakers has to be given to make as much reflected sound as possible.
How the sound reaches collaborators and audience is an important issue for music. Musicians should not put it entirely into the hands of sound engineers. Players of electronic instruments also need to communicate with their collaborators who play acoustic instruments to let them know about the characteristics of electronic instruments in musical context. This is the essential process for electronic instruments to be one of ordinary musical instruments rather than special and isolated existence.
