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Beyerdynamic Touring Gear Drum and Percussion Mics

From left, TG 153c, TG D57c, TG D58c and TG D70d

Beyerdynamic Touring Gear Drum and Percussion Mics

When I first discovered beyerdynamic microphones in the late 1990s I had no idea that the German company founded by Eugen Beyer has been around since 1924.  I was also clueless to the fact that, by 1937, the beyerdynamic company had been designing and manufacturing microphones, headsets and other audio products. All I can say is that learning this information certainly sharpened my interest in the new Touring Gear mics I received and was about to field test. It just fascinates me that a company can survive and thrive for such a long time. They must be doing something right. That said, let’s take a look at the microphones themselves.

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Kaltman Creations Invisible Waves X Windows-based RF Spectrum Scanner

Kaltman Creations Invisible Waves X Windows-based RF Spectrum Scanner

Kaltman Creations has been selling German handheld RF (and EMC) spectrum analyzers from Aaronia for several years now, as well a previous version of Invisible Waves, a Windows-based RF spectrum scanner. The new version, Invisibles Waves X is again comprised of hardware and Windows-based software components, but now the software’s user interface has been improved to provide a better RF command center.

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Allen & Heath GLD Live Digital Mixer

Allen & Heath GLD Live Digital Mixer

Allen & Heath’s new GLD is a user-friendly, cost effective and expandable live digital mixing system, conceptually based on the successful iLive series of digital consoles. A standard GLD 32 input system provides 28 XLR mic inputs that can be increased to 36 or 44 XLR mic inputs by adding one or two 8×4 expansion frames.

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Illustration by Tony Gleeson

Crackle, Snap, Pop

I am not a Roman Catholic, but I imagine this is what it feels like to enter the confessional. To expose my sins and hope fervently for the forgiveness that will make the rest of my life livable. What follows is a tale of woe, destruction, humiliation and anguish. I wish I could say it has a happy ending, but it doesn’t.

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Waves CLA-2A Classic Compressor

Waves CLA-2A Classic Compressor

In previous columns, various Waves plugins that I use on vocals, horns, violins, electric guitars, bass guitars and drums have been discussed. By now it should be apparent that I like to use a lot of compressors. This current entry will focus on my compressor of choice for the acoustic grand piano: the Waves CLA-2A Classic Compressor.

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Buck Dharma with dual mics and amp

Electric Guitar Amplifier Miking

Since the dawn of time, engineers have struggled with the task of getting good guitar sounds on stage. One of the big issues is stage volume: the musician cranks it up to get “their sound” while the engineer and audience get blasted with ear-crushing levels from the stage. Inevitably, the PA has to be cranked up to overcome the stage volume. Let’s assume, for the moment, that the musicians you work with have their stage volume under control (whether it be via volume knob, moving cabinets off-stage, or threats of violence) so that you can actually hear the guitar through the PA and create a mix. There are some tried-and-true methods you can use to get great guitar tones.

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Brad Madix on tour with Rush

Networking

Finding that next (or even first) gig is still a matter of persistence

It’s January, the quiet season for touring — unless your work for the rest of the year isn’t firmed up yet. If that’s the case, this needs to be the busiest part of the year.

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Column Speakers

Happy New Year to all of you. By the time you read this I will either have been to the winter NAMM show or be on my way. The reason I am mentioning NAMM (other than the fact that it takes place in January) is that it is my favorite place to look at new gear for my sound business. I am particularly interested in column speakers this year. (I must mention that InfoComm would also be a great place to look for this type of speaker enclosure.) Anyway, I am specifically looking at architectural speakers that can be installed in a house of worship.

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Illustration by Andy Au

Wrong & Right

There is no definitive way of setting up gain structure and mixing a show but, after much time and years of practice, we all learn the right way to go about achieving our desired results. While the “art” of mixing may not be an exact science, there are still many precise and defined rules to which we need to adhere as we master our craft and practice our “art.” The rules that define right from wrong are not only imperatives for mixing, but are also the tenets that extend to every aspect of a given production.

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Grant Cossey

Altinex Names Grant Cossey VP of Sales

BREA, CA – Altinex named 15-year AV veteran Grant Cossey vice president, sales. He is based at the company’s corporate headquarters here. Prior to Altinex, Cossey served as the national sales manager for Presentation Switchers, Inc. Cossey has also worked as senior sales manager for Southland Technology, Inc. and as west coast business unit manager for Karcher Group, Inc., west coast regional manager for Analog Way, Inc., and regional manager for Anderson Audio Visual, Inc.

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