There is no escaping the sea change in professional audio, arguably initiated by L-Acoustics, towards widespread use of vertical loudspeaker arrays, more commonly named “line arrays.” Whether for large touring productions or the new generation of column loudspeakers installed in conference rooms, vertical arrangement of loudspeaker transducers is now firmly affixed in the industry’s consciousness.
Read More »
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
The home of the 2011 NFL Champion Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI, is famous, not only for Cheesehead fervor (the average wait time for the 81,000 on the waiting list for season tickets within the 73,000-seat venue is 30 years) but also for brutal winter weather conditions.
Read More »
For some years now, the Roland Systems Group has enjoyed a great deal of success with its M-series digital mixers. That said, I have never had the pleasure of mixing on one. Which is why editor George Petersen felt I was the perfect choice to review the Roland M-480 V-Mixer digital console. So, what you are about to read are my first impressions of this piece of technology.
Read More »Back in March of this year, right on the eve of the Musikmesse/Prolight + Sound show in Frankfurt, there was a surprise announcement about a new pro audio company. The “new company” part wasn’t much of a shocker — new companies spring up nearly every day. But the real issue of interest here was that this new enterprise known as VUE Audiotechnik is headed by Ken Berger and Jim Sides, two well-known industry icons with an impressive track record.
Read More »
Built a century ago, Washington DC’s historic Howard Theatre is back to life. Located near the corner of 7th and T Streets in an area known as “Black Broadway,” the historic arts landmark that launched the careers of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye and The Supremes, reopened in April after a $29 million renovation.
Read More »
Like many regional companies, Frequency City Sound & Lighting Ltd. started off from humble beginnings. Like many others, it’s a familiar tale — local rock ‘n’ roll guitar player with PA (Peavey mixer/amp head, some mics and a couple Peavey SP3 speakers) decides to branch out and make money doing sound for other bands between his group’s gigs. Eventually the business grows into a serious operation.
Read More »
We have recently completed James Taylor’s 2012 European tour, and I am writing this column while kicked back in a comfortable London hotel room, enjoying a couple of days of R&R. My flight home from Reykjavik to LAX was routed through Heathrow (yes, really), so I decided I would do two things. First, I spent two extra days in Iceland sightseeing with my friend (and JT monitor engineer) Rachel Adkins. It was the first time either of us had been to Iceland, and we each figured that we might never get back there. It is a starkly beautiful country, and we enjoyed every minute we spent there exploring the island. Second, I jumped ship in London and took a little time to myself. Everyone in our business deserves a little pampering once in a while.
Read More »
The down-easter phrase, “You can’t get there from here,” is a familiar one to anyone who’s ever asked for directions on a back road in Maine. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more recognizable to touring music artists as well, in recent years, and it’s not exactly music to their ears.
Read More »
An ongoing struggle facing all live sound engineers is the impact of poor room acoustics on their mix. All too often, we find ourselves mixing music in spaces not intended for live music, or spaces designed for live music with minimal concern for acoustics. Sometimes we mix music in theaters that, once upon a time, were acoustically designed for unamplified music, the favorable properties of which go out the window once a PA is brought in-house.
Read More »For many of you, this month’s installment may seem a little redundant, as I’ve written about this subject in the past. But before you turn the page, hear me out. Our main job as audio technicians is to make the service sound as good as it possibly can. In reality, almost all my Sound Sanctuary writing is designed to that end. Making great sound is important to me, as I am sure it is for you.
Read More »
Audio, music, baseball and girls are pretty much all I think about — and not necessarily in that order. Well, not really girls (since I’m married), but something just like it. Believe me, I’m not trying to imply that I’m shallow but… Okay, I’m a superficial scum, so sue me, but they do all go together, although maybe not in this article. So just for expediency, if I forget about the girls, it leaves audio, music and baseball.
Read More »Once upon a time and long ago, most of us were enticed into becoming sound reinforcement professionals. Of course, at the time, few of us realized that this meant taking a lifelong oath of poverty (we’re never paid what we’re truly worth) and abuse — when it’s right no one notices; when something’s wrong, it’s always our fault. But we love what we do and stick to it in spite of any such minor trivialities.
Read More »