Discovering New Consoles
One of the key challenges of modern live sound is getting experience with all of the leading digital sound consoles, which is normally something we do on the road or through training courses. However, there’s a way you can get familiar with leading consoles from the comfort of your own home. Simply download the offline editing software from each manufacturer’s web site –all of the leading companies offer their software for free, and with just one notable exception, they all resemble the consoles on which they’re based.
Most of the offline editing software is only available on the Windows platform, but don’t fret if you’re a Mac user — use Wine to run Windows applications. Also be aware that there may be different software for each model and firmware version, so choose carefully. Direct links:
Allen & Heath dLive Director (Windows and Mac)
Avid VENUE standalone software (Windows)
DiGiCo offline software for all SD and S Series consoles (Windows)
Midas PRO series offline editors (Windows), M32 and MR Edit software (Windows, Mac and Linux)
Soundcraft Virtual Vi, Si Offline Compact/Expression/Impact/Performer (Windows)
SSL SOLSA — it’s the same software that runs on all SSL Live consoles, although don’t expect it to pass audio (Windows)
One exercise you may want to try is to put together a channel list for an imaginary band (or for a band you’re a fan of) then program it into the offline editor for the desk of your choice. Obviously it’s difficult to build a full mix without being able to run audio, but you can name the channels, patch the inputs and outputs, set the pan, configure the auxes (for monitors and effects), insert graphics, group channels, set up DCAs, configure custom layers, set the high-pass filtering, configure gates and comps (for the expected signal), set up a tap tempo button for delays, and then save the whole thing to a memory stick. All of this can help you become familiar with the various functions of the console and make it much less of a daunting prospect to operate in the heat of battle for the first time.
Ear Training
A common thread I’ve noticed while many careers are on hiatus is the drive to keep fit and remain active. This not only helps avoid a descent into sloth but can help maintain good mental health in these uncertain times. I would argue that in the absence of any live shows for the foreseeable future, it’s also important to give your ears a workout to keep them in good shape (obviously your ears aren’t muscles and what I’m really talking about is the mental acuity required to discern subtle sonic variances which is the bedrock of being a successful sound engineer but you get the idea).
One way to achieve this is create a series of audio files of sine wave tones at various frequencies then play them back in a random order and try to guess the frequency. Repeating this exercise will help train your memory to remember the various frequencies and thus make it easier to ring out a room or deal with a random burst of feedback during a show.
But if that sounds like far too much effort, there are now a wealth of software based resources to give our ears a proper workout. Simple Feedback Trainer (Windows) and Feedback Trainer (Mac) play a series of sine tones which you have to identify using the onscreen graphic equalizer. Mr Soundman (Windows) turns frequency identification into a game as it presents audio samples that have been boosted at a specific frequency, allowing you to turn the EQ on and off to help in identifying the frequency.
If you’re looking for an online solution, try the Perfect Ear Trainer, which presents both sine tone identification and frequency boosted audio challenges, you can also check out Sound Gym, providing a wide range of exercises and challenges (although you can only try three of them for free).
Conclusion
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the resources out there but should hopefully serve as a great starting point. We’re living through unprecedented times but live shows will return, so we might as well use this time constructively so that we can return better than before.