Lack Of Hands-On
A new projector arrived, featuring a fan somewhat less obtrusive than an unrepentant metal band, but we were still limited to teaching within the Audiocore paradigm.
I demonstrated moves with the XTA controllers sent through big stacks, but we didn’t have adequate student hands-on; still too much instructor demonstration.
This was done through an old analog Midas PR40 console, which was visually disconnected from the projector/XTA presentation. At the time I didn’t realize that all the work surfaces needed to be up on big screens.
As our PR40 neared the end of its working life early in 2009, the search started for a replacement. XL4 sez me, an unabashed Midas guy. We came very close to getting one, and then our newly appointed chairman opted for the digital option, as long as A) we knew which one to get, and B) we could afford the thing.
We had addressed part A in the spring of ’09, when the usual suspects among current digital consoles were brought in for a listen. At the time, based on what I heard, I had formed a preference. A preference with no hope of procurement, I thought.
But through the good offices of our local leadership and the vendor/manufacturer of my preference, a DiGiCo SD8, I was proven wrong and the unit arrived in late summer 2009.
I had previously whined in these pages about digital desks – like other geezers I had serious reservations about the menu/layers and other IT features. I had been blown away at Bob Doyle’s presentation/launch of the original D5 at an AES show in LA, both by the desk and the cost.
The Big Shift
We started to use the SD8 for classes: XTA/Audiocore up on 100-inch screen, instructor calls change (EQ/crossover/delay) request to teaching assistant (TA) at the console, who executes command with laptop in Audiocore and on the console worksurface.
If a student wanted to see what was happening on the console, he had to stand on the riser behind the TA. Clunky.
Mr. Yahoudy, the TA of record in this instance, got a flash, and managed to get the SD8 touchscreen up on the 100-inch screen. Instant paradigm shift.
As we had only the one screen, at any given moment we had to choose between Audiocore and the SD8. Way better, but still a long way to go, as the constant repatching broke student concentration and workflow.
Eventually we got to our present situation – a 12-foot monster screen positioned between the main L/R. This caused a disaster with the dialog/center channel, as the cost for motorized blow-though screens of that size was prohibitive.
In two months that will be solved with the arrival of our new Clair flown center channel, which of course will be a perfect match with our eight stacks of Martin Audio cabinets. The first task for the advanced students this fall will be the integration of that unit with the existing loudspeakers. They will have a lot of assets to work with, as there is also a side 100-inch screen which, like the big one in front, can display Audiocore, SD8 touchscreen, Blu-ray player, Internet, iTunes – whatever.