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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Cadillacs & Biscuits: Pro Audio Has A Language All Its Own

A comm by any other name…

Like many professions, the pro audio business has a language all its own, with numerous unique words and phrases to describe job titles, equipment, and some of the things we use and do.

Here are some examples of this distinctive lingo:

Battens: Long horizontal pipes found in theatres that are used for hanging curtains and scenery. They always seem to be in an optimized lowered position so we can hit our heads of them during load-in and load-out. 

Biscuit: A stand-alone intercom station generally used on corporate gigs to make the corporate clients feel like they have a voice in the production – even though most are never wired into the comm system. The name is derived from early units developed by Clear-Com for the “King Biscuit Flower Hour” radio music show. They were even given the model designation “KB” for King Biscuit.

Bi-Techxual: A production tech who works in both audio and lighting fields, often at the same time.

Bone Head: The stagehand who buries a critical piece of gear in the “Bone Yard” that causes a long delay until the item is found. Which leads us to…

Bone Yard: Designated storage area for “dead” (empty) crates and equipment.

Bullet: Male-to-male or female-to-female audio connector. Also, an item you would like to deliver to a bad promoter.

Bump: A quick press of a motor controller that causes the smallest amount of chain movement possible. Also, the result of battens in the lowered position.

Cadillac: A large road trunk, big enough to store a piece of critical gear out of sight.

Gender-Bender: An adapter that interfaces one style of connector with another type.

Heads: Short for “heads up” – it’s what crew members yell right after the items they drop from the truss have landed on the deck.

LD: Short for Lighting Director, the person usually responsible for the big empty truck that is blocking our dock space.

LP: Short for Local Poser, the member of the crew who just stands around all day posing as a stagehand but never really gets anything done.

Meat Rack: A large metal lighting cart with two functions – storing lights and running over audio cables.

Patch Monkey: The audio crew member stuck with the thankless job of patching the stage during large multi-act festivals, especially on shows where riders were never received by the sound company.

Rider: An attachment to a show contract that specifies what gear the former soundperson and ex-band members needed on the previous tour.

SWAG: Free stuff given to crew at a show (commonly a T-shirt too small for the average person to wear).

Squint: Term of “endearment” for a lighting crew member.

Teaser: A horizontal masking curtain on a proscenium stage. Also the term for the “good meal” the promoter said he was going to provide as in “it looked like real food, but it was just teasing us.”

Tormentor: Curtains used for side masking. Also a term of “endearment” for a promoter.

Up Rigger: A rigger who works in the air, pulling points for motors.

Upside Down Rigger: A rigger who drank a few too many the night before.

Vidiot: The person responsible for making you move the PA stacks because they’re “blocking his shot” and/or “blocking his screens.” This person will also be the one who tells you that the feed you’ve provided for him is not working, which in turn requires you to point out that he has not plugged his end of the cable into any of his gear.

Craig Leerman is senior contributing editor for Live Sound International and ProSoundWeb, and is the owner of Tech Works, a production company based in Las Vegas.

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In the Studio: Dealing With Low-Mids And A Muddy Mix

EQ is meant to be a corrective tool

 
Recently I had a chance to sit in on a seminar given by Kent Morris.

Kent’s a brilliant guy. He works with Peavey and focuses on training churches on sound systems and how to use them. The topic of the seminar was how to use multiple microphones in a live situation.

What really captured my attention was something Kent said about EQ.

He was talking about how to EQ a vocal to bring out clarity and definition when he made the following statement:

“Every instrument you deal with has a fundamental frequency in the 250—500 Hz range.”

The dictionary on my Mac defines fundamental frequency as “the lowest frequency produced by the oscillation of the whole of an object, as distinct from the harmonics of higher frequency.”

What does that mean? Let’s say I’m singing an A note. 440 Hz is the fundamental frequency of that note, but that’s not the only frequency present. The sound of my voice is made up of that fundamental frequency combined with a complex mixture of harmonics at higher frequencies. These higher frequencies are what we use to differentiate my voice from another voice singing the same note.

Or let’s say a piano and an acoustic guitar play the same note. The reason we can tell the difference is because the harmonic content of each instrument gives the instrument its timbre.

To review, the fundamental frequency defines the pitch, while the harmonic content defines the tone of a sound.

So what does Kent’s quote have to do with us? Well, when mixing a song, we’re combining a bunch of tracks. If the fundamental frequency for each of these tracks is somewhere between 250 Hz and 500 Hz, then we’re obviously going to have a huge build-up in that range.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is where the mud comes from. You know what I’m talking about. Each track you recorded sounds amazing when you solo it, but then when you bounce a mix of everything, it’s all muddy and cluttered, and it gives you a headache. (I’ve done mixes in the past that literally give me an instant headache…sigh.)

Dealing With The “Mud Range”

So how do we take this information and put it into practice? Here’s my advice: next time you’re mixing, and things are sounding muddy, don’t immediately reach for the high frequency EQ knob and turn it up. Instead, spend some times cutting out some of that low-mids.

It’s been said many times, but I’ll reiterate it here. EQ is meant to be a corrective tool more than it’s meant to be an effect. Removing problem frequencies (doing an EQ cut) is almost always more effective than boosting other frequencies.

The easiest way to do this is to take one of your EQ bands in the low-mid area and do a big boost. Next, sweep the frequency up and down until you find where the “mud” is coming from. (I have a sneaky suspicion it’ll be between 250 and 500 Hz.) Once you find the frequency, turn the gain down until you’ve done about a 3 dB cut and take a listen.

Oftentimes a 3 dB cut is all it takes to clear things up. Use more or less as you see fit, and hopefully there will be much less mud in your future.

To learn more about how to manipulate your tracks with EQ for both good and evil purposes (muahahaha), head over here: www.understandingEQ.com

Joe Gilder is a Nashville-based engineer, musician, and producer who also provides training and advice at the Home Studio Corner.Note that Joe also offers highly effective training courses, including Understanding Compression and Understanding EQ.

 

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Church Sound: The Spectrum Or Time, Or How To Fit All That Stuff Into The Mix

Placing sounds in more than just space

 
My friend Dave says one of the most important things we can do as audio engineers is to listen to music. Lots of music. Many different styles of music.

And don’t just listen, break it down. How is it mixed? How is it arranged? Where did they put things, and how did they make it sound good (or fail at making it sound good)?

I subscribe to this practice, though not as much as I would like.The other day, I was watching a Classic Albums show on Netflix. The subject of that episode was Phil Collins’ early solo project, Face Value.

While watching, I was reminded that I listened to that over and over as a high school student. Honestly, I had forgotten how good of a record that was. So I broke it out on Spotify and listened to it a few times. After 30 years, it still sounds fantastic.

As I listened, I realized they spent just as much effort placing sounds in time as in space. Let that sink in for a second and I’ll explain. We’ve talked a lot about the frequency spectrum and how we need to have all the instruments occupying their own little corner of real estate in said spectrum. And that’s very true.

It’s also an especially difficult proposition in many churches because in order to be inclusive, we often find ourselves with a lot of musicians on stage. And often, their skill level is, well, less than optimal, and as such they tend to all play the same thing. I’ve mixed worship bands that have three guitars, keys and piano, and they’re all playing the same line of cords. If you just turn it all up, it sounds like mush because all that energy is concentrated into a very narrow slice of audible spectrum—which is typically also occupied by vocals.

Now to be fair, this is as much an arranging problem (ie. a musical director problem) as it is a mixing problem. In fact, it’s really more of an arranging issue. But as most churches don’t really want to deal with the lack of musicianship, it falls on us to fix it. And that’s where Phil Collins comes in (see, there was a point to that paragraph).

One of the things that stood out to me is that there were many, many instruments playing any given song. But they didn’t all play at once. In fact, there were a few things that hit a few notes and that was the last you heard of them.

Take the remake of the classic Genesis song, Behind the Lines. Listen to the horns in that mix; they don’t play continually, instead they stab some notes than go away for a while. During the chorus, the horns play quite a lot, but notice that the other instrumentation lays back.

A few weeks ago, we had a pretty full band, so I had some opportunities to put this theory into practice. Instead of trying to make the B3 fit into the mix for the entire song, I pushed it up between phrases of the lyrics, then ducked it back down. I went back and forth between the electric and acoustic depending on the part in the song. Sometimes I pushed the bass up to fill the bottom, other times, I let the kick do it.

The result of all this is a cleaner mix, and better overall sound. Instead of trying to make everything fit, just turn some of it down. Each instrument will still contribute to the overall texture of the song, but some will carry more weight at different times.

Ideally, the musicians would figure some of this out on their own and start playing segments instead of the whole thing; and it’s something our bands are generally really good at, actually. In fact, it’s our band that really has driven this point home for me. In most other church settings, I’ve dealt with the “everyone plays everything all the time” syndrome. But here, I actually have musicians playing around each other, and it makes my job so much easier.

But if you find yourself in an environment where everyone is playing the same line, try spreading them out over time. It may just help clean up your mix.

Mike Sessler is the Technical Director at Coast Hills Community Church in Aliso Viejo, CA. He has been involved in live production for over 20 years and is the author of the blog, Church Tech Arts . He also hosts a weekly podcast called Church Tech Weekly on the TechArtsNetwork.

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A Study In Contrasts: Live Sound & Studio Recording

There is a certain way of thinking that develops...

Anyone who has done some studio recording or at least knows full well some of the pitfalls of the studio world.

For those of you who haven’t done, well, let me tell you.

Recording is its own planet, and it’s a world where people have pale skin, sunken eyes, hearing loss (oops - that’s common in the sound reinforcement world, too), and it can be out of touch with reality, as in, reality is sometimes the last thing that recordings attempt to convey,

But perhaps even more importantly is the element of time.

For sound reinforcement, everything is about preparation and the schedule is the schedule. The event will happen on time, barring any unforeseeable natural disasters or a singer’s voice temporarily out of commission due to “recreational consumption.”

With recording it’s as much about post-production, i.e., mastering, as it is about mixing and tracking. And, until the money runs out, time just doesn’t seem to matter, or at least as much.

TEMPUS FUGIT

Two of my hobbies could be involved with the wedding industry if I were so inclined: photography and music. As it is, I have a string quartet that does indeed provide music for weddings.

And even though it might be possible to make more money doing photography for the same base of clients, I have chosen not to pursue such an avocation. This is for one simple reason: with photography, most of the work happens after the wedding. And brides, once they have relaxed following a year or more of planning, can be extremely picky.

Unfortunately, what was captured at the wedding is what you have to work with. Or is it? What about Photoshop? Can’t we remove that blemish? I thought my chest looked bigger in my $12,000 dress than it looks in your pictures! I told my fiancee to shave right before the ceremony!

Thus time just doesn’t seem to matter, but exacting results do. The only limit is the client’s budget, and some of them are willing to spend quite a bit on stuff like this.

But with the quartet, the work happens on the front end. We plan with the client to provide the music they want, we rehearse, we prepare for the gig, and we do the gig. Once it’s over, it’s over. We pack up our instruments, get some of the killer food (wedding food is usually pretty darned good), have a half a glass of wine, and we’re out of there. (Oh yeah, and we pick up our check.)

Part of the reason this works is that the music is an integral part of the ceremony, providing the mood, enhancing the emotions, and providing a backdrop to the couple’s special day along with flowers, bridesmaids’ dresses, decorations, etc.

Music is special. And whatever minor mistakes we might have made are lost to history, unless the event was videotaped. Interestingly, most of the ones for which we’ve provided music have not been videotaped, at least not professionally.

THE CURTAINS OPEN AT 8PM—READY OR NOT

But beyond the fact that once the gig is done, it’s done, there is a certain way of thinking that develops as one gains experience in live sound. The best way I can describe it is efficiency. Problems need to be solved quickly and “without a lot of moaning and groaning.”

And some of the problems are major. But with a knowledge of the basics, a handle on “the way of the road” and the right attitude, everything can be fixed one way or the other. And when it comes right down to it, the show must start on time.

Another cool aspect of live shows is the “rush.” When I was mixing front of house years ago, I never got tired of that electric feeling one gets just before the master mute is lifted. I mean yeah!—what’s better than being behind the wheel of a half-million dollar, multi-kilowatt system with thousands of fans there to enjoy the show? And it’s fun to participate actively in the performance by adding your expertise, sensitivity, aesthetic sense, and musical understanding to the overall show.

Sure, those things happen in the studio, too, but not live. Not in front of an audience. Not like at a sporting event or X Games or mountain climb before God and everyone. Of course the audience response is important because it energizes the performers and the crew. Seeing and hearing the throngs of people totally getting into the music, the visuals, the sound has to raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

Clearly, great, old rock ‘n’ roll bands like the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith have to be energized by the crowds or why would they continue? Don’t say money. Those guys can’t possibly need any more money. And although it’s certainly cool to hear your record on the radio, the immediate vibe brought to bear by a live performance and the risk of flying so high just isn’t there.

WHAT LIVE CAN LEARN FROM THE STUDIO

Of course there are important things that are performed in the recording studio that might help us in sound reinforcement. And indeed, many of these things are used more and more as the industry matures.

First, recordings are often done with the best microphones, clever mic techniques and good preamps. Why? Because the studio guys know that what you don’t capture at the source can’t be replaced somewhere downstream.

I think there are two reasons for this. Audiences expect better sound now than they ever have, and loudspeakers have improved quite a bit during that time, with line arrays, active systems and other innovations.So now, the improvements brought on by good microphones can translate directly to the audience experience.

Another thing to keep in mind is that as we work to create a similar soundscape to the record, in order to provide a point of reference for the audience, that sound started in the studio. The artist, producer, recording and mixing engineers worked out all those details already. Of course we can embellish, change, ignore or copy those effects, EQ, mix elements, etc. but always in reference to the “original.”

The best recordings are usually done with excellent rehearsals and pre-production. These are the times when all the kinks are worked out in the arrangements, the lyrics, vocal harmonies, etc. Perhaps there is no direct translation to sound reinforcement, other than it’s good to plan and be on top of the details.

THE WORD FROM THE TOP

I remember one of the answers Al Schmitt gave during a seminar when someone asked him, “What’s your secret?”

He replied that if an artist puts on the headphones for the first time in the studio and they think they sound great, half the work is already done. And today, due to the proliferation of IEM systems, the translation from the studio world is pretty direct. In other words, if artists think they sound great in their monitors on stage, they’ll perform better.

When working on a record, it’s a lot like being on tour in that everyone has to put up with each other as if they’re, a family and they all live in the same house. Personal relationships are important to form strong bonds with the goal of creating the best results, and avoiding petty politics.

Something I wish was practiced by both studio guys and live sound guys is “louder is not better.” Mainly, I think people make the mistake of thinking that if they mix loud, somehow magically the mix will be better. Trust me and lots of other fine folks: it won’t.

What makes the mix sound better is musicality, avoiding unwanted distortion, even coverage, intelligibility (for music that requires it, i.e., 95 percent of music) and a feeling of “impact.” None of those things require the sound to be particularly loud, even the “impact” one. Tasty mixing can be done with full but not overly loud volumes, and careful attention to the spectrum and how it relates to the music at hand. Some people seem to get this, but sadly many do not.

Hopefully I’ve not alienated everyone in the industry with this treatise. Instead, I hope that we can all just get along and make better sound. Let’s give it a go, shall we?

Karl Winkler is director of business development at Lectrosonics and has worked in professional audio for more than 15 years.

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Church Sound: The Kick Drum Is Too Loud? Says Who?

A discussion of who's in charge and staying patient in our role as sound mixer

Sometimes my first reaction to something isn’t always my best reaction.

Recently I was mixing a group that I’d handled a few times before, and after about 30 minutes of rehearsal, the leader walked out in to the house to listen to the mix.

What happened next is where I thankfully took time to process rather than react. After a few minutes, the leader shouted, in what I interpreted as a rather curt tone, “The kick drum is way too loud!” 

My passive aggressive nature was screaming from me to either shout back or turn up the kick even more.

But fortunately, in my case, a bit of wisdom has finally come with age. So rather than elevate the conflict, I did the smart thing and turned down the kick. Doing so also allowed me to think a bit more rationally. 

My thoughts, not in any particular order:

1) The leader knows the band and what the mix should sound like.

2) The leader is an idiot. Everyone likes to feel the kick drum (notice I said I was only a bit more rational).

3) I’m a professional and know how to mix (OK, so I’m not always rational).

4) Maybe the kick is a little heavier on the main floor (I was mixing from a balcony position).

5) The average age of the audience will be somewhere between blue hair and retirement home, so the leader is probably just asking me to mix to the audience.

6) I’ve been accused before about having too much kick in my mixes. 

7) Perhaps my mix is not matching the musical performance.

That last thought, number 7, is the one I settled on as “most” valid and most likely what the leader intended: the sound of the performance should match the music of the performance. Bill Gaither music should not sound like rock. Rock should not sound like classical. Classical should not sound like there is a sound system present. Etc…

I was thankful I didn’t take his “suggestion” as a personal attack and do something stupid, and I was able to provide a mix that better represented the musical performance. Win-win.

Later in the rehearsal, I went down to the main floor to hear how it sounded overall, and to specifically evaluate the kick. I thought the kick (and drums overall) sounded O.K., maybe a little light, but I asked the leader to join me and share what he was hearing. 

His take was that the drums, overall, were a little too loud. It was his show, he had written all of the arrangements, and he leads this band all of the time, so he knows the sound he is looking for. It was my job to make that happen.

The morals of this story:

1) Be slow to speak and react.

2) Don’t take things personally. Just because someone makes a suggestion, don’t get offended.

3) Our role as sound mixers is to best represent what’s happening on the stage and to mix to that style of music, not how we personally like it.

4) The leader has the final say. He (or she) has either written or picked out the arrangements, secured the musicians, and has an opinion on how it should sound.

Gary Zandstra is a professional AV systems integrator with Parkway Electric and has been involved with sound at his church for more than 25 years.

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Wiring The World: Miles And Miles Of Conduit

Handling the one thing that technical systems have in common: wire

Sooner or later, regardless of our chosen path in pro audio, the worst happens: someone asks us to install a system. Even if our preferred gig involves a Prevost and chain motors, folks tend to assume that “sound is sound,” and if you are a professional in one area, you are surely qualified in all others.

Even with no real hands-on install experience, most of us have no problem signing up for the occasional install gig. The gear looks the same, the pay is pretty good, it all wires up the same… what could go wrong?

As anyone who has ever heard a “studio guy” mix live can attest, each discipline in audio has its own unique set of tools. If you don’t have them, bad things happen fast.

The one thing that technical systems have in common is wire. The rules governing the use of flexible cords and cables for temporary audio production are largely limited to feeder cabling and loudspeaker wire, where the power levels are most likely to cause fire or physical harm. For the insanely curious, these details can be found in the National Electrical Code (NEC) Articles 640.42, 520.10, and 525.

Although cabling used in permanent installations is, for the most part, electrically identical to its well-traveled brethren, the rules governing its use are much more stringently defined in the NEC. Further, many municipalities employ local building codes that extend or exceed these standards.

One particularly strict jurisdiction is Las Vegas, where all cabling must be installed in metallic conduit. Following the 1980 fire in the MGM Grand (now Bally’s) which claimed the lives of 87 people and injured nearly 800 more, Clark County took a firm stance on the protection of all electrical systems installed within their buildings.

Though not all counties are as strict, it pays to become familiar with the local codes before attempting any installation. If you do not adhere to these codes, you risk having the building “red-tagged” or condemned while your cheerful former employer gets to re-wire the place. Good times.

For those of us fortunate enough to not live in Nevada, a term that we often come across when selecting cable is “plenum.” The NEC defines a plenum as “A compartment or chamber to which one or more air ducts are connected and that forms part of the air distribution system.”

To nutshell this, a plenum is an air return space, like a ceiling, used to collect return air without ducting to each return air grille. If you pop a ceiling tile and see ducts extending to or from each grille in a room, odds are, it is not a plenum space. More typically, because ducts are expensive, the mechanical engineer uses ceilings, stages and shafts as a plenum return.

If you run any wire within this space without conduit, you should be using wire that is plenum rated. This begs the question… why?

The wire we use for audio signals is classified by its intended use and its installed location. “When you take a look at any wire, you will notice a series of markings that indicate its type and classification (see Figure 1).

The factors that govern this classification include intended use/signal type, installation location (like in a plenum, riser, under carpet…), fire resistance, smoke toxicity and the manner in which the cable construction burns.

Further, a cable is evaluated for its performance as it ages and for how it performs with splits in its insulation and jacketing.

All of this has absolutely nothing to do with audio or electricity for that matter, but it has everything to do with fire; the cables listed in Figure 1 are in descending order of combustibility.

You see, the National Electrical Code isn’t created by the IEEE, or a consortium of electro-techies.

It is created and published by the National Fire Protection Association, folks with a long history of studying what goes wrong when electricity runs amuck in a building.

Though counter-intuitive, as much if not more emphasis is placed on how a wire burns as opposed to how well it insulates or conducts electricity. This is because much of the code assumes that a fire exists in a building.

A wire that burns with a toxic smoke, when installed in the HVAC plenum, has the potential to release fumes in other areas of a building that may be unaffected by the fire.

As the use of electronic systems and their associated wiring increases, the potential for dangerous smoke propagation becomes a very legitimate concern. Considering that many cables we typically use have rubber or polyvinyl-chloride jackets, it is easy to see the problem.

One sure way to avoid damage to pur wire, contain smoke, limit electromagnetic and radio frequency interference and ease our installation is to use conduit. Though it is not likely that many of us will be installing our own conduit (it’s an art that takes years to master), we are often called upon to tell architects/engineers or electricians what size conduit we require and where it should go.

Because the pipe is a permanent and extremely expensive element of a design, you cannot afford a mistake. If it is too small, you’re stuck; too large and you have :wasted many thousands of dollars that could have been used for cooler gear in the rig (and you look like an ape who can’t add).

So, how do we size an electrical conduit? First, plan your runs with the understanding that the NEC standard conduit fill is 40 percent for three or more cables. If the pipe is occupied by only one cable, that limit increases to 53 percent, also, because they form a wide oval shape when run together, the NEC only allows 31 percent fill when two wires occupy the same pipe.

As a shortcut, if you have a pipe that is filled with a quantity of the same wire type, this is usually a simple operation. Most wire manufacturers have a chart that lists the standard conduit sizes and their common wire types. Match the column to the row, and you will find the quantity allowed. If you are good with Sudoku, this will be a snap.

If you have various types of wires planned for a given run, assuming three or more wires are in the pipe, a bit of math is required. Of course, you could cheat and use an online calculator, but where’s the fun in that?

Here’s the quick math:

Find the AREA of each wire. To do this, square the nominal outer diameter (NOD) of each wire (listed in the wire specs) and total the results.

Calculate the total area of the wire cross-section: multiply your result by .7854 (this is Pi/4). Select conduit from the chart above (Figure 2).

Cable Diameter Squared = .25 squared = .25 x .25 = .0625

Cross Section Area (1 wire) = .0625 x .7854 = .0491

Total Cross Section Area (12 wires) = .0491 x 12 = .589

An example with 1 wire type - assume 12 wires, with an NOD of .25 inches.

Look at the chart for 40 percent fill and find one that is bigger than the wire ... 1 1/4-inch will do the job with room to spare.

Some other tips when planning your conduit runs: Surprisingly, a 40 percent fill is a LOT of wire. If your runs are greater than 50 feet, either reduce the cable counts by 15-20 percent, or use the next size larger conduit.

Also, each 90-degree bend is equal to approximately 30 feet of pulling friction; if you need more than two 90-degree bends to get where you need to go, or that destination is greater than 90 feet set a pull box.

To be certain, we are only doing this install thing because the “real” gig wouldn’t meet our $3,000/day, no-load, no-strike policy. Besides, it was all fly dates, and who wants to deal with that, really? But should you need to make some bucks to help pay for that backwaxing the old lady needs, suck it up and agree to work on that install deal, “just this once.” Just be conscious of your image… black is not the color of choice in apparel, gets hot; boots are required due to foot-impaling pointy things strewn about; shorts are not an option, because you look like a schoolboy, and hardhats are all the rage.

Get used to it… but at least you can be comfortable in the thought that you’ll only have to pull the wire once, the pipes are right, you get to go home at night and payday is always on Friday. Good times indeed.

Josh Thompson is a senior consultant with Polysonics Corp., an acoustics and technology consulting firm in the Washington, DC area, and an instructor in the Media Technology program at Northern Virginia Community College Extended Learning Institute.

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Full Compass Systems Hosts HOW-To-Sound Workshop For Church Techs

Full Compass Systems recently hosted a HOW-To Sound Workshop that brought house of worship sound volunteers and technicians to Full Compass’ 4,200 sq. ft. studio for a full day of training.

Professional sound engineer, Mike Sokol, taught the nationally recognized workshop.  Sokol led participants through a comprehensive, hands-on program of instruction as they worked at dedicated, individual mixing consoles.

Fits & Starts Productions, LLC is the producer of the HOW-TO Workshops. The organization travels more than 40,000 miles each year training house of worship AV volunteers in 36 cities across the United States.

“Working with the Full Compass crew is always a positive experience,” states Hector La Torre, Fits & Starts Productions Managing Partner. “They’re all pros, so I know that even the little things will be taken care of when we show up to present our HOW-TO Workshops. This year, we had another great crowd, and we look forward to making this event a yearly one.”

In addition to the full day of training, attendees enjoyed an opportunity to view the wide range of equipment on display in the Full Compass showroom.

On the success of the workshop, Full Compass VP of Sales & Marketing, Roxanne Wenzel remarked, “It’s truly a pleasure hosting the How-To Sound Workshop at Full Compass. Those who attended received excellent instruction from a very knowledgeable and experienced instructor.  We value our partnership with Fits & Starts Productions and look forward to our next event.”

Full Compass
HOW-To Sound

 

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ACIR Professional Supports Mother’s Day Music Festival

Philadelphia’s Patti LaBelle, was part of the 3rd annual Mothers Day Music Festival at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City held on Mother’s Day. The concert also featured Johnny Gill and Charlie Wilson. The historic Boardwalk Hall, which seats close to 15,000, has played host to a high profile list entertainers and sporting events throughout its 81-year history.

ACIR Professional (Egg Harbor Township) provided the entire audio rig and backline for the concert including two Yamaha PM5D digital audio consoles for front of house and monitors, with FOH manned by ACIR co-owner, Ed DiBona.

“I prefer the Yamaha PM5D because of excellent sound quality, ease of use, and unrivaled reliability,” says DiBona.

LaBelle’s success came early with Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and then, in the seventies, with LaBelle who brought the hit ‘Lady Marmalade.’ LaBelle went on to have a huge success as a solo artist with songs such as ‘On My Own,’ ‘If Only You Knew,’ ‘If You Asked Me To,’ and ‘New Attitude.’

The company supplied a d&b line array, d&b Q sub for side fills, Worx Audio speakers for side PA, a plethora of microphones including Sennheiser, Shure, AKG, AudioTechnica, a Shure wireless system, and Sennheiser in-ear monitor system.

ACIR Professional

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The Studio Curmudgeon: Gain Structuring With Plug-ins

Computer-based recording can make it all too easy to miss a poorly thought out signal chain

In the pre-DAW era, when we had to rewind heavy two-inch multitrack tapes uphill in the snow, both ways, the concept of gain structure was fairly easy to grasp.

Instead of a virtual studio-in-a-box, each individual component was a link in the audio chain, visibly connected by patch cables, and analog distortion was fairly easy to hear, identify and track down.

In today’s digital world, it’s no longer that simple. Signal paths can be virtual, unconventional, and convoluted, and digital distortion can be subtle, sneaking up on you only after it’s too late to fix.

But while digital audio has fundamentally changed the way we record and mix, proper gain structure is no less critical to a good sounding recording.

The user-friendly, preset-heavy paradigm of computer-based recording can make it all too easy to miss a poorly thought out signal chain, leaving you with some nasty digital artifacts in the final mix, long after your star players have gone home or logged off.

Nothing (And Everything) To Gain

From its initial capture to its place in the final mix, every sound in a typical multitrack recording travels though a multitude of stages and devices. Each one of these stages, whether hardware or software, requires an optimal signal level at its input. Too high an input level can cause clipping and distortion; too low a level can add noise. Keeping an eye on the input and output levels of every stage in the signal chain is critical to ensuring that each device’s output feeds a clean signal to the next device’s input.

With the exception of devices connected via channel inserts, input levels for most plug-ins are controlled via the (hardware or software) mixer’s Aux or FX Send. Most plug-ins also have their own input level, so it’s important to look at both, and match the mixer’s FX send level with the plug-in’s input level for proper gain structure.

Sending too low a level to the effects bus and then turning up the plug-in’s input level to compensate will result in a nosier signal. Conversely, sending too hot an effects send level and then turning down the plug-in’s input level will result in a distorted signal. In most cases, it’s best to start with both levels set to 0 or unity gain.

In fact, with the exception of compressors and other dynamics processors, unity gain is a good rule of thumb – your signal level should ideally be unchanged whether the plug-in is inserted into the chain or not. If your levels are noticeably higher or lower when you bypass a particular device, it’s a good idea to go back and examine the gain structure of that link.

If A Signal Clips In The Forest…

Overloading can be particularly problematic in the digital domain. Raise the input signal to an analog device, and distortion will gradually rise until clipping occurs. Digital circuitry has no such safety zone – a single dB too high will take your signal from squeaky clean to nasty distortion.

Unlike analog distortion, digital clipping can be difficult to hear, particularly when it’s just one element of a complex multitrack mix. If the clipping goes undetected, the digital information for that sound is permanently corrupted, even if the levels are brought back down later in the mix. And digital distortion can have a subtle but undesirable effect on the sonic quality of your track, usually in the form of barely perceptible levels of a brittle, harsh digital sheen that can fatigue your listeners.

Even a relatively minimal amount of gain from certain plug-ins – for example, a high-pass filter – can boost peaks and transients pretty significantly. Don’t depend on your meters to alert you to these, either.

In most DAW setups, plug-in inserts occur pre-fader, so even if you keep the levels of your channel strips below clipping, distortion within a given plug-in may not show up if the level was brought back down further along the signal chain. As always, your ears are your most important tools. Solo each device and listen.

What To Listen For

Needless to say, different types of signal processors will affect overall gain structure differently, and some are easier to work with than others.

Digital reverbs are particularly hazardous – the “soft” nature of some reverb algorithms, combined with reverb’s typical in-the-background role, can mask other artifacts, including noise resulting from too low an input level.

Multiband EQ can be particularly nefarious, especially when it comes to peaks and transients.

With modern multiband EQ plug-ins, it’s not hard to inadvertently overlap a range of frequencies in two different bands, and the cumulative boost can result in clipping.

Compression and dynamics processors, being gain-based concepts, present a whole different set of challenges, and deserve a column of their own (maybe next month).

Briefly, though, it’s important to pay attention to a compressor’s attack and gain settings, as these can have a major impact on gain structure of the signal coming out of your compressor.

Get To Know Your Plug-Ins

Just as every guitar, keyboard, and vintage amp has its own sonic character, so too does every signal processor. This is no less true for software plug-ins than it is for hardware units. Different devices have different ways in which they handle gain and clipping. And getting a good sense of how each of your plug-ins performs in different situations is as important as knowing any other instrument in your arsenal.

In the analog era, engineers would test each new box by running a sine wave through it and looking at the signal on an oscilloscope. They could see where each device would clip at specific frequencies, what kind of distortion would occur, and other characteristics that helped to map out the device’s optimal gain settings and place in the chain.

You can easily do the same thing with your frequently used plug-ins. Open an oscilloscope or frequency display in your DAW, set the plug-in’s input (and output, if it has one) level to unity gain, and send a sine wave through the device. Watch the output as you gradually raise the send level.

Not Exciting, But It’s Real

Of course, the geek factor of testing with sine waves is no substitute for listening. Many tracks in a mix will have multiple plug-ins inserted in their signal path, and it’s important to check each individual track, inserting each plug-in one at a time, and then all together. Things may sound find in the overall mix, but only critical listening will tell you if something’s not quite right.

In the busy hubbub of live recording, particularly if you’re tracking a whole band, picky details like gain structure can be easy to overlook. But it’s a necessary fact of life, and ignoring it is not an option.

The more familiar you are with gain structure in general and your equipment in particular, the less time you’ll have to spend optimizing levels when you’ve got a room full of antsy musicians waiting to lay down tracks.

Daniel Keller, a.k.a., the Studio Curmudgeon, is a musician, engineer and producer. Since 2002 he has been president and CEO of Get It In Writing, a public relations and marketing firm focused on audio and multimedia professionals and their toys. Despite being immersed in professional audio his entire adult life, he still refuses to grow up.

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Meyer Sound Supports Events Large Or Small, Indoors Or Out At Lied Center

Consistent audio quality is the rule at the Lied Center of Kansas, the principal performing arts venue for the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Whether attending a headliner concert in the 2,000-seat theatre, an evening of acoustic folk music in the new pavilion, or an outdoor social event on the adjoining terrace, patrons appreciate the superlative music and voice reproduction provided by Meyer Sound self-powered loudspeakers.

The newest addition of Meyer Sound equipment was installed in the facility’s new education pavilion. A flexible open space hosting a broad range of events—pre-and post-performance discussions, lectures, master classes, and intimate musical performances—the roughly 200-person capacity pavilion presented an acoustical challenge to the system designer and integrator, Kent Clasen of Lawrence-based MSM Systems. He resolved the issue by implementing dual Meyer Sound UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers.

“The room is extremely live with hardwood floors and two glass walls, “Clasen says. “Other wall and ceiling surfaces are set at angles, so mounting architectural columns—our initial plan—would appear awkward.

“Fortunately, the UPJ-1P loudspeakers gave us precise control to keep sounds properly focused. We’re also getting excellent intelligibility and wider bandwidth for music, and the architects are happy with the look thanks to the custom-color finish.”

The pavilion’s system also includes a recessed 500-HP subwoofer for low-frequency extension. “The sub is primarily used for full-bandwidth reproduction of video soundtracks,” Clasen says, “but it’s also handy for something like acoustic bass in a jazz band.”

Rounding out the system, two additional UPJ-1P loudspeakers are adaptable for pole mounting, connection to outputs for the adjoining terrace, or for use elsewhere in the building. “We’ve used them a lot for effects and monitoring,” notes Doug Wendel, associate director of Lied Center of Kansas. “They sound wonderful, and you can do just about anything with them.”

The recent pavilion setup follows an earlier Meyer Sound installation for the main theatre. Comprising eight CQ-2 main loudspeakers, two 650-P subwoofers, and four UPM-1P loudspeakers for front fills, the system lends optimum audio support to the wide variety of jazz, pop, world music, and spoken-word performances in the main venue.

“The sound of that system is just amazing,” Wendel says. “Kent did a great job of tuning it, and the coverage is seamless. We just had a Mongolian contemporary music ensemble in here, and once again the sound was absolutely perfect.”

Lied Center of Kansas opened in 1993 and was made possible by generous support from the Lied Foundation Trust based in Las Vegas, Nev. Its diverse programming includes performances by University of Kansas music ensembles, as well as touring Broadway shows, humor and spoken word presentations, and concerts encompassing a range of pop, jazz, classical, and ethnic/world music styles.

Meyer Sound

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Fostex Inspires Mobile Creativity For Babyface

Musician and producer Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds recently took possession of his new Fostex PMO.4n self powered studio monitors in the colors white, black, purple, red and yellow. The PMO.4n’s are a recent update of the PMO.4 studio monitors introduced back in 2005.

The compact design of the PMO.4n enclosure allows for convenient mobility allowing Kenny to feed his creative thirst by facilitating a mobile working environment. “I’m often inspired creatively by new or varied work environments which the small Fostex monitors accommodate.” states Kenny.

You’ll find a pair in Kenny’s home, recording studios and on-the-road. Kenny also goes on to say; “It’s important that monitors not only sound great, but they need to look good and the PMO 4n monitors look great. I love all the colors”

Fostex PMO 4n professional studio monitors feature a highly efficient 18 watt bi-amplifier drive, exclusively designed aromatic polyamide low frequency driver and UFLC (ply Urethane Film Laminated Cloth).

Kenny “Babyface” Edmunds is an award winning songwriter, musician and producer whom has worked with numerous mega stars such as Whitney Houston, Boys II Men, Toni Braxton and Mary J. Blige. Babyface has also received numerous awards including three consecutive Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year in 1995-1997.

Fostex

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Technomad Expands Integrator And End User Options For PowerChiton Amplifiers

Technomad introduces several new product accessories at InfoComm 2012 (Booth C12033) to complement its advanced audio solutions range.  The innovative tools give systems integrators and end users flexible new options to simplify Technomad installations in stadiums, on college campuses and across other indoor/outdoor facilities.

At the show Technomad introduces a weatherproof breakout box and Apple AirPort Express audio streaming compatibility for its range of PowerChiton amplifier modules.  The company will also show a new stainless steel mounting solution for its high-power weatherproof loudspeaker models.

“Technomad is always seeking ways to increase the range of applications for our products, and make life easier for systems integrators by innovating solutions that address installation challenges in the field,” said Rodger von Kries, vice president, Technomad.

PowerChiton Breakout Box

The PowerChiton range of passively-cooled, IP66-rated weatherproof amplifier modules — available in four power levels up to 1600 watts — have grown increasingly popular in outdoor audio projects where installers wish to co-locate amplification with loudspeakers, from athletic field complexes to university campus mass notification systems.  The compact and low profile of PowerChiton amplifier modules — along with the rugged, weatherproof design — enables sound contractors to easily install the modules on light poles and other surfaces at any height.

Technomad now introduces a specialized PowerChiton breakout box that enables local audio control at user-friendly locations in the same NEMA-style protective enclosure.  Contractors can install the breakout box at eye level, for example, allowing end users to adjust volume and connect a handheld microphone or an iPod on the fly.

The PowerChiton breakout box, which begins shipping July 1, includes mic and line level inputs, a four-channel mixer, an accessory cord and mounting hardware.  The breakout box also enables remote installations, such as athletic fields without a press box or other protected location, to benefit from permanently-installed, PowerChiton-based PA systems.  A coach or announcer can walk up to the breakout box, open it and be speaking through the PA or playing music within seconds.

“Installers typically only open PowerChiton amplifiers to hard-wire connections and set levels, and then screw the box shut for dependable, permanent installations,” said von Kries.  “The PowerChiton breakout box is designed for ongoing user adjustments, with easy and direct access to controls and the capacity to store an audio player and microphone.  It also provides a local audio source to make announcements and connect an iPod or other playout device.”

Technomad also now supports AirPlay capability from PowerChiton for Apple AirPort Express users.  This allows commercial and residential customers to wirelessly stream iTunes audio files and playlists to an AirPort Express unit within a PowerChiton amplifier or breakout box.

Users require only the hardware and a basic network or Wi-Fi connection to wirelessly stream audio from a computer or playout device to the PowerChiton — reducing costs and infrastructure associated with traditional wiring and cabling.

New Wall Mount Solution

Technomad is now shipping a new stainless steel wall mount for its AS Series of weatherproof, advanced audio loudspeakers.  The AS Series consists of the largest and most powerful Technomad loudspeakers, including the Noho and all Berlin models (broad and narrow-dispersion).

Unlike older styles, the new Technomad wall mount accessory allows installers to position any AS Series loudspeaker vertically or horizontally.  The stainless steel design prevents weather-related erosion over time, and pole-mount adaption simplifies lighting and telephone pole installations.

Technomad will also show a range of existing advanced audio solutions, including its ultra-lightweight DragonFly remote audio system; and its Schedulon audio playback and recording system.

Technomad

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Monday, May 21, 2012

d&b Delivers Full Spectrum At Ultrafest

The idea of an electronic music festival might send a shudder down your spine—for many it does.

Characterized by the kind of sound frequencies that make one weak at the knees, Ultrafest in Miami Florida is billed as the World’s Premiere Electronic Music Festival and it lives up to every expectation, including the earth shattering.

Beachsound based in Miami have built a reputation at this festival after providing audio for multiple stage for several years. Neil Rosenstock who heads Beachsound’s audio production team for the event has deep roots in this style of music and knows exactly how to make it sound great.

“It’s no secret really; we have been putting in d&b audiotechnik  systems at Ultrafest year after year,” Rosenstock explains. “For 2012 we used J-Series for both stages with some Q-Series and C7s for fill and delay.

“We find that if you select the appropriate system to the size of stage then d&b will always hit the spot.”

A thought qualified by many performers, Frank Voet, FoH engineer for Justice is typical “I really like the sub settings. Dance music needs to have a short kick! I’m happy!”

The subwoofer settings are not to be taken lightly (pardon the pun) as Harry Brill an independent consultant who supported Rosenstock for the event pointed out.

“Neil designed the entire PA for both d&b stages. We discussed some issues I anticipated with the sub array being very long horizontally, and addressed them together,” he adds. “Neil is a very competent engineer and system tech. I was brought in to collaborate with him and to optimize the system; I use Smaart to help with that.

“The sub array was really amazing. The d&b array modeling software makes it so easy to try things and check on the result. We wanted the coverage to be well defined without much of a power alley.”

The parkland setting of the 2012 festival made this a trickier equation than the more open site used in previous years.

“Sight lines required the J-INFRAs to be stacked only two high,” Brill continues. “At the recommended spacing for directional subs the horizontal line would have been so wide we would not have been able to open up the coverage even with the arc delay setting selected in the amplifier. I suggested we move everything in tight.

“I have used lots of directional subs and I wasn’t worried a bit. Worse case we lose some of the intentional cancelling behind the array but it honestly worked really well. Getting the boxes closer together really helped open up the pattern.

“Some say you need a certain kind of box and a certain kind of tuning for a particular type of music. I don’t really subscribe to that theory but rather believe if the system can handle the SPL requirements at all the needed frequencies then I can use it.”

Beachsound’s founder Andre Serafini plans long and hard to ensure the success of Ultrafest.

“We have increased the number of loudspeakers each year; this year on the main stage we put more J loudspeakers, as well as on the Live Stage,” explains Serafini. “Moving the festival to Bay Front Park made for a nicer crowd environment and the whole site was a lot more energetic, but it presented new challenges for audio, not least the physical obstructions like trees and fountains.

“We knew well in advance what we would be dealing with and we do other events here in the park, but it did mean segmenting the audience areas and often treating each one as a discrete audio zone; then time aligning the whole system to make it coherent.

“We also had a separate PA consisting of d&b T-Series for the VIP area, a large covered environment that although well in range of the main system, needed that extra attention, especially in the mids and highs, to give that front row listening experience. The audience areas were not consistent, we had long narrow strips to cover, and then wide areas that were not so deep. Harry Brill and Neil Rosenstock did an excellent job.”

Brill saw strategic thinking behind Serafini’s management of the event, “I’ve known Andre for over ten years and he and his Beach crew are stellar. We try to work with each other whenever possible. The d&b partnership is just one more fantastic business decision he has made over the years.

“I’ve been a big fan of d&b as well as a few other PA manufacturers for many years. I can think of only a handful of players at that level. One thing I really like about the d&b J-Series is the phase response; it’s very well behaved which equates to a good solid time response.

“What goes in comes out very much the same. I really enjoy mixing on and even tuning the PA. I generally tune the PA as neutrally as possible and let the mixing console do the work of tonally shaping the artist. This allows the mix or the music to translate better from one PA to another. Some PAs are a lot harder to get there; d&b is one of the easy ones thanks to the ArrayCalc and the R1 system management software.”

The plaudits have been raining in since the festival ended, “I love d&b! Beachsound and their staff have been awesome!” said Sean Rampton, FoH Engineer for Chase & Status.

Harry Nathan from Australian act Foniko was in the same space, “Debut gig at Ultra and this has to be the best audio visual setup I’ve ever seen; especially the sound quality which was absolutely incredible.”

The go-to performance of the festival came from Kraftwerk, a band whose name is synonymous with the birth of electronic music and whose presence on any lineup demands attention. Their production Manager Winfried Blank was unequivocal - “Thanks for your support. It was really great to work with you and your team. We were more than happy with your fantastic tuned d&b J system. As Kraftwerk’s music is very straight and powerful we like to have clear bass impact and full frequency response, even in the ultra lows below 30 Hz. I have just to say: we got what we expected and would like to do it again with Beachsound.”

d&b audiotechnik

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New French President Welcomed Into Office With Eclipse

The investiture of the new French President, Francois Hollande, on May 15, was a long and solemn affair following both tradition and protocol. The official handover of power from former President Nicholas Sarkozy took place at the presidential palace of the Elysée, where President-elect Hollande was formally sworn in as head of state.

As demanded by French republication tradition, M. Hollande made his way to the Hôtel de Ville city hall, the seat of the Mairie of Paris for his first official state visit following the ceremony. There he was received with all the honour and ceremony accorded to any visiting head of state backed by a sound system featuring an Eclipse digital mixing console from Innovason.

M. Hollande was received by the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, in front of the magnificent Hôtel de Ville where they were greeted by thousands of well-wishers. From there, the new President of the Republic and the Mayor went inside to the famous and equally spectacular “Salle des Fetes” where M. Hollande was introduced to all of the elected officials, ambassadors, corporate representatives and parliamentarians of Paris.

M. Delanoë then made a speech of welcome which was followed by a speech by the new President.

Technical director for the Hôtel de Ville, Dominique Dunesme, explained that the Eclipse handled all the sound for the speeches in the “Salle des Fetes” which was then broadcast outside the building for the spectators gathered in front, and then clean feeds distributed to 52 different media organizations for broadcast to radio and television stations around the world.

“The desk performed absolutely perfectly and the sound was impeccable,” confirmed Dunesme. “I was convinced that I’d made a good choice when we purchased it a year ago, and all the events we have handled to date have proved it. This, however, was by far the most important, but as usual, the Eclipse proved its caliber – easy to configure, easy to operate, easy to network and flawless results every time. What more could you want?”

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CAD Debuts UHF WX100 Installation-Grade Wireless System

Introduced at InfoComm 2012, the new UHF WX100 Wireless Series from CAD Audio/Astatic provides the A/V installer with simple and intuitive form factors, ultra-reliable high performance wireless connectivity and exceptional audio bandwidth.

The WX100 was designed using the newest wireless technologies and industry-leading diversity performance to ensure the highest standards in connectivity, even in the most congested RF environments.
In addition to superior connectivity, the WX100 features a familiar and intuitive control scheme that allows easy, problem-free operation by casual non-professional users. The WX100 transmitters’ simple form factors make it easy to identify various features, operate on/off switches, change and recharge batteries.

These designs along with an array of useful accessories make the WX100 a perfect solution for A/V suites, flexible meeting spaces or any situation that requires easy to use, certain-connectivity wireless that doesn’t require a long learning curve.

Basic system components include the WX160 gooseneck desk stand transmitter and WX100 receiver, the handheld WX150 microphone and the WX155 body pack which can be used with the CAD 301 cardioid lavalier mic or CAD 302 headworn microphone for additional flexibility. The WX100 is supplied with a joining plate and rack ears for easy installation.

Key accessories for the WX100 system include Ground Plane and Paddle Antennas, an Antenna Distribution System and battery charging solutions for all transmitters.

For more information about CAD Audio, please stop by Booth #C10149 at InfoComm 2012, call 800.762.9266 or visit http://www.cadaudio.com.

CAD Audio

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