We recently did one of those shows where the budget is weak and you have to drive three to four hours to get to it. But it was a Wednesday night and the client — an agent and a personal friend of mine — needed a favor.
This was a gig that should have paid $7000 plus travel and meals, but it was paying more like $4500 plus travel and meals. We came to terms on what he would get for the money, with a little "gimme" for the act on my part to make everyone happy.
Read More »The sound reinforcement industry will soon face a serious issue of which many people are not even aware. I am referring to legislation brought before the United States Senate and House of Representatives, specifically known as The Communications, Consumer's Choice and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006 (S. 2686, H.R. 5252). Introduced early in 2006, this amendment to the Communications Act of 1934 incorporates proposed telecommunications reform, including FCC adoption of new rules to increase competition in sports programming, Internet Neutrality allowing 'Net users to access lawful content of their choice and connect their choice of legal devices that do not harm the network, and legislation designed to speed transition of TV broadcasting from the current analog system to digital transmission. These and other aspects of the bill do not directly impact those of us working in sound reinforcement. However, part of this bill (and its subsequent revision) is a provision called the Wireless Innovation Act of 2006 ("WIN Act"). This portion of the bill proposes freeing up so-called "underutilized" broadcast space for wireless broadband use.
Read More »Winter NAMM 2007 is as big and loud as ever, but a little light on the pro audio side.
While the giant noisefest that is Winter NAMM was not totally devoid of any worthy-of-mention pro-grade live audio products, you did have to hunt a bit to find them. No big surprise. NAMM is, after all, a show aimed at music store buyers and not soundcos. But we went along for the ride regardless and came up with a few potential gems.
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When leaders of The Vineyard's congregation first sought out the help of Jeff Sanderson, the principal consultant and founder of Olympia, Washington-based Onpoint Designs, they came seeking a key that would unlock the "techno-handcuffs" they felt were inhibiting their worship services.
"The Vineyard is a rapidly growing church," Sanderson says, revealing a major factor influencing what turned into a successful collaboration between his firm and the congregation. "Prior to moving into the 1,100-seat sanctuary they call home now, they were in a very small space where not much could be done. It had a low ceiling and seated 500 or so. They wanted to change the look and feel of their services entirely with a theatrical stage offering rigging for curtains and props, and most importantly, a sound system that could manage everything from weekly services to national touring acts."
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STATS
Rane Corporation
Pro Audio and signal processing for the live sound, installation and DJ markets.
Mukilteo, Wash. (20 miles outside of Seattle)
Founded in 1981
Fulltime employees:
About 100.
Number of products in catalog:
Services provided:
Technical and application support, product repair.
Read More »It wasn't long ago that the best technology available was priced beyond the reach of many live sound professionals. A certain amount of price segregation makes sense, of course, but manufacturers across the board came to the realization that a customer base could be doubled, maybe tripled, by offering a series of products at a more attainable price point. The trick is to take proven technology, tweak it slightly to get to a more affordable level and keep the quality high.
Read More »Last month we discussed the increasing demand for live recording. This month, we take a look at how to get your raw tracks or mixes to the producer and/or band for overdubbing or approval. (Overdubbing on a live CD? I never knew there was such a thing! Tell it to the judge.) Whether you realize it or not, you have likely already participated in a form of digital audio delivery: that iPod you've got strapped to your arm is probably filled with MP3s that have been downloaded from the Internet. Granted, MP3s are relatively small files, and Lord knows the fidelity stinks, but the technological idea is there. Of course, things get complicated when file size increases, and any audio file we might be interested in has got to be huge. In other words, audio at 44.1 kHz/16-bit requires a lot of data. You can't fit a lot of audio at 44.1/16 into your iPod.
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Call me archaic, but I actually find the English language to be a great way to express ones thoughts, regardless of intent or purpose. From relaying simple instructions in concise terms to loquaciously waxing poetic, the English language, when used properly, is capable of conveying thought and feeling with nuance and elegance. This does not mean that we need to roll our "R's" or speak in Shakespearean English, but as intelligent people we must find a middle ground between "Wherefore art thou?" and "Where you at?" Starting with the president of the United States on down, spoken English has become a lost art or, at the very least, simply modified to the lowest common denominator.
Read More »There are some things in the music business that never change. For instance, record labels will always want to repackage a band's old material. History has shown that "Greatest Hits" packages are an easy (and cheap) way to do this. After all, the biggest expense of a new release — studio time — is minimal for a re-package. Ditto for the concept of a live recording. The band is performing anyway, and by the time they've played their 25th show, they're pretty well rehearsed, so the label decides it's time to record a concert for release on CD in stereo and on DVD in 5.1 — and that's where life on the road gets complicated.
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Bob Forbes is taking the opportunity to breathe. As the president of SPL Systems (www.splsystems.net), a regional sound company who strikes while the proverbial fair and festival iron is hot, Forbes has recently finished a five-month-long run of festivals around the company's Chicopee, Mass. headquarters.
This past summer, the SPL crew worked at 17 fairs in the southeast Massachusetts and northern New York state region that included the Barnstable County Fair in East Faimouth, Mass., Ulster County Fair in New Paltz, N.Y. and the Duchess County Fair in Rhinebeck, N.Y., as well as the Eastern States Exposition ("The Big E") and the Big Y Balloon and Music Festival in West Springfield, Mass.
Read More »'Twas the night before Christmas; the deadline was tight.
The tempers were flaring; there was no end in sight.
The ground plans were hung on the walls without care,
While hundreds of box truss were flown in the air.
The Clients were nestled all snug in their beds
While us in production were banging our heads.
The script had revisions; the computer had crashed.
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On a perfect Las Vegas evening, a recordbreaking audience gathered in a Venetian Hotel Ballroom to pay tribute to the very best of the year in our annual "Oscars of the Live Event Industry" affair.
"When you think about it, it's against our very nature to attend an event like this," observed master of ceremonies and president of Timeless Communications Terry Lowe during the ceremony's opening moments. "We tend to be the kind that shuns the spotlight. We'd rather be pointing it. We'd rather EQ than speak into a mic."
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