Article

Thursday, May 07, 2009

More Than 250 Churches To Be Represented At Upcoming WFX California

“WFX is pleased to welcome facilities and tech teams from some of the most innovative churches in California and beyond." - Nicole Derany, WFX Show Director

Worship Facilities Conference & Expo has announced the participation of more than 250 churches at next week’s WFX California, taking place May 13-15, 2009 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.

Among the churches are congregations implementing the latest technologies and services to grow and enhance their ministries.

“WFX is pleased to welcome facilities and tech teams from some of the most innovative churches in California and beyond,” said Nicole Derany, WFX Show Director. “These churches have successfully blended their facilities with their technology capabilities for maximum ministry impact. They recognize WFX as a must attend event to stay on the cutting edge of tools that enhance ministry efforts.”

Members of these leading churches will be among those attending WFX California:

Church of the Rock – Winnipeg, Canada
The Church of the Rock encourages networking and support among its members at the Solid Rock Cafe. Now in its fourth year, this two-level facility includes a gym, café, gaming area, and even Dance Dance Revolution to promote ‘clean fun.’

Crystal Cathedral – Garden Grove, CA
A pioneer in church architecture, the Crystal Cathedral boasts over 10,000 windows, 16,000 trusses, and over 2,700 seats in this 128-foot tall glass structure which accommodates more than 10,000 members. The church has gained international recognition from its “Hour of Power” weekly television program.

Eastside Christian Church – Fullerton, CA
What started as an idea in a living room has into a campus which includes a worship center, fellowship hall, and classrooms to educate over 600 students at the Eastside Christian School. The Eastside Christian Church remodeled their main Worship Center in 2000 and has planted churches throughout California.

Menlo Park Presbyterian Church – Menlo Park, CA
The Menlo Park Café, which opened in 2004 as an overflow service of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, offers an intimate, informal worship gathering. Services are led by Campus Pastor, Dave Peterson, and feature a live worship band and video message.

Newsong Church – Los Angeles, CA
Founded in 1993 by WFX Keynote Presenter Dave Gibbons, Newsong Churches are now located internationally, including the United States, Thailand, Mexico, England, and India. Among the goals of Newsong are planting customized churches, launching a multisite church, encouraging leadership, and becoming a creative center for the arts.

North Coast Church – Vista, CA
Considered the pioneers of Multi-site/Video Venues, North Coast launched their first venue in 1998 and has grown to over 6,500 in weekend attendance. North Coast currently has five on-site video venues and three offsite venues.

Saddleback Church – Lake Forest, CA
The Saddleback Church has created more than 200 ministries and eight worship venues in Southern California. In addition, they have founded an online Internet Campus, counseling and support programs, Bible studies and seminars, and local and international outreach programs.

The Grove Community Church – Riverside, CA
The Grove Community Church has implemented “Little Churches” to foster new relationships and growth within smaller groups of worshippers striving toward the same goal. The Grove also features The Grille within The Grove Bookstore, an acclaimed full-service restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus along with holiday brunches and catering services.

The ROCK Full Gospel Church – Parkersburg, WV
The ROCK is currently building a new 34,000 square-foot facility to include a 600-seat capacity sanctuary, state-of-the-art classrooms for childrens’ programs, multi-media meeting rooms, and a full-service coffee and cappuccino lounge. The project is slated for completion in Spring of 2010.

The WFX California program was designed for churches of all sizes and stages of development. The event also features a variety of special events to facilitate networking between churches and attendees.

Registration is available for WFX online at www.wfxweb.com or by calling the WFX Help Desk at 800-598-6031, Monday – Friday, 9am - 5pm, EST.

WFX Website

{extended}

Monday, May 04, 2009

L-Acoustics Announces 2009 Product & Design Training Seminar Schedule

North American seminars are being offered in Oxnard, California and Phoenix, Arizona, while international training will take place at L-Acoustics headquarters in Marcoussis, France as well as in Berlin, Germany

L-Acoustics has announced its 2009 training seminar schedule, with seminars designed for both technicians and mixing engineers and encompassing the fundamental aspects of Wavefront Sculpture Technology (WST), system integration, setup and design.

Specifically, sessions cover L-Acoustics product lines KIVA, dV-DOSC, KUDO and V-DOSC, as well as the LA amplified controller platform and LA NETWORK MANAGER software.

North American seminars are being offered in Oxnard, California and Phoenix, Arizona, while international training will take place at L-Acoustics headquarters in Marcoussis, France as well as in Berlin, Germany.

The seminars offer a blend of theoretical knowledge (day 1) and installation procedures (day 2) in order to operate and optimize WST systems in a safe and controlled environment.

System seminars can be extended to a third day dedicated to SOUNDVISION 3D simulation software, used exclusively to model L-Acoustics systems. At the end of each training seminar each participant will receive a certificate of attendance.

For more information on the training seminar schedule and costs go to http://www.l-acoustics.com/trainings/listing.php

L-Acoustics Website

{extended}

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Changes Are The Only Constant In The Marketplace For Wireless System Spectrum

Although we've all been aware of many aspects of these problems for several years now, it's important to note that this subject is a moving target

Many of us have heard about White Space Devices (WSDs) and that they have been named TV Band Devices (TVBDs) - maybe because “WSD” sounds a little too close to “WMD”.

And perhaps some of us are aware that according to the FCC, these devices will co-exist with our TV broadcasts AND our wireless microphones in the UHF band between about 500 and 698 MHz.

So of course the concern is that these devices might interfere with our wireless mics, and indeed, the potential is there for this to happen.

Fortunately, the FCC has built some protection into the technical requirements for TVBDs before they can be manufactured and sold. And the FCC has given wireless mics priority over TVBDs.

The problem of course is that ANY interference, no matter how brief, is unacceptable in the live production environment, so whatever protection is in these TVBDs absolutely must work and must not allow them to step on any wireless mic, anywhere.

One of the protections in place is that these devices are supposed to first access a database of known, registered wireless mics to see A) where they are and B) what frequencies they’re on. This database is supposed to be managed by a third party (in other words, not directly by the FCC).

This also means that wireless mic users would benefit from registering their products. However, thus far we’ve not seen an actual mechanism for this to occur.

But I did just run across something that may end up being involved:

http://www.showmywhitespace.com/ShowMyWhiteSpace/tabid/60/Default.aspx

This company, Spectrum Bridge, appears to be positioning themselves to be a marketplace for spectrum. How this will play out is not clear, but it may be worth signing up for their newsletter to keep informed.

I also found a cool feature:

http://whitespacemap.specex.com/

This is an interactive map showing the location of TV broadcasts all over the country. It appears that it may also in the future contain locations of registered wireless mic users or other spectrum users, and again, this might be something worth watching.

In the meantime, Shure has petitioned the FCC to delay allowing TVBDs into the market until they provide even greater protection for existing wireless mic users. (Read more about that here.)

Bravo to Shure for leading the way towards first getting the FCC to recognize the scope of the problem (there are millions of wireless mic users out there), and also for keeping up the fight on behalf of all who depend upon wireless systems.

We have a lot to lose if we suddenly have new devices stepping all over our wireless mics at churches, theaters, tours, boardrooms, stadiums, etc.

Although we’ve all been aware of many aspects of these problems for several years now, it’s important to note that this subject is a moving target and you (yes, you) need to stay informed.

This blog aims to help you do that.

Signing off for now…
Mike Wireless

Mike Wireless is the nom de plume of a long-time RF geek devoted to better entertainment wireless system practices the world over.

{extended}

Monday, April 27, 2009

Innovative Tech Directors To Share Experiences In Keynote At WFX California Conference & Expo

Several of the nation’s top tech directors from churches of all sizes will share and compare challenges, accomplishments, mistakes, theories and question

Worship Facilities Conference & Expo, the event for church executive, facilities, and technology teams, announced its lineup of keynote presenters at WFX California, taking place May 13-15 in Long Beach, California.

Presentations include:
Role Reversal: Top Tech Directors Take Center Stage
(Tech Talk Keynote, Friday, May 15, 10:00 am)
Moderated by Bruce Smith, former technical director for Willow Creek Community Church, several of the nation’s top tech directors from churches of all sizes will share and compare challenges, accomplishments, mistakes, theories and questions. Panelists include:
• Aaron Asay, Media Communications Director, Kearney eFree Church - Kearney, Nebraska
• Jill Gille, Director of Weekend Experiences, Eastside Christian - Fullerton, California
• Mychal John, Production Director, Central Christian Church - Las Vegas, Nevada
• Jason Widney, Media Arts, Park Community Church - Chicago, Illinois

Keynote presentations are made possible by the generous support of the WFX Keynote Production Sponsors:
• Audio Provider: Yamaha
• Lighting Direction: Greg Persinger, Vivid Illumination
• Lighting Providers: A.C. Lighting, Inc., Elation Professional, Felix Lighting, Vari*Lite
• Set Design: Atomic Design, Inc.
• Technical Director: Anthony Coppedge, Consultant and Technology Evangelist
• Video Editing Provider: Renewed Vision
• Video Projection Provider: Christie Digital Systems
• Video Screen Provider: Stewart Filmscreen
• Video Production: TV Pro Gear

Other Presenters:
Larry Osborne, Senior Pastor, North Coast Church, Wednesday, May 13, 1:45 pm
Larry Osborne has served as a Senior Pastor and Teaching Pastor at North Coast Church since 1980. He has helped oversee the growth of the church from a fledgling group of 128 meeting in a rented school to a multi-site ministry that reaches nearly 7,000 in weekend attendance. North Coast Church has been recognized as one of the ten most influential churches in America, as well as one of the most innovative.

Osborne will take an in-depth look at some of the primary WFX principles in this culture-driven keynote presentation, The Death of the One-Size-Fits-All Ministry. He will touch on current church trends that help achieve ministry objectives, involving the use of both facilities and technology. This general session will offer WFX attendees the insight and inspiration they need to reach their goals.

Dave Gibbons, Lead Pastor, Newsong Church, Thursday, May 14, 8:30 am
Dave Gibbons is an executive coach, consultant and expert on culture, strategy, and social movements. He is the CVO and founder of YangDang.com, a new cause driven, east/west social tool to enable people to radically make a difference. He is the Lead Ethos Architect of the NEWSONG Global Alliance (Third Culture communities in Irvine, NOC, Los Angeles, Dallas, London, Mexico City, India, Seoul, Bangkok, and soon New York City and Beijing), which catalyzes churches with multiple sizes, forms, and styles.

Gibbons serves on the Board of World Vision US and is also the CVO of Xealot, a community development organization that develops movement leaders. He authored The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid Leadership for Third Culture Leaders, which addresses one of the most critical aspects of leadership in the midst of economic, spiritual, political, and cultural change.

John Ortberg, Senior Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Thursday, May 14, 10:15 am
John Ortberg is the Senior Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, an evangelical church organized in 1873. With a congregation of over 5,000 members, MPPC was named one of the Most Influential Churches in America in 2007 by Outreach Magazine. Ortberg is the former senior pastor of Horizons Community Church in Southern California and also served as Teaching Pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago area.

In his keynote presentation, Ortberg will provide insight into the mission and urgency of the local church. WFX attendees will learn how his past experiences have shaped his beliefs along with the future of MPPC, which has opened two multi-site venues in California over the past two years.

WFX Keynote presentations are open to all attendees. Registration for all attendee packages, including the Conference Pass, Pastor’s Pass, and Expo-Plus Pass, is available online at www.wfxweb.com or by calling the WFX Help Desk at 800-598-6031.

WFX Website

{extended}

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

ProMedia Training Free Clinic In Tennessee To Learn To Mix Pro Tools With IK Multimedia’s T-Ra

Aimed at both the curious and owners alike, this special free clinic will go from introduction to advanced tips and tricks

ProMedia Training and IK Multimedia have teamed up to offer a free clinic on learning to mix in Pro Tools with IK Multimedia’s T-Racks 3.

Learn how to mix and master your tracks with IK product specialist and ProMedia Training teacher, Mark Hornsby.

Hornsby has developed sound libraries and aided in plug-in development for a variety of audio technology companies including IK Multimedia and Sonic Reality. As an engineer, he won two awards for engineering in the A Cappella field, and he has worked with a number of highly successful artists including Jerry Marotta, Jon Anderson, Danny Gottlieb, and John Blackwell.

Aimed at both the curious and owners alike, this special free clinic will go from introduction to advanced tips and tricks on how to mix inside Pro Tools.

To register, send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Details:
April 28th 2009, 7 - 8:30 pm
ProMedia Training
326 Aspen Grove Drive, Suite 606
Franklin, TN 37067
888-277-0457

For more information go to www.promediatraining.com

{extended}

Sunday, April 19, 2009

WFX California Announces Lineup Of Hands-On Technical Training

Sessions provide attendees with interactive opportunities to experience audio, lighting, and video editing technologies

Worship Facilities Conference & Expo has announced the return of Hands-on Tech Training at WFX California, taking place May 13-15 in Long Beach, California. The Expo Hall will be open May 14-15.

WFX Hands-on Tech Training will provide attendees with the opportunity to get up close and personal with the latest tech equipment in the house of worship market. Industry-leading audio, video, and lighting consultants will share tips and techniques to master emerging technologies.

Hands-on Tech Training classes are made possible by generous donations from Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Apple, Elation Professional, Vari*Lite, Felix Lighting, and A.C. Lighting, Inc. Classes include:

Digital Mixers 101
Wednesday, May 13: 9:30am - 11:00am
Thursday, May 14: 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Friday, May 15: 8:30am – 10:00am
Digital Mixers 101 will give attendees a working overview of the digital mixing console, using the Yamaha M7CL. Students will mix tracks as part of the session.  Presenter: Jacob Cody, House of Worship Marketing Specialist, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc.

Audio Mix Class, Fundamentals
Wednesday, May 13: 11:00am - 12:30pm
Thursday, May 14: 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Friday, May 15: 11:00am - 12:30pm
The Hands-on Audio Mix classes will walk attendees through the ins-and-outs of an audio mixing console, exploring insights and techniques to offer a better understanding of a consoles mix application. With state-of-the-art consoles from Yamaha, attendees will experience all they need to know about audio mixing.  Presenter: Armando Fullwood, Principal, Design 2020

Audio for Live Television
Wednesday, May 13: 4:00 - 5:30pm
This course will offer insights and hands-on applications for those who want to better understand live mixing for television and other media events. Attendees will explore mixing techniques with state-of-the-art consoles from Yamaha. Presenter: Armando Fullwood, Principal, Design 2020

Audio for Live Concert Recording
Thursday, May 14: 4:15pm - 5:45pm
This course will discuss hands-on techniques, types of gear, and real-world solutions to make a multi-track recording of a concert application less of a painstaking journey with the use of state-of-the-art consoles from Yamaha. Presenter: Armando Fullwood, Principal, Design 2020

Audio for Choir Mixing
Friday, May 15: 2:00pm - 3:30pm
This course is for those who can’t seem to get enough gain on the choir, or a full choir sound. This will be an open and involved discussion of what it takes to get the choir sound over the band or orchestra with state-of-the-art consoles from Yamaha. Presenter: Armando Fullwood, Principal, Design 2020

Hands-on Lighting Training
Wednesday, May 13: 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Thursday, May 14: 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Friday, May 15: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
This session will include uses, tips and techniques, and basic maintenance of two of the most common types of lighting fixtures, the PAR can and the Ellipsoidal. As each fixture is presented, participants will get a chance to experiment and ask questions. Presenter: Greg Persinger, Owner, Vivid Illumination

Hands-on Video Editing Training
Wednesday, May 13: 11:00am - 12:30pm
Thursday, May 14: 4:15pm - 5:45pm
Friday, May 15: 2:00pm - 3:30pm
This class offers strategic tips to produce compelling videos and motion graphics that will polish and give professionalism to videos. Three classes will provide attendees with an intensive, hands-on experience with Apple equipment and software.

Advance registration is required for Hands-on Training classes. Space is limited and available for Conference attendees only.

Registration for all attendee packages, including the Conference Pass, Pastor’s Pass, and Expo-Plus Pass, is available online at www.wfxweb.com or by calling the WFX Help Desk at 800-598-6031, Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.

Complete event details are available online at www.wfxweb.com.

{extended}

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Guitar Center Pro Meets AV Needs Of Rensselear Institute’s Experimental Media & Performance Center

The $200 million-plus EMPAC provides world-class facilities for creative exploration, as well as for research in fields ranging from visualization to immersive environments to large-scale interactive simulations

The newly opened Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, New York) was intended, from its conception, to be a space where the arts, technology, and science would challenge and transform each other.

The $200 million-plus EMPAC provides world-calss facilities for creative exploration, as well as for research in fields ranging from visualization to immersive environments to large-scale interactive simulations.

Officially opened last October, EMPAC operates nationally and internationally, attracting creators from around the world and sending new artworks and innovative ideas onto the global stage. It features a 1,200-seat classical theater, a 400-seat theater, two black-box studios and additional studios for up to four artists in residence, as well as an audio recording studio and a broadcast video studio.

This ambitious space required a diverse and advanced array of technological products and systems, with Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro) chosen as the primary source.

“PK Pandey [GC Pro Senior Account Manager, Eastern U.S.] and I have known each other for quite a while,” explains Todd Vos, Lead Audio Engineer at EMPAC. “I knew PK and GC Pro would be able to provide the basics we were looking for as well as the more esoteric pieces.”

Those needs ranged from over 100 wired and wireless microphone systems from manufacturers including Audio-Technica, DPA, Schoeps, Neumann and Shure, to large-format consoles such as the Soundcraft Vi4 Digital Console with DSP core and Yamaha DM2000V2 Digital Production Console, and a full MADI infrastructure throughout the facility.

GC Pro also delivered on the video side, providing platforms including the JVC SR-DVM700 three-in-one video recorder, Pyro AV 3G fiber-optical HD-SDI transmitters and receivers and an AJA 3G HD-SDI multiplexer.

“One of the great things about dealing with GC Pro was that they offered products ranges at both the project studio level as well as elements found in major broadcast systems. Given scheduling, this was a great benefit as it was important for us to consolidate as much equipment as possible under single bids,” says Vos, who worked closely with EMPAC Audio Engineer Jeff Svatek and his counterpart in video, Eric Ameres, in making technology choices. “GC Pro was the only retailer that walked this line.”

And not only did GC Pro offer the widest array of technology choices; it also offered the absolute best prices. “For anything over $5,000, we had to put competitive bids out, GC Pro’s numbers beat everything else out there,” notes Vos. “That enabled us to add systems that were thought to have been out of reach financially and stay within budget.”

Guitar Center Professional Website

{extended}

Monday, April 13, 2009

ACIR Professional Hosts Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Training In Southern NJ

Yamaha also had six consoles on site at ACIR Professional to assist with the instruction

Sound company ACIR Professional, based in southern New Jersey, recently sponsored a day of training classes held by Yamaha Commercial Audio Training Seminars (YCATS) for customers seeking hands-on training on Yamaha PM5D, M7CL and LS9 digital audio consoles.

Attendees included audio professionals from the New Jersey and Pennsylvania gaming community as well as regional theaters and houses of worship. Yamaha also had six consoles on site at ACIR Professional to assist with the instruction.

“Offering additional training to our customers, both present and future, is a service we believe in offering in order for our clients to be able to take full advantage of the powerful features of these consoles,” states John Grasso, Co-Owner Of ACIR Professional. “Yamaha has their training program down, and people leave knowing a lot more about the consoles then they did when they walked in.”
.
For more information on Yamaha Commercial Audio training programs, visit http://www.yamaha.com/ca/training.html.

{extended}

Thursday, April 09, 2009

InfoComm International CTS-D Credential Earns ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditation

All InfoComm certifications now recognized by ANSI and ISO

InfoComm International has announced the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has expanded the scope of InfoComm’s accredited Certified Technology Specialist program to include the Certified Technology Specialist-Design (CTS-D) credential under ISO/IEC 17024.

ANSI is the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) United States representative.

ISO/IEC 17024 offers a global benchmark for the certification of personnel for businesses, governments and the public. ANSI accredits standards developers, certification bodies and technical advisory groups to both the ISO and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Employers in the public and private sectors can be confident that AV professionals holding the CTS, CTS-D and the CTS-I credentials have demonstrated the knowledge to implement audiovisual best practices, processes and procedures.

“As the only audiovisual industry organization to earn ANSI accreditation for its personnel certification program, InfoComm continues to set the industry standard for competency and quality in the AV industry,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., Executive Director, InfoComm International. “This accomplishment is the result of the visionary thinking of InfoComm’s elected leadership, who several years ago recognized the value of seeking outside validation of InfoComm’s certification program.

“It is also testament to the tenacity of close to 100 InfoComm volunteers around the world, who, under the direction of InfoComm’s Certification Committee, developed new CTS-D exams and implemented programmatic changes that were necessary to navigate ANSI’s rigorous accreditation process.”

A CTS-D is an AV systems designer who assesses client’s needs, designs AV systems and prepares AV design documents, by coordinating and collaborating with other professionals to create AV systems that satisfy clients requirements.

A minimum of two years’ industry experience in audiovisual design and CTS certification is required in order to qualify to take the exam. For a complete description of the credential and requirements, please visit www.infocomm.org/certification.

Companies and institutions interested in working with AV companies employing CTS personnel in their area should visit www.ctsforav.com.

{extended}

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Increased Visitor Traffic, Positive Atmosphere Reported At 2009 Prolight + Sound & Musikmesse

German visitors accounted for this growth with an increase of 3.8 percent or 2,700 visitors, while the number of visitors from outside Germany fell by about 3.5 percent compared with 2008. Take our Photo Gallery Tour of new products from this year's Prolight + Sound - Musikmesse.

The 2009 Prolight + Sound and Musikmesse held last week in Frankfurt reports “thoroughly successful” results, with 1,560 exhibitors at Musikmesse and 850 at Prolight+Sound, serving 111,000 trade visitors from 125 countries - an increase of about 1,300 over last year (109,777).

“This year’s edition of Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound could not have been better, as shown by the large number of exhibitors, the high level of satisfaction with the results of business at the fair among both exhibitors and visitors, and the overwhelming visitor echo,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt, summing up the four-day event.

German visitors accounted for this growth with an increase of 3.8 percent or 2,700 visitors, while the number of visitors from outside Germany fell by about 3.5 percent compared with 2008. The best represented visitor nations after Germany were The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Great Britain, Poland, Sweden, Spain and the Czech Republic.

The most non-European visitors came from the USA, South Korea, the People’s Republic of China and Japan.

“This is very impressive evidence of the increasing interest in music making and the growing demand for event technology in Germany. It also shows, however, that the foreign markets are more affected by the bleak business climate at present,” stated Braun. The exhibitors underscored this view with their assessment of the individual markets, which was not as positive as in the previous year when 90 percent foreign exhibitors and visitors to Prolight + Sound said the economic situation was satisfactory to good.

This year, just under 75 percent were of this opinion. In distinction, the music-instrument sector considers the economic situation to be as good as last year with 81 percent of both exhibitors and trade visitors rating developments in the sector as good. In this connection, expectations in the sector are oriented, in particular, towards new products and a stable level of demand over the coming months.

“Many dealers have told us that the springtime awakening of the musical-instrument sector at the Musikmesse will motivate the sector and ensure good business until well into the autumn business season,” added Braun.

This is confirmed by the very good overall assessments given to both fairs: altogether, 96 percent of Musikmesse visitors were very pleased with the range of products to be seen and the degree to which they had achieved their goals for the fair.

This is also reflected by the high degree of exhibitor satisfaction based, especially this year, on the good results achieved at the fair, contacts with trade visitors and new contacts made, as well as the large number or orders taken during the fair. Thus, 73 percent of exhibitors said they were satisfied to highly satisfied. International exhibitors were also very pleased with the course of business at Musikmesse 2009.

“The mood at this year’s Musikmesse has been very optimistic. All distributors we met here have had a positive outlook and ordered new products. We have been very busy and encountered all important distributors and dealers here at the Musikmesse. There has been a great deal of interest in KORG products and we think there is good reason to expect the economic difficulties to come to an end towards the end of the year”, said John McCubbery, Vice President, International Sales and Marketing KORG (Japan). Dealers and distributors also share this opinion.

Prolight + Sound was also given a comparably high rating by visitors and exhibitors. 87 percent of exhibitors said they had been extraordinarily successful in terms of their goals for the fair. 96 percent of visitors said they were very pleased with their time at the fair.

Particular interest was shown this year in the range of audio and lighting technology and this, coupled with the growing interest in media and projection equipment, as well as services, meant the fair was a success for dealers, planners and buyers.

On behalf of audio-technology specialists Kling & Freitag, Lars Heinrich, Marketing, said, “This was our tenth time at Prolight + Sound and we are once again very pleased. Our customers gave our new products a very warm reception and we can already say that our participation has been a great success.” 

Prolight + Sound Website
Musikmesse Website

Take our Photo Gallery Tour of new products from this year’s Prolight + Sound - Musikmesse

{extended}

New NSCA Power Marketing Toolkit Defines Tools & Resources For Marketing Success

This first installment of NSCA’s Power Marketing Toolkit provides simple and easy steps to realize the significance of branding services as a systems contractor

Understanding brand value, effective use of market research to generate and target leads, and integration of marketing and branding to build a better business are the topics covered in the first module of NSCA’s new Power Marketing Toolkit, “Marketing Research & Planning,” which is now available.

This first installment of NSCA’s Power Marketing Toolkit provides simple and easy steps to realize the significance of branding services as a systems contractor. 

“Understanding brand value, identity and image are important steps to take before research and planning,” said Craig Park, FSMPS, Assoc. AIA, vice president and chief marketing officer for LEO A DALY, and author of the Toolkit. “Market research and data gathering can then provide you with the sources that will provide the greatest impact on your targeted customers.”

This module provides the basics of market research and creating a marketing plan, but also assists in defining and targeting markets, and gauging a company’s perception. 

“Combining the strength of your company’s existing brand with the power of your NSCA membership can give you an advantage over your competitors,” said Jodi Montgomery, NSCA senior director of member services.

The Power Marketing Toolkit was developed to help industry companies maximize their marketing research, communications, public relations, sales and business development strategies. Five modules — packed with best practices to build the brand image, client relationships and business opportunities of industry companies — will be released for purchase every few weeks now through InfoComm 09.

Modules include:
• Part 1: Marketing Research & Planning - Available now
• Part 2: The Power of Public Relations - Scheduled for release April 14, 2009
• Part 3: Client Relationship Development - Scheduled for release May 5, 2009
• Part 4: Effective Marketing Collateral - Scheduled for release May 26, 2009
• Part 5: Information Management - Scheduled for release June 16, 2009

Also available for purchase is a subscription to the online Power Marketing Toolkit Resource Center, which provides access to more than 35 marketing templates, tools, checklists schedules and more. 

Visit www.nsca.org/marketingtoolkit to learn more. 

{extended}

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Bosch Communications Systems Division Hosts International “EV PA Roundup” in Houston

The event was timed to coincide with the three-week-long Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at Reliant Park—attended by around 1.8 million people annually—where one of the world’s largest Electro-Voice X-Line sound systems is deployed annually by Houston-based EV partners LD Systems

More than 120 pro audio professionals from around the world gathered in Houston, Texas in mid March to attend the Electro-Voice PA Roundup, an audio expo hosted by the Bosch Communications Systems Division.

The event was timed to coincide with the three-week-long Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at Reliant Park—attended by around 1.8 million people annually—where one of the world’s largest Electro-Voice X-Line sound systems is deployed annually by Houston-based EV partners LD Systems for the biggest live concert event series in the world (with a total annual attendance of around 1.2 million).

The system at Reliant Stadium includes 112 EV X-Line boxes powered by an equal number of EV P3000RL and TG-7 remote control amplifiers running IRIS-Net control and supervision software. For the first time in 2009, all system processing was via EV NetMax with FIR-drive.

The PA Roundup’s wide-ranging program of seminars, demonstrations, and presentations was held at LD Systems’ state-of-the-art, 85,000 square-foot facility, where the EV team brought guests up to date on the latest leading-edge audio technologies, including FIR-drive, NetMax N8000-1500 processing, EV transducers, amplifiers, and rigging, and a preview of IRIS-Net V2.0 system control and supervision software. The new PRO6 mixing console from Midas was also on hand.

The event saw a gathering of EV engineering, product management, and sales team members on an unprecedented scale for an event of this kind. Along with the familiar faces of senior EV Engineers, Product Managers, and Tech Support personnel, attendees were introduced to the young engineering talents behind some of the company’s most recent audio innovations.

The overarching theme for the event was partnership. To that effect, LD Systems’ Rob McKinley and Robert Ausmus gave a detailed presentation on their long association with the Houston Rodeo, describing how they continue to raise the bar for audio production there year after year with EV systems and hands-on support from the EV team.

The Q&A session focused on the IRIS-Net and NetMax processing and control solutions that have radically streamlined LD’s hardware deployment for the rodeo while vastly improving sonic performance. Following that, guests headed to 73,000-capacity Reliant Stadium to hear LD’s efforts first hand for a night at the rodeo followed by Clint Black live in concert.

In addition, special guests Phil Scobee of Morris Entertainment and Harry Witz of Clair Global gave presentations covering their groundbreaking work with EV at the highest level of touring. Scobee walked guests through his X-Line/NetMax/IRIS-Net system design for the Kenny Chesney tour – the largest touring EV rig in the world; Witz shared stories from his long association with EV and discussed his latest X-Array system design for AC/DC’s mammoth Black Ice world tour, currently underway.

“These are obviously challenging times in our industry,” says Thomas Hansen, VP Americas, Communications Systems Division, Bosch Security Systems, “but Bosch is being pro-active about the positive aspects – providing solutions with which our customers can grow and, of course, getting together and having a good time. The enthusiasm our customers showed by flying in from all around the world showed we’re on track; it’s important for them to have confidence in us and the equipment we produce, and our engineering team demonstrated that they are the best around. Phil Scobee and Harry Witz were, as always, great ambassadors for the brand, and their stories showed the heights we can achieve together. We would like to thank our friends at LD Systems for their superb hospitality and for being exemplary partners – there’s no better way to show EV at its best than by coming to Houston during the rodeo.”

Electro-Voice Website

{extended}

Thursday, April 02, 2009

InfoComm Academy Names Gordon Moore Of Lectrosonics To Its Senior Faculty

The Faculty Program was created to recognize the contributions of the corps of dedicated instructors and to contribute to their professional development

InfoComm International has announced that J. Gordon Moore, CTS, of Lectrosonics, has been awarded status as a Senior Academy Faculty Instructor for InfoComm Academy.

The Faculty Program was created to recognize the contributions of its corps of dedicated instructors and to contribute to their professional development. In doing so, InfoComm provides students with the highest quality training from the industry’s leading technical experts. 

Faculty members are nominated by the InfoComm Professional Education and Training Committee (PETC), with final selections made by the association’s Board of Directors. There are three levels of the Faculty Program:  Adjunct Faculty, Academy Faculty and Senior Academy Faculty.  There is also an honorary title of Instructor Emeritus.

Senior Academy Faculty status was bestowed upon Moore for service as Academy Faculty for over five years and contributions to the Academy and AV industry. Moore will be awarded a certificate acknowledging this service, and given special recognition at the upcoming InfoComm show in Orlando.

With more than 50,000 enrollments since 1997, InfoComm’s audiovisual education and certification programs are the AV industry’s leading professional development resource. InfoComm Academy offers an extensive range of AV courses designed and taught by InfoComm’s expert faculty members representing the entire spectrum of technical, sales, management and professional disciplines.

Last year’s Show had more than 8,600 course registrations. On any given day there are over 3,000 students enrolled in InfoComm training and certification.  InfoComm also licenses certain curricula to companies and organizations and provides contract training on location by request.

“The InfoComm Academy program is dedicated to teaching the AV body of knowledge for the betterment of the audiovisual industry and its customers,” said Melissa Taggart, InfoComm Senior Vice President for Certification, Education and Standards. “InfoComm looks for the best minds in AV and business to present relevant coursework that provides practical knowledge to the industry that will keep them up-to-date on technology trends.  Our knowledgeable faculty members are critical to the success of this program and we are grateful for their participation.”

Lectrosonics Website
InfoComm Website

{extended}

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Bosch Launches Audio Roadshow In Americas Focusing On Public Address & Conferencing Products

Discussion topics include mass notification solutions and the new local and national standards being implemented by the NFPA

To address the demand for information on Bosch Public Address and Conferencing products, the company has launched the Bosch Audio Roadshow (BAR), kicking off its tour of key U.S. cities in Anaheim in March with over 35 attendees. Seven more dates have been scheduled for 2009.

The BAR presents an informative program focused on Bosch audio solutions, including Plena and Praesideo Public Address systems and DCN Next Generation and CCS 800 Ultro Conferencing systems.

Discussion topics include mass notification solutions and the new local and national standards being implemented by the NFPA.

“Commercial systems integrators can expect a detailed look at and hands-on demonstrations of new Bosch-branded audio products,” says Product Marketing Manager Aaron Chisena. “The roadshow takes an upbeat approach to address current concerns, opportunities, and market shifts.

“The recent availability of these products gives integrators a unique opportunity: to be the first to sell these proven, reliable products in the Americas, meeting their clients’ needs more effectively than ever before.”

“On the conferencing front, our guests will be introduced to four Bosch product families that make it possible to organize conferences of all sizes with an unprecedented degree of functionality, flexibility, and audio quality,” adds Product Marketing Manager Kees Geerts. “One of these, the Bosch DCN Wireless system, is revolutionizing the way conferencing systems are integrated as part of complete AV systems for boardroom facilities – they are as user-friendly as they are high-tech.”

“This really is an ‘open show,’ Chisena adds, “and all consultants, architects, and end-users are more than welcome to attend. There’s no sales pitch – we only talk about products and solutions.”

For dates and locations, visit: www.boschcommunications.us/bar

Bosch Communicatrions Website

{extended}

Friday, March 27, 2009

Yamaha Commercial Audio Co-Sponsoring Upcoming Worship Arts Technology Summit At Biola University

Audio Track training seminars will encompass 12 sessions and several will encompass hands-on labs mixing live music

In conjunction with co-sponsors Shure, Martin Lighting, and Media Shout, Yamaha Corporation of America will host a training opportunity open to all church technicians who seek in-depth knowledge in the areas of audio and recording during the Worship Arts Technology Summit (WATS), to be held June 8-10 on the campus of Biola University in LaMirada, California

Audio Track training seminars will encompass 12 sessions and several will encompass hands-on labs mixing live music. Session cover the basics of mixing on a digital console with emphasis placed on building a recallable mix template. Training on analog consoles will also be provided.

The Audio Fundamentals Group A and Group B sessions, taught by Dan Craik, house of worship marketing manager for Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, will focus on common audio terms, standards and practices using a Yamaha M7CL console. “This class will cover a non-mathematical overview of the physical and psycho-acoustical properties of sound that every mix engineer must know,” states Craik.

A third Audio Track session entitled the Art and Science of Mixing/EQ will cover all aspects of the mix, focusing on EQ, with a fourth session entitled the Art and Science of Mixing/Effects Processing with a focus on compression and use of effects.

Three microphone sessions are scheduled: How to Mic Individual Instruments, Recording Basics, and a session on Wireless Mic Systems presented by Doug Gould of Shure.

Additional sessions include the Art and Science of Mixdown; Racks and Stacks; Critical Listening taught by house of worship audio engineer John Mills; Audio System Design; and Mixing for the Musical Production.

Darryl Sutton will spearhead the Lighting Track with classes in Lighting Set Up, Lighting Design, Automated Lighting and Maintenance, PC-Based Lighting Control Part I and II along with a PC-Based Lighting Control Workshop. Paul Jackson from Media Shout will discuss the marriage between lighting and media elements in the house of worship environment.

Audio Track session presenters also include Randy Weitzel, District Manager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems and Mike Overlin from Yamaha Corporation of America, Institutional Commercial Services for Houses of Worship.

“WATS at Muskegon, Michigan was a maiden voyage for us, and so this year we have planned specific sessions based on the overwhelming response we received from those that attended last year,” says Craik. “The manufacturing sponsors are quite cognizant of the expense associated with attending WATS, so we want the time technicians spend with us to be well worth the trip.”

To register, visit http://youth.biola.edu/ministry/conferences/wats/index.cfm
Yamaha Commercial Audio Website

{extended}