Alfred “AL-Tee” Williams has worked as a front of house and monitor engineer with artists such as Kool and the Gang, The SOS Band, Tank, Rachelle Farrell, Angie Stone, Fantasia, and currently with R&B artist Jay Sean. His choice in mixing boards then, and now, is the Yamaha PM5D. Williams said the console’s dynamic performance helps the artist keep the rhythm pumping on the stage.
“In today’s world, digital consoles are the ‘whatz, how and now’ and used at every venue around the world, states Williams. “The Yamaha PM5D is the board that I can count on seeing no matter where I travel. It’s one of the user-friendliest digital consoles to work with, especially for engineers that are more familiar with analog mixing boards and for the digitally inclined as well. Some of my ‘seasoned’ engineer friends also agree how easy the 5D is to use right out of the box.”
“I have had some terrific experiences working with the Yamaha PM5D,” the engineer adds. “The night before mixing Kool and the Gang on a morning telecast of the ‘Rachael Ray Show,’ it rained on my console. Now what was I supposed to do? Fortunately, the show had an extra Yamaha PM5D console in the production truck, so we powered it up within minutes of airtime, loaded my Yamaha file, and the performance went on. It was one of my most magical moments!”
Williams also said he likes seeing all of the console’s 24-aux sends without going to another page. “This feature is great, especially when it’s your first time working with an artist and there isn’t a sound check. In a live application, you only have seconds to pull up a mix. With the Yamaha PM5D, it’s just as fast as you are, with no delays.”
