Small-Format Digital Consoles
Today’s small-format digital consoles (defined here as models with under-$10k street pricing and moveable by a single person) are long on features, inputs and DSP… Read More »Small-Format Digital Consoles
Read More »Small-Format Digital Consoles
Milestones: Brock Adamson’s Company Marks 30 Years
Founded in 1983 by Brock Adamson, Ontario-based Adamson Systems has evolved from a small operation into a leading supplier of cutting-edge products for the professional touring and installation market. Today, Adamson products can be found gracing world-class performing facilities, houses of worship and on stages supporting some of the best-known musical acts in the world.
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Generators and Portable AC Power Primer, Part 1
Generators, and portable power distribution in general, are central to professional audio. Electricity is a powerful means of transferring energy; it is the lifeblood of all pro audio gear. While electricity is ever-present, it is rarely discussed technically in print, in part because of the liability that accompanies its underlying power.
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Avid S3L
It’s been a while since Avid has made a major change or product launch in its highly successful line of live sound consoles. Now, just before InfoComm, Avid has introduced the new S3L, which delivers the sound quality, performance and features of Avid live audio systems in an all-new modular, networked design, supporting Ethernet AVB and EuCon open network standards for professional live sound reinforcement mixing and recording.
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Tectonic Audio Labs DML Distributed Mode Loudspeakers
I’ve long been fascinated by audio history, which since the earliest days, has borne witness to sweeping changes. Yet one area of that audio chronology which has been the most resistant to change seems to be loudspeakers. In fact, if you look at E.C. Wente and A.L. Thuras’ 1926 patent for the first compression driver (#1,707,544) —which became the Western Electric 555w, you’ll see it used a thin, lightweight aluminum dome diaphragm with a corrugated surround, a phase plug and a threaded mount that allows it be to interchanged on a variety of horns. And the story isn’t much different with Chester Rice and Edward W. Kellogg’s 1925 development of the dynamic loudspeaker, which had a round paper cone (with butyl surround!) and a voice coil that moved within a magnetic gap. Today, some 90 years later, things haven’t really changed that much; we still have voice coils, magnets, cones or diaphragms, so when something truly different comes along, it’s time to take notice.
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Cymatic Audio LR-16 Live Recorder
Once upon a time, live recording was a real pain. In the old days, it involved dragging a recorder or rack of ADATs/DA-88s to the FOH position and connecting them via console direct outs. I can even recall shows where large reel-to-reel digital machines (typically a Sony PCM-24 or PCM-48) would be lugged up to sit next to the house console. The alternative was to call a remote recording truck/van, determine the pecking order of analog splitting and then let that crew handle the details.
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Preparing for Festivals and One-Offs
I’m on a plane heading back east to work three one-off events with James Taylor. The first is a music festival in Greenwich, CT. James will be the headline act following a full day of entertainment on the main stage. Mr. Taylor will be performing with the full band and singers. The second event is a benefit concert in Newtown, CT. The musicians comprising this performance will be as follows: James on guitar, Larry Goldings on piano/keyboards, Owen Young on cello, Andrea Zonn on violin/vocals and vocalist Kate Markowitz. The third concert will be a multi-performer event at Boston’s TD Garden benefitting Boston Strong. In addition to appearing with the full band and singers, Mr. Taylor will share the stage with Carole King and Jimmy Buffet. Two members of Mr. Buffet’s entourage will also be sitting in during James’ segment of the performance.
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Solid State Logic Goes “Live”
A well-kept secret is like a well-told story: its impact lies as much in the surprise as in the narrative itself. Solid State Logic’s introduction of its Live console at the Musikmesse/Prolight + Sound show in Frankfurt in April puts the 44-year-old studio-oriented U.K. company into the live-sound arena in a big way. And the company managed to work on the project for three years without sparking the usual rumor mills.
Read More »Tour Managing for Dummies, Part 1
A friend of mine equates the job of tour manager as “herding cats,” which is, at times, an accurate description. Why would anyone want to herd cats? It’s difficult, time consuming, and the cats don’t like it. In these days of shrinking budgets and smaller crews, we are often called upon to do more than one job on a tour. Engineer/tour manager is a popular combination. With luck, you’ll get paid more than you would if you were “only” mixing FOH or monitors while managing to keep your sanity. Hopefully, no cats will be harmed during the making of this movie. If the opportunity comes up for you to TM for the first time, here are some tips.
Read More »Recording the Word
Ever since recording devices were invented, houses of worship have wanted to record some or all of their services. I began my journey of mixing and recording live worship services more than two decades ago. Way back then, recordable CDs were available and affordable, but most of my churches were still using cassettes (I know you remember what those are) to record. My main task, years ago, was to hit the record button and capture every word of the pastor’s sermon. The pastor would be talking into a podium microphone, lavalier or handheld mic, and I would use a record/aux out or mono out from the board to carry the signal to the recording device.
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Get a Job!
Most of the people I know in the technical end of the music business got into the profession because of their love for music. A good portion of these people are competent musicians in their own right and have played and toured with well-known acts, recorded records and CDs and possibly even had a deal of their own. In all likelihood, they still play and record when they are not out making a living on the technical side of the microphone. Supporting oneself as a musician is a difficult task, and while there are many people attempting to make a living just playing music, I would venture to say that many musicians have a second job.
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Line 6 Taps Meyer Marketing for FL; Griffith Sales for GA, AL, MS, NC, SC, TN
ORLANDO, FL – Line 6 named Wellington, FL-based Meyer Marketing as its rep firm for the state of Florida. Line 6 also named Atlanta-based Griffith Sales as its rep firm for the states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, the Carolinas and Tennessee.
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