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Monday, April 26, 2010

Powersoft Announces M Series Power Amplifiers

Five new models add additional flexibility to the Powersoft catalog.

Powersoft has announced the M Series line of power amplifiers.

The M Series consists of five new models that include two 4-channel and three 2-channel versions.

M Series amplifiers come in a one rack unit chassis, 14.1” in depth and weight just over 16lbs.

All M Series models feature Powersoft’s advanced plug-in DSP module.

When installed and preset to meet the needs of a particular installation including settings for crossover frequency and curves, basic system EQ and protection functions, the parameters cannot be tampered with.

“Because of our advanced engineering and design, we will be able to offer M Series amplifiers at a very attractive price without compromising the sound quality and features,” said Claudio Lastrucci, Powersoft’s managing director.

“This makes the M Series an outstanding value for small to medium sized PA systems and stage monitors for live music and DJ applications. Even for dry hire, M Series is safe with the DSP ‘hidden’ inside. Clubs, bars and other entertainment venues often have to pay extra for their systems to be tamper-proof. The M Series includes this as standard.”

The new M series amplifiers will be available later this year.

Powersoft Website

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Primacoustic Announces The Release Of Latest Isolation Products,

The KickStandBass Drum Microphone Stand and the CashGuard Drum mic shield join the Primacoustic line.

Primacoustic has announced the release of their latest products, the KickStandBass Drum Microphone Stand and the CashGuard Drum mic shield.

The KickStand is a microphone boom-stand isolator that incorporates a heavy stabilizing base with a high-density foam isolation pad to eliminate resonance from the stage, drum riser and studio floor from entering the microphone.

A common problem with bass guitars and bass drums is resonance on live stages.

This is generally caused by low frequencies coupling with the wood platform which will combine at certain frequencies and generate unwanted peaks.

Another problem is the physical vibration from the kick drum pedal and low-end from the PA system that causes the drums to rattle and transmit through the drum riser.

Microphones that are near these sources are prone to picking up these unwanted sounds unless they are decoupled.

The KickStand helps eliminate the problem by both decoupling the microphone stand from the source, while introducing a stabilizing mass to hold the microphone in place.

Said Primacoustic President Peter Janis,  “A couple of years ago, we invented a device called the Recoil Stabilizer that improves the performance of the nearfield monitor by both eliminating the resonance from the meter bridge while reintroducing a mass component to stabilize the loudspeaker.”

“The success has been tremendous with many of the world’s leading engineers now using Recoils whenever they mix.”

“We felt that this same technology could be applied to stabilizing microphones. The KickStand is the first of these to be released.” 

Also now available is the CrashGuard, a unique sound-shielding device that isolates the drum microphone to attenuate the sound of cymbals during the recording process.

This has the net effect of reducing interference between the two sources thus enabling greater control over the sound of the drum.

Compact and light weight, the CrashGuard is designed to fit most popular drum microphones and mounts directly on the boom stand using the microphone’s clip to hold it in place.

The high impact ABS construction is tough enough to withstand the hit of a drum stick by even the most aggressive drummer.

To ensure the microphone performance is maintained, the under-belly is fully coated on the inside with high density open-cell foam to absorb internal reflections and reduce phase cancellation.

Plus the innovative design features an extended cable cutout that allows the microphone to be articulated for precise placement, further optimizing the performance.

Primacoustic Website

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One Systems Introduces Powered Direct-Weather 15-inch Two-Way System

The POPS is capable of withstanding rough weather and ultra-violet radiation.

One Systems has introduced the POPS 15.

The One Systems Powered Outdoor Presentation System 15 (POPS 15) is designed for applications ranging from indoor or outdoor applications such as sporting events, civic celebrations, drama presentations and festivals, etc. that require a high-output, high-quality sound capable of excellent sonic projection.

The POPS 15 is a powered 15-inch two-way system featuring concert-quality components, 1,600 watts of bi-amped power, full digital signal processing and a tough weather-resistant, inert enclosure.

The speakers woofer features a 4-inch voice coil, a large- format compression driver and a High-Q 60o x 40o constant-directivity horn that are capable of delivering medium to long-throw coverage

The POPS 15’s enclosure is injection-molded from a special resin designed that will withstand rough weather and ultra-violet radiation.

To increase its weather-resistant, the POPS 15’s grille and rigging components are made of ultra high-grade stainless steel.

The enclosure has been designed to IEC 529 / IP 56 ingress protection standards and its transducers, electronic switches and input / output connections are designed to meet weather / waterproof requirements.

The POPS 15 can be mounted on a standard 35-mm pole mount for quick setups or mobile applications; it can be safely suspended horizontally or vertically via 7 x M10 rigging points and it can be wall-mounted, pole-mounted or arrayed using a range of optional accessories.

One Systems Website

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Tech Tip Of The Day: Feedback Problems With Drum Risers

Things to consider if your new drum riser is causing problems.

 
Q: Our band recently built a drum riser to use on gigs.

Now it seems like the drums feedback in the low end a lot more, especially the bass drum. What can we do?

A: The drum riser is sympathetically vibrating (resonating) with the drums and/or PA system.

Either way it is feeding these resonances back to the drums, causing the heads to ring a little more, which is being picked up by the mics, etc. Or it’s causing the mic stands to vibrate, which is picked up by the mics.

The best way to stop this action - things resonating - is to add mass, which either changes the resonant frequency or dampens it altogether, or decouple the resonant items.

You can add mass to the drum heads themselves, but this will radically change the sound of the drums. The best way to fix it is to add mass to the riser.

This means using really heavy woods and/or putting extensive bracing inside of it. There is a reason why high quality speakers are usually made out of thick, heavy woods, or sophisticated composite materials - to prevent or dampen unwanted resonances.

Sand bags, bricks, scrap rubber from tires are all things that can be added to a drum riser to dampen it from vibrations in addition to heavy woods. Most good risers are made of steel, with a very heavy wood top. Similar to isolating a studio space there is no getting around mass to dampen vibrations.

Short of that you at least have to fill up the air space underneath so you can dampen the air movement. I’ve even seen bands who have custom cases that doubled as a riser. Once they got most of their equipment set up they filled these cases with all the extra cables, soft gig bags, and other stuff, which made a big difference.

Isolation is another method that may prove helpful. Get good shock mounts for your microphones at the very least. Isolating the drums from the riser can help a lot, but it’s difficult to do.

Rubber mats, can help, but drum pedals will eventually eat them up. You can also isolate the drum riser from the rest of the stage with more specialized products from various acoustical products manufacturers.

 
For more tech tips go to Sweetwater.com

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Aviom Pro16 Helps Lower Stage Volume At Bartley Christian Church

A versatile Aviom system helped solve numerous issues at Bartley Christian Church.

Aviom’s Pro16 digital snake and personal mixing system, supplied by Coda Audio Services, is helping to bring versatility and lower stage volumes to the worship services at the newly constructed Bartley Christian Church sanctuary in Singapore.

As part of a new construction effort to accommodate an ever-expanding congregation, Bartley Christian Church in Singapore employed PAVE Systems as systems integrators to help update its audio system.

With plans for the new sanctuary to seat up to 1,200, but with attendance for services ranging up to 2,200, Bartley knew it would also need to utilize the new building’s smaller auxiliary worship space on the second floor and its multipurpose rooms for additional seating capacity.

As a result, the church required a means to bring audio from the main sanctuary to the rooms used for expansion.

Relying on the flexibility of Aviom’s Pro16 digital snake and audio distribution products, the church can very easily modify its audio setup to distribute audio throughout the facility.

The church has two main worship spaces, each equipped with Aviom equipment.

In the newest space, located on the third floor, the church installed three AN-16/i-M Mic Input Modules, three Y1 A-Net Cards in a Yamaha console, five AN-16/o Output Modules, a System Bridge, an AV-P2 Output Module, two A-16D Pro A-Net Distributors, and a monitor system consisting of six A-16II Personal Mixers.

“In our design, we wanted the flexibility to run a simulcast to other rooms should a larger event require it,” says Tony Clayton Chong, technical director for AV & Media at Bartley Church.

“Using the Aviom Pro16 digital snake, we are able to broadcast digital audio easily to any room, anytime.”

“Running Cat-5 network points to all of the multipurpose rooms as well as the smaller worship hall was a fairly simple process compared to running multiple analog audio cables all around the building.”

As part of the digital snake setup, all mic inputs in the main sanctuary are fed into three AN-16/i-M Mic Input Modules located on the stage and sent to front of house via Cat-5 cable utilizing an AN-16SBR System Bridge on stage and a second in the front of house rack for wiring simplicity.

Three AN-16/o Output Modules feed the mic signals into the analog inputs of the Yamaha M7CL for mixing, processing, and routing.

Prior to the installation of the Aviom personal mixing system, weekend services were included spillover from stage audio from the worship band’s amplifiers as well as their stage monitors. With the Aviom system and the use of in-ear monitors for the performers, Bartley Christian Church was able to minimize stage volume because wedge monitors were no longer required.

“All I can say is that the mixing engineer and musicians are very happy with the Aviom personal mixers,” Chong concluded.

“The front of house mix is much cleaner without spills and the musicians play tighter as a result of being able to hear each other clearly. Also the ability to save their settings helps as well.”

Aviom Website

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Understanding Reverb 101

A primer on the in's and out's of using reverb.

 
When we hear sounds in the “real world,” they are in an acoustic space.

For example, suppose you are playing acoustic guitar in your living room.

You hear not only the guitar’s sound, but because the guitar generates sound waves, they bounce off walls, the ceiling, and the floor.

Some of these sound waves return to your ears, which due to their travel through the air, will be somewhat delayed compared to the direct sound of the guitar.

This resulting sound from all these reflections is extremely complex and called reverberation.

As the sound waves bounce off objects, they lose energy and their level and tone changes. If a sound wave hits a pillow or curtain, it will be absorbed more than if it hits a hard surface.

High frequencies tend to be absorbed more easily than lower frequencies, so the longer a sound wave travels around, the “duller” its sound. This is called damping.

As another example, a concert hall filled with people will sound different than if the hall is empty, because the people (and their clothing) will absorb sound.

Reverberation is important because it gives a sense of space.

For live recordings, there are often two or more mics set up to pick up the room sound, which can be mixed in with the instrument sounds.

In recording studios, some have “live” rooms that allow lots of reflections, while others have “dead” rooms which have been acoustically treated to reduce reflections to a minimum – or “live/dead” rooms which may have sound absorbing materials at one end, and hard surfaces at the other.

Drummers often prefer to record in large, live rooms so there are lots of natural reflections; vocalists frequently record in dead rooms, like vocal booths, then add artificial reverb during mixdown to create a sense of acoustic space.

Whether generated naturally or artificially, reverb has become an essential part of today’s recordings.

Different Reverb Types
There are two main types of artificial reverb: Synthesized and convolution-based. Synthesized reverb “models” the sound of a room through the use of various algorithms (Fig. 1).

For example, a “Hall” algorithm will take into account that waves travel further in a concert hall than in a small room, so the reverb will take longer to decay. A “Room” algorithm might model a small room, like a club or practice space.

Other algorithms model artificial reverbs, such as “Spring” reverbs found in guitar amps, or “Plate” reverbs that were used extensively in the 60s.

Each algorithm has a different sound quality, but they all work in the same basic way: A signal comes into the reverb, is analyzed, and the reverb algorithm generates echoes and reflections that mimic what happens in the chosen acoustic space.

Convolution reverb is a relatively new type of technology that “samples” the sound of a room.

Typically, a device like a sports starting pistol will create an impulse that creates reflections in a room.

These reflections are recorded, analyzed, and converted into a very accurate model of that specific room.

A good analogy is that a convolution reverb’s impulse is like a “mold” that you pour sound into, and the sound acquires the characteristics of being in that room.

You can think of the difference between synthesized and convolution reverb as the difference between a synthesizer and a sampler.

The synthesizer will give more control over the sound but have a more “impressionistic” character, while a sampler provides an extremely accurate, but generally less editable, sound.

Another consideration is that convolution reverb is a very processor-intensive operation.

Only in recent years have computers become powerful enough to allow for real-time operation, and even then, you might experience some audible delays due to processing.

Fortunately, as reverbs are based on delays anyway, with fast computers you might not notice anything objectionable.

Reverb Elements
A sophisticated reverb will have many parameters, but few people know how to optimize these parameters for specific recording situations. So, let’s discuss how the various parameters affect your sound.

Reverb has two main elements (Fig. 3):

The early reflections (also called initial reflections) consist of the first group of echoes that occur when sound waves hit walls, ceilings, etc. These tend to be more defined and sound more like “echo” than “reverb.”

You can often adjust the level of early reflections. Decay, which is the sound created by these waves as they continue to bounce around a space.

This “wash” of sound is what most people associate with reverb, and is often called the reverb tail.

Another parameter, Pre-Delay, sets the time for the first sounds to travel from the source to the first set of reflections.

The larger the space, the larger the pre-delay because it takes more time for the signal to arrive at a wall or ceiling and start bouncing around.

Advanced Parameters
Following are some of the parameters found in higher-end synthesis-based reverbs; less expensive reverbs will have a subset of these parameters.

Convolution reverbs generally have fewer parameters, but in the past few years, engineers have figured out how to make convolution reverbs more editable.

Algorithm. We’ve already mentioned hall and room algorithms, as well as algorithms that emulate “vintage” synthetic reverbs.

But you may also find algorithms like cathedral, gymnasium, small room, closet – anything is possible!

There are even “reverse” algorithms where the decay builds up from nothing to full volume rather than decay from full volume to nothing, and “gated” algorithms that abruptly cut off the reverb tail below a certain level (this effect was very popular in the 80s, particularly with Phil Collins’ albums).

With convolution reverbs, the equivalent concept is called an impulse. Impulses may capture the sound of specific rooms (like particular concert halls), or even the sound of spaces like guitar cabinets.

It’s even possible to create impulses of older reverbs, so there could be an impulse that sounds like an old Lexicon PCM-70. Here are some examples of different room types.

These examples all use a single percussive hit to excite” the reverb, as this provides an easy way to compare the effects of different reverb types and settings.
Small Room - Plate - Cathedral - Bright Chamber

Room size. This affects whether the paths the waves take while bouncing around in the “virtual room” are long or short. Just like real rooms, artificial rooms can have “standing waves” and resonances.

If the reverb sound has flutter (a periodic warbling effect), vary this parameter in conjunction with decay time (described next) for the smoothest sound.

Decay time. This determines how long it takes for the reflections to run out of energy. Remember that long reverb times may sound impressive on instruments when soloed, but rarely work in an ensemble context (unless the arrangement is very sparse).

The spec for decay time is called RT60, which means the time it takes for a signal to decay to –60dB of its original amplitude. For example, if RT60=1.5, then it takes 1.5 seconds for the signal to decay to –60dB or its original level.

Damping. If sounds bounce around in a hall with hard surfaces, the reverb’s decay tails will be bright and “hard.” With softer surfaces (e.g., wood instead of concrete), the reverb tails will lose high frequencies as they bounce around, producing a warmer sound.

If your reverb can’t create a smooth-sounding high end, introduce some damping to place the focus more on the midrange and lower frequencies. Listen to these two audio examples to hear the difference.
Much Damping (Dull) - No Damping (Bright)

Advanced Parameters Continued

High and low frequency attenuation. These parameters restrict the frequencies going into the reverb.

If your reverb sounds metallic, try reducing the highs starting at 4 - 8kHz. Note that many of the great-sounding plate reverbs didn’t have much response above 5 kHz, so don’t worry if your reverb doesn’t provide a high frequency brilliance - it’s not crucial.

Reducing low frequencies going into reverb reduces muddiness; try attenuating from 100 - 200Hz on down.

Early reflections diffusion (sometimes just called diffusion). Increasing diffusion pushes the early reflections closer together, which thickens the sound.

Reducing diffusion produces a sound that tends more toward individual echoes than a wash of sound. For vocals or sustained keyboard sounds (organ, synth), reduced diffusion can give a beautiful reverberant effect that doesn’t overpower the source sound.

On the other hand, percussive instruments like drums work better with more diffusion, so there’s a smooth, even decay instead of what can sound like marbles bouncing on a steel plate (at least with inexpensive reverbs). You’ll hear the difference in the following two audio examples.
Maximum Diffusion - No Diffusion

The reverb tail itself may have a separate diffusion control (the same general guidelines apply about setting this), or both diffusion parameters may be combined into a single control.

Early reflections pre-delay. It takes a few milliseconds before sounds hit the room surfaces and start to produce reflections.

This parameter, usually variable from 0 to around 100ms, simulates this effect. Increase the parameter’s duration to give the feeling of a bigger space; for example, if you’ve dialed in a large room size, you’ll probably want to add a reasonable amount of pre-delay as well.

Reverb density. Lower densities give more space between the reverb’s first reflection and subsequent reflections. Higher densities place these closer together. Generally, I prefer higher densities on percussive content, and lower densities for vocals and sustained sounds.

Early reflections level. This sets the early reflections level compared to the overall reverb decay; balance them so that the early reflections are neither obvious, discrete echoes, nor masked by the decay. Lowering the early reflections level also places the listener further back in the hall, and more toward the middle.

High frequency decay and low frequency decay. Some reverbs have separate decay times for high and low frequencies. These frequencies may be fixed, or there may be an additional crossover parameter that sets the dividing line between low and high frequencies.

These controls have a huge effect on the overall reverb character. Increasing the low frequency decay creates a bigger, more “massive” sound.

Increasing high frequency decay gives a more “ethereal” type of effect. With few exceptions this is not the way sound works in nature, but it can sound very good on vocals as it adds more reverb to sibilants and fricatives, while minimizing reverb on plosives and lower vocal ranges. This avoids a “muddy” reverberation effect that doesn’t compete with the vocals.

For more audio/sound related content and resources, go to Audiofanzine.

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Middle Atlantic Products Chosen In Aztec Theater Renovation

Middle Atlantich chosen for "their reputation of quality."

Originally built in 1926, the Aztec Theater is a premier destination in San Antonio’s restored RiverWalk section.

SDR Specialties were called upon for the renovation, and worked in tandem with architect Steven Durr Design and consultant Drury Southwest.

The project required exceptional awareness and sensitivity of the Theater’s historical status in terms of a compact, efficient and unobtrusive installation.

When it came to the equipment infrastructure, Steve Hennig of SDR chose Middle Atlantic Products.

Said Steve, “I chose Middle Atlantic because of their reputation for quality.

I’ve been using their products for years because they’re well made, always up to code, and all of the details are right, like the holes always line up perfectly, which can be very important. Their products are always right on the money.”

“The challenge for the Aztec Theater project was that every time we had to drill a hole or change anything, we had to make sure that we maintained the authentic look and preserved all of the wall treatments from the original theater, something the client was very particular about.”

The A/V system integrates well with the historic venue and includes Extron Video/Audio Distribution amps and Switchers, Yorkville Studio Monitors, a Crestron Control Processor, a Tascam Video Player and Sony cameras.

Summing up the project Hennig commented, “Bottom line, Middle Atlantic equipment was in integral part of our successful completion of this project.”

“The company offers broader and more diverse configuration of products, which distinguishes them from their competition.  This project required a unique design and unique product set only they could offer.”

Middle Atlantic Products Website

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AKG Introduces 99er Microphone Series

The 99er series is versatile, reliable and rugged for installed sound applications.

AKG has introduced the line of 99er microphones which offer many solutions installed sound applications.

The new line – which consists of the CGN99, CHM99, CBL99, CK99 and the DGN99 - incorporates components from classic AKG products such as the capsule of the C542 BL boundary layer microphone and the acoustical components of the discreet gooseneck range.

All of the microphones are equipped with RF shielding to meet the high demands of electromagnetic compatibility in everyday installations.

The family consists of nine microphones for nearly any typical installed sound application, including: conferencing, paging, surveillance, on-stage use and recording.

“The 99er line is a unique range of high class but affordable and easily specified microphones for the installed sound market,” said Mario Siokola, Product Manager for the 99ers.

“The mix of superior acoustics, RF shielding and extraordinarily rugged mechanical design makes the 99ers easy to install and absolutely reliable in use.”

The condenser gooseneck range includes the CGN99 C/S, CGN99 C/L, CGN99 H/S and CGN99 H/L, which provide both cardioid or hypercardioid polar patterns and can come on a short or long gooseneck stand.

This range is the intended for conferencing systems, lecterns, podiums and altars, too. Also included in the 99er range is the CHM99 hanging microphone on a 10 m twist-free cable.

Available in either black or white, the CHM99 is an intended for teleconferencing applications, theaters, or as a choir microphone in a house of worship.

“The 99er line is one of our most versatile lines of microphones to date,” continued Siokola.

“They are designed to provide a solution for nearly any type of installed sound application and they provide a price performance that is simply unmatched by any other microphone range.”

Also included in the 99er range is the CBL99; a compact boundary layer microphone using technology from high-end studio mics. It has a high sensitivity and a wide frequency range, and is optimised for use as a low profile desktop microphone in conference situations as well as choir or instrument applications.

Rounding out the 99ers line is the CK99 – a small lavalier microphone with a cardiod pickup pattern that makes it a feedback resistant-robust option for speeches and house of worship applications- and the DGN99; a rugged, versatile microphone designed for all paging purposes.

AKG Website

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K1/KUDO Adds Euroshow To Pilot Program

Euroshow will be bringing new L-ACOUSTICS technology to Russia.

One of Russia’s largest rental companies, St Petersburg-based Euroshow, has become the latest member of the L-ACOUSTICS K1/KUDO Pilot Program.

The company, which became an L-ACOUSTICS rental agent last year with the purchase of a KUDO large format line source system.

Euroshow has taken delivery of 48 K1 large format line source cabinets, 24 K1-SB subwoofers, an additional 36 KUDO cabinets and 32 SB28 subwoofers, plus 23 LA-RAK touring racks fitted with LA8 amplified controllers to drive the system.

Euroshow joins several of the world’s leading rental outfits in collaborating with the L-ACOUSTICS R&D team to field test the K1/KUDO system.

So far, the new system has been used for Rammstein and Faithless concerts plus several local Russian artists.

“The K1/KUDO system is very stable across the full frequency range, as well as being very reliable, convenient to install and, of course, great sounding,” says Euroshow’s Denis Vasiliskov.

L-ACOUSTICS Website

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Midas PRO6 Used On Beverley Knight Tour

The Pro6 provided great sounding effects in a compact package.

FOH engineer Trevor Gilligan recently completed a UK tour with Beverley Knight using a Midas PRO6 live audio system.

This was Gilligan’s first time out with a PRO6, who stated, “I put together a 37 channel mix using one stereo sub group for Beverley and another for the backing vocals.”

“This was so I could insert a frequency compressor on each sub group, and they worked beautifully. As I mixed our first show I started to notice how solid and smooth the mix was getting, very easy to control.”

“Having grown up with analogue desks of all kinds, you get used to how the metering works, what can peak and what shouldn’t peak etc, and the PRO6’s metering is spot on,” he said.

“The effects are also some of the best sounding I have ever used, clean but rich enough to be heard at high levels. I sent my mix to a matrix L/R out and used the PRO6’s six band parametric EQ to shape the whole mix as the show went on, and again the EQ is perfect.”

“I was equally impressed with the EQ on the input channels, as well as the gates and compressors; they are easy to use, and the scrolling channel feature is a very nice idea.”

“Overall, it just sounded right, was great to use, didn’t require any outboard racks at all, and it’s now on my FOH rider!”

Midas Website

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Friday, April 23, 2010

Line6 Exclusively Distributed By Proel In Italy

Proel has expanded its range of solutions for the professional market.

Line6 has signed a partnership agreement with Proel, making them the new exclusive Italian distributor of the products of Line6.

Michael Utley, Line6 International Sales Manager commented on the agreement, stating “Proel is the right partner we need for the Italian distribution of Line6 product lines.”

“in a market environment which is still challenging and yet showing significant signs of recovery, we have finalized this deal in order to bring about a turning point in the marketing of our brand in Italy.”

“Our cooperation, which is already proving to be really fruitful, is based on very similar working methods, especially as far as quality and concreteness are concerned…”

“A big welcome to the new brand!” commented Michele Palladino, Sales Manager of Proel’s Musical Products Division.

“Adding to the product lines we currently distribute a ‘precious jewel’ such as Line6 will allow Proel to further strengthen its leading role in the professional music market.”

“Line6 is a leader from all points of view: for the products, unique in their kind, as well as for the quality of customer service. These characteristics are absolutely in line with Proel’s strategic policies, more and more oriented towards quality and image.”

Line6 Website

Proel Website

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Using New Technology To Succeed In the Music Biz: Part II

The following is an excerpt from Steve Gordon's "The Future of the Music Business," which explores all aspects of the ever-changing music industry. In this chapter, Gordon interviews two musicians, Will Calhoun and Dave Samuels, about their use of new technology.

This article is the second part in a series on using new technology to succeed in the music business. For part one click here.

This interview was recorded by Steve Gordon for his Internet radio show.

Steve Gordon: Dave Samuels is one of the foremost vibraphone and marimba players in the world.

He’s worked with a long list of some of the most brilliant jazz and fusion artists, including Spyro Gyra, Pat Metheny, Gerry Mulligan, Oscar Peterson, and Chet Baker.

Other experiences included working with the group Timepiece with Frank Zappa.

Currently he plays in an ensemble called the Caribbean Jazz Project, a Grammy-winning jazz-Latin music group. Dave, thanks for joining us on the show.

Dave Samuels: Thank you, Steve, it’s a pleasure to be here.

SG: When did you start playing music?

DS: I started playing music when I was about six years old. I started out playing drums; in high school I started playing a little piano.

Kind of where drums and piano intersect is where you find marimba.

SG: That was my next question: not that many people take it up. How did you get involved in the vibes and the marimba?

DS: I had a friend who was a piano player. I used to play drums in his group. He wanted to put together a chamber jazz ensemble of piano, vibes, bass, and voice. I was kind of in the mindset for a change, not in terms of not being involved in music, but just finding a new direction.

So, this was an opportunity to explore something different. Not only was this exploration for me, but discovery in that I found a whole new voice.

SG: I understand you teach at Berklee College of Music in Boston. As a matter of fact, I’ll be teaching at The New School’s Jazz and Contemporary Music Program this fall. Do you think it’s a good idea for a jazz musician to get formal training at a place like Berklee or The New School?

DS: The situation has changed drastically. When I was in college, there really weren’t any opportunities in terms of being able to go to a regular university and go into the music program and study jazz.

My options were I either study classical percussion so I could get some future job in an orchestra or not go at all. I chose not to go that route because of the fact that that wasn’t where my interests were, and learned how to play in more of a traditional way, which was before there were school programs.

People, for hundreds of years, musicians and artisans in general, apprenticed with people and it wasn’t really a formal, organized education;it was an apprenticeship.

SG: Some great musicians coming out of Berklee

DS: It’s changed drastically. There are really great programs in a lot of schools. Berklee is certainly at the top of the list in terms of not only learning how to improvise, and coming from that kind of a tradition, but it is kind of like a musical ecosystem.

There is everything that applies to music available there; everything from the obvious, which is learning how to play an instrument, to music production, to music therapy, to music business, to music education. It’s really an incredibly broad scope.

SG: Are you still teaching?

DS: I am teaching part-time up there, yeah.

SG: Okay, great. So, one of the biggest ways you’ve gained fame and notoriety in the music business was being part of Spyro Gyra.

When did you become part of that group?

DS: I met the guys in Spyro when they were a local bar band in 1977 in a club in Buffalo called the Trafalmador Cafe, a fantastic club that not only featured great music, but also stand-up comics and folk music.

Buffalo was an amazing city at that time. They came up to me when I was playing there with a local rhythm section.

Jay Beckenstein and Jeremy Wall, came up to me and said, “Look, we have this local band in the Buffalo area called Spyro Gyra.” (I had no idea what that was; it sounded like a disease.)

“And, we’d like you to play marimba on a couple of tracks, it’s a self- produced record.” I knew the club owner, so I asked him, “What kind of group is this?” and he said, “Oh, no, they’re really great guys, you should do it. That’s really fantastic.”

So, I recorded a few tunes on their very first record titled Spyro Gyra, which was sold locally in the Buffalo/Rochester area. That eventually got sold to MCA.

They came down to New York, which was where I was living a couple of years later, and said, “We’re making a record now for MCA Records and we’d like you to come and play on some tunes.”

So, I went in the studio and played marimba and vibes and some steel drums. That was the record Morning Dance, which became a huge hit. I continued playing on their records every year, every year and a half until 1984, which is when I started touring with them.

SG: Did you ever find out what the name meant?

DS: Well, Spyro Gyra is actually an incorrect spelling of an algae. It actually should be S-P-I- R-O. The guy, Jay, who was asked by a club owner, “What are we gonna call this? We can’t just call this ‘Thursday Night Jazz Band.’” He said, “I don’t care, call it Spyro Gyra.” And, that’s how the club owner spelled it, and it stuck. That’s the real origin of the name. Another way of looking at it is “Pond Scum.”

SG: I guess it gets us back to your origins.

DS: Yes it does! I was out on the road with them for 13 or 14 years. It was a real family, and the family was not just the musicians but also the people in the crew and the people who worked in the office. It was a really great experience.

SG: Eventually, I think in the early ‘90s, did you form the Caribbean Jazz Project?

DS: I formed that in 1993 and actually left Spyro in 1994.

SG: What was your inspiration for creating the new group?

DS: There was a concert promoter who’s still around by the name of Julie Lokin, who called me about putting a group together for a series that he was doing at the Central Park Zoo, right in front of the seal tank. I called Narell, Andy Narell, whom I had done some work with. I had met Paquito in a couple of airports, but we’d never had a chance to play together.

I was very enamored by, not just his music but him as a person; he was a very warm and funny guy. I picked up the phone and called him and said, “Look, I’ve got this date, and would you be interested in doing it? It’s kind of an unusual instrumentation.

I have no idea of what it’s gonna sound like, but how about joining in?” He is always open for a new experience and a new musical challenge. He’s a very open-minded individual, which is one of his great qualities, one of his many great qualities.

So we got together, we rehearsed for a day and then went out and played, and afterwards, it was kind of like “Hey, this was an unusual sound, and unusual concept.” About six months later we did another performance at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, and at that point we decided, “Maybe we should see if there’s a record company out there and a booking agent who would be interested.”

That’s when things started to fall into place. Then, we worked together a lot for about five or six years. Paquito decided to go back to do more stuff on his own, and eventually Andy left. And, I kind of took a year off and then reformed the group.

SG: How did it feel to win a Grammy?

DS: It was completely out of the blue. It was a great honor.

It kind of brought me into part of the music world that I knew nothing about.

We continued after that, the next two CDs were nominated for the two subsequent CDs after Gathering, Birds of a Feather and Here and Now, which was also great.

It was a real boost for the group and for our recognition and establishing a standard of what we did.

SG: What’s the latest album?

DS: The latest CD is a CD entitled Mosaic, which is kind of like two CDs in one.

Part of it is a quintet which features piano and B3 organ, vibes, bass, and percussion.

Then, on part of the CD there are three tunes with the original Caribbean Jazz Project, with Paquito and Andy. This is the first time that we actually recorded together since I think about ‘96 was the last time we all played together.

SG: Where can people go to hear the music?

DS: They can go to my Website dsamuels.com or caribbeanjazzproject.com. There are some videos floating around on YouTube.

SG: Of course.

DS: Which is a great, really amazing. I find myself losing track of time, just kind of floating around in the Ethernet looking for videos of this person, that
person, it’s really great.

SG: YouTube is still very controversial; there’s another new lawsuit against them. Some people just don’t like their stuff being up there. Do you upload your own videos to YouTube or do you find they just float up from other people?

DS: I usually upload my own things. I find it a bit of an invasion. When an artist is involved in getting his or her performance video’d and then deciding what they want to put up there, that’s one issue.

When somebody is sitting there with a camera phone feels like they have the right to film it and put it up, is a completely different issue.

SG: Have you ever complained about it?

DS: I’ve not been the subject of that, and I’m not quite sure who or where one complains.

SG: Well, they claim that if you write them an email they’ll take it down.

DS: Oh! Well, if that’s in fact true, that’s great, but I have not personally been the subject of that.

SG: But, you use it yourself to promote your music.

DS: Well, yeah. It’s a way. Somebody sent me a copy of a 1987 performance of Spyro on the Arsenio Hall Show. Just completely out of the blue. Wow! That was interesting to hear.

The group sounded good and I thought the sound was really good. I’ve heard other stuff from the North Sea Jazz Festival where my instrument sounded bad.

Had I known at the time that that was the kind of sound they were getting, I would have been outraged; I couldn’t be heard!

So, there are certainly benefits to it, and there are as well a certain amount of invasion of privacy issues if somebody just holds up a phone camera and starts to video you.

SG: Well, yeah. I had a speech recently in New York, and the guys who organized the conference asked me if they could upload it to YouTube. It’s great if you have some control over what you’re approving.

DS: Right.

SG: So, talking about changes in the business aside from YouTube.

Your career has spanned decades now, and this is gonna be a very big question:

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the music business over your career?

DS: I guess I would start with the music.

I’ve spent my life learning how to communicate with this language, not just jazz also improvisation, which is really based in performance.

It’s a performance art. It’s not meant to be looked at as a solid object. CDs or recordings are really to be looked at as snapshots as opposed to portraits.

So, the music that I’ve played has always kind of represented that; it’s of the moment.

And, it’s interesting that a whole new generation of improvisers have been raised with the idea that having a record contract and having CDs out there is part of the career that you create.

And, it’s interesting to me that my view, being from the generation that I’m from, is completely different.

The fact that you can make a CD and you can sell it is really fantastic. However, it is not the object nor the goalpost for what I do, which is to play live interactive music.

I want people to come and experience what it is, to not only appreciate the interaction, but to participate in it.

You don’t get that from listening to a CD; you get a snapshot. The problem with snapshots is that people listen to them over and over and over and over again and it starts taking on a whole new kind of meaning, which is not the meaning of the music or the process; it’s the meaning of the listener.

SG: Talking about CDs, tell us a little about your experience with record companies.

Generally, do you find that they’ve fostered the music or just used musicians to make money?

DS: It depends on the company. I think it’s been a little bit of both.

One of the great things that record companies have done inadvertently has been that they’ve had an opportunity to document what’s taken place. Now whether they’ve done it in an . . .

SG: Ethical manner?

DS: Good choice of words. In an ethical manner is really another story. They have kind of created ways of selling their catalog in a way that I feel is really disingenuous and hard for me to accept.

This idea of going back and putting out reissues of takes that the artist decided they didn’t want under the guise of giving a new view of who this artist is, is really a bunch of crap. It’s really about selling CDs. It’s about them taking their catalog and being able to reuse it at no cost.

But, for me it’s like going into the garbage can of a writer or a painter or a filmmaker, and just grabbing it and presenting that, even after the artist has made the decision that “This is not what represents what I want to do.” I find that beyond reproach.

SG: And, that’s because they own the recordings. It’s one of the few businesses where they make you a loan and even if you repay it, you never get to own anything.

DS: You know, the way to avoid that, and one of the lovely things about digital recording, is the record company can’t come in and grab all the tapes because there are no tapes. The record company gets what you put out.

SG: Now are you referring to the fact that recording is, with home studios and digital programs, cheaper to make than before and you can do it without a record company?

DS: Well, you can do it without a record company.

The record company is really about distribution; it’s about getting your CD into stores; it’s about getting ads taken out.

It’s about having a structure behind your art. The problem is that the structure becomes more important than the actual product, and that becomes a real issue.

The ownership becomes a real issue. The idea of anyone being told that someone owns the work that you’ve done, not for a limited time, but in perpetuity is absolutely ridiculous.

SG: And, not only do they own it, but they also own it in any form that now exists, or any form yet to be invented.

They can do whatever they want: they can chop it up, they can do whatever they want to it. The proposition is absurd.

One of the problems is, at least in the jazz world, artists never get to the level of commercial success where they can renegotiate their contracts and get more say about how the music is put out.

Basically, the companies have had their way with jazz musicians. But, now it’s a different world in that they’re dismantling their jazz departments.

I think Sony Music no longer has Columbia Jazz, and it kind of means that you have to do it on your own.

But, the Internet has created the possibility of worldwide distribution, in a very cheap way without CDs. So that raises the question: do you still need a record company at all?

DS: That’s a valuable question; I don’t know if there is an answer for that yet. My feeling is as we said at the beginning of this interview: for me, the point of creating the music that I am involved in is for the moment, for people to hear it live.

The recording part is really ancillary; it’s not the focus. So, the fact that the record companies have had this change and people are now wanting to take the commercial element out of owning CDs and having these arbitrary prices as to what things cost, etc., etc., has really put the focus in the music that I play back on live performance.

That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.

SG: Talking about new ways of distribution, I understand that you’re working with a new business model with a guy named Norm Levy and a project called Beyond FM. Can you tell us something about the project and what’s involved?

DS: Well, Norm is an incredible entrepreneur who has developed a lot of new media devices for listening to music and looking at photographs and DVDs, and part of his idea is to get musicians to be able to own their own products—that is to say both in terms of recording music, in terms videos—and to offer that to the public in a very easy, unrestricted, upfront, and quantifiable way, so that even if you buy a DVD or you buy a CD, there’s a kind of a watermark attached to it which makes sure that it can be traced back to that individual.

So, it really does, in principal, protect the rights of the person. You can’t just go and Xerox stuff and then Xerox it again and Xerox it again and Xerox it again and not be acknowledging where it comes from.

Right, and for the purposes of full disclosure, I’m also working with Norm to put some of my content, including this interview, up on the Web, and I know from my dealings with Norm that he doesn’t ask for the copyright and he gives a very healthy percentage of the royalties back to the creators. I think that’s a good thing.

SG: Yeah. And, he in turn makes things work for himself. It is still profitable.

I think the idea of dealing with an outmoded model—which is what the record companies essentially have been based on—is just not reason to continue it.

DS: Well, you know, the issue is when are they gonna learn?

If we have more independent entrepreneurs like Norm helping artists get their music out without shackles and without taking copyrights, I think that’s a good thing, and we can thank digital technology for that.

SG: Absolutely, and I think that there are artists out there who are really looking at what the CD means. Someone like Prince or Bruce Hornsby, these are two examples of people who include a CD along with the price of admission to go to their concerts. That to me is putting the emphasis where it belongs, which is on live performance.

DS: Right, using the CD to promote the performances.

SG: Somebody just asked me about the Spice Girls reunion and whether they’d sell a lot of records, and it seems to me that the album that they’re creating is just promoting the tour.

DS: That’s right.

SG: Talking about Beyond FM and Norm Levy, people can go and see it at beyond.fm. Is your music there yet?

DS: Yeah, there are tracks from the new CD and there’s some video from a concert that I did in Eilat, Israel at the Red Sea Jazz Festival a couple years ago.

SG: Do you write most of or some of the music for Caribbean Jazz Project?

DS: Yeah, I write the majority, but that writing is not necessarily original music. I’ve done a lot of rearranging of standard jazz tunes that have been kind of “redecorated.”

But, for me to put out the arrangements for small group or big band, and be more than happy to pay a reasonable amount, split with the composer of the piece—I’m not the composer, I’m the arranger— would be fine, but I can’t get the rights. They won’t even talk to me.

SG: But, when you write the arrangements, do you keep the copyright in your arrangements or do you have a publisher?

DS: I keep the copyright.

SG: And, do all the collections yourself?

DS: I have someone who collects for me, yeah.

SG: Where can people keep up with what you are doing next?

DS: The Website is caribbeanjazzproject.com or dsamuels.com.

 
Editor Note: This article is the second part in a series on using new technology to succeed in the music business. Click Here for Part I in this series where Gordon presents an interview with Will Calhoun.

 

To acquire this book, click over to the ProSoundWeb Book Store. NOTE: ProSoundWeb readers receive free shipping when entering promotional code PSW at checkout. (offer valid to U.S. residents, applies only to media mail shipping, additional charges may apply for expedited mailing services).

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Eventide Announces Cash For Clunkers Hardware Trade-Up Offer

Program designed to reward loyal customers with the opportunity to trade-up to the newest models.

Eventide has announced a trade-up program designed to reward long-time customers with a limited-time opportunity to trade in Eventide processors for credit against the purchase of a new Eventide processor.

The trade-in must be completed through a participating Eventide authorized dealer or Eventide customer service.

Effective immediately, this offer expires June 30, 2010. 

“We want to reward our loyal customers with an opportunity to trade-up their older Eventide rack units for our state-of-the-art rack processors.”

“The classic Eventide processors of the past have fueled the creative fires of thousands of artists and audio pros but, lacking modern features like digital I/O, and lower noise floor, some of these units are now gathering dust,” stated Ray Maxwell, Eventide vice president of sales and marketing.

“As a tribute, we’re asking owners to submit either current or vintage photos of these units for display on eventide.com.  In fact, Eventide will waive the balance of the trade-up price for the winning photo.”  The winner will be announced July 23rd on Eventide.com.

Eventide rack processors eligible for trade-up credit in the Cash for Clunkers program:

 
For complete details, please visit the Eventide Cash for Clunkers Website.

 

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EAW Introduces The SB2001 Subwoofer

The SB2001 boasts an increased output capability and low frequency extension in a surprisingly small subwoofer

EAW has announce the launch of the SB2001 Subwoofer.

The dual 21-inch cone driver represents a significant upgrade to the SB1001 in terms of output capability and low frequency extension without a significant increase in size.

The result is a new and more powerful subwoofer that has greater impact, power handling and output capability than others in its class.

“The pro audio market has seen a recent return of larger format subwoofers – most of which are very expensive and often esoteric, with limited application flexibility,” remarked Nathan Butler, EAW Principal Engineer.

“The SB2001 goes lower, gets louder and moves more air – which is a remarkable value, given the cost.”

The driver mounting of the SB2001 maximizes cone area and allows for the integration of an extremely low turbulence port while minimizing frontal area, providing the acoustical performance and physical configuration well suited for creating large subwoofer arrays.

This benefit is largely derived from the unique V-shaped baffle loading of the transducers. The nearly opposing devices force all of their combined output through an opening that is somewhat smaller than their collective cone size. This compression of energy through a smaller aperture results in phenomenal impact and rewarding growl.

The enclosure design integrates 3/8-16 suspension points for installation applications and is fully prepped and ready to receive the user installable quick release rigging kit accessory for touring applications.

The EAW SB2001 is now shipping worldwide.

EAW Website

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Genelec Monitors Selected By Music Mayhem Studios

Genelec was the clear choice for assuring full-frequency response at any volume.

Seeking to differentiate itself at a time when more music than ever before is being produced, Music Mayhem Entertainment has made careful choices.

This extends to the artists they work with, such as vocalist Shanica Knowles, also known for her role as Amber Addison opposite Miley Cyrus on the hit teen show Hannah Montana; and producer/engineers such as Curtis “Sauce” Wilson, who has had a hand in the production and/or engineering for tracks by Brandy, Will Smith, Ne-Yo, Musiq Soulchild, Eric Benet, LeToya Luckett, Eminem and Toni Braxton, among others.

These careful choices extend to the Music Mayhem’s studio. That’s why Music Mayhem selected a two-channel + subwoofer system from Genelec for their monitoring system.

The Music Mayhem Studios monitoring system consists of a pair of Genelec 1032A Bi-Amplified Active Monitors and the Genelec 7070A Active Subwoofer.

Music Mayhem Executive Producer Patrick McCook encountered Genelec monitoring in several top studios in the Los Angeles area, so when it came to establish his own facility, he chose the 1032A and 7070A components without hesitation.

That was a decision heartily supported by Sauce, who has also enjoyed working on Genelec monitoring in other facilities, including the studio at Rondor, Universal Music’s publishing division.

He was pleased to discover that Music Mayhem’s new Universal City facility, where he is now a freelance Producer and Chief Engineer, also is equipped with Genelecs, as well as other high-end gear such as an Avid Control|24 console and outboard processing including Neve EQs and a Universal Audio LA-2A compressor.

“This combination of speakers gives us everything we need,” says Sauce. “I know Patrick liked the sound of them, and I certainly do, too. The 7070A subwoofer is especially good in that it reproduces the low frequencies very, very well even at lower volumes, which we sometimes have to work at since the studio is in a multi-use building.”

“But when you do kick them up loud, they maintain their consistency and accuracy. Pop, hip-hop and R&B are very bass-intense genres, but the Genelec monitors can keep up with anything we put through them.”

Genelec Website

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