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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

VENUE Live Sound Systems Support Top Live Television Shows

Creative Sound Solutions chose VENUE to mix American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.

Avid has announced that two of primetime television’s biggest shows, American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, are relying on Avid VENUE live sound systems for their live broadcasts this season. Both shows, each of which average more than 20 million viewers per episode, depend on the VENUE system’s sound quality and flexibility to deliver stellar audio mixes.

Creative Sound Solutions (CSS), which handles the music mixes for American Idol and the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars, required a reliable live system that could handle both recording and mixing for a live television broadcast.

CSS chose a 96-channel VENUE Profile System, with Waves and TC Electronics plug-ins, and a Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel system to complete its mobile studio.

With VENUE, CSS is able to seamlessly transition between live and pre-recorded mixes through a direct Pro Tools connection.

“As a mobile recording studio, we multi-track the orchestra and all of the singers on Pro Tools, which allows me to play back rehearsals and fine-tune the mixes just before show time,” explains Randy Faustino, CEO and president of CSS, and music mixer for American Idol.

“When we go live to millions of people, the VENUE Profile is the perfect solution because it allows me to mix live while tracking—on a console that’s designed for live mixing. VENUE sounds amazing in and of itself, and with the added power of so many possible TDM plug-ins, I can personalize my mix with effects and processors I’ve loved and used for years.”

Before each American Idol and Dancing with the Stars broadcast, CSS takes advantage of the direct VENUE and Pro Tools integration, taking a split of all microphone sources used for vocal performances and mixing the elements of the orchestra and vocalists together.

CSS then sends the mix to the production audio booth, which creates all of the show’s production elements and the 5.1 surround mix. Because of this, CSS can easily access the live show mix in its mobile studio while simultaneously managing the 5.1 mix for the live broadcast. 

Avid VENUE Website

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Dutch Rental Companies Add More DiGiCo SD8’s

Purple Group added to their existing inventory for the VanVelzen and Kane tours.

Purple Group rental facilities, past owner of three DiGiDo SD8s, recently increased their inventory to no less than five.

The company is a long-term DiGiCo user and, when asked to supply equipment for tours by top Dutch acts VanVelzen and Kane, the decision to invest in further SD8s was straightforward one.

“For VanVelzen we use a double SD8 setup, a standard console and SD8-24,” says Purple Group’s Robert de Loey.

“In venues with small Front of House position, the 24 channel console is used at FOH with the standard console on monitors, while in venues with small stages the consoles are swapped over.”

Taking advantage of the SD8’s recording facilities, an RME Madiface is used for virtual soundchecking, integrated with the RME MADI bridge.

“Being able to soundcheck before a band arrives makes touring so easy,” says Robert. “The great sound quality, flexibility and small footprint of the SD8 is the ideal way to work for our engineers. The DiGiCo family continues to grow at Purple Group and these latest purchases are definitely not the last.”

DiGiDo Website

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Lectrosonics Appoints Bernard Farkus As Central U.S. Representative

Will rep Lectrosonics in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming

Lectrosonics has announced the appointment of Bernard Farkus as the company’s new central U.S. representative.

With more than 24 years of experience in all aspects of the broadcast and commercial audio-video industry, Farkus’ background makes him an ideal choice for his new position with Lectrosonics. He will eventually be stationed in the greater Dallas area.

In his new capacity, Farkus will represent Lectrosonics throughout the central United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming.

Among his various responsibilities, he will serve as the company’s conduit for the authorized Lectrosonics dealer network, conduct product training and demonstrations, and represent Lectrosonics at regional trade shows and similar events.

Farkus’ background covers a wide range of experiences that make him ideally suited to his new position at Lectrosonics. He possesses CTS-D certification from InfoComm International and has been actively involved in the design and/or commissioning of hundreds of sophisticated audio, video, intercom, and control systems.

With a work history that includes tenures at Wheatstone Corporation, ClearOne Communications, and Waveguide Consulting, Farkus’ experience runs the gamut from Design Engineer/Project Manager and Field Applications Engineer through Sales Engineer.

Additionally, he is a Level II Crestron programmer and has an extensive DSP (digital signal processing) background.

“With its comprehensive product offerings and a reputation for excellence, Lectrosonics represents a wonderful opportunity for me to utilize my sales, management, and application background,” Farkus said. “I’ve always had a passion for the technologies utilized in the broadcast, theater, and musical performance spaces and, for quite some time, have been actively involved in the creation/specification of audiovisual systems.

“The opportunity to be actively engaged in the many areas where Lectrosonics competes is something I find uniquely challenging and rewarding. I believe this position is a great fit for me and I’m really looking forward to digging in.”

Gordon Moore, Vice President of Sales for Lectrosonics, added. “I’m very pleased to have Bernard joining our effort,” Moore says. “Bernard’s combination of skills makes him a terrific choice for the Central U.S. Representative position. In addition to his background in the broadcast sector, he understands what the AV contracting professional looks for, and this is critically important when it comes to directing a prospective customer to the most appropriate products.

“With the addition of our new ASPEN Series processors, Bernard’s ability to represent these products makes him a great fit for our organization. I’m confident he’ll do well and produce the results we’re looking for.”

Farkus’ new position with Lectrosonics commenced March 1, 2010.

Lectrosonics Website

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Soundcraft Introduces Vi1 Compact Digital Console Incorporating Vistonics, Lexicon FX And BSS EQ

Input to mix capacity is 46 channels, and by adding a stagebox, simultaneous channel count increases to 64

The new Soundcraft Vi1 is a stand-alone console package with 32 channels of analog input to 27 analog outputs, plus 6 digital inputs, 4 stereo FX returns and 6 digital outputs, all in one chassis.

As standard, input to mix capacity is 46 channels, but by adding a stagebox (compatible with the existing Vi racks), simultaneous channel count increases to 64. Channels are routable to 24 multifunction buses, plus LR and mono mix buses.

Up to 8 of the buses can be configured as matrix mixes, each with up to 16 sources.

The surface is just over 1 meter (3 feet) wide, and includes 16 motorized channel faders with fixed and user-definable layers, 8 output/VCA faders and 2 master faders.

The Vi1 also incorporates a widescreen Vistonics interface, which will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s worked with a Vi6 or Vi4.

This new development displays all parameters for 16 channels side by side, on a single 22-inch Vistonics touch screen. The upper half of the screen handles the output section control as well as cue list or menu displays.

Parameter control is via two rows of 16 rotary encoders. Exactly the same channel functionality as the Vi6 and Vi4 is available here, along with all the same core snapshot, talkback and monitoring facilities.

The Vi1 also inherits many of the facilities of its larger siblings, including Soundcraft FaderGlow, 4 stereo Lexicon effects engines, BSS Audio graphic EQ on all output buses, and integral dynamics on all channels.

The desk is compatible with Vi4 and Vi6 show files through the Virtual Vi offline editor, which is available as a free download from www.soundcraft.com.

The price of the Vi1 starts at about around $22,750 (£15,000 UK) list.

Soundcraft Website

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SoundField SPS200 Microphone A Big Hit At Plymouth Audio Training College

Deep Blue Sound found the Soundfield hardware and software a perfect match.

UK-based microphone manufacturer SoundField has supplied Deep Blue Sound audio and music technology college with their SPS200 Surround Zone plug-in.

Deep Blue Sound underwent an extensive refit last summer, installing new Pro Tools recording workstations and upgrading studio equipment.

As part of the upgrade and overhaul, a new advanced microphone technique module was added. Covering techniques for location and orchestral recording in surround sound, the DBS staff needed a microphone capable of capturing and delivering surround.

Matt Bernard, DBS studio and technical manager explains, “We began by borrowing an older SoundField ST250 to try it out, some time before we carried out our Pro Tools upgrades. We were very pleased with what it seemed capable of doing, so we progressed to buying the new SPS200 Software Controlled microphone from music technology dealers KMR.”

“It was the right price point for us, and it proved very popular with the students in the autumn for location and orchestral recording. We bought another surround mic at the same time as the SPS200, but they seem to like the flexibility of the SoundField. That’s the mic that they all want to use.”

“After we got our new Pro Tools HD rigs in the summer, we realized we didn’t have enough instances of the SPS200 Surround Zone plug-in for all of our systems,” continues Bernard. “Although we only have one SPS200, once our students had made their four-channel recordings, they could work on them later while someone else was using the microphone, as long as the software wasn’t already being used. What we really wanted were enough copies of the SPS200 Surround Zone to run one on each of our five Pro Tools HD rigs. And SoundField was kind enough to provide these.”

“We were happy to help Deep Blue Sound with extra copies of the SPS200 Surround Zone,” explains Ken Giles, managing director of SoundField. “The SPS200 has been very successful in the educational market, and as a result of our experiences with Deep Blue Sound and other academic establishments, we now provide further copies of the plug-in free of charge, in order that the plug-ins can be used in a multi-workstation environment.”

SoundField Website

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Pianist Randy Walderman Finds Earthworks’ PM40 PianoMic His Piano Miking Solution

The PM40's sound and easy installation were the perfect combination for this busy artist.

Pianist, accompanist, arranger, and conductor Randy Waldman found his solution to an endless search for piano amplification, the Earthworks PM40 PianoMic System.

Miking the piano was an ongoing challenge, explained Walden, “Miking the entire keyboard evenly—without certain notes or areas being louder or softer than other areas—is a huge issue.”

“Similarly, sound leakage from outside the piano is another consideration that makes capturing the instrument so difficult. I really hadn’t found what I considered to be a workable solution until I discovered the Earthworks PM40.”

“What I like most about the PM40 is its ease of installation,” Waldman continued. “When I walk into a live concert situation, I would say 99% of the time, the piano is already miked. Since piano miking generally takes a fairly long time, most sound crews aren’t willing to experiment because they have a million other responsibilities to attend to.”

“With the PM40, however, the mics are so easy to place that, most of the time; the crew is open to the idea. I set the PM40 in place, angle the mics and hand them the plugs. Once the crew hears the system, the sound sells itself.”

In terms of its sound quality, Waldman offered the following. “The PM40 delivers even, natural sound across the entire range of the instrument, and since I can close the lid, there’s considerably less of the usual bleed from other instruments on stage.”

“Equally noteworthy, I never have to worry about the mics falling into the piano. I also get plenty of positive feedback from the sound crews when they hear the system for the first time. Their comments are almost always the same, ‘You can hear the entire piano keyboard evenly.’ The PM40 is a really well thought out system for piano miking.”

Earthworks Website

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College Hill Productions Has Big Day Out With Soundcraft Consoles

The Vi6 carried the day at the demanding Auckland music festival.

College Hill Productions supplied the live sound services for the Auckland “Big Day Out” on January 15, one of the world’s most popular music festivals.

The event featured performances by some of today’s biggest artists, including Lily Allen, The Mars Volta, Jet, Kasabian, The Decemberists and Fear Factory.

Big Day Out included two main stages, one next to the other, enabling one act to perform immediately following the performance on the adjacent stage.

At each stages front-of-house position, College Hill’s FOH system engineers Kevin Bennett and Leon Dalton used a 96-channel Soundcraft Vi console with fiber multicores.

Both systems utilized the onboard Lexicon effects packages built into the Vi6. In addition, the electronic group Groove Armada used a third Vi6 in the dance tent.

“All comments from the band engineers were positive,” said Chris Tate, Director of College Hill Productions. “The day went 100 percent smoothly and the Vi6 consoles worked flawlessly.”

Soundcraft Website

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