Imagine This!
Baker Lee looks at the growing phenomena of using non-venues as sites for music-oriented events and offers a few insights — or at least condolences.
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Ban This Book!
The classic Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook has been around for ages, but within those pages, Baker Lee has recently uncovered hidden secret codes that mark it with filth, scum and villainy. Find out why we need to ban this book!
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A Taxing Way of Life
No one like taxes, but as Baker Lee warns, live engineers can get bit hard without some advance fiscal planning.
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A Console Odyssey
No, Baker Lee didn’t have to be tied to the mast while the sirens sang, but was nearly driven crazy by something even more sinister — dealing with a barrage of console software updates. However, he was thankful it didn’t occur during touring season!
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Ghosts of Audio Past
The lifespan of the average American continues to rise, yet the lifespan of audio gear — particularly digital — seems to be on a downward spiral. Baker Lee offers his observations on this sort of “retirement age.”
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“Be Prepared”
Noting that “The Devil is in the Details,” Baker Lee explains how — beyond the audio gear — advancing the venue and production details can make the difference between smooth sailing and a complete disaster.
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The AES Carnival
Baker Lee returns from visiting the annual audio engineering confab in New York and offers his observations in terms of dollars – and sense.
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The Emotional Mix
The Emotional Mix. Baker Lee discusses how, beyond technology, a successful mix brings emotion and artistry into the final product. Technique dazzles, but emotion is the special sauce that sells it
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Old, Vintage and Antique
We all have a fondness for rack-mount gear — not plug-ins, but real units with wires, tubes, transistors, knobs and meters — that can shape audio in their own inimitable way. But is dragging a 70-pound Fairchild on the road worthwhile? Baker Lee ponders this and other questions.
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More Gain Structure
Recently, I wrote a column regarding gain structure appropriately titled “Gain Structure.” (See FRONT of HOUSE, July 2022, page 28.) Gain structure is at the… Read More »More Gain Structure
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When the Dam Broke
When the Dam Broke. The pandemic may be (mostly) over, yet audio providers are faced with plenty of new concerns now that an industry is suddenly awash in requests for sound services. Baker Lee looks at the phenomenon.
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Gain Structure
Gain Structure. Low input / high output is the goal, and Baker Lee boils down the entire process of live mixing to a few time-tested concepts that are simple, yet often misunderstood.
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