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Texas State University Wins Fourth Annual Shure Fantastic Scholastic Recording Competition

Texas State University Wins Fourth Annual Shure Fantastic Scholastic Recording Competition

NILES, IL — Shure Incorporated announced that a three-member team from the Music Department at Texas State University is this year's Grand Prize Winner of the fourth annual “Fantastic Scholastic Recording Competition.” The three-student team of Joel Cowen, Adam Brisbin and Jordan Lott, with Faculty Advisor Mark Erickson, won this year's Shure contest with an original composition by Graham Wilkinson and the Underground Township entitled “Let It Go.”

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Pat Quilter of QSC Audio

BUSINESS
Who: Patrick Quilter, chairman and senior amplifier designer of QSC Audio Products.

What: Manufacturer of pro audio products.

Where: Costa Mesa, Calif.

When: Founded in July 1968 “on a very small scale and got serious” around 1973.

First gig: “We provided a PA system for a dingy cellar nightclub near the Golden Bear, a prestigious dive in Huntington Beach, Calif. It turned out to be an ‘unpaid gig,’ and due to our naiveté about purchase contracts and collateral, they even got to keep the PA system.”

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ABCs of Gain Structure

When we rail on the importance of “gain structure,” what we are really aiming for is less noise or “hiss” and a louder signal. In other words, we are trying to optimize signal-to-noise ratio that is typically expressed in decibels. Having discussed some basics on gain structure previously in this column, I want to recap a bit and move forward.

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Why Buy When You Can Rent?

As many of you know, I work in both the worship sound world and in the secular sound world. I am always looking for ways to improve my abilities as a technician and mixer in both of these worlds. And, of course, at the same time earn more money. Very often, the subjects that I discuss in this forum can be mirrored in the secular sound arena. My most recent income stream has been through renting gear to churches and worship events. As a rule, I always bring a few mics, stands, direct boxes and cables to any of my house-of-worship gigs. Being prepared for just about any eventuality has always seemed to be a good motto and, by the way, I am a former Boy Scout.

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APB DynaSonics ProRack-House Mixer

On first impressions, the APB DynaSonics mixing console cosmetics appear 1960’s retro with the tan paint job. However, you have to be blind to not notice the colorful control surface features upon that tan surface. I was able to acquire the APB DynaSonics ProRack-House compact mixing console for this road test review. It boasts a remarkable density of features stuck in a 10-rack space form factor.

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Three Cool Boxes For Your Briefcase

Aphex HeadPod, TC-Helicon VoiceTone Correct and Radial JDX

I have always thought of gear as falling into one of three basic classes. First is the big stuff that soundcos get judged on (i.e., stacks, racks and consoles). Next comes the less pricey, smaller stuff that goes a long way in defining a soundco’s “flavor.” This is stuff like processors, EQ, comps and mic selection. Finally, there are the small “secret weapons” that can sometimes save a gig and fit in your briefcase. Here are three such armaments.

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Great Lakes Goes Legit

Making the move from bars to corporates

Bill Robison started the Great Lakes Sound and Lighting empire in the early ‘80s out of a garage, renting PA gear to bar bands. It was a different time, he recalls. “In those days, bar bands wanted sound men and 24-light light shows. What they wanted was relatively elaborate. I started with one band, then [worked with] more bands, and I reached a point where I wanted to get some legitimacy going.”

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The Never-Ending Mix

When you are mixing and recording each night’s show, there’s not a lot of time for anything else.

The clock has just clicked over to 9:17 p.m. and Ken Van Druten is at all-faders-go in the front-of-house position at Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif. Linkin Park has just hit the stage for the band’s final North American show, and everybody is looking forward to a two-month break. Well, everybody except for Van Druten, who is better known by his nickname “Pooch.”

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New Gear

Digidesign Mix Rack
When combined with a D-Show Profile system, Digidesign’s Mix Rack option for its VENUE live sound systems is designed to offer a compact and affordable entry into the Venue family for small- to mid-sized venues, houses of worship, corporate A/V applications and regional tours. Mix Rack combines all stage, local audio I/O and DSP into a single compact 11-space rack enclosure. Mix Rack offers much of the same functionality of the dual VENUE I/O and processing components with a smaller footprint and easy portability.
www.digidesign.com

 

 

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Where Have All the Smart Guys Gone?

About a month ago, I was doing sound for the Kentucky HeadHunters in a small town not far from my hometown.

They originally hired two production companies before mine, but apparently the first guy ended up in jail and the second guy couldn't find any help, so I took on the gig barely meeting the ridiculous rider — especially for a band that hadn't had a hit since the ‘80s. Nonetheless, I rented some monitor gear that I was lacking.

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Lorne Grabe “Souled” Out In St. Louis with Jill Scott

From theatrical to R&B to church revival, Jill Scott’s show has a little bit of everything

With Masque Sound providing the audio, Jill Scott’s audience heard every malleable murmur and every vociferous vocalization equally – and with great delight. The sell-out show was a powerhouse of great music and showmanship. Scott is far from what all too often passes for a pop star these days: She’s a woman of experience, talent and effectively and sincerely connects with the audience.

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