NEW YORK — Henry Cohen and Mac Kerr, Live Sound co-chairs for the 127th AES convention, to be held at New York’s Javits Center from Oct. 9-12, 2009, have put more of an emphasis on the issues and challenges facing everyone who deals with live sound, from the White Spaces issue to green touring solutions and sound system design and installation considerations for houses of worship.
The AES Live Sound Programs include:
The Greening of the Band: Green Touring Solutions for the Live Engineer: AES Education Committee Vice Chair John Krivit — The Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Guster, Jack Johnson, Barenaked Ladies, Sheryl Crow and many other top artists are incorporating practices to reduce the environmental impact of touring. As these measures become obligatory, it is essential for touring pros to stay informed of new standards and innovations. A panel of experts, advocates and artists will discuss ways to reduce a tour’s carbon footprint.
White Spaces & TVBD Update: Chris Lyons, Joe Ciaudelli, Edger Reihl — The DTV conversion is basically complete, but the impact of this and related FCC decisions remains of great concern to wireless microphone users. Exactly what is the status of the 700MHz spectrum and equipment? What types of interference will the proposed Television Band Devices create and what are the proposed methods of mitigation? Will there be an FCC crack-down on unlicensed microphone use? This panel will discuss the latest FCC decisions, both rule and pending. A comprehensive wireless applications session will follow.
Practical Advice for Wireless System Users: James Stoffo — From houses of worship to wedding bands and community theater productions, hundreds of thousands of small to medium-sized wireless microphone systems and IEMs are in daily use around the country. Unlike the Super Bowl or Grammy Awards, these smaller systems rarely have benefit of dedicated technicians, sophisticated frequency coordination, or even basic attention to system setup. This panel will address the elements of successful component selection, designing systems, and setting them up to minimize potential interference and maximize performance.
Microphone Dressing: Mary McGregor — Fitting actors with wireless microphone elements and wireless transmitters is a detail-oriented art form. Challenges range from ensuring the actor is comfortable and the electronics safe, to providing optimal sound with minimal muddle while maintaining the visual illusion. One of the most widely recognized artisans in this field will provide hands-on demonstrations of basic techniques and share some time tested “tricks of the trade.”
State of the Art Loudspeaker Design for Live Sound: Tom Young: The loudspeakers we employ today are vastly improved over what existed back in the 1960s when rock ‘n’ roll pushed the limits of existing technology. Along with advances in design and fabrication, system engineering, ergonomics and rigging, have come various methods to improve overall performance. Many of these advances are directly related to the use of computers as a design tool. This presentation will clarify the capabilities of modern day loudspeakers/systems and consider where they need to go.
Microphone Selection and Techniques For Live Sound: Dean Giavaras — While countless factors contribute to a good sounding live event, microphone selection, placement, and use can make the difference between a pleasant event and a sonic nightmare. A panel of experts from mic manufacturers and sound reinforcement providers will discuss tips and tricks for getting the job done at the start of the signal path. Conventional and unconventional techniques will be discussed, and cautionary stories from the trenches will be shared.
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Other Live Sound Events programs include:
• Sound System Design and Installation Considerations for Churches and HOWs: Bill Thrasher
• Exploring the Low End — Measuring and Aligning Subwoofers: Sam Berkow
• Ten Things to Get Right with Sound Reinforcement Systems — Peter Mapp
• Automixing for Live Sound — Michael “Bink” Knowles
• Networking Digital Audio In Live Sound — Jim Risgin
• AC Power, Grounding & Shielding — Bruce Olson with Bill Whitlock
• Innovations in Live Sound — Ken Lopez
“We are extremely pleased with this year’s Live Sound Events schedule,” said AES Executive Director Roger Furness. “It is comprehensive, authoritative and boasts a particularly strong line up of high-level presenters. The recommendations made by Co-Chairs Henry Cohen and Mac Kerr echo the invaluable insights they have acquired during their own years on the road. The program reflects an enormous amount of labor intensive work for which we are most appreciative.”
For more information, please visit www.aes.org.
