Article

Friday, July 30, 2010

St. Mark The Evangelist Upgrades System With Tannoy Qflex Array Loudspeakers

Dickensheets chose the Tannoy QFlex 24 steerable array because of its excellent sonic quality and ability to focus the acoustic energy exactly where it’s desired

St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church, a thriving parish in San Antonio, has been outfitted with a dynamic new sound reinforcement system headed by Tannoy Qflex Series self-powered, digitally steerable column array loudspeakers working in tandem with Tannoy CMS Series ceiling loudspeakers.

Dickensheets Design Associates, from Austin, Texas, was retained to design the new system. Consultant Ken Dickensheets has enjoyed a long working relationship with St. Marks and was responsible for the design of the original sound system which was installed when the main sanctuary was built back in 1997.

“The system had to accommodate a new pipe organ and address system needs for the more contemporary service that they offer on Saturday evenings,” explains Dickensheets. “Like many churches, the space had many reflective surfaces. It is always a challenge to create a system that provides musical clarity as well as vocal intelligibility.”

Dickensheets chose the Tannoy QFlex 24 steerable array because of its excellent sonic quality and ability to focus the acoustic energy exactly where it’s desired.

“The extreme steering capability was key,” says Dickensheets. “The speaker had to be mounted within the new organ chamber and provide coverage almost directly in front of the head wall of the sanctuary. The quality of musical sound and speech intelligibility were very impressive as well. It sounded great.”

As a self-powered loudspeaker, the QFlex 24 it was easily built into the new structure which was designed to accommodate the pipe organ behind the chancel. In the end it was virtually invisible to parishioners – another request from the church leaders and architects.

To fill in the rear and sides of the church, Dickensheets used the existing distributed ceiling speakers along with 18 Tannoy CMS 6TDC ceiling speakers. The CMS 6TDCs feature custom cans built by Tannoy that match the church’s lighting fixtures and blend seamlessly into the church architecture.

The entire distributed loudspeaker system was then rewired to accommodate dual delay zones originating from the chancel and the choir area simultaneously.

“Like most churches, St. Marks had a limited budget,” adds Dickensheets. “So in addition to the ceiling speakers we repurposed the original loudspeakers from the old center cluster as source speakers for the choir area. One of the subwoofers from the cluster is co-located with the Qflex array while the other is installed along with the source loudspeakers in the choir area.”

In the main seating area near the center rear of the sanctuary is the FOH mixing area equipped with a Roland V400 digital mixer. The ministerial mics are automixed by a Biamp AudiaFlex system which also handles all of the cross-source delays and system processing.

QSC power amplifiers power the distributed system and the choir source loudspeakers. The amps and controller are located in a rack in the sacristy behind the alter area.

“Sound Distributors, also located in San Antonio, did an excellent job installing the system,” notes Dickensheets. “B&A Architects provided the architectural work needed for the organ installation. It was a great team effort with outstanding results.”

Tannoy Website

{extended}

Musician/Producer Kevin Brandon Uses CAD Microphones For New Robby Krieger Album

CAD Trion 8000 multi-pattern tube condenser mics on acoustic bass and Kreiger’s classical acoustic guitar parts, and more

Kevin “Brandino” Brandon, a noted bass session player based in Los Angeles who has played with a wide range of top artists - Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Outkast among them - has also recently worked as a producer on Robby Krieger’s new solo disc, “Singularity” on Oglio Records.

Brandino chose CAD microphones for two tracks on the new album, “Event Horizon” and “Russian Caravan,” opting for a stereo pair of CAD Trion 8000 multi-pattern tube condenser mics on his acoustic bass to get, in his words, “That ‘booty bass’ sound which is full-sounding, big bodied, warm and natural. The sound I’m known for in town.” He also used the Trion 8000 for Robby’s classical acoustic guitar parts.

In addition to CAD percussion microphone packs on Steve Stephens’ drums, Brandino also used his bass setup on the other track, “Russian Caravan,” along with CAD M179 variable pattern condenser mics and a Trion 7000 ribbon mic for the Brandon Horn Section, which included Thomas Stones III on flute, Albert Wing on tenor sax and Sal Carrachio on trumpet, and Eric Jorgensen on trombone.

A long-time fan of CAD Audio, Brandino sums up his feelings about the mics by saying, “I can always depend on CAD to sound really great in most any recording or live situation. They’re my go-to mics.”

CAD Audio/Astatic Commercial Website

{extended}

Bosch DCN Conference System Brings Advanced Capabilities To Student Union At Ohio State University

Each unit combines two independent microphones and two five-button voting panels with a single speaker that is auto-muted when a participant speaks

When the Student Union at Ohio State University set out to replace its aging campus home back in 2000, the vision was to create a 21st century center for student life incorporating the best ideas from campuses across the country.

After a decade of planning and construction, the Student Union finally realized its goal during the Spring 2010 term, when a brand-new building opened to the student body at the Columbus, OH campus.

Among the largest and most comprehensive student union buildings in the nation, the Ohio Union at OSU is an LEED Certified Green Building packed with meeting rooms, performance halls, food and retail outlets, spaces for creative and leisure activities, administrative offices, and spaces for both student services and student government.

Among these is the Senate Chamber, a tiered conference room combining traditional Senate-style seating with state-of-the-art meeting technology featuring the Digital Congress Network (DCN) from Bosch.

Seating five at its dais and 80 in a concentric series of gently terraced semi-circular tables, the Senate Chamber is designed for meetings where the emphasis is not simply on presentation from the front but rather on lively discussion amongst all attendees.

Facilitating full participation from every seat in the house was the task of designer Bill Kistler, Associate at the Dallas-based AV consulting firm Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams, Inc. (WJHW). Kistler had to ensure that the conference system was easy to use and delivered maximum intelligibility, while also providing voting capabilities and integrating smoothly with the room’s video systems.

Zenith Systems of Bedford Heights, OH installed the system, overseen by Jim Koeliker (Project Manager), Joe Ockuly (Lead Systems Engineer), and Kevin Wenderoth (Director of AV Solutions).

At the heart of the conference system are Bosch DCN NEXT GENERATION components designed to handle speaking, listening, and voting using a single flush-mounted unit for every two seats at the audience tables. Each unit combines two independent microphones and two five-button voting panels with a single speaker that is auto-muted when a participant speaks.

“We like the Bosch form-factor,” Kistler says, “because the design allows us to fit in everything we need without impacting the working or writing surface of the table. We didn’t have a lot of table depth to work with, so we needed something that wouldn’t crowd the space. The other available options don’t offer such a slim profile and don’t cover two people with a single station.”

Kistler also liked the fact that Bosch’s dual-delegate stations could be combined in the same system with the single-delegate units that were appropriate for the dais.

“The audience-table units are installed,” Kistler says, “but the units for the panel discussion table have to be portable so that they can be unplugged and cleared away when the table space is needed for other things. So we needed the flexibility of a manufacturer that offered not just a built-in and not just a table-top, but rather both options within a single system, so they can both be operated by the same head-end controller.”

The capabilities of the Bosch DCN-CCU Central Control Unit were particularly important because the system is designed to automatically coordinate both microphone switching and voting with the switching of a video feed for both in-room projection and video conferencing.

“DCN NEXT GENERATION provides the interface and the hooks to allow the user panel to output all its microphone and voting functions to the control system,” Kistler says. “That enables an integrated system that can be operated with a very hands-off approach. The leader does not have to watch over the system as much as with other systems. For example, the ability to press a single button for voting mode and have the system take over from there is very nice.”

The ability of the DCN-CCU to communicate via open API with the room’s Crestron controller allowed Kistler to design a system with simple operation but sophisticated capabilities.

“The video image from the cameras defaults to the front table, unless one of the audience stations requests to speak,” he says. “Then, depending on the speaker’s location in the room, one of two cameras auto-tracks to that seat position and the switcher auto-activates that camera’s video. For voting, the chair can choose whether the voting results are viewed only on a front table touch screen controller or also on the main projection screen. If results are sent to the projection screen then the video is scaled to make room for the display of results along the left side of the screen.”

In terms of installation, Kistler says he particularly likes the fact that the stations can be connected in series. “There’s basically one cable running out to a given table, and then it daisy chains to all the other devices down that table.” Wenderoth agrees, saying that “the system was very straightforward to install. Bosch provides a lot of documentation and information about integrating all the components, and their tech support was particularly helpful with information about addressing each station from the controller.”

Wenderoth adds that his clients at OSU are very happy with the way the Senate Chamber turned out, both aesthetically and operationally. “It’s definitely a very impressive room,” he says. “The Bosch system is a very sleek and stylish technology, so it provides a high-tech look. And the room gets a lot of use, so we’ve gotten a lot of feedback.  The University has expressed to us their pleasure with the Bosch system’s ease of use, as well as with the overall quality of the user experience.”

Bosch Website

{extended}

Current Tour By Imogen Heap Taking Advantage Of Avid VENUE & Pro Tools In Multiple Ways

Tracks recorded live, mixed, and made available online for paid download, with proceeds going to local charities

Grammy-winning artist Imogen Heap (Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical) who’s also a classically trained musician, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, has enlisting the help of two Avid VENUE digital mixing systems—and her fans—to help in her latest charity efforts on her current “Ellipse” world tour.

In a move that leveraged the reach of her fan-base, Heap went online to audition musicians, interact and collaborate with fans, and even have fans vote on set lists for each date, all in preparation for her tour, which began in late 2009 and continues through most of this year.

She took it a step further at a London performance in February, where she improvised a song, later christened “The Shepherdess,” where the audience chose the key, tempo, and time signature immediately before the song began. The track was recorded live, mixed, and made available online for paid download, with proceeds going to a local charity.

The experiment worked so well that Heap decided to repeat the improvisation on subsequent dates of the North American leg, earmarking local causes at each show to benefit from the downloads.

To create the songs, Heap’s monitor engineer, Mike Benson, records each track into Pro Tools LE through his VENUE Mix Rack System.

“It’s a simple but powerful setup,” he says. “I just run a couple of FireWire cables from the back of the Mix Rack into a laptop running Pro Tools [that’s connected to] a portable hard drive. [Pro Tools] sees the Mix Rack as an Avid audio interface. I can choose a combination of up to 18 input, output, and FX return channels to record.”

Benson favors many of the included VENUE plug-ins for monitor mixing. “I’m loving the Smack! compressor plug-in, and I’m using the Dynamics III compressors as ear protection for the in-ear monitors,” he says. “I’m also using the De-Esser to take the edge off the electric guitar sound without affecting the other sounds that come down the same channels.”

Engineer Tom Evans mixes front of house for the show on a second VENUE Mix Rack System, and afterwards also mixes the improvised track using a MacBook Pro running Pro Tools LE software.

According to Benson, the integration between Pro Tools and the VENUE systems makes moving the tracks between systems a seamless process. “Taking the tracks I’ve recorded and moving them to Tom’s Pro Tools rig is as straightforward as it gets. Typically, by the time the truck’s packed, he’s got his headphones on and is working on the edits.”

“After the show, I drop the audio files into a template, based on the initial mixes, with approximate settings for EQ, compression, and plug-ins,” explains Evans. “I normalize the tracks to ensure consistent levels between shows, then I do a preliminary mix, putting in some initial automation, cleaning up noise, and adding effects such as delay and reverb.”

The rest of the process is equally simple. “Once I’ve done the preliminary mix, Imogen has a listen, and we discuss where to edit the track to create a short version,” says Evans. “Then we create both a full-length ‘warts and all’ version and a shorter, edited version. Usually, the next day I’ll have another listen with fresh ears, complete the mix, and upload bounces to Kelly [their mastering engineer] for mastering. Kelly’s input is particularly important, since I’m only referencing on headphones, so it’s good to have someone check the mix on speakers.”

Sales of the improv performances, posted at www.imogenheap.com/charity, have been brisk enough to raise funds for a wide range of causes, from flood relief in Nashville and food banks in Denver to hospitals and conservation groups. Heap hand-picks, from her fans’ suggestions, each charity to reflect a local edge, further inspiring fans to give back to their own communities. In fact, a download of one particular track fetched a $1,000 donation.

“The ability to make these tracks available for people so soon after each show—while it’s still fresh in their minds—has certainly gone a long way toward furthering our efforts,” says Heap. “Pro Tools and the VENUE systems have played a big part in helping us to reach our goals.”

Avid Website

{extended}

Altinex Debuts New Combination Interconnect Box & Switcher Package

Applications include boardrooms, classrooms, presentation spaces, and other locations where the ability to share information is critical

Altinex has introduced a new collaborative workspace package consisting of the TNP221 tilt ‘n plug interconnect box and the UT250-101 under table matrix switcher, which together provide convenient patching in of a laptop computer and selection of a specific display device for sharing information. Applications include boardrooms, classrooms, presentation spaces, and other locations where the ability to share information is critical.

The Altinex TNP221 interconnect box provides an aesthetically pleasing, hi-tech, sophisticated means of patching into a presentation system. Incorporating a VGA computer video (15-pin) port, a stereo 3.5mm mini-jack for audio follow, a USB connector, an RJ-45 Ethernet CAT-6 connector for network access, plus an AC power connection, the TNP221 makes it a snap to connect one’s laptop computer for a presentation.

Additionally, the bezel of the TNP221 provides two buttons positioned along the right side of the unit’s bezel that enables the presenter to select monitor #1 or monitor #2 via the UT250-101 Under Table Matrix Switcher. This system accommodates as many as eight TNP221 interconnect boxes—enabling users to display their work on separate monitors.

Accessing the TNP221’s various ports is quick and easy. Push down on the front of the unit’s top cover and the TNP’s latching mechanism releases—enabling the pneumatic spring to raise the TNP221 into position. Simply make the connections to the appropriate ports and that piece of equipment is patched into the presentation system and ready for business.

Working in tandem with the TNP221, the UT250-101 is an 8x4 VGA computer video and audio matrix switcher that provides easy routing and management of multimedia signals from multiple laptop computers and document cameras via a single, convenient location under a table.

The UT250-101 provides eight VGA-UXGA computer video inputs and eight 3.5mm stereo inputs—perfect, for example, for taking the external video monitor feed from multiple laptop computers along with the audio outputs for accompanying audio signals. Now, multiple participants in a business meeting can “patch in” their laptops and easily route their presentation to a projector or video display without disrupting the continuity of the meeting.

The UT250-101’s eight video inputs can be routed to any of four video outputs via dry contact switch ports or using RS-232 control. The audio inputs accept both left- and right-channel signals, and then combine them to create a single balanced mono audio signal.

In addition to standard video and audio outputs, the Altinex UT250-101 also has four integrated Twisted Pair (4TP) transmitters for transmitting the video and audio signals over long distances to remote multimedia presentation systems. This carries the advantage of using CAT5 cable for those long runs as opposed to VGA cable—thus easing the process of running lines through walls and conduit while utilizing a lower cost cable type. The four Twisted Pair outputs can transmit video and audio signals to all Altinex Twisted Pair receivers.

When used in conjunction with the TNP221 interconnect box, the UT250-101 offers some additional highlights, including Auto-Switching and Display On/Off. With Auto-Switching, if the UT250-101 senses a new input, the device automatically switches that new signal to output #1. This feature can be disabled using RS-232 and can be overridden by the TNP221’s push-button switch.  For Display On/Off, the UT250-101 can be programmed so the RS-232 port will send a power-on command to the display device when the first input signal is detected.  When a period of time passes and no activity on the input ports, a power-down signal will be sent to the display device for shutdown.  This feature is enabled/disabled via RS-232.

Phil Hale, Altinex Vice President of Sales and Marketing, states, “The new Collaborative Workspace Package is the ideal system that enables multiple people to share their ideas when collaborating on team projects. This package not only makes it a breeze to patch one’s laptop computer into the presentation system, it enables two people at a time to display their materials on two separate monitors so those in attendance can compare and share ideas. It’s the perfect means of facilitating multiple perspectives to not only share information, but to also reach consensus.

“As multiple people access the system, the UT250-101 matrix switcher looks at the last signal to route content to the displays—enabling users to easily display their work when asked to do so. With its hi-tech, flush mount appearance, the TNP221 interconnect box presents a sophisticated appearance that blends seamlessly into the aesthetics of the most upscale presentation space. I’m confident integrators and end users alike will find much to like with this new system.”

The Altinex TNP221 and UT250-101 carries a MSRP of $495 and $1,495 respectively. The UT250-101 is available now while the TNP211 will be available by August 31, 2010.

Altinex Website

{extended}

Crown Audio Appoints Daniel Saenz To Position Of Market Manager For Installed Sound

Working directly with customers to support design and development of installed systems and deployment of Crown amplifiers for install applications

Crown Audio has appointed Daniel Saenz to the position of Market Manager, Installed Sound, where he will be responsible for working directly with customers to support design and development of installed systems and deployment of Crown amplifiers for install applications. He will report to Vice President of Marketing, Marc Kellom. 

Prior to joining Crown, Saenz served in multiple roles at AV consulting and design firm Pelton, Marsh, and Kinsella, LLC, most recently as Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development and managed the Las Vegas office. In this role he was responsible for marketing acoustics, AV, telecommunication and security services as well as consulting on major projects in the Las Vegas market. These projects ranged from hotels to theaters/showrooms and education facilities.

With Pelton, Marsh, and Kinsella, LLC, Saenz was a co-founder of the firm’s marketing committee which handled the firm’s marketing efforts nationwide from its Chicago, Dallas, and Las Vegas offices. 

“At Crown we understand the need to educate our customer base on the best practices for system design and installation. Daniel brings more than 10 years of valuable experience working on the biggest and most intricate installed sound projects in the country. His understanding of project management, sound reinforcement, and technology will prove to be a valuable resource to our customers,” states Kellom.

“It’s an honor to join a company like Crown that is known throughout the industry as an innovation leader. Throughout my time as a consultant, I became very familiar with Crown and the quality of products the company delivers across a broad range of markets, including installed sound,” says Saenz. 

Saenz holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Audio Arts & Acoustics from Columbia College of Chicago and an MBA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 

Crown Audio Website

{extended}

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Genelec Active Monitors Selected For Cash Money Records Mobile Recording Studio

1038B tri-amplified monitors as the main monitoring system, augmented with a pair of 7070A active subwoofers

Cash Money Records recently took delivery of a new Studio Tour Bus from Vulcan Coach Corporation for its touring artists that is outfitted with a built-in recording studio that includes a pair of Genelec 1038B tri-amplified monitors as the main monitoring system, augmented with a pair of 7070A active subwoofers.

Cash Money Records is home to artists such as Birdman, Lil Wayne, and Drake.

The new studio has a rear monitoring wall loaded with Genelec 1038B’s, as well as a full Avid Pro Tools rig and Avid C|24 mixing interface. Bruce Basden, owner of Vulcan Coach, worked with Mark Jones of Cash Money to develop the look and feel of this studio, building on the previous successes of Vulcan Studio Coaches.

The studio is ensconced in multiple layers of soundproofing and proprietary acoustical treatments to create the right sonic environment. The design features a “room-within-a-room” approach to ensure complete isolation.

The vocal booth is an additional room within the already heavily isolated studio compartments, with the end result of impressive STC ratings.

The Genelec 1038B’s were chosen for their accurate mids and highs, and the 7070A’s for their ability to maintain an articulate low end at even extreme volumes, says Anthony Fernandez of Miami based Pro Audio Nerds, the studio consultant for this project.

Fernandez recalls that he first experienced Genelec speakers when he was working with Miami’s famous The Hit Factory Studios. “I really came to love how the Genelecs sound,” he says.

Basden says the amount of sound pressure that the studio compartment can contain is enormous. “These are not project studios I build on these buses – they are fully equipped, state-of-the-art, serious recording studios that let these artists lay down a vibe whenever it strikes them,” says Basden.

He adds, “the sound accuracy and pressure levels are incredible. When you close the door, the studio becomes seriously airtight, and you can really feel the bass punch you in the gut. With these buses, the artists will never have to miss a beat.”

Genelec Website

For more information, please visit

...ends 499 words

Photo File: Genelec_VulcanCoach_CashMoney_Photo1.JPG
Photo Caption: Cash Money Records’ new mobile studio, outfitted and designed by Vulcan Coach Corporation, featuring 1038B Tri-amplified Monitors (pictured, left and right) as the main monitoring system, augmented with a pair of 7070A Active Subwoofers (pictured, lower).

{extended}

JBL VerTec Line Arrays Take Center Stage At Serbia’s Exit Festival

Total of 64 VT4889 full-size line array elements, 80 VT4888DP powered midsize line array loudspeakers with JBL DrivePack technology, and 100 VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers

Studio Berar, Serbia’s leading production company for professional audio, video and lighting systems, recently deployed JBL Professional VerTec line arrays for the 2010 Exit Festival in Novi Sad, Serbia.

The festival, which is one of Europe’s largest and most popular every summer, took place July 8-11 at the Petrovaradin fortress near the Danube River, drawing 165,000 music fans from around the world over the 4-day span. Studio Berar was awarded contracts to support three of the largest stages of the festival.

More than 500 artists performed on 20 different stages during the 4-day event, which was recently voted ’Best European Festival’ by UK Festival Awards according to Yourope, the European Association of the continent’s 40 largest festivals. This year’s Exit performance lineup included Faith No More, Chemical Brothers, David Guetta, Missy Elliott, Placebo, Mika, LCD Soundsystem, Royksopp, Crystal Casteles, among many others.

The Main Stage, Dance Arena, and Fusion Stage were collectively equipped with 64 VerTec VT4889 full-size line array elements, 80 VT4888DP powered midsize line array loudspeakers with JBL DrivePack technology developed in coordination with Crown Audio, and 100 VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers.

The entire system was configured for remote control and monitoring with Harman HiQnet System Architect software.

“I’m proud to say it’s been 10 years now that Studio Berar has been the primary professional A/V rental supply company for the Exit Festival,” said Zoran Matic, chief system engineer of Studio Berar. “Our VerTec line array systems, along with Crown amplification and the HiQnet system, have performed flawlessly year after year.

“Although the design and setup of the main concert sound system is always challenging due to the unique landscape of the event site, the result this year has exhilarated the crowds of music lovers. Exit Festival 2010 is another highly successful project in our portfolio.“

JBL Professional Website

{extended}

Plugging In Your Church Platform - A Discussion Of Cabling & Connectivity

We need to be thinking about cabling and connectivity, as it will affect future generations, perhaps even long after we’re gone

In my many encounters with church building committees over the years, there’s often an overwhelming theme: build a room that can be utilized for a multitude of functions including worship, theatrical productions, concerts, special events, dinners, receptions… the list goes on.

It’s a discussion of compromise and of thinking to the future. For example, wouldn’t it have been nice - 25 years ago - if the building committee had considered that there might be need of more than a “roamer mic” and organ at the platform?

Of course, caution should be taken when addressing the subject, because we may be talking to some of the same committee members who helped make that initial decision. That said, the same committee members may also remember the subsequent funding needed for more conduit and floor boxes for the stage, including cutting up the concrete floor to get this done.

Meanwhile, the sound crew regularly trips over a bundle of mic cables and faces the unnerving challenge of tracing a bad cable to the soloist five minutes before the service begins.

All of it points to the fact that we need to be thinking about cabling and connectivity, as it will affect future generations, perhaps even long after we’re gone.

What can we reasonably estimate to happen in the next 15, 25 or even 50 years?

We start by listing out what currently will – and likely could - be needed on stage. Such a list may include singers, preachers, pulpits, baptismal, communion table, drums, guitars, piano, organ, bass, strings, brass…

Next, the question becomes location. Can we really anticipate the exact position of each of these items in the years to come?

One answer is yes - we can anticipate positioning because we will control it with a stage design. This is a popular option among larger churches, but can be very unpractical for the small-to-medium church. The approach, basically, means designing the stage with fixed choir, piano, organ, orchestra, monitor mixing, and other positions, and the result is superior sound quality in addition to consistent entrance and exit to various areas of the stage.

The other answer is no – we can’t possibly anticipate accurately. In reality, this is the case in the majority of situations. But let’s back up. When discussing systems, I always have two perspectives: musician and technical (or “techie”).

The musician side of me wants a stage free of cables, with plenty of space to interact with other musicians and the congregation. And I want the ability to plug in any instrument at any realistic place on stage. For example, if the drummer’s in the back, the technicians should be able to mic all of the drums if needed.

Meanwhile, the techie side of me wants easy cable runs, clean signal, and happy musicians. The easy answer: provide a ton of wire and conduit from that stage to the control area(s). Not just to the mixing console, but also to video rooms, studios, etc.

This is not to say that you should have 400 mic lines running all over the place. But build in the flexibility to run individual lines, snakes, fiber, data or whatever else may be encountered now and in the future. Make sure there are several conduits; it’s cheap to do now, very expensive later.

Note that not all wires can be next to each other. Some electrical contractors may ask if it’s O.K. to use PVC conduit instead of steel conduit, and the answer is to use steel whenever possible. Steel offers a magnetic shielding from electrical wiring, while PVC does not. So using steel can go a long way to eliminating nasty buzzes and hums.

However, if the budget dictates PVC, make sure that it’s located as far away as possible from electrical and other wiring. And, always keep separate microphone, loudspeaker, video, data, and other wires/cables.

Floor boxes are your friends, and wall panels and plates are a welcome substitute for floor boxes. My recommendation has been boxes/panels placed strategically around the perimeter of the stage. Install as many as possible, but keep them invisible from the seating areas.

Also remember that it’s important to be able to get cables outside of the “performance area” as quickly as possible.

Now, let’s fill these floor boxes/plates. Keep things organized with simple numbering: Box A jacks are numbers 1-12, Box B is 13-24, and so on.

You can have literally hundreds of sound system inputs at the stage, divided between the boxes, without being excessive and without confusion.

Jacks can accommodate a variety of inputs and outputs for other systems/uses as well, usch as AC power, video, data, etc.

.

Drop snakes can also serve useful purposes. A drop snake simply takes the inputs of each box and links them to a new location on stage.

With a multipin connector-style snake, a multipin connector is placed in each floor box that duplicates the input of that box. (A mulitpin connector puts all of these lines into one connection, locking into place via a connector of the opposite “gender”.) Thus, all lines go through a single snake to a box or “ran” on the other end, which breaks out each line individually again.

This approach makes each input available at the box, and at the end of the snake. But it’s crucial never plug into both the input of the box and the same input on the snake: BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN. The goal is to gain the option of connecting a mic cable to the floor box for input - OR - running the mic cable to the end of the snake.

An option to multipin snakes is fan-to-box snakes. These plug into each line individually, so the snake jacks coincide with the floor box jacks. This approach is more time consuming but much safer. All in all, either approach saves time and cleans up the stage.

All right, let’s say we’ve got all of these items plugged in at the stage, at various floor box/wall panel locations. For example, drums are on channels 9-15, vocals on 74-82, lead guitar on 4 and bass on 63. We’re using a 32-input mixing console posted at front of house. Wait a minute – our math doesn’t add up. More inputs on stage than at the console!

This is where we encounter patch bays, which allow the sound tech to simply take any input on stage and assign it to any channel on the console via a short patch cable. Think of an old-time telephone switchboard in terms of look and function.

Patch bays can be our best friend, but they can also present problems. First, a quality patch bay can cost $1,000 or more. And even at that rather lofty price point, reliability can be an issue.

The biggest way to avoid patch bay problems is proper installation, and as a result, I recommend a qualified contractor to do this. It’s a detailed, labor intensive process, which adds even more to the cost, but without proper installation you’re just setting up a disaster.

Another option is the “poor man’s patch bay” - a snake box, linked via its snake to the house console.

.

The box, meanwhile, is usually mounted at a backstage location, ready to accept inputs running from the stage. You then simply take stage inputs and plug them into the box as needed – easy and flexible switching of inputs.

Also keep in mind that while a 32-input console may be in use now, there may come a day when it makes sense to expand to a 48-input board. Therefore, use a snake big enough to accommodate this growth in inputs, simply covering the extra inputs until they might be needed.

One note is to be cautious – don’t allow anyone the opportunity to plug into channel 32 on the snake box if console channel 32 is being used for a CD player.

Some of this may seem pretty basic, but the issues covered here come up with every project, time and again.

For example, you may be using a 24-input console now but may soon want/need to upgrade to a 32-input (or even 48-input) model. Run a snake big enough for growth and place a box with more inputs than you currently need. Simply cover up the extra inputs and indicate they are not to be used.

Also, don’t forget about those wireless mics, CD players and other items that may occupy channels on the board. Don’t provide someone the opportunity to plug into channel 32 on the snake box if channel 32 on the board is the CD player.

Again, some of this might seem simple, but it’s taken many people (myself included) three or more times of doing things wrong to get them.

While a qualified AV contractor should be able to accomplish these techniques, it’s important to understand the concepts and to be able to raise questions and propose approaches that work best for your situation – now, and in the future.

Related articles on PSW Church Sound:
Checklist For Planning A Church Sound System
Testing Cables On A Regular Basis Is Essential To Solid Church Sound System Performance
The Checklist: Solutions For Fixing Church Sound System Problems

{extended}

Tech Tip Of The Day: The Sample Doctor Makes A House Call

Is there some way to remove the cymbals and just keep the kicks and snares?

 

Q: I’m fairly new to creating music of any sort. I don’t really play an instrument, so I generally use loops and samples to build my compositions. But, I’ve run up against a few roadblocks and thought you might be able to help me. I’ve found some wonderful old kicks and snares with a lot of personality on some old 1970s LPs. My problem is that there is some amount of cymbal or hi-hat over most of them. Is there some way to remove the cymbals and just keep the kicks and snares? By the way, I’m not planning to release any of this music - it’s just for me, so I’m not worried about copyright issues.

A: There are a couple of ways you can minimize the sonic effects of cymbals that can be heard over kicks and snares. First, you’ll want to truncate the samples to just include the drum hits, which can be done in most sample editors.

Next, you’ll want to either create an envelope for the sound or process it so that it quickly fades out to zero, giving it plenty of attack, a short decay, and then a fast fadeout to silence.

In most cases, a good equalizer (graphic or parametric) can be used to remove most of the high-frequency cymbal information from the bass drum samples, and that might be enough, or you may want to try boosting low frequencies between about 75 Hz to 250 Hz to emphasize the booming resonance of the drum head or the snap of the beater. Snares may respond similarly, but another new approach is to use one of the new audio-restoration software packages. Treat the cymbal as if it were noise, by sampling a section of the recording in which the cymbal is playing alone.

Then, use that as your “noise signature” and use the various controls to remove it from the recording of the snare, and then EQ to taste.
 
For more tech tips go to Sweetwater.com

 

{extended}

Musicians Institute To Host Free “Ask The Mixers” Event In Los Angeles On August 25

Five top mixers from across the industry share their insights into the craft and business of mixing music

A-Designs Audio announces that Musicians Institute on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles will be hosting a free event known as “Ask The Mixers” starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, August 25.

Sponsored by A-Designs, Pearlman Microphones, Pete’s Place Audio and Ronan’s Recording Show, the evening will bring together a panel of five professional engineers from the L.A. area who will share their insights into the craft and business of mixing music. A question and answer session with the audience will follow the program.

The event will feature the following panelists (each listed with partial credits):

- Dylan Dresdow (Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, Michael Jackson, TLC, Ice Cube, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Usher, Christian Aguilera, Rihanna)

- Ronan Chris Murphy (King Crimson, Terry Bozzio, Ulver, Steve Morse, Jamie Walters, Tay Zonday, Tony Levin, Steve Stevens, Nels Cline)

- John Rodd (Scoring recordist or mixer for hundreds of films, plus video games like Assassins Creed II, Avatar, SOCOM 3, World of Warcraft)

- Tony Shepperd (Whitney Houston, Elton John, Kenny Loggins, Back Street Boys, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Take 6, Barbra Streisand)

- Erik Zobler (Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, George Duke, Donna Summer, Dianne Reeves, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, Jeffrey Osborne)

“This is a fantastic opportunity to learn some personal tips and tricks of the trade from celebrated professionals that ‘eat and breathe’ tracking or mixing every day,” says Peter Montessi, president of A-Designs Audio. “So regardless whether you’re brand new to the world of recording or a seasoned engineer still wondering how to make your projects sound better, here’s a chance to be mentored by folks that have won Grammys and other awards for their stellar work.”

Recording equipment from the sponsors will be on hand for demonstration before and after the program, and a product giveaway will take place at the tail end of the evening (winner must be present to receive prize).

Musicians Institute is located at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. For more information on the event, contact A-Designs Audio at 818-716-4153 or visit www.adesignsaudio.com.

{extended}

Multiple Midas Digital Consoles Support Scotland’s T In The Park Festival

Britannia Row deployed three XL8 for the main stage, while EFX Audio supplied two XL8 for the Radio One stage

A plethora of Midas digital mixing systems were used across this year’s three-day T in the Park festival held in Scotland earlier this month. Britannia Row deployed three XL8 live performance systems at front of house on the main stage, while Scottish rental company EFX Audio supplied two XL8s for front of house on the Radio One stage.

Midas digital systems were also very much in evidence as headlining acts brought their own to the festival. These included a PRO6 and XL8 for Dizzee Rascal; FOH PRO6 systems for Faithless and Florence and the Machine and PRO6s at FOH and on monitors for Paolo Nutini. Rap artist Jay Z also arrived with an XL8 system for his appearance on the main stage.

On the Radio One stage, it was in-at-the-deep-end for many of the engineers who were using an XL8 for the first time. EFX set up the two XL8s in tandem, using the 431 active splits to enable them to access all the mics all of the time, on both consoles. Guest engineers were then able to ‘listen-in’ to the preceding band and get a feel for the EQ, as well as lining up gates, compressors, reverbs and overall functionality prior to line-checking their own band.

EFX’s Steph Fleming explains, “We felt it was important for guest engineers to become acquainted with the XL8s prior to show time. After that, the consoles would speak for themselves. For most, their big impression was of the sheer audio quality of the XL8, and also of the way it feels very much like a ‘proper’ mixing desk.”

Fleming appreciated the console’s digital benefits; specifically, the XL8’s networking capabilities, with just one optical fibre cable replacing the 500 feet of cable required by a traditional analogue set up. Midas DL451 I/O boxes were used to distribute the audio to multiple locations, maximizing the whole network’s flexibility.

“For us, it’s always about the great sound,” says Fleming, “but equally essential is the flexibility especially when you’ve got some 24 bands appearing over three days.”

“The sound was exceptional, and I found it very easy to mix on,” says Sophie Grant, front of house engineer for Jamie T and Kate Nash. “Selecting the VCAs to see my channels on the screen was so much easier then flipping between pages or layers. I also liked the fact that I didn’t have to flip layers to access my FX. And the colour coding is fantastic. Midas have always been my desk of choice, now I want to do a headline show on an XL8.”

Midas Website

{extended}

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

BMS/Chase And The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing Preview Recording Metadata Project

Three-Year effort results in CCD debuted at DDEX and NARM meetings in New York City, and set to be widely available in 2011

In 2007, The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing and BMS/Chace, a leading media data management firm, partnered with the Library of Congress to create both a standardized approach and a software model for gathering and managing metadata for recorded music.

The resulting metadata standard, dubbed CCD (Content Creator Data), and accompanying studio collection application, were previewed June 14 and 15, 2010, in New York City at the DDEX (Digital Data Exchange, LLC) Plenary and NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) Digital Task Force meetings.

The application is designed to be an integral part of the recording process from a work’s inception, and the resulting metadata can remain linked with a recording through subsequent filing of e-copyright and point of sale. It will also interface with other open standard systems in publishing and e-commerce.

Organized under the umbrella of the Library of Congress’ National Digital Information Infrastructure Preservation Program (NDIIPP), this open-source, open-standard application is on track to be widely available in 2011 and has been garnering great interest in the recording community.

The intent of the project is to harmonize with existing work from SMPTE, DDEX, AES and other relevant standards organizations to create a compatible metadata environment that includes common business-related fields such as ISRC codes, official song titles, producer and engineer credits, performers and copyright ownership. Other partners in the project include Sony BMG Music, Universal Music Group, EMI Group and Disney Music Group.

“We see this project as a huge step forward,” said Maureen Droney, Senior Executive Director of the Producers & Engineers Wing. “It’s essential to incorporate metadata gathering into the actual recording process, where recording personnel have accurate information about the content contributors: what musicians played, what takes were used, who engineered, etc. This application provides a standardized way to gather that data and to make it easily flow upstream.”

“This project is unique in many ways,” states BMS/Chace President John Spencer. “It is the first attempt to bring documentation of commercial recordings into the 21st century and to actively work with standards organizations to promote a unified metadata environment. CCD puts the collection of metadata where it is most accurate, at the actual genesis of the recording process, and it is accessible to all content creators, whether they are recording in a multi-room commercial facility or a home studio. Proper metadata and crediting are invaluable from a historical perspective, for archiving and repurposing, and ultimately, for connecting those who participate in the royalty stream — in other words, getting people paid.”

The application will be shown at meetings held at The Recording Academy’s Santa Monica headquarters, as well as chapter offices in Nashville and New York City, during the month of August. After testing, which is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of 2011, the application will be available at no charge via a simple registration and download process, with the underlying metadata schema published and freely available.

Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing Website
BMS/Chase Website

{extended}

Blue Microphones Announces Availability Of en•CORE 300 Live Condenser Microphone

Contains the latest proprietary condenser capsule technology with an open architecture design and reinforced build

Blue Microphones announces the availability of its flagship performance condenser microphone, the en•CORE 300, the latest in the en•CORE series of performance microphones introduced last fall, which includes the en•CORE 100 dynamic mic, en•CORE 200 active dynamic mic, and the en•CORE 100i dynamic mic for capturing instrumental sounds.

The en•CORE 300 contains the latest proprietary Blue condenser capsule technology with an open architecture design and reinforced build for high-quality stage performance.

The en•CORE 300 is built upon Blue’s custom-tuned condenser capsule technology used in its studio line. In the en•CORE 300, this studio-grade condenser capsule is mounted on a rubber suspension system and coupled with a phantom powered circuit specifically tuned to match the capsule for excellent sound quality. This design allows it to produce vocal clarity with consistent tone and low noise, regardless of the cable length on stage.

“The en•CORE 300 is the next best thing to bringing our top studio mics on stage,” said John Maier, CEO of Blue Microphones. “When the recording session ends, singers can now enjoy the same Blue sound they get in the studio, gig after gig.”

The unique look of the en•CORE 300 serves more than just aesthetics; en•CORE’s open architecture design maximizes air volume in the capsule chamber, resulting in uninterrupted sound regardless of how the microphone is gripped. This design allows for unceasing open air surrounding the top and bottom of the capsule, which reduces in-chamber resonances, producing a more natural, continuous sound. The Blue logo has LED backlighting to indicate active phantom power in the preamp circuit.

The new mic features a reinforced chassis that doubles as a protective frame for the capsule, along with a heavy-gauge zinc barrel grip to protect microphone components and reduce resonance. The electro-plated parts and hardened paint finishes allow for maximum scratch resistance.

The en•CORE 300 is now available - MSRP $199, at numerous pro audio retailers.

Blue Microphones Website

 

{extended}

Renkus-Heinz Introduces AFMG Aubion x.8 A/D-D/A Converter

Fully integrated with both EASERA and EASERA SysTune Windows-based software packages

Renkus-Heinz announces the introduction of Aubion x.8, a new 8-channel A/D-D/A converter from Ahnert Feistel Media Group (AFMG).

The product of a collaboration between AFMG and German hardware designers DSPECIALISTS, the Aubion x.8 is specifically designed to complement AFMG’s EASERA and SysTune.

The Aubion x.8 is the first 8-input/2-output converter specifically designed for live sound and installed sound measurement. Equipped with four XLR/TRS combo mic/line connectors, eight SUB-D-25-based line connectors and two TRS servo-balanced outputs, Aubion x.8 is fully integrated with both EASERA and EASERA SysTune Windows-based software packages.

Ethernet connectivity makes most Windows Audio driver issues irrelevant, and fully digital control maintains calibration even when changing input/output levels.

The Aubion x.8’s eight input channels allows large systems, including line arrays, to be tuned using multiple simultaneous measurements, with real-time display and control from both EASERA and SysTune. Aubion x.8 is also ideal for measuring room acoustics at multiple locations. Aubion x.8’s rugged half-rack design is suitable for portable or rack-mount use.

Together with EASERA and SysTune, Aubion x.8 creates a unique full-function hardware and software solution for audio and systems engineers to achieve precision live sound system tuning and monitoring.

Renkus-Heinz Website

{extended}