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Monday, May 31, 2010

Florian Hecker’s Newest Art Of Sound Exhibit Features Meyer Sound MM-4XP Loudspeakers

The miniature loudspeakers are suspended from the ceiling, with bent reflectors in front of the them to emphasize the way sounds rebound and are diverted

The latest sound installation by Florian Hecker - titled Event, Stream, Object - introduces a new dimension to the art of sound. An intersection of space, sound, and sophisticated technology, the exhibit challenges one’s ability to “describe what we hear, when, where and from whom it is heard.”

The temporary installation is open through August 22, 2010 at MMK, Frankfurt’s museum of modern art, which commissioned the exhibit.

As part of MMK’s exhibit Radical Conceptual, Hecker’s Event, Stream, Object creates an unusual listening environment to manipulate one’s perception of sound, with his multilayered composition supported by eight Meyer Sound MM-4XP loudspeakers, each conveying a sequence of synthetic sounds.

The miniature loudspeakers are suspended from the ceiling, with bent reflectors in front of the them to emphasize the way sounds rebound and are diverted, thus heightening the complexity of the experience.

“In my works, I have to place sound sources at distinct positions, where seeing them becomes a crucial aspect for the multimodal experience of these pieces,” says Hecker. “Event, Stream, Object dramatizes an uncoupling of sound sources in the space and the locations from which we perceive them to come.”

Event, Stream, Object offers an unpredictable visitor experience, and also serves as an educational experiment for the artist. “At certain moments one isn’t so sure any longer where a sound comes from,” says Hecker. “I’m interested in this exact moment where different models of auditory perception, the event, the stream and the auditory object interfere.”

Having used the Meyer Sound MM-4XP loudspeaker in the remarkable architectural pavilion The Morning Line, as well as in his recent solo shows at the Chisenhale Gallery in London and IKON Gallery in Birmingham, Hecker is familiar with the power and tight control of these four-inch-square loudspeakers.

“With the MM-4XP and MM-4XPD directional loudspeakers I found the perfect models with highly directional as well as more omnidirectional sound fields and an incredible compact design,” says Hecker. “It’s exciting to work with them in this space.”

Dr. Susanne Gaensheimer, director of MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, says: “Florian Hecker is one of the most innovative artists of the present, because in his work, he combines the areas of fine art, music and performance in order to break down the barriers between them and open up new forms of expression and means of perception in space and time.”

Meyer Sound Website

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Grammy Winning Producer Utilizes Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-ins For Debut Album Of Jenna Andrews

Producer Andy Zulla sought a reverb that sounded full and dense, while also having a transparent, non-existent feeling

Grammy and Emmy Award winning producer Andy Zulla deployed the Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle recently for the freshman album of pop singer Jenna Andrews. 

With influences stemming from Hip Hop, R&B and Pop, Andrews had visions of an album with a sound combining a blend of retro-sounding, wet mixes and a contemporary, dry and tight mix. Zulla sought a reverb that sounded full and dense, while also having a transparent, non-existent feeling.

“The problem was once we went for a dense reverb, it became very clogged and heavy; very lifeless yet very apparent,” said Zulla, mixer of multiple number-one hits and more than 20 gold and platinum records for artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Jessica Simpson and Rod Stewart. 
       
The PCM Native Reverb Bundle includes seven signature Lexicon reverbs, including Vintage Plate, Plate, Hall, Room, Random Hall, Concert Hall, and Chamber, with over 950 versatile, crafted studio presetsm including recognizable classics from Lexicon’s library of sounds.

“After purchasing every reverb plug-in available as well as libraries and libraries of impulse responses, I realized I could find nothing to replace my Lexicon 480L and 960 reverbs, until now. The new Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle delivers that lush Lexicon depth and fullness that nothing else can even come close to! Back are the days of just pushing up the fader and having the reverb sound instantly great without even trying,” continued Zulla. “It has the ability to create lush spaces but at the same time allow the mix to sound dry, tight, and modern. We ended up using the PCM plug-in on everything, all over the album.”

Zulla and Andrews’ completed album, ‘The Moon And The Stars’ on Island Records, will be released in the summer of 2010. Her first single, ‘Tumbling Down’ was released May 17, 2010.

The PCM Native Reverb Plug-In Bundle is a fully functional cross-platform plug-in that is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7 along with MAC OSX 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, and is available now with a suggested retail price of US $1,899. To activate a free 7-day trial of the Plug-In, a user can visit www.Lexiconpro.com for an iLok authentication key.

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Audio Technology From Harman Professional For Sundance Institute Feature Film & Composers Lab

Harman providing seven pairs of JBL LSR2300 monitors, three Soundcraft M12 mixers and three M8 mixers for the summer-long program

Harman Professional is once again providing audio technology for this season’s Sundance Institute Labs Feature Film Program, which takes place from June through September at the Sundance Institute in Provo, Utah. 

This year - the program’s 12th season - Harman Professional will provide seven pairs of JBL LSR2300 monitors, three Soundcraft M12 mixers and three Soundcraft M8 mixers for use in the program’s film editing and scoring projects. 

HP Marketing of Centennial, Colorado, the Harman Professional regional manufacturer’s representative and a long-time supporter of Sundance, facilitated the equipment’s delivery to Sundance.

Each year, the program nurtures a select group of aspiring filmmakers in a workshop environment where they are mentored by some of the best minds on the film industry. 

The Feature Film Program, which also includes the Film Composers Lab in which young music scoring talent is cultivated, takes place in the hills of Utah, far from the high-tech sound stages of Hollywood.

“The Sundance Institute Feature Film and Composers Programs are extraordinary undertakings,” states Ian Calderon, Director of Digital Initiatives.  “Our visiting filmmakers, composers and creative advisors expect to use the best technology resources while at Sundance. JBL and Soundcraft have consistently met those expectations and we are grateful for their continued support.”

Scott Johnson, Technical Director for the Sundance Institute Film Composers Lab Program, details that the JBL and Soundcraft equipment are used throughout the summer, for all the editing work and for the Film Composers Labs working first on documentaries and then on narrative features later in the summer. 

Now in his 11th year with the program, Johnson says JBL and Soundcraft have been an integral part of the initiative for as long as he can remember. “The equipment is great – it really helps raise the technical and creative bar at the Labs,” he adds. “Working with this kind of quality equipment in this remote environment gives the students an incredible advantage, one that I’m sure will stay with them for the rest of their careers.”

Commenting on the initiative, Michael MacDonald, Harman Professional Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales, notes, “Innovation comes in many shapes and forms. Organizationally, Harman is deeply committed to creative and technological innovation in our culture and in the community. The Sundance Institute shares this commitment to innovation and education, which is why support for the Institute labs is a natural step for Harman.”

Harman Professional Website

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SIA Acoustics Selects Outline Butterfly Arrays For Healing Place Church In Baton Rouge

Loudspeaker arrangement permits the most consistent alignment between components, while minimizing sightline obstructions and extending full-range impact to the most distant seats

The new 3,000-seat worship sanctuary of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offers a sound reinforcement system headed by Outline Butterfly loudspeakers as well as other Outline components.

Both the sound and acoustical design on the project were provided by SIA Acoustics, which has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and most recently, India.

The main sound system is comprised of 42 C.D.H. 483 “Butterfly” loudspeakers, divided into three arrays (two of 13 elements and one of 16) to cover the floor seating area, with 10 Outline Subtech 218 SP for low-frequency reproduction and 11 Outline Micra II SP loudspeakers for front fill.

The raised seating area is served by six delay arrays, each composed of six Outline Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. elements and two Outline C.D.L. 1815 cardioid “Low Packs: connected via a custom-built spreader bar to suspend the subwoofers directly behind the full-range arrays.

This arrangement permitted the most consistent alignment between components and minimized sightline obstructions, while extending full-range impact to the most distant seats.

Regarding the sound system design, Adam Shulman, Consultant and System Designer with SIA Acoustics explains, “It was extremely important to the Church that the worship experience was consistent across all 3,000 seats in the space.

“Sonically, this meant very careful sound system design and judicious use of acoustical treatments. Visually, it was critical that sightlines from every location were preserved to the entire stage and projection screens.

“Though the ability of the system to ‘throw’ was not such a concern, utilizing main and delay loudspeakers allowed us to hide the substantial arrays in the ceiling structure while preserving the needed pattern control and consistency,” Shulman continues.

“And since opening, the church leadership has received compliments about the sound and overall experience from what might, in other facilities, be considered the ‘nosebleeds’ – but not here. We worked hard to ensure that there are no ‘cheap seats’ in this facility.”

The decision to specify Outline products was the result of a market-wide survey of many manufacturers and products.

SIA Acoustics first measured the performance of each product individually to assess critical acoustical issues such as off-axis consistency and the effectiveness of special pattern-control techniques.

Based upon this, SIA met extensively with Outline staff in Italy to fully understand the R&D process and manufacturing facilities, as well as Outline’s plans for meeting the church production requirements and providing continued customer support.

“Our evaluation process takes us through all of a manufacturer’s disciplines in detail – including not only a thorough look at the technical performance of the product, but also their ability to fully support the customer before, during and particularly after installation,” explains Steve Sockey, partner at SIA Acoustics.

“Out of the manufacturers we surveyed, Outline best fulfilled the needs of the church for this project. We are thrilled about the outcome.”

For components that are not already self-powered, Outline T7 amplifiers were installed adjacent to each loudspeaker array, suspended adjacent to the catwalk (a total of 33 were used).

All T7 amplifiers (powering C.D.H. 483 and C.D.L. 1815 loudspeakers), as well as every Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. loudspeaker contains DSP and is networked for control and monitoring.

“We are confident that this system and supporting infrastructure will fully meet the church’s technical needs, as well as those of any guest worship groups that they host, for the foreseeable future. The entire Healing Place Church team – including pastors and worship leaders, musicians, technicians and administrators – already operated at a very high level,” concludes Shulman.

“Since moving into their new worship facility, however, they now have the opportunity to really grow without technical restriction. We are very excited to see where they go in the coming years.”

Healing Place Church has been named “One of America’s Most Innovative Churches” by Outreach magazine.

Outline Website

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