Acoustics: The Sound System/Room Connection
One of my best-received articles for FRONT of HOUSE detailed how to set up a cardioid subwoofer array (see FOH, Dec. 2011, page 28). In keeping with the “nuts and bolts” theme of that previous article, this month I’d like to present a straightforward set of guidelines to help the system tech or FOH engineer successfully tackle the challenge of providing a neutral sonic canvas for live sound events.
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On The Road with J-Lo
Engineer Rick Camp is a man with plenty of frequent flyer miles. When your list of FOH mixing credits includes the likes of Madonna, Beyoncé, Anita Baker, Natalie Cole, Destiny’s Child, Chris Brown and Burt Bacharach, you’ve been around the block a few times. We recently caught up with Rick in Australia during Jennifer Lopez’s Dance Again World Tour. Camp, who had previously worked FOH with J-Lo, was brought in again to mix the European, Australian and Asian legs of the tour last September, which — possibly just for additional airline miles — concluded with two dates in San Juan, Puerto Rico, followed by hopping back to central Asia for a couple shows in Turkmenistan on December 28.
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The Killers Battle Born Tour
Hailing from the quaint, sleepy village of Las Vegas, NV, The Killers formed their rocking sound in 2001 and have since gone on become an international success, selling more than 16 million albums in the process. The band consists of frontman/lead singer/keyboardist Brandon Flowers, guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr., although they perform live as a six-piece ensemble, adding two multi-instrumentalist keyboard/guitar players to complete their sound.
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Non-Traditional Applications for Earset Microphones
Since the invention of the first “earset” in the late 1990s by Carl Countryman, this new class of microphone has rapidly grown to be one of the most popular tools for miking presenters, singers and performers. Unlike a headset, which wraps around the head and grabs both ears, an earset fits over only one ear of the performer and positions the microphone element right next to the mouth. This results in a perfect marriage of comfort and unobtrusiveness for the performer and extreme isolation from ambient noise and feedback for the engineer.
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Eight Steps to a Smooth Audio Upgrade for H.O.W. Facilities
As a sales manager with the permanent installation division of an audio rental house, I have assisted clients with audio system upgrades of everything from grade schools and universities to churches, theaters and ballparks. When it comes to planning an upgrade, the technical aspects of a microphone, speaker or console are not of particular importance to me. That is the concern of our engineers. I’m most interested in addressing the needs of my clients within a manageable time frame and budget. Here are some helpful tips I’ve gleaned over the years on how to do this when assisting with an audio upgrade for a house of worship.
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Waves Plug-ins on Your Midas PRO9
As front of house engineer for Rob Zombie’s Twins of Evil tour, I was mixing a very complex, chaotic, and often unpredictable show. I didn’t have the luxury of knowing what might happen next, so the last thing I needed was a complicated setup that would require me to take my hands off the console to cue different functions and effects.
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PreSonus StudioLive AI-series Active Integration Loudspeakers
You heard it here first: At this month’s NAMM show, PreSonus is unveiling the results of one of the largest R&D projects in the company’s 18-year history. It’s called Active Integration, and this technology is incorporated into the newest generation StudioLive 32.4.2AI 32-channel mixer (spotlighted on page 23) and PreSonus’ new advanced StudioLive AI-series live sound speakers. But rather than a another “me-too” speaker-on-stick design, the new AI series grabs the industry by the horns and teaches it a few new tricks along the way.
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VUE Audiotechnik a-Class Loudspeakers
Less than a year old, VUE Audiotechnik was founded and developed by two industry pioneers (Ken Berger and Jim Sides) who are noted for developing highly respected speakers for other manufacturers. And from what we’ve seen and heard so far, VUE may very well be on its way to becoming a standard in audio excellence.
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