My prior training had been trumpet (mostly classical, some jazz). Later my degrees were in orchestral conducting. At a symphony concert, noodling, or doodling is called warming up. It is NOT a breach of concert etiquette. Prior to the conductor coming on stage you hear a lot of racket. It's not unusual to hear the instrumentalists pracitcing licks & excerps from the orchestal pieces on the program. If Mahler's 3rd is on the program you'll hear the hornists practicing the introduction. If Ravel's Piano Concerto in G is on the program you'll definitely hear the trumpeter practice the intro--because he doesn't want to flub it up. Between movements there's no noodling (well a tiny bit sometimes). Between pieces even a little more.
Back in 2013 I started playing bass guitar in the Joshua Tree area for a guitarist/vocalist (initials BG). We did mostly folk, light rock (oldies) Afro-Cuban Jazz & some fusion. (I was interested learning the later 2 genres). Most of our gigging had been at the 29 Palms Inn.
Early on in that band (as I was learning to solo) I did "warm up" & practice certain licks that I'd use later in my solos. I'd get snapped at, "no doodling!" You can do doodle all you want, but turn way down." So I'd comply. (I'm also nueropathic & play better warmed up)
Then Bob himself would "doodle" all he wanted full volume. When he first learned on his acoustic guitar the celeste solo from Buddy Holly's 'Everyday', he'd shamelessly practice it between numbers at fuul volume. (The practice paid off as he rarely screwed it up while performing. (Our first drummer, Dennis, used to half-jokingly would yell, "Bob, no doodling!"to point out his double standard. (Dennis was an experienced drummer who played with Bob fot 13 years & had other gigs. I was an upstart, & couldn't get away with that kind of chiding).
As time passed I couldn't turn my bass down enough to placate Bob (who never attended a symphony concert). Outwardly he had such a pleasant facade, but always I could sense that he had some sort of a narcissistic personality disorder, & gently pointing out his double standard would only make him nasty & aggressive.
Once he asked me to learn Harry Belafonti's " Brown Skin Girl" just as I was loading my car. I had to dowoad it on TubeMate & learn it from scratch minutes before the performance. As I had been sitting down right next to to my cabinet practicing (very low volume) along with the recording wearing headphones, he walked in & snapped at me, "What are you doing?" I told him I was learning Brown Skin Girl. He goes, "Oh". No apology
Later in January 2016 I was hired to play substitute bass in a blues band at a Mexican rresaraunt. Bob was a regular in that band. Downbeat was at 8pm. He came in & started warming up, showing off, playing licks WAY too loud from 7:20 to 7:40pm. I simply couldn't believe my eyes & ears. None of the other band members noticed or cared--not even Dennis.
Later this guy had become such a tyrannical hypocrite (in AL areas of band management) I started gently pushing back. Predictably, my trying to reason with him made him beligerent--& Dennis was gone to act as a buffer. Eventually I had to push back more & more as his bouts of drinking increased & as he started trying to micro manage my every move, & started talking down to me & scolding me like a little kid over contrived issues.
The last straw came when he imposed on me a dress code that didn't apply to him: no shorts, even at the Inn by the swimming pool in the 6pm Summer Sun at 100°. That Narcisdistic clown looked me straight in the face to tell me it was alright for him to wear shorts but not me. 3 years prior I brought long pants to change into & urged me not to mother changing. The honeymoon was over& I went apepoopie on him that evening. May 14, 2017. I couldn't take any more humiliation & abuse. I nearly smashed my bass over his head. (Unfortunately playing bass 7X per month was my only source of income, & with 16 months to go until my SSD Hearing & no chance of sustaining myself until then, I went home, exposed Bob (on Facebook) as the tyrannucal bully he was (he knew he had me by the throat funancially) & I failed in a suicide attempt--bteaking 4 ribs. I later did live on a small monthly County General Relief Loan until.my Disabolity hearing, which I won. BTW Bob's thriving musically, & suffered no loss of status in the licsl music scene. I did lose ststus & I haven't gigged here since.
So excuse me for venting but my buttons were pushed when I saw this thread--& I will unwatch it because I know how my post will be trolled by you guys--who are worse than Bob Garcia
To answer the OP, I primarily want to hear a good performance, & "noodling", doodling, warming up in moderation doesn't bother me. But I wish those who never attended a Symphony concert to see one if they haven't & then make up their mind
