A Musician's Guide to Weather's Effects on Instruments in 40 Degrees or Less
Does the weather affect our ability to play? The answer is: it depends. However, we are more than happy to work with you and your inclement weather plan.
Instruments have differing levels of sensitivity to weather which dictates our policies and procedures. Temperature has no effect on our keyboards with the guitars having little to no sensitivity. While this is the case for our keyboards and guitars, the harp, for example, is the most sensitive instrument to the weather. We have to be extremely careful when playing this instrument in inclement weather conditions. Equally as important to protect are the violin and cello. With high-end instruments on the line to protect from the elements of the weather, having a plan B and C in place is important, just to be safe. We have to be pretty careful with these instruments; however, we do have backup plans in place so that we can continue to give the same high level of experience to every performance.
Backup Plan
While we have backup plans if the weather causes us to shift our initial plans, we do have the ability to use backup instruments made of carbon fiber that can be rented. Since these instruments are cheaper instruments and not as high quality, the tone is not nearly as crisp and as strong as it would be with nicer instruments. But they're a great alternative in rough weather, because weather doesn't affect them at all.
Snow
If the weather doesn't permit and it's too cold outside, we've been able to also play inside a doorway close to the ceremony in order to keep the instruments warm. Please refer to our weather policy for exact temperature details. Cold weather impacts stringed instruments by causing them to warp, causing wood fibers to contract, crack, split joints, and cause damage to the body of the instrument which will impact the sounds to not be as full or resonant (Music & Arts, 2020).
In the event that we are asked to play a wedding that is outside in the cold while nearing the temperature cut off point, heaters can also be provided by the client to warm up the space a few extra degrees. We do ask that the heaters be lit 30 minutes before the performance begins so that the space is warmed before the use of the instruments. In cold weather, the strings begin to loosen and going out of tune, impacting the quality of the performance.
Rain
A light drizzle still permits us to play in rainy weather conditions if we are in a covered area (like a tent or a gazebo); however in a downpour, our instruments are at high risk. We bring trash bags to all outdoor events as a precaution in case that the skies open and it pours. We are then able to place the trash bags over our electronics to ensure that damage does not occur, until we move into a covered area.
Weather Policy
When you book with us, here is the wording of the weather policy you will see in our contract:
During outdoor weddings, the temperature must be above 55 degrees for the sake of the instruments. If temperatures are lower than this, a heater may be provided by the client to raise the temperature enough for musicians to still perform. Heater(s) must be sufficient to raise the temperature of the performance area and must be turned on in enough time to provide warmth.
Instruments and electronics must stay out of direct sunlight.
If rain, mist, fog, or other weather conditions make it inadvisable to complete the performance for the sake of the instruments and/or the electronics, the full contracted fee does not change, due to nonperformance as a result of weather.
Weather Examples
Here are some examples of weddings that we have played in that the weather caused for some day of adapting.
#1 One wedding that comes to mind when discussing the effects that the weather has on our instruments was an outdoor wedding we played in Blowing Rock, NC as a string quartet. Most of the day had been threatening rain, but the skies were still clear. We proceeded to play for the couple’s ceremony, and as soon as the minister said, “I present to you Mr. and Mrs.,” the skies opened up, and it started pouring. All 4 musicians ran for the gazebo with their instruments (luckily we anticipated it, so no instruments were harmed). Our music stands and iPads got soaked until we could run back and get them from the ceremony spot. Once we got to the gazebo, two of the violinists knew the recessional by ear, so they played it so that there would be music for the exit.
#2 Another wedding where we had inclement weather difficulties was in Sapphire, NC. The bride really wanted to get married outside in a field; however, it was sprinkling rain. We ended up setting up about 200 feet away, and we blasted our music through a speaker so that they could still hear it without ruining the instruments. All of the guests had umbrellas and sat through the rain. We were very thankful that we had a speaker that day that we were able to use to still give the couple the wedding music they had envisioned.
#3 While we don’t put a maximum temperature as a stipulation, we’ve considered it several times. We played a violin/keyboard duet for a Charlotte wedding in July where it was over 100 degrees outside, and guests were not in the shade. Everyone was legitimately dripping with sweat by the end of the ceremony and their clothes looked wet. We ended up loading in the keyboard and then took a break to drink lots of water before we performed. The heat doesn’t really hurt the instruments, but direct sunlight will. We run into these “it’s too hot” situations so rarely, that we ultimately decided to not have a maximum temperature in our contract. But it's nice to consider moving inside if the temps are in the high 90's or above, for the sake of your guests.
References:
Music & Arts. “How Weather Impacts Your Sound.” The Vault at Music & Arts, 20 Mar. 2020, https://thevault.musicarts.com/how-weather-impacts-your-sound/.
Photography:
@jimtricephoto