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Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Shure Rebates For 700 MHz Wireless Systems End December 31, 2009

Customers may submit their rebate forms with the purchase of the following new replacement products: UHF-R, ULX, MX690/SLX4L, PSM700 (H3, L2 bands), and PGX

The long-running Shure rebate program, which offers customers up to $1,000 for the trade-in of Shure 700 MHz frequency band (698-806 MHz) wireless systems as well as any other qualifying 700 MHz frequency band wireless systems and their related components, will be ending December 31, 2009.

“The deadline for our wireless rebate program is fast-approaching,” said Mark Humrichouser, General Manager of Shure’s Americas Business Unit.  “Unfortunately, some customers are unaware that Verizon, AT&T, and other new licensees have already begun to use the 700 MHz band. Service trials are underway in several U.S. cities, so it’s only a matter of time before wireless microphones and personal monitors operating in this band begin to experience interference.

“We want to remind everyone that there are just a few weeks left to take advantage of the rebate and offset the cost of replacing 700 MHz wireless systems – whether made by Shure or someone else.”

Customers may submit their rebate forms with the purchase of the following new replacement products: UHF-R, ULX, MX690/SLX4L, PSM700 (H3, L2 bands), and PGX.

For a complete summary of the terms and conditions of the rebate program, to learn which products are eligible, and to obtain a rebate form, go to www.shure.com/rebate.

Shure Website

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Saturday, November 28, 2009

Sennheiser, Neumann Microphones See Heavy Use On “America’s Got Talent”

Larry Reed, a freelance audio mixer, typically specifies Sennheiser and Neumann microphones for any show on which he is hired to work

For the recently concluded fourth season of NBC Television’s highly rated “America’s Got Talent,” Audio Mixer Larry Reed regularly utilized an array of Sennheiser and Neumann microphones fpr the competing singers, dancers, comedians and entertainers, as well as guest artists and the panel of three celebrity judges.

Reed reports that the Sennheiser and Neumann wired microphones were used mainly on guest bands. In addition, a couple of the show’s guest vocalists made use of wireless handheld microphones. “We brought in Sennheiser SKM 5200s for Susan Boyle – who used a Neumann KK-105 head – and for Leona Lewis,” he notes.

“America’s Got Talent” features a panel of judges that includes Sharon Osborne, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan, who were all outfitted with Sennheiser MKE 2 lavalier mics and the compact SK 5212 RF package.

As for the mic inventory available for the guest bands, Reed continues, “I had an e 901 for the kick, 604s on all the toms, and, my absolute favorite mic in all the world, the KM 84, on hi-hat and overheads,” he recalls. “The new drum mics are fabulous, low profile, great diaphragm, and dynamic, so I don’t have to worry about phantom power.”

Guitars were mic’ed with e 906 supercardioid dynamic models. “Plus,” says Reed, “we had the standard MKH 416 looking onto the stage for any kind of effects, tap dancers, or anybody yelling or screaming. That’s the standard for me.”

One group, Recycled Percussion (a new Sennheiser endorser), who placed third in the finals, truly put the Sennheiser mics to the test, according to Reed. “I almost exclusively used e 604s on the tubs that they were playing, which worked out really well for us. They take a folding chair and turn it upside down, and throw the tub on top of it. It was hard to find a way to mic it, but we mounted the 604s to a support bar on the folding chair, and that worked very well for us.”

For one of Recycled Percussion’s performances that involved water pouring onto the tubs, he adds, “I specified MKE 2 Platinum lavs, because a water molecule is bigger than the sound ports of the mic, thus making it waterproof. In any case,” he says, “the fortunate part was that the tub worked in our favor to waterproof the mic, since it was sitting on top of it.”

Reed, a freelance audio mixer, typically specifies Sennheiser and Neumann microphones for any show on which he is hired to work.

Sennheiser USA Website

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

dBTechnologies Helps Upgrade Santa’s Cave In The Artic Circle

The Santa Park stage entertainment arena was upgraded with Opera 410D speakers and PU920 series wireless microphone systems

This month has seen the installation of dBTechnologies’ wireless microphone and loudspeaker systems at Santa Park, Finland’s festive theme park, just in time for its busiest season.

The project for newly appointed Finnish distributor Live Nation, involved upgrading the stage entertainment arena at the underground attraction, where Opera 410D speakers and PU920 series wireless microphone systems are now used in the Santa Park Show.

Jori Asikainen of Live Nation says, “It was an easy decision when specifying the sound equipment for this project; both systems we used were exactly what we needed.

“The install went smoothly and it is proving to be reliable even at Arctic temperatures.”

The digitally controlled 16 channel PU920 wireless microphone system features extensive working range, long battery life and a newly developed digital squelch control, offering extremely high operating reliability.

The Opera 410D is part of the newest Opera Digital range which boasts digital bi-amping, dual active limiter, digital sound processor and asymmetrical horn design, all packed neatly into a rugged yet lightweight polypropolene housing.

“We are extremely excited about our new cooperation,” explains Asikainen about their partnership with dBTechnologies.

“The timing was perfect to present the new Opera Digital, as well as the Flexsys and DVX series. And the DVA Line Arrays are absolutely in a class of their own.

“The whole concept of active professional audio was something we were looking for, and now we have it – and we are very proud of it.”

Harald von Falkenstein, dBTechnologies European Sales Manager adds, “We needed a distributor who would be able to promote all the different new lines. Not only retail, but also to the rental and installation markets.

“Live Nation’s contacts through event organization ensure great access on the rental side, and they have the added bonus of doing their own installations too.”

Live Nation was responsible for providing the new sound and lighting system for the stage entertainment venue at Santa Park.

dBTechnologies
Santa Park

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Harman Professional Announces End-Of-Year Equipment Rebates

Applies to select JBL, AKG, Soundcraft, dbx, Lexicon and Crown Audio products

Harman Professional is offering including rebates, bundle offers and added values on select JBL, AKG, Soundcraft, dbx, Lexicon and Crown Audio products.

According to Scott Robbins, Harman Professional, Vice President of Sales, the rebate offer is intended to support loyal retailers during a challenging season and provide end customers with a remarkable opportunity to access the same technologies used by the production elite.

The full roster of special offers and rebates is available here www.harmanrebates.com/

For example, one package includes a $100 discount when buying one Lexicon Lambda USB interface, one pair of JBL Control 2P Studio Monitors, and one AKG Perception 120 USB microphone.

In another package,  Lexicon teams with AKG to offer a free D 5 microphone with the purchase of an I-ONIX U22, I-ONIX U45, or an IONIX U825 recording interface.

The other Harman brands also have similar deals. JBL and AKG are offering a package deal of one pair of JBL LSR2328P studio monitors with a free set of AKG 240 studio headphones. Soundcraft is giving a $250 discount with the purchase of a Soundcraft MFXI20 Mixer with an AKG WMS 450 wireless system, and Crown is offering similar deals with $75 off the XLS 602, $100 off the XLS 802, and $150 off the XLS 50000.

Harman Professional Website
Harman Rebates Website

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Clear-Com Debuts New Two-Channel Model In Tempest Wireless Intercom Series

New model offers same RF interference resistance and performance as original

Clear-Com Communication Systems has announced the worldwide launch of its new two-channel Tempest wireless intercom system, the most recent addition to the company’s Tempest 2400 2.4 GHz wireless intercom family.

The two-channel system is an affordable option for those requiring fewer channels of communications but still offers the same license-free operation, exceptional RF performance and rich feature set as the four-channel Tempest2400.

As with all members of the Tempest family, the two-channel Tempest2400 utilizes a patented Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum RF scheme that not only avoids the need for licensing and frequency coordination, but makes it fundamentally resistant to interference from other wireless devices.

This ensures that no matter how crowded the RF environment, communications will go off without a hitch. 

In addition, once registered to a base station, a beltstation needs no further configuration and roams freely within a single coverage area, making it perfect for theatrical productions, concerts and other highly coordinated events.

“Our new two-channel Tempest2400 is ideal for customers who simply don’t require the capacity of the four-channel system, but still want all the benefits of its comprehensive feature set, such as the wireless ISO and Stage Announce features,” says Chris Barry, Product Manager, Clear-Com.

“Its simple set-up requirements and portability also make it a tremendous asset for those looking to use it for multiple types of mobile applications, so it’s a win-win for the customer in all aspects.”

Each Tempest2400 base station supports up to five full-duplex, two audio-channel digital wireless beltstations; by stacking up to 10 base stations together, 50 independent, full-duplex wireless beltstations can operate together in a single system.

Other features include advanced 2xTX Transmission Voice Data Redundancy and its interoperability with Clear-Com and other intercom systems through two-wire and four-wire connections.

Additionally, the iSelect roaming feature allows a beltstation user to move from one coverage area to the next by simply changing the beltstation’s association to another base station; each beltstation can be paired with up to 64 different base stations. 

Each Tempest2400 wireless system includes T-Desk software, a powerful PC-based control and configuration application. T-Desk offers the ability to monitor and manage the entire wireless system from a remote location via Ethernet connection to a LAN.  A PC running T-Desk can also interface with a base station via direct connection over CAT-5 cable.

All members of the Tempest2400 family include an optional remote transceiver that allows remote antenna placement up to 1,500 feet (450 meters) from the base station; data connection and power supplied over standard CAT5e/6 cable with lightweight, fast-charging Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) battery technology in the beltstation; access to one of six relay closures from the beltstation and vibrating call alert.

In addition, a flexible battery solution allows beltstations to operate on standard AA batteries for emergency use; beltstation battery telemetry is displayed in real-time on the beltstation and base station LCDs, indicating how much power is left in each pack.

Clear-Com Website

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Friday, November 20, 2009

Heavy Usage Of Shure Microphones, Wireless At 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards

The show show featured 15 live performances by some of the biggest stars in Latin music, the vast majority of whom used Shure microphones for their vocals and backline

Shure microphones and wireless systems were in heavy rotation at the recent 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards Show in Las Vegas, where Calle 13, a Puerto Rican alternative/urban hip-hop duo and Shure endorser, won all five categories in which they were nominated.

The awards show, televised to more than 12 million viewers on Univision, took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, featured 15 live performances by some of the biggest stars in Latin music, the vast majority of whom used Shure microphones for their vocals and backline.

Performance highlights included Mexican singer Juan Gabriel, who was honored as the Latin Recording Academy’s 2009 Person of the Year. Using a black Shure UR2/KSM9 expanded a planned ten-minute medley into a full concert set.

The broadcast music mixer was Eric Schilling, noted for his studio engineering for artists like Gloria Estefan and Shakira who has a long track record of mixing award telecasts.

As the night’s biggest winners, Calle 13 took home awards for Record of the Year (the single “No Hay Nadie Como Tú” featuring Mexican band Café Tacvba) and Album of the Year (Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo).

The duo, consisting of singer/songwriter René Pérez (a.k.a. Residente) and multi-instrumentalist Eduardo José Cabra (a.k.a. Visitante), also won the categories of Best Urban Music Album, Best Alternative Song, and Best Short Form Music Video.

Another highlight of the evening was Calle 13’s collaboration with Rubén Blades for an elaborate staging of the group’s hit “La Perla,” which received the award for Best Short Form Music Video.  The number began with a huge set of Japanese taiko drums played by performers from Cirque du Soleil’s “Mystère” troupe.

“That performance spanned two full stages,” noted Schilling. “It started with the taiko drums, which are physically huge, on one stage. Then the band started playing on top of that from the other stage, then finally Residente and Rubén Blades came in with their Shure wireless Beta 58s. It looked great and sounded fantastic.”

While Schilling has his preferences, the choice of lead vocal mics is left up to the performers as a matter of policy. “We want them to be in their comfort zone as much as possible,” said Schilling. “But if there’s no strong preference, I will usually suggest either a KSM9 or a Beta 58, depending on the artist. This year, I think all but a couple of the live performers went with Shure, and the results were outstanding.”

Schilling also used a lot of Shure mics on the backline. “Typically in our shows, we use Shure mics for 60 or 70 percent of our backline. On drum kit, I like to use KSM32s for overheads. That’s a great mic. Of course, I use the SM57 on snare, and I like the KSM137 for hi-hat. The kick gets a Beta 91 boundary mic and a Beta 52 dynamic, which lets the house PA mixer, Ron Reeves, and I to get the right sound for our different needs.”

Of course, Latin music uses a lot of percussion. “With a couple little exceptions, all the percussion is miked with Shure. I love SM57s on congas and bongos,” said Schilling. “On the rest of the backline, I use either KSM137s or KSM32s for all the guitar amps. I use the same mics for saxophones, too.”

To prepare for the live broadcast, three days before the show are dedicated to rehearsals. “We get about an hour with each live act, and I tape everything so I can work on each mix before the show,” said Schilling. “It’s all recallable on the console, but that just gets me into the ballpark.

“After a band is playing live, they’re never quite the same as in rehearsal. So there’s constant fine-tuning. Plus, there’s always something unexpected. Having mics I can count on is a key element.”

Shure Website

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Calle 13, Juan Gabriel Dominate 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards

The Annual Latin Grammy Awards show featured a total of 15 live performances by some of the biggest stars in Latin music, the vast majority of whom used Shure microphones for their vocals and backline.

Calle 13, a Puerto Rican alternative/urban hip-hop duo and Shure endorser, dominated the 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards by winning all five categories in which they were nominated. The awards show, televised to more than 12 million viewers on Univision, took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The show featured a total of 15 live performances by some of the biggest stars in Latin music, the vast majority of whom used Shure microphones for their vocals and backline.

Performance highlights included legendary Mexican singer Juan Gabriel, who was honored as the Latin Recording Academy’s 2009 Person of the Year.

Armed with a black Shure UR2/KSM9 and a glass of red wine, Gabriel took the stage by force, expanding a planned ten-minute medley into a full concert set that had the audience dancing in the aisles.

The broadcast music mixer was Eric Schilling, famed for his studio engineering for artists like Gloria Estefan and Shakira.

“I’ve worked on nine of the ten Latin Grammy broadcasts,” Schilling related, “and I’ve never seen anything like the Juan Gabriel performance. He’s sort of famous for vamping, so I don’t think it was a complete surprise.

“But it was nearly a 40-minute performance, which is certainly unprecedented in an awards show. He was doing things like taking his vocal mic and having a horn player play through it, so mixing it was a challenge…definitely the highlight of the evening.”

As the night’s biggest winners, Calle 13 took home awards for Record of the Year (the single “No Hay Nadie Como Tú” featuring Mexican band Café Tacvba) and Album of the Year (Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo). The duo, consisting of singer/songwriter René Pérez (a.k.a. Residente) and multi-instrumentalist Eduardo José Cabra (a.k.a. Visitante), also won the categories of Best Urban Music Album, Best Alternative Song, and Best Short Form Music Video.

Another highlight of the evening was Calle 13’s collaboration with Rubén Blades for an elaborate staging of the group’s hit “La Perla,” which received the award for Best Short Form Music Video.  The number began with a huge set of Japanese taiko drums played by performers from Cirque du Soleil’s “Mystère” troupe. “That performance spanned two full stages,” noted Schilling. “It started with the taiko drums, which are physically huge, on one stage. Then the band started playing on top of that from the other stage, then finally Residente and Rubén Blades came in with their Shure wireless Beta 58s. It looked great and sounded fantastic.”

With his long track record of mixing award telecasts, Schilling knows that reliability and quality are the two areas where there can be no compromises. “It’s my job to send a great mix to the network, and that starts with the microphones,” he stated. “I have certain mics that I prefer for certain tasks, so I asked Shure to be involved. We used their products pretty extensively.”

While Schilling has his preferences, the choice of lead vocal mics is left up to the performers as a matter of policy. “We want them to be in their comfort zone as much as possible,” said Schilling. “But if there’s no strong preference, I will usually suggest either a KSM9 or a Beta 58, depending on the artist.

“This year, I think all but a couple of the live performers went with Shure, and the results were outstanding.”

Schilling also used a lot of Shure mics on the backline. “Typically in our shows, we use Shure mics for 60 or 70 percent of our backline. On drum kit, I like to use KSM32s for overheads. That’s a great mic.

“Of course, I use the SM57 on snare, and I like the KSM137 for hi-hat. The kick gets a Beta 91 boundary mic and a Beta 52 dynamic, which lets the house PA mixer, Ron Reeves, and I to get the right sound for our different needs.”

Of course, Latin music uses a lot of percussion – another application where Shure excels. “With a couple little exceptions, all the percussion is miked with Shure. I love SM57s on congas and bongos,” said Schilling. “On the rest of the backline, I use either KSM137s or KSM32s for all the guitar amps. I use the same mics for saxophones, too.”

To prepare for the live broadcast, three days before the show are dedicated to rehearsals. “We get about an hour with each live act, and I tape everything so I can work on each mix before the show,” related Schilling. “It’s all recallable on the console, but that just gets me into the ballpark.

“After a band is playing live, they’re never quite the same as in rehearsal. So there’s constant fine-tuning. Plus, there’s always something unexpected. Having mics I can count on is a key element.”

This year’s Latin Grammy Awards telecast on Univision drew a record audience of 12.8 million viewers in the U.S., an amazing feat for a Spanish-speaking network, showing that great music transcends language. “It’s why I do what I do,” said Schilling. “It’s all about the music.”

Shure

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Audio-Technica Offering Rebates On 4000, 3000 & 2000 Seiries Wireless Systems

Rebates available through December 31, 2009

Audio-Technica is offering the “Experience More Freedom Rebate” on its 4000 Series, 3000 Series and 2000 Series professional wireless systems through December 31, 2009.

All end-users who purchase these products from an authorized U.S. A-T dealer between October 1 and December 31, 2009, will be eligible for either a $40 rebate on the 4000 Series, a $30 rebate on the 3000 Series, or a $20 rebate on the 2000 Series.

Audio-Technica’s 4000 Series offers 200 selectable UHF channels per band, IntelliScan (which finds and sets the best available frequencies on linked receivers), True Diversity operation and Dual Compander circuitry for unmatched audio quality.

The 3000 Series also includes 200 selectable UHF channels per band, True Diversity operation, as well as an easy-to-read LCD information display.

The 2000 Series provides easy setup, clear sound and automatic scanning. All 10 channels are compatible, with no confusing frequency groups. Other features include True Diversity operation and automatic frequency scanning.

The mail-in rebate form can be found online at audio-technica.com. Claims must be received at Audio-Technica by January 31, 2010, to be valid.

Along with the mail-in rebate form, buyers must simply attach the original sales receipts for the Audio-Technica wireless products with the store name, date of purchase, model number and price paid clearly legible, along with the original UPC code cut from the carton of each product purchased.

Audio-Technica Website

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

“Hooked On The Fly” Finds Success Utilizing Lectrosonics Wireless For Outdoor Production

Capturing the sights and sounds of many of our planet’s most beautiful—and remote—fishing destinations can be very demanding to electronic equipment

Location sound work always presents unique challenges, but for the crew tasked with capturing the sights and sounds of many of our planet’s most beautiful—and remote—fishing destinations, the job becomes even more demanding.

Such is the case for George Clark, Executive Producer of HOOKED on the Fly, a new sport fishing program that will air on the Sportsman Channel come December 29th. The show’s production crew routinely encounters extreme weather conditions that pose serious threats to their electronic equipment, but when it comes to capturing audio, their wireless microphone systems from Lectrosonics deliver in a big way.

Clark, who initially started his career as a Ph.D. biological scientist and went on to work at many of the world’s most revered research institutes such as the Smithsonian Institution, received his MFA in film from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles and has been entrenched in the entertainment business ever since.

He has worked extensively in both television and film and started his career with the made-for-television movie Stolen Innocence, on CBS. Similarly, the police drama anthology FBI: The Untold Stories for ABC is another of his many successes.

For HOOKED on the Fly, Clark directs, writes, edits, and even mans the camera in addition to his work as location sound engineer.

Hosted by Christopher P. Travis, who is also the show’s Co-Executive Producer, HOOKED on the Fly’s mission is to experience nature, adventure, and promote conservation as seen through the lens of fly-fishing.

“We capture the soul, art, science, and magic of fly-fishing,” says Clark. “This is the most challenging type of work a filmmaker is likely to encounter. The show takes viewers to many of the most beautiful places on Earth, where we meet people involved in the conservation of these wonderful resources.

“Viewers learn all about the nature of the habitat and the people involved—not only in the fishing, but also in the protection of these places. The very nature of this work places several daunting demands of the equipment we use.”

Clark’s current Lectrosonics equipment arsenal includes two MM400 water resistant, Digital Hybrid Wireless® miniature transmitters and two UCR100 beltpack receivers.

The 4-channel system is routinely used for two channels of background (or ambient) sounds, a microphone for host Chris Travis, plus another microphone for either a guide, interviewee, or personality fisherman.

“We’re planning on purchasing another MM400 and UCR100,” reports Clark, “as the fifth channel will enable us to accommodate a guide, guest, and host simultaneously.”

When queried about those features and characteristics of his Lectrosonics equipment that made it particularly well suited for this project, Clark emphasized Lectrosonics’ robust build quality, exceptional range, and sound quality.

“As a show about fishing,” explained Clark, “we’re around water all the time—and not just the rivers or lakes where the fish are. We routinely encounter rain and other weather conditions that typically push electronics to their limits.

“We’ve found the compact form factor and water resistant design of the MM400’s to be exceptional. Both the transmitters and the receivers are solidly built and the range of the systems is terrific.”

“We film all over the world in many challenging climates and locales,” Clark continued. “Not once have we encountered a single issue—even during extreme rain conditions. It’s quite common for us to be filming on a long lens with multiple cameras and I’ve found the range of the Lectrosonics wireless system to be exceptional.”

The show’s premiere episode, The Last Wild River in California, which takes place along the Oregon – California border in January, is one such example of the challenging conditions Clark puts his gear through. Clark reports that the crew filmed in 15-20 degree weather where it rained for ten straight days, along with sleet and snow.

“We had one camera a good 200-300 yards from the subject and another closer in,” notes Clark. “The rain was like a steady sheet of water and through it all; we had perfect audio without any failures.”

In addition to his equipment’s stellar performance attributes, Clark was also quick to point out that he considers Lectrosonics’ customer/technical support services to be first class.

“Lectrosonics is extremely responsive to their customers,” says Clark. “They’ve been very helpful with frequency coordination and have provided excellent advice regarding backup equipment.

“I can honestly say that if a prospective customer wants the most reliable, lightweight, and compact system they can count on for serious production, I can’t think of any other wireless equipment that comes close to Lectrosonics. This equipment offers solid performance and is quite cost effective. For me, that spells value.”

HOOKED on the Fly 
Lectrosonics

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Monday, November 16, 2009

Sugarland Tours With More Than Three-Dozen Channels Of Sennheiser Wireless

Sugarland’s use of the unique Command option on the SKM 5200 RF handheld vocal mics delights the band’s live engineers

Sugarland, the multi-award-winning country music duo comprising Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, and their band have been touring around the U.S. throughout the summer with more than three-dozen channels of Sennheiser wireless vocal microphone, personal monitor and instrument systems.

The band’s live engineers are enthusiastic about Sennheiser’s exemplary sound quality and performance, of course, but it’s Sugarland’s use of the unique Command option on the SKM 5200 RF handheld vocal mics that has them most excited.

“It’s a cool feature that we all love,” comments monitor engineer Steve Ledet. The Command feature re-routes the SKM 5200’s capsule to a second output channel at the touch of a button. In Sugarland’s case, that Command channel is sent to all of the personal monitors, as well as to speakers at the FOH position, allowing Nettles and Bush to communicate privately with their musicians and crew.

“Jennifer uses it all the time,” Ledet enthuses. “For example, during stadium dates on this summer’s Kenny Chesney tour, she would be out on the thrust in front of 60,000 people and ask for more vocal, more snare drum, or more of Kristian’s guitar in her ears.

“If they’re running out of time in the set and they need to cut a song she can just tell the band in-between songs. Or she’ll be grabbing a drink of water and she’ll ask them to double up on the intro.”

He continues, “I have it cranked up so there’s no mistaking between her vocal and that. It really is invaluable, and the audience never knows that she’s dealing with anything.

“It’s the coolest thing ever as far as I’m concerned because she doesn’t have to look at me or wait for eye contact – she just talks. She has complete communication to me. All she has to do is push the button.” Andy Hujdich who oversees the 93 channels of onstage patching calls the new feature invaluable in terms of time saved when an on the fly patch is necessary.

Sugarland’s FOH engineer and production manager David Haskell, who formerly toured with Alabama, Keb’ Mo’, and Gretchen Wilson, runs down the list of Sennheiser wireless gear in use onstage.

“We’ve got tons of Sennheiser gear out on the road with us – every instrument, all ears, and all the vocal mics,” he says. Nettles and Bush each use the SKM 5200 outfitted with the MD 5235 dynamic capsule.

“Those microphones sound incredible,” he exclaims. Additionally, each of the five backing musicians supplies background vocals via an e 935 wired vocal mic.

“I also use MD 421s on both of our bass rigs, and as a low microphone on the Leslie,” says Haskell, who is a true fan of the mic model. “I’ve used those things for a hundred years on drums. I’d use a hundred of those things if I could find a spot to stick ‘em!”

Haskell has been thrilled with the performance of the new EM 3732 mic receivers that are paired with the SKM 5200s. “That thing is impeccable. I’ve never had those vocal mics drop out. We’ve even taken it to ‘Oprah’ with us, and places like that where RF is not simple.”

Ledet also notes how easy it was to learn the operation of the EM 3732. “I’ve never even seen a manual for that thing and it’s just a piece of cake to get around on and change frequencies. It does its own scanning, and to synch it takes about two seconds.

“That’s real convenient when something pops up all of a sudden; I can pretty quickly find an open frequency and get the mics tuned back in.”

Ledet additionally oversees a dozen ew 300 IEM G2 units. “I’m only using nine of them at a time,” he notes. “I’ve got seven band members, including the principals, my cue mix, and I use one for the guitar techs. We have the extras for guests. The IEMs operate in conjunction with AC2 combiners and A 5000-CP antennas.”

Guitar tech Steve Castro looks after ten channels of ew 372 G2 for Bush’s various wireless instruments, plus additional channels for Nettles’ acoustic guitars and for bass player Annie Clements.

Jill Hall, stage right guitar tech, handles two units for guitarists, Scott Patton and Thad Beaty. Despite there being just short of forty channels of Sennheiser wireless equipment onstage, says Haskell, “The RF has been like a rock.”

Sennheiser USA

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Sunday, November 15, 2009

Audio-Technica Provides Microphone Solutions At The 2009 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards

More than 250 Audio-Technica microphones, including hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF wireless systems

Audio-Technica is celebrating its 16th year of supporting the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards by providing an extensive selection of vocal and instrument microphones for its annual awards show.

The 43rd Annual CMA Awards aired live in 5.1-channel surround sound Wednesday, November 11th, on the ABC Television Network from the Sommet Center in Nashville, and featured over 250 Audio-Technica microphones, including hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF wireless systems.

The CMA Awards presentation is recognized as Country Music’s Biggest Night and represents the pinnacle of achievement for those involved in country music.

Audio for this year’s CMA’s was supervised by award-winning audio producers Michael Abbott and Tom Davis; ATK/Audiotek provided the sound system with FOH (front-of-house) mixers Patrick Baltzell and Rick Shimer; the broadcast music mix was handled by New Jersey/California-based Music Mix Mobile’s John Harris and Jay Vicari.

Several performers used Audio-Technica’s acclaimed Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless System during the course of the show.

Country/pop singer-songwriter Taylor Swift paired the 5000 Series system with the AEW-T4100 cardioid dynamic handheld ransmitter for her lead vocals and AEW-T1000 UHF UniPak transmitter for her acoustic guitar. (Swift made history by taking home top honors in the categories of Female Vocalist, Album of the Year, Video of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, every category in which she appeared as a nominee.)

Audio-Technica endorsers Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean each performed with the 5000 Series and the AEW-T5400 cardioid condenser handheld transmitter, with Chesney performing a duet with Dave Matthews, who also used an AEW-T5400 (pictured below).

Other 5000 Series users included Billy Currington, who also used the AEW-T5400, and Chris Daughtry, also an endorser, who performed using an AEW-T6100 hypercardioid dynamic handheld transmitter. Jamey Johnson went a different route, choosing the wired AE6100 hypercardioid dynamic handheld microphone.

The backline mic complement of A-T wired microphones included the AE3000 cardioid condenser instrument microphone on snare and rotary speaker; AT4050 multi-pattern condenser microphone on guitars and bass; AT4040 cardioid condenser microphone on overheads; AE2500 dual-element cardioid instrument microphone on kick drum; AE5100 cardioid condenser instrument microphone on hi-hat and ride cymbals; AE5400 cardioid condenser microphone on rotary speaker; ATM450 cardioid condenser instrument microphone on ride cymbals; ATM650 dynamic instrument microphone on snare and rotary speaker; and ATM350 cardioid condenser clip-on microphone on toms and fiddle/violin.

Tom Davis, co-audio producer, stated, “We use Audio-Technica mics every year on the CMA’s because of their reliability and sound quality, not to mention the brand’s extensive product line perfect for capturing the various artists and musical instruments we have on the show.

“A-T’s RF systems and their on-site technical support have been exceptional — I cannot say enough great things about them.”

Co-music mixer John Harris echoed Davis’ statements: “For years, Audio-Technica has been our go-to mic of choice because of its clear sound, consistency from mic to mic, and overall reliability. With Audio-Technica products, we can be 100 percent confident in our mics on stage, so that gives us one less thing to worry about within the hectic live program schedule.

And with the A-T 5000 Series wireless, we can be certain that the audio quality is not sacrificed at all – it’s completely transparent, which is what we need.”

Audio-Technica Website

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Winner Chosen For An Audio-Technica Wireless System; Enter To Win A-T AE2500 Microphone!

Two more chances to win valuable A-T gear in the PSW Sweepstakes

The first winner in the ongoing ProSoundWeb Sweepstakes  has been chosen, with Andy G. of Shelby Township, Michigan, winning a premium Audio-Technica 3000 Series wireless microphone system.

The contest is by no means over! You can still enter to qualify for drawings in two more PSW Sweepstakes drawings - for an Audio-Technica AE2500 cardioid condenser and dual-element instrument microphone in November, and for an Audio-Technica M3 wireless in-ear monitoring system in December. .

Enter once for two chances to win!

Entering the sweepstakes is simple. Just click here, fill in the short sign-up sheet that also registers you to receive the ProSoundWeb Product Showcase monthly e-newsletter already distributed to tens of thousands of audio professionals worldwide, and…

That’s it!

The next drawing, for the A-T AE2500, will be held at the end of November, 2009.

The AE2500 is a dual-element cardioid instrument microphone (MSRP: US$699) that features cardioid condenser and dynamic capsules combined in one housing. The dynamic element delivers the aggressive attack of the beater; the condenser captures the round tonalities of the shell.

Two layers of resistive mesh form multiple densities over the dynamic element’s side-entry ports, exercising precise control over the time at which off-axis signals arrive at the diaphragm. The condenser diaphragm is optimally tensioned and aged for long-term consistency and stability.

Find out more about the AE2500 here.

Again, just click here to enter for your chance to own an Audio-Technica AE2500, as a chance to own an A-T M3 wireless IEM system.

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Monday, November 09, 2009

Sound For 91 Live Acts At The Second Annual Outside Lands Festival

A team effort by California sound companies Ultra Sound/Pro Media and Sound On Stage

The recent Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park spanned three days, seven stages, and 91 live acts, with Ultra Sound/Pro Media of Hercules, CA and Sound On Stage of Hayward, CA sharing the responsibilities of providing sound for the multiple stages as well as some of the other attractions of the festival.

The second in what is expected to be an annual event, Outside Lands drew about 100,000 people to a park that is more than three miles long and nine blocks wide - at 1,017 acres, it’s 20 percent larger than Central Park in New York City. Residential areas are on three sides of the Golden Gate Park, with the Pacific Ocean on the fourth side.

Sound On Stage provided sound for six different areas, including the Twin Peaks Stage, located in Speedway Meadow at the main entrance to the festival grounds, as well as the Presidio and Sutro Stages, placed at opposite ends of Lindley Meadow.

George Edwards, General Manager of Sound On Stage notes, “We had a flawless weekend.” He also praised support from manufacturers noting that representatives of L-Acoustics and Digidesign came out to help ensure everything went according to plan.

Some of the acts gracing the Sound On Stage equipped stages included, Zap Mama and Thievery Corporation, Tom Jones, The Mars Volta, and Lucinda Williams.

Sound On Stage was also involved with the first Outside Lands Festival, with the only significant changes including increasing the quantity of subwoofers per stage and going exclusively digital for FOH consoles and loudspeaker processing.

One challenge, Edwards points out, was coordinating which specific console would ultimately reside at a given stage due to management and band requests.

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The assortment of consoles included four Yamaha PM5D RH 48-channel units, a Digidesign Venue SC48 48-channel model and a Digidesign D-Show Venue. Main loudspeaker systems were comprised of L-Acoustics V-DOSC, dV-DOSC, and ARCS components. Subs were primarily L-Acoustics SB 218 though Meyer 650 R2s held down the lows for the Presidio stage.

A dozen Shure UR 1 handheld wireless microphones were deployed between the stages. Edwards reports that they coordinated with the bands and other vendors for the festival, and no frequency issues arose over the course of the festival.

Doing multiple stages of rock ‘n’ roll in the middle of what’s basically a residential area can pose some challenges, but Edwards states, “There was not any bleed from stage to stage. The co-producers (Another Planet Entertainment and Superfly Productions) worked really well together on the design and logistics of all the stages.

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“For the sake of the neighbors and the future of more events like this in the park, we kept the dB levels at around 101 “A” weighted at Front of House. We are not aware of any issues due to SPL. Overall, this was a great show to be involved with.”

Over at the Polo Field at the Lands End Stage, Derek Featherstone, Director of the Tour Sound & Event Division for Pro Media/UltraSound, geared up to support some of the festival headliners, including Incubus and Pearl Jam on Friday, Jason Mraz, Black Eyed Peas and Dave Mathews Band on Saturday, and M.I.A and Tenacious D on Sunday.

This was Pro Media/UltraSound’s second stint with Outside Lands as well. The Lands End stage sported a Meyer Sound Milo rig with combination of M3D and 650 R2 subs. MSL-4s were used to fill the extreme left and right sides of the stage.

Meyer Sound Mica line arrays were used for the delay towers. Featherstone deployed both Rational Acoustics Smaart and Meyer Sound SIM III to analyze, align, and tune the 23-zone system.

Digidesign Venue digital consoles (both the D-Show and the Profile) were utilized at Front of House, with a Midas Heritage 3000 available for those preferring analog.

“This year we put a slightly smaller side PA in order to contain the sound with in the park and away from the neighboring houses,” notes Featherstone. “We also used more downward aiming on the mains and the delay towers.

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“The noise restrictions are a bit undefined at the moment. I believe the plan this year was to gather data on volume at the mix position compared to that in the surrounding neighborhoods, and from there a limit would be determined for the next time.”

Given the crowded spectrum wireless systems were eschewed if at all possible. “We only use wireless if we have to these days. The headliners were more likely to come in with wireless systems and we just had to make sure that our six IEM units and six handheld mics did not interfere with artist frequencies,” Featherstone says.

While the festival environment certainly provides its challenges, Featherstone noted, “Festivals are a bit tricky as it is sometimes a challenge to satisfy the numerous different engineers’ idea of volume and tonality. On the other hand it is enjoyable to catch up with and learn from all the different engineers that come through.”

When queried about what he felt was the highlight of the festival, Featherstone replies, “The end.” And when asked about the lowlight of the festival, he replies, “The end.”

Mark Johnson has been involved with audio and video in one way or another for over 35 years, including production, manufacturing and covering the industries for various publications.

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Sennheiser Introduces WiCOS: Automatic Switching Wireless Conference System

New system automatically switches frequencies to avoid interference

The new Sennheiser WiCOS is a wireless conference system that automatically switches frequencies to avoid interference, accomplished through the system’s automatic dynamic frequency management that uses two frequency ranges – 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz – for wireless transmission and enabling it to switch the range if interference is detected on the other wireless frequencies.

“A conference system requires absolute reliability,” explained David McNutt, Sennheiser team leader, installed systems. “For that reason, in addition to the usual 2.4 GHz range, which is often subject to interference from Bluetooth transmitters and WLANs, WiCOS uses the range from 5.1 to 5.8 GHz for its transmission. If the system detects another transmitter, it automatically – and inaudibly – switches frequency.”

WiCOS operates continuously for at least twenty hours and integrates up to sixteen translation channels, making it an attractive solution for the conference market.

The system can also be used without a PC, and its removable microphones ensure easy transportation and flexible installation. Secure 128-bit encryption can be programmed by the user providing security against tapping.

“The audio quality of the conference system is outstanding,” McNutt added. “ WiCOS is engineered to deliver clear sound even in situations when only a few of the delegate units are being used, which is highly unlikely in other conventional conference systems.”

The WiCOS system includes an Access Point for wirelessly controlling the communication between the delegate units and the chairman’s unit. The volume can be adjusted at the chairman’s unit, and the system is immediately ready for use.

To facilitate enhanced system operation, the Access Point has an integrated web server allowing the conference manager to configure and supervise the system conveniently using a browser. In addition, WiCOS can easily be combined with Sennheiser’s wired SDC 8200 conference and interpretation system.

Concluded McNutt: “WiCOS provides rental companies and conference centers with a highly reliable, easy to operate, and flexible conference system that offers the full benefits of Sennheiser’s comprehensive expertise in RF wireless technology.”

WiCOS is available and now shipping.

Sennheiser USA Website

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Friday, November 06, 2009

Sound On Broadway: A Detailed Look At The Audio Designs For Several Top Current Shows

The variety of ways that sound and systems are supporting exceptional theatrical performances on the Great White Way

A recent trip to Broadway in the Big Apple took me to five of the season’s top shows to see what equipment is used when the stakes are high.

Literally million dollar shows, successful musicals often gross over a million dollars a week. Next February’s off-again, on-again Spiderman, sees songwriter U2’s start-up costs estimated at around $40 million.

Broadway sound designs must provide clear, crisp, detailed sound to every seat in the house for patrons who pay average prices approaching $100.

Digital consoles now dominate Broadway, and are currently the rule, rather than the exception, with DiGiCo’s D5T having arrived several years ago and preferred for top shows, Yamaha’s PM5D-EX beginning to replace the PM1D, Studer’s Vista 5 coming on strong with new theatrical software and Digidesign’s Profile providing a compact solution with plug-in options.

Favorite loudspeaker products include those from Meyer Sound, d&b audiotechnik, L-Acoustics and EAW. Compact line arrays are popular as center-clusters above proscenium arches. Point-source two-way loudspeakers at each side of the stage on the orchestra level and above for the balcony fill in the sides and create accurate imaging.

While small front-fill loudspeakers across the stage lip generally just reinforce vocals, in other coverage zones, it’s not unusual to employ dual loudspeaker systems for vocals and orchestra instruments, allowing the vocal system to be optimized for body mics, while the music system is tweaked to sound natural without getting in the way of the words.

The balcony is frequently treated as a separate acoustical space, often reinforced from a closer overhead house truss.

Under-balcony loudspeakers have been a regular feature for so long that some Broadway houses are permanently wired with loudspeaker cable, and d&b’s E3 has become a darling. Surround systems are now a standard in modern designs, regularly using JF80 compact two-way loudspeakers. Subwoofers commonly have pairs split upstairs and down to provide even coverage throughout the house.

Following is a detailed look at the sound for some of the finest musicals currently on the Great White Way.

Billy Elliot the Musical
Based on the 2000 film, with music by Sir Elton John, Billy Elliot the Musical opened in 2005 in London, where it won awards for best musical, actor, choreography and sound design. This year Paul Arditti won the second ever Tony for Sound for his design, while also nominated for his design of the play Mary Stuart.

In total, Billy Elliot won 10 of its 15 Tony nominations as well as 10 Drama Desk awards, including Best Sound. Hot show? Though the audio vendor is Masque Sound, even Geoff Shearing can’t get tickets.

The Imperial Theater (cap. 1,435) is where I first met Bob Biasetti when he mixed Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – one of the first on a DiGiCo D5T – in the same house-left rear mix position. The orchestra level holds about 800 with one fairly large balcony above.

Biasetti mixes Billy Elliot on a DiGiCo D5T, with a TC control surface, with a Yamaha DM1000 sidecar used for sound effects. Outboard effects include two TC Electronic M3000 reverb for principal actors and chorus, plus five Lexicon PCM 91 for orchestra, drums, surround and some special playback effects.

A redundant pair of Mac Minis run Q-Lab with a pair of MOTU 828 Mk II interfaces for multi-track music, SFX 5.6 runs on dual Masque custom PCs for sound effects, and an Apogee Big Ben digital word clock keeps things synch’ed.

The main loudspeaker system employs an 11-box center cluster of Meyer M’elodie for vocals, with an MSL-2 on either side for orchestra reinforcement to the rear balcony. A house truss also supports six UPA-2Ps for the rear balcony delays.

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Down on the orchestra level at each side of the stage two more M’elodie cabinets supply vocals on top of an MSL-2 for orchestra reinforcement, plus a Meyer UPM-1P to fill the outside area, supported by a d&b B2 subwoofer.

Above at each side of the stage, the balcony is covered from dual five-box M’elodie arrays, each with another Meyer MSL-2 and another UPM-1P. Filling the far outside seats in the balcony on each side are a UPA-1P and a UPM-1P, plus another d&b B2 subwoofer on a platform.

Across the front of the stage are 10 Meyer UPM-1Ps, while a pair of Meyer MM-4s fills around the conductor at its center. Under-balcony loudspeakers consist of ten Meyer UPM-1P at the balcony’s lip and two rings of eight d&b E-0 loudspeakers beyond them.

The surround system consists of three EAW JF80 compact loudspeakers on each side, six across the back and the same arrangement for the balcony upstairs, plus a row of six more across the front of the balcony for covering orchestra level seats in front of the balcony. CQ-1s are built into the set’s back wall for effects.

In the trap room below deck, a Yamaha M7CL is automated for the Aviom monitor system used by the pit musicians, getting inputs from a half-dozen XTA DS800 active splitters.

A Yamaha DM2000 uses a dozen Yamaha D8HR 8-channel mic pres for the 96 piezo-electric contact pickups sunk into the stage for tap shoes. Also shoehorned in downstairs are Yamaha DME 64 digital mix engines and the Meyer Galileos.

“The system is EQ’d and delayed with the DME64s, except the Melodies, which are EQ’d with the Gallileo,” Arditti commented. “I like to use the crosspoint delay matrix function in the DME to delay each loudspeaker in each vocal zone, which provides more coherent vocal imaging.”

On deck, John Cooper and Stephanie Vetter assist Mike Wojchik – when he’s not subbing for Biasetti – with wireless. There are 48 channels of Sennheiser 1046 wireless receivers and 5012 transmitters, used with DPA 4061 body mics. Sennheiser e300 G3 IEMs are used for wireless playback to Billy’s prop radio and cassette player.

Rock of Ages
The Brooks Atkinson Theater (cap.1,100) is a half-block west of the Times Square TKTS booth, hosting Rock of Ages with about 650 seats in the orchestra level’s three sections and half as many in the mezzanine above. It’s an intimate theater, fitting of this show’s club atmosphere and previously was the home of Grease.

Peter Hylinski’s sound design was nominated for a Tony, along with five other Tony noms. His design for Shrek is running a half dozen blocks north on Broadway next to the Late Show’s Ed Sullivan Theater, and he’s assisted by Associate Designer Keith Caggiano, with equipment supplied by PRG’s Mount Vernon shop.

Fourth-season American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis plays an aspiring rocker working as a busboy at the fictional Bourbon Room club on West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. Thirty ’80s cover tunes are interwoven with a reasonable plot.

Narration is by the club’s mullet-headed sound guy, and the show is loaded with period clichés. Guitarist Joel Hoekstra is also a member of Night Ranger, whose song “Sister Christian” is in the show.

Jesse Stevens mixes the show on a 96-channel Digidesign Profile. Outboard equipment consists of a dbx 120-xds sub-harmonic synthesizer, a TC Electronic D-Two delay and an Eventide DSP-4000 harmonizer.

In-line outboard processing consists of two channels of Empirical Labs Distressor on the leads, two more principals on Summit DCL-200 compressors, with another for acoustic and a Universal Audio 1176 plus a Tube-Tech PE-16 on electric bass.

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The Profile also employs many plug-ins, including multiple instances of Revibe plus a TC Electronic Nonlin2 on snare. Waves’ C4 multi-band and Renaissance compressors are used on the principals, and URS’ 1970 Classic console compressor and limiter is used on guitars and on the ensemble as a buss compressor, as is Digi’s Real Tape Suite.

Backstage Craig Van Tassel mixes monitors on a maxed-out Yamaha 48-channel M7CL. The guitar players use Sennheiser ew300 G2 IEMs with a Professional Wireless GX4 combiner to help them cut through the neon on the walls of the set, while the bass, drums and keyboard players use hard-wired IEMs.

Meyer UPAs are used for side-fills down-stage, and pairs of EAW UB-12 and d&b E-8 are mounted in the stage, plus a Meyer M1D catches actors up on the club’s staircase.

Band inputs all go to a pair of Cadac M-16 pre-amps while vocals go to a pair of 8-channel Aphex 1788 mic-pres, which all act as the splitter for the two consoles. Tommy Grasso assists with audio on deck. The actors wear Sennheiser HSP-2 headset mics, which are based on the MKE-2, and the six principals are backed up with MKE-1 mics added to their booms.

The main system consists of upper and lower, left and right main arrays of Meyer M’elodie – a six-box array for the balcony and five boxes for the orchestra level – plus a d&b Q-10 for dialog. On a Front of House truss above are three pairs of Meyer CQ-2 loudspeakers, and three Meyer 700HP subwoofers are mounted in the center. Two more 700HP subs are in the otherwise unused orchestra pit.

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The surround system consists of EAW JF60 loudspeaker under the balcony, JF80 loudspeakers in the balcony above, and a row of seven JF80s is across the front of the balcony for under-balcony fill.

The surround system is completed with a pair of d&b E-9 loudspeakers on each side of the orchestra level and another pair upstage are used for effects. A pair of small Meyer UMS subwoofers at the back of the orchestra level near the mix position help compensate for the theater’s natural bass trap.

South Pacific
It’s the first-ever Broadway revival of South Pacific, the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that originally won 10 Tony awards.

In 2008, sound designer Scott Lehrer was the first recipient of the Tony for Sound Design, and South Pacific won 5 Drama Desk and 6 other Tony awards. There are a plethora of hits before Act I is half over: “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Bloody Mary,” “Nothing Like a Dame,” “Bali Ha’i,” “Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” and “I’m In Love With a Wonderful Guy.”

The Vivian Beaumont Theater (cap. 1,080) on the Lincoln Center complex’s north side on West 66th Street is Manhattan’s only Broadway-class theater not located in the Times Square area. It has an unusual semi-circular, five section “stadium” configuration with a five row loge just above. The orchestra sits beneath a retractable thrust stage, which opens before each act.

There are two consoles at 10-year veteran Marc Salzberg’s mix position. A Cadac J-Type with 15 VCAs and programmable inputs handles the principle actors’ mics.

Eight of its 15 VCAs are linked to the DCAs of a 4-layer, 96-channel Yamaha PM5D-EX with a MIDI interface from Masque’s Gary Stocker. The first layer handles chorus mics, the second mixes 16 channels of Q-Lab sound effects, while the third and fourth control orchestra mics.

A unique yet simple device is Lehrer’s use of Yamaha DME-64 DSP matrixes to pan the principles’ mics via delay according to their position in one of seven stage zones: L-C-R, up- and mid-stage, plus a single upstage zone. The additional delay for characters up- and off-stage provides subtle realism to the sound reinforcement. It seems simple, but is surprisingly effective.

The national tour opened in September at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theater, and Lehrer has redesigned the show around a Studer Vista 5 console.

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The overhead system consists of a semi-circular “exploded” array of a half-dozen d&b audiotechnik C-7 loudspeakers for orchestra reinforcement, plus five over-and-under pairs of 75- x 15-degree d&b Q-1 loudspeakers slung from the catwalk for vocals.

Left and right proscenium arrays are a Q-Sub, above two Q-1 loudspeakers, with a 75 x 40 Q-7 beneath and a Q-Sub below on the deck. Front-fill loudspeakers consist of four Meyer M1Ds, two d&b E-0 and a pair of Meyer MM-4 around maestro Lassen at center.

Over the stage pairs of Meyer MSL-4 pointed down from the catwalk and the grid provide overhead sound effects. On the deck a pair of Meyer CQ-2 provides up-stage sound effects, while another pair overhead provides the orchestra. Side-fills are a pair of EAW JF80s down-stage and a pair of JF200s up-stage. The surround system consists of double sets of EAW JF80 and JF60 loudspeakers behind the orchestra and loge sections, powered with Yamaha M5000 amps and driven by a Lexicon 960.

One practical sound source is a four-horn 360-degree array of Altec multi-cell horns used for a PA effect in the second act’s Thanksgiving show. Another practical sound source is driven by Sennheiser e300 IEM G2 wireless receivers and 12 V car amps for radio transmissions.

The actors are mic’d with DPA 4061s except for Laura Osnes’ Nellie Forbush character, who wears two Countryman D3, since she has to “Wash that man right out of her hair” with soap and water on stage, and then deliver another 20 minutes of dialog. Besides main and backup mics at his hair-line, operatic singer Paulo Szot, who plays French expatriate Emile de Becque, has a third mic to catch his chest resonance.

West Side Story
The Palace Theater (cap. 1,743), hosting the latest revival of West Side Story, on the corner of 7th Ave and 47th Street, faces west towards the newly renovated Duffy Square’s discount TKTS booth on the north end of Times Square.

The Palace last hosted Legally Blonde and is one of the grande dames of Broadway. The tall, wide Palace has a 16-row mezzanine halfway over the 1,000-seat orchestra level, with an 8-row balcony above that.

“Tonight,” “America,” “Maria,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere” – classic songs by Bernstein and Sondheim, yet there’s really only been one revival in a half-century. Arthur Laurents’ urban legend of the Sharks and the Jets is based on Romeo and Juliet, and Jerome Robbins’ choreography asks much of its cast, dancing and singing throughout.

Sound design is by Dan Moses Schreier, who’s won several Drama Desk awards, as well as a first-round Tony nomination for Gypsy last year. His associate designer is David Bullard, with sound equipment supplied by PRG’s Mount Vernon shop.

The sound system has a small Meyer M’elodie center cluster for vocals, with a 700HP subwoofer above. To each side of these for orchestra reinforcement are a CQ-2 with a UPJ underneath for down-fill.

To the sides of the stage proscenium opening both high and low are two sets of a d&b Q-7 for vocals, each beside another UPJ for orchestra, with a single JBL bullet tweeter adding sparkle to vocals up on the mezzanine level. A house truss above the mezzanine supports three Meyer UPJuniors for vocals and a pair of UPJ’s for orchestra.

Over the pit and across the front of the stage are a half-dozen d&b E3 loudspeakers for reinforcing wind instruments, paired with the same number of d&b E0 loudspeakers for vocals. Under the mezzanine are two 8-box rings of d&b E3 loudspeakers, with another ring above the mezzanine under the balcony.

Lucas Indelicato mixes the show’s 42 wireless mics, 42 orchestra inputs and 4 channels of playback on a Studer Vista 5. While other digital consoles could have accommodated this number of inputs, there’s always the chance that the input list can grow during rehearsal.

Reasons for the console’s choice were the Vistonics control surface and the Studer sound quality, plus the fact that the last input bay can be isolated for dual operation. Indelicato demonstrated a few of the new V4.2 software’s benefits for theatrical mixing, pointing out actor libraries, and VCA/muting that can be re-assigned cue by cue.

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Playback of the show’s sparse sound effects – sirens and bells, plus the pre-show announcement – comes from figure53’s Mac-based Q-Lab, and in Act II it plays back a mambo through an on-stage Juke Box in Doc’s candy store, recorded by Schreier from 12 orchestra musicians.

The 30-piece orchestra represents nearly every instrument, with only guitar and cello reproduced as keyboard patches. Just like the 1957 out-of-town premiere at Washington, DC’s National Theatre, the two percussionists are in the mezzanine-level opera boxes above and to each side of the stage.

Both percussionists, the pianist and the conductor employ Aviom systems for monitoring, while the other musicians simply listen.

Indelicato is assisted by A2 Sebastian Schulher and deck audio Michelle Hout, who wrangle the Sennheiser SK 5212 miniature body-pack wireless transmitters. The many principals, who dance throughout, are double-mic’ed with both DPA 4061 and the new MKE-1, which Indelicato finds more natural for actors who are already a bit “spitty” and better for softer voices.

The hybrid approach allows provides a backup of another make should one get sweated out.

Hair: The Revival of the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Hair was 1969’s Best Musical. “Aquarius,” “Let the Sunshine In,” “Hair,” “Good Morning Starshine” and “Easy to Be Hard” became top singles, covered by artists of the day.

After marking its 40th anniversary in September 2007 with three shows in Central Park, it returned the following summer for a hugely successful four-week engagement and the Broadway revival opened last March, returning as 2009’s Best Revival.

The Al Hirschfeld Theater (cap. 1,437) seats about 850 on the orchestra level and half as many upstairs. Sound design for Hair is by Acme Sound Partners’ Sten Severinson, who did much of the work in Central Park, and Nevin Steinberg, with audio equipment provided by Sound Associates of Yonkers.

Scott Sanders mixes on a DiGiCo D5-T with the 16-fader TC theater control surface. The show’s 30 songs and multiple characters require upwards of 10 of the D5T’s 16 VCAs to be assigned to vocals for each scene.

Outboard effects include five TC Electronic M-3000 reverbs and a Lexicon 960 configured with two engines employed for surround effects. Q-Lab supplies impressive sound effects running on a pair of Mac Minis each with a pair of MOTU UltraLite interfaces for 16 channels of playback.

A center cluster of a dozen L-Acoustic d-VDOSC reinforces the vocals, with a single ARCS and a CQ-1 on each side of this array for the band, all hidden behind a scrim. On each side of the stage is a pair of ARCS for band reinforcement, with a Meyer Sound UPA-2P beside it for vocals, covering the orchestra level. A platform over this loudspeaker position is used frequently by actors entering and leaving the stage via the balcony.

Up higher for the balcony, another ARCS again reinforces the band, with an L-Acoustic 108P for vocals. Beside these a single L-Acoustic 112P covers the extreme offstage balcony seats.

The balcony is amply covered from a Front of House truss with left and right arrays of four Meyer MICAs below a 600HP subwoofer for the band and a single Meyer CQ-1 at the center for vocals. Since the band is on stage, there are four more 600HP subwoofers in the pit.

Under-balcony loudspeakers consist of two rows of eight d&b E-3 loudspeakers, and EAW JF80 loudspeakers are used for the show’s substantial surround effects.

The naked brick back wall of the theater is painted in a ’60s op art sunrise and the only set on stage is the band. Drummer Bernard Purdie, who played in the 1969 original, sits on the back of a green 1955 GMC half-ton pickup, with the bass and guitar players on platforms over its cab and hood, and keyboards and percussion on a riser beside it.

Monitors are mixed by Jim Wilkinson from a DiGiCo D1 on stage-right, consisting of a Meyer UM-1 for the bass player and UPM-2s for keyboards, and newer UPM-2Ps for percussion, drums and guitars. The five-piece horn section seated on a back-wall catwalk just above them, shares three EAW JF60s.

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On stage, three more JF60s are recessed under the floor behind steel grilles down-stage center, plus four more behind grills upstage. Overhead at mid-stage, a four-box Meyer M1D array pointed straight down creates a large sweet spot that the cast clearly enjoy.

Bonnie Runk and Michelle Guttierez assist on deck with radio mics and there are 18 Sennheiser EM-3532 receivers above the stage-right monitor position with the new Sennheiser SK-5212 micro-miniature transmitters that have become the latest standard on Broadway, and can be hidden in hair when there’s no wardrobe.

DPA 4066 headset mics provide a great audio advantage and freedom of movement for a cast that not only has multiple entrances and exits from the audience, but often performs from the house as well, with some lines delivered right beside loudspeakers.

If you want to see a show on Broadway…
The heart of Broadway’s theater district is Times Square. One of the best secrets is the TKTS booth that is run by the non-profit Theater Development Fund (tdf.org), selling day-of-show tickets discounted 20 to 50 percent.

Opening in 1973 in a trailer, it’s been a temporary structure that moved under the Marriott Marquis in 2006 when construction began on their new permanent box office.

Facing the Olive Garden across 47th Street are a dozen ticket service windows. On the other side, its roof consists of 27, 15-yard wide red translucent steps facing south across Duffy Square’s towards Times Square proper, giving residents and tourists alike a haven of calm respite at the center of the universe.

It won Travel + Leisure magazine’s 2009 Design Award as “Best Public Space,” and a 2009 Design Award by the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The most popular shows – Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Lion King, and Wicked – are never discounted, because of high demand, but most others can be found.

The only drawback is that when you get to the front of the line, you can no longer see the shows listed on the display board, so you need a “plan B” if your first choice is suddenly sold out. They open at 11 a.m. for matinees and 4 p.m. isn’t too early to arrive for evening shows.

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Those looking for a single ticket often get the best seats. It’s not unusual to find front-row singles an hour before curtain, especially on weeknights. The best news is that TKTS now takes credit cards.

The renovation of Duffy Square and the new TKTS booth has also been accompanied by the closing of Broadway to traffic from 42nd to 47th Streets, creating a pedestrian mall where crowded sidewalks would often force pedestrians into traffic. The late afternoon ambience is a refreshing change from the rest of the city’s rattle and hum.

Mark Frink is Associate Editor of Live Sound International magazine.

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