FOH Magazin Jan 2012

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NASHVILLE Gibson Guitar Corp. re-

cently announced the ormation o the Gib-

son Pro Audio Division ater acquiring the

assets o the Stanton Group, which includes

KRK Systems, Cerwin-Vega and Stanton DJ.

Since announcing the ormation o that

division, Gibson announced a strategic part-

nership with Onkyo Corporation. The Onkyo

partnership, Gibson said, will beneft the

new pro audio division with access to new

technological resources. Gibson, in turn, will

provide Onkyo with its marketing resources

and expertise.

As part o the Onkyo deal, Gibson will

acquire a majority o Onkyo USA, which

is Onkyos exclusive distributor or North

America and a distributor or Central and

South America. The move also makes Gib-

son the second-largest Onkyo shareholder.

With its strategic investment in Onkyo,

Gibson chairman and CEO Henry Juszkie-

wicz joins Onkyos board o directors. On-

kyo, in turn, will invest in Gibson, and CEO

and president Munenori Otsuki will take a

position on Gibsons board o directors.

In addition to Onkyo USA becoming

part o Gibsons new pro audio division,Gibson and Onkyo will orm a Hong Kong-

based joint venture ocusing on design

and development o new consumer audio

products.

The Stanton Group acquisition paved

the way or Gibsons frst big expansion into

the pro audio market, with loudspeaker,

monitor and electronics technology. At the

time o that acquisition, Gibson cited Stan-

ton Groups R&D base as a key actor lead-

ing to the deal.

Right now we have an extremely

powerul brand that people recognize and

value, but the musical instrument category

is inherently limited because people who

purchase instruments also need to know

how to play them, said Henry Juszkie-

wicz, chairman and CEO o Gibson Guitar.

This new divi-

sion is perectly

aligned with

our core. It ex-

pands our reach

to ellow music

lovers and al-

lows us access

to 20 in 20 con-

sumers, insteado the one in 20 we currently hit. Stanton

produces some o the best pro audio equip-

ment in the world and were incredibly ex-

cited to be working with the very talented

team at Stanton as we take Gibson into the

uture.-$18$5


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Editors Note

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News

DiGiCo Announces ISIS Equity InvestmentCHESSINGTON, UK DiGiCo, which had

received fnancial backing or its expansion fve

years ago rom Matrix Equity Partners, recently

announced new expansion plans made pos-

sible rom a secondary investment rom ISIS

Equity Partners.

This year, DiGiCo is marking 10 years since

the debut o its D5 Live console. Over that time,

the company has expanded its product line andlaunched the Stealth Digital Processing FPGA

audio engine, now ound in all SD series con-

soles.

This is a antastic opportunity or DiGiCo

to build urther on the achievements o the last

fve years, said James Gordon, DiGiCo CEO. The

company has expanded rapidly in a short space

o time, and the timing is perect to add some

new investment and experience to the team.

I have worked in the pro audio industry

or 33-plus years. The last fve years with Matrix

and the DiGiCo team have really opened up our

ability to challenge new technology, such as

our move to Stealth Digital Processing, noted

John Stadius, DiGiCos technical director. The

uture combination o ISIS and Matrix is goingto accelerate our development opportunities

even urther.

Denise Emmanuel, investment director at

ISIS, cited DiGiCo as an example o an entrepre-

neurial company and management team that is

able to deliver growth even in a dicult envi-

ronment.

DiGiCos success

has been driven by a

highly ocused and

competitive manage-

ment team, ecient

investment in R&D, a

commitment to qual-

ity in its Scottish ac-tory and an uncom-

promising attention

to customer satisac-

tion, concluded Ma-

trix Equity Partners

Bob Henry.From left, James Gordon, John Stadius, Helen Cullerton, David Webster

MOSCOW NAMM and Messe Frankurt

announced that dozens o manuacturers and

distributors o major music product brands

have confrmed exhibit space and attendance at

the two new international music product trade

shows being co-located here: NAMM Musik-

messe Russia and Prolight + Sound NAMM Rus-

sia, to be held or the frst time at Moscows Expo

Centre May 16-19, 2012.

Sales or Russian musical instruments and

technologies are estimated to be $450 million

(US).

According to Betty Heywood, NAMM direc-

tor o international aairs, the Russian musical

market is potentially the largest in Europe, driven

by a population o close to 145 million people, a

developed musical culture and recent sustain-

able growth trends. Russia alone has more than

5,000 music schools or children,she notes.

The trade shows are being co-produced by

Messe Frankurt, producers o the InternationalMusikmesse, Music China, Frankurts Prolight +

Sound, and Prolight + Sound Shanghai, and by

NAMM International, subsidiary producer o the

NAMM Show and Summer NAMM.

NAMM and Messe Frankurt have been suc-

cessully cooperating on the Music China show

in Shanghai since 2006.

NAMM & Musikmesse

at Moscow Expo Centre

TRIESTE, Italy Scaolding and truss

crumpled at about 2 pm prior to a Dec. 12rock concert eaturing Jovanotti at the 6,943-

seat PalaTrieste. The collapse killed one stage

worker and injured eight others, according to

press reports.

About 20 workers had nearly completed

construction o the structure or Jovanottis

Ora Tour at the time o the accident. The

worker who died at the scene, Francesco Pin-

na, 20, was a college student. Authorities and

investigators restricted access to the venue

and the concert was canceled.

The artist and his manager, Maurizio

Salvadori, said the cause o the collapse re-

mained a mystery, noting that the structure,

which included LITEC truss, had been certi-

fed by an engineer and had been used at

numerous previous tour stops without a

problem. The tour was expected to resume in

February.

Jovanotti Concert Stage

Collapses, One Worker

Killed, Eight Injured


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News

and exhibitor, I know the AES remains

a vital resource or audio proessionals.

We need to clariy that value and com-

municate it better. Im ready or the chal-

lenge.In 1987, ater graduating rom Mc-

Gill University with an EE degree, Moses

joined Rane Corporation as a digital au-

dio product designer. In 1995 he invent-

ed a novel means o transporting audio

over FireWire and co-ounded Digital

Harmony Technologies (DHT) to deploy

this technology.

He also worked as a consultant to

numerous consumer and proessional

audio manuacturers until THAT Corpo-

ration recruited him in 2006 as program

manager o its IC business. As a mem-

ber o the AES Board o Governors since

1999 and as president or 2007-2008,

Moses has served an increasingly inte-

gral role within AES.

Bob Moses Named

New Executive

Director for AES

LOS ANGELES Todd Morgan, one o the

ounders o Jan-Al Cases, died on Dec. 20, 2011

ater a long illness. He was 59. Prior to joining Jan

and Mue Alejandro, Morgan had worked at

Studio Instrument Rentals (S.I.R.) where he met

Alejandro.

Morgan was the creator o the Banana Case

or shipping large screens so named because

the two lids peeled open to reveal the screen in-

side. The case orced a two-man lit, preventing

drops and screen breakage. It was an instant suc-

cess and an example o Morgans ability to incor-porate the needs o end users in his designs.

Morgan is survived by his wie, Darlene Mat-

ura Morgan, his siblings, and is also remembered

by many riends and proessional colleagues

who recall his sharp wit and detailed case de-

signs. Condolences sent to Jan-Al Cases (www.

janalcase.com) will be passed on to his amily.

Audio-Technica Assumes U.K. Distribution for Allen & Heath

Audio-Technica MD Adrian Rooke

LEEDS, U.K. Audio-Technica Ltd has an-

nounced it has entered into an agreement with

Allen & Heath Ltd to act as exclusive distributor

or the mixer manuacturer in the U.K. The

strategic move mirrors a similar arrangement

in Germany, where Audio-Technica has been

Allen & Heath distributor since 2005, seeing

a signifcant growth in sales over the last six

years in the territory.

Allen & Heaths sales and marketing man-

ager, Debbie Maxted, said the company is

delighted to be working with Audio-Techni-

ca, which has already demonstrated its com-

mitment to the brand and to our dealers and

end users in Germany. Allen & Heath has en-

joyed strong growth in recent years and we

have some exciting new products due or release

in the near uture, so we eel that this partnership

comes at just the right time or the business.

Audio-Technica and Allen & Heath are well-

suited to this new venture, sharing a dedication

to excellent customer service and ater-sales sup-

port as well as a reputation or quality products,

said Adrian Rooke, Audio-Technica managing

director. Where there is a microphone there is,

o course, requently a mixer, so in terms both

o culture and product portolio, the new agree-

ment brings advantages or both our businesses

and our customers.

Audio-Technica will handle the ull range o

Allen & Heath products starting Feb. 1, 2012 and

will be responsible or sales, technical support

and service or both existing and new customers.

From left, Jan Alejandro and Todd Morgan, in1984, a year after Jan-Al Cases was founded.

In Memoriam:Todd Morgan, 59

GET THE APPGET THE NEWS

fohonline.com/app

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International News

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Harman Pro-

fessional named

Richard Ruse, an

audio industryveteran, as se-

nior director o

global sales or

JBL Proessional.

He reports to JBL

Proessional VP/

GM Mark Ureda. Ruse has served JBL as direc-

tor o marketing, Portable PA and, prior to that,

as director o sales, Western Region. Prior to JBL,

Ruse held management positions with compa-

nies including Alesis, Line 6, KRK and SWR, and

also owned a sales and marketing consultancy.

In his new position, Ruse is responsible or

sales planning and management, collaborat-

ing with the Harman Pro regional sales oces

worldwide and interacing with key accounts,

domestic representatives and international dis-

tributors.

Harman also

named Nick Owen

senior director, world-

wide sales or its SignalProcessing business

unit. Owen will be re-

sponsible or global

brand strategies or the

dbx, Lexicon, BSS and

DigiTech brands. He is based in Harmans Sandy,

UT acility and reports to Rob Urry, vice presi-

dent and GM o Harmans Signal Processing and

Amplifer business units.

Harman also

named Harry McGee to

its Mixer, Microphones

and Headphones busi-

ness unit or Sound-

crat, Studer and AKG-

branded gear in Potters

Bar, U.K. Prior to Sound-

crat/Studer/AKG, Mc-

Gee moved rom posts with the U.S. Air Force

and U.S. Deense Contract Management Com-

mand in Europe to civilian roles including GM at

DeLaRue, senior VP operations at Dione Plc andCOO at Vados Systems Ltd.

Also based in Pot-

ters Bar is Doug Green,

Harmans newly-named

director o sales or the

EMEA regional sales

oce. Green is respon-

sible or overseeing

all sales activities in

the region or Harman

brands including AKG, JBL Proessional, BSS Au-

dio, Crown, Lexicon, Soundcrat and Studer in

Europe, the Middle East and Arica. He reports

to Scott Robbins, Harmans senior director o

sales. Green has more than 20 years o proes-

sional audio industry experience at companies

including TC Group International, Lab.gruppen

and TOA Electronics.

Fishman added our new hires to its en-

gineering and product development team:

Andy Lewis, senior manager - new business

and product development; Tom Hagerty, se-

nior mechanical design engineer; Joe Kozdra,

test development engineer; and Nick Servi-

dio, junior audio engineer. Lewis is a 25-year

veteran in proessional and consumer audio

with engineering and marketing positions or

brands such as Russound, Bowers & Wilkins,

EAW, Apogee Acoustics, Acoustic Research

and Record Plant Studios. Hagerty comes to

Fishman ater working with design and engi-

neering consulting frms in the Boston area

including Boston Acoustics, Instrumentation

Labs, Motorola, OXO, Procter & Gamble, Saud-

er and The First Years. Kozdra brings 35 years

o experience in electronics measurement

and testing, including 19 years as a test main-

tenance technician and 16 years as a manu-

acturing test engineer in optical telecommu-

nications and consumer audio. Servidio, who

has developed his own Audio Unit plug-ins

and iOS applications, has experience in both

analog audio circuit design along with digital

signal processing techniques.

On the Move

Nick Servidio

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Crew

Audio Director/FOH Engineer:

Joe OHerlihy

Monitor Mixing Engineers: CJ

Erikson, Richard Rainey, Alastair

McMillan

Crew Chief/Senior System Engi-

neer: Jo Ravitch

System Engineer: Rich Schoen-

adel

Assistant System Engineer:Vincent Perreux

Monitor/Stage Engineers: Chris

Holland, Jason Brace

Stage Patch Techs: Jason ODell,

Tom Ford

Techs: Jen Smola, Ben Blocker, Pas-

cal Harlaut, Hannes Dander, Joel

Merrill, Chris Fulton

Gear

FOH

Console: DiGiCo SD7

Speakers: Clair i-5, i-5b, SLP, FF2,

BT-218, i-DL

Amps: Lab.gruppen PLM 20000Q,

PLM 14000

Processing: TC Electronic 2290;

Eventide H3500; Yamaha SPX1000;

Lexicon PCM70; Summit DCL-200;

Avalon 737sp; Manley VoxBox

MON

Consoles: DiGiCo SD7 (2); Avid

VENUE Profile; Midas Venice 160

Speakers: Clair 12AMII Stealth

wedges, ML-18, i-5b

PMs: Future Sonics; Sennheiser

2000 series

Amps: Lab.gruppen PLM 20000Q,

PLM 14000, PLM 10000Q, FP2400Q

Mics: Shure SM57, SM58, PG58,

SM81, Beta 52, Beta 58A, Beta 98,

Beta 91, WL184; AKG 414B/ULS,

451EB; Sennheiser MKH-416, MD-

421; beyer M88; Audio-Technica

AT4050; DPA 4088 cardioid; 4065

Headset/TA4F Shure RF; Country-

man Type 85 DI

Wireless Mics: Shure UR4D

Processing: Bricasti M7; TC

Electronics 2290, M5000; Tubetech

SMC-2B; Yamaha SPX-990, SPX-

1000; Tascam DA-30 MKII, CD-

RW901

Plugins: Aphex Aural Exciter;

Cranesong Phoenix; Focusrite

Forte Suite; McDSP Analog Chan-

nel, Channel G, Chrome Tone,

MC2000; Trillium Lane Labs TL

Space; Waves Live Bundle

Crew

FOH Engineer: Dave Eisenhauer

Monitor Engineers: Glenn Collett, Andy Hill

Crew Chief/System Engineer: Mike Allison

Monitor System Engineer: Dustin Ponscheck

Tech: Brandon Allison

Gear

FOH

Console: Midas XL-4

Speakers: Clair i-5, i-5B, i-3, BT-218, FF-II

Amps: Lab.gruppen

Processing: Aphex 622; TC Electronic M5000, M2000,

2290; Summit TLA-100, DCL-200; Smart Research C2;

Empirical Labs EL-8; Amek 9098

MON

Consoles: Midas Heritage 3000, Avid VENUE Profile

Speakers: Clair 12AM, 212AM, SRM, L3 NT/LF, ML-18

PMs: Shure PSM 600, PSM 700; Sennheiser G2

Amps: Lab.gruppen

Mics (Hard-wired): Sennheiser MD-421, MKH-416;

Countryman DI; AKG C 414, C 460; Shure SM91, Beta52,Beta58A, SM98, SM57, SM58

Wireless Mics: Shure UR

Processing: Aphex 622; TC Electronic M5000, D-Two;

Summit DCL-200; Yamaha SPX990; dbx 160A

8

STEVE

JENNINGS

Soundco Clair

Crew

FOH Engineer: Gary Bradshaw

Monitor Engineers: Steve Lutely, Simon Hodge

System Engineer: Al Woods

Production Manager: Chris Vaughan

Tour Manager: Jaeki Hildisch

Techs: Tom Boothby, Baz Tymms, Adriaan Van Der Walt,

Phil Down, Pete McGlynn, Paul Carter, Damion Dyer,

Toby Donovan

Gear

FOH

Consoles: Digico SD7 (2)

Speakers: Martin Longbow

Amps: Martin Audio, Crown 12000i

Processing: Galileo, XTA

Power Distro: BuffaloRigging: Phil Broad

Breakout Assemblies: Veam

Snake Assemblies: Optocore

MON

Consoles: Digico SD7 (2)

Speakers/PMs: IEM, Sennheiser 2000 series

Mics: Sennheiser, Shure, AKG

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Crew

FOH Engineer: Trip Khalaf

Monitor Engineer: Ian Newton

System Engineer: Bob Weibel

Monitor Assistant Engineer: Kevin Kapler

Techs: Henry Fury, James Higgins, Matt Scoggins

Gear

FOH

Consoles: Midas XL4 (2), Yamaha PM5D

Speakers: Clair i-5, Clair i-5b, Clair FF-2, Clair BT-218,

Clair R-4 Series III

Amps: Crown

MON

Console: Digico SD7

Speakers: Clair 12amSeries II, Clair ML-18

PMs: Sennheiser EK 2000, Shure PSM-600 hardwires

Amps: Clair StakRak

Wireless Mics: Shure UR series

Crew

FOH Engineer: David Payne

Monitor Engineer: Andrea Vito

Carena

Systems Engineer: Vic Wagner

Monitors Tech: Greg Hancock

Crew Chief/Wireless Coordinator:

Matthew Bock

PA Techs: Joe Calabrese, Zachary

Mitchell

Gear

FOH

Console: DiGiCo SD7

Speakers: L-Acoustics K1, KUDO,

KARA

Amps: L-Acoustics LA8

Processing: System Processing:

Dolby-Lake Processors / FOH Out-

board FX/Dynamics: TC Electronics

D2, Avalon VT373, Drawmer 196

Power Distro: ProPowerBreakout/Snake Assemblies:

Entertainment Metals, FiberCo

MON

Console: DiGiCo SD7, Midas Venice

160

Speakers/PMs: Shure PSM900,

Shure P6HW

Amps: Crown I-Tech 12000HD

Processing: Focusrite Producer

Pack, BSS DPR901II

Mics: UHF-R Shure Beta 58C;

Audio-Technica AE series, ATM450;beyerdynamic M 88, Opus 88; Audix

D6, D4; Shure SM57, SM58, KSM32,

KSM141; AKG C 414

7$


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Crew

FOH Engineer: Tim Colvard

Monitor Engineer: Simon Kemp

Systems Engineer: Bjoern Seelander

Production Manager: Omar Abderrahman

Tour Manager: Jerome Crooks

Techs: Brian Thorene, David Vinnicombe, Jack Dunnett,

David Litchfield Klann

Gear

FOH

Console: DiGiCo SD7

Speakers: Meyer Sound MILO (80), 700-HP (40), UPA (8)

Processing: Meyer Sound Galileo

Power Distro: Major Tom

Rigging: CM Lodestar

Breakout/Snake Assemblies: Whirlwind

MON

Console: Avid VENUE Profile

Speakers: Meyer Sound MJF-212A (20), JM1P, 700-HP

PMs: Sennheiser EK 2000 IEMs

Mics: Shure UHF wireless, KSM-9; Neuman/AKG/Crown

86+(5

STEVEJENNINGS

Soundcos Major Tom/Thunder Audio

Crew

FOH Engineer: Horace Ward

Monitor Engineer: Ramon Morales

Systems Engineer: Tony Smith

Crew Chief: Dan Klocker

RF Tech: Bill Flugan

Techs: Jim Allen, Wayne Bacon, James Lamarca,

Kevin Szafraniec

Gear

FOH

Console: Avid VENUE Profile

Speakers: d&b audiotechnik J 8 (48), J12 (8), J-SUB (12), B2-

SUB (12), Q10 (8)

Amps: d&b audiotechnik D12

Processing: Waves

MON

Console: Digico SD7

Mics: Sennheiser RF & PMs

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Road Test

For local vendors, their citys DTV broadcast

ence posts remain the same and so can be saved

rom one project to the next, while new requen-

cies are chosen or each productions inventory,

opposite o the touring RF tech. House engineers

who work at a single venue have it easier, as both

RF environment and inventory stay constant,

other than supplemental wireless or bigger

shows or wireless brought in by visiting artists.

Whichever category youre in, Kaltman Cre-

ations Invisible Waves X system helps RF techs

manage wireless mics and IEMs better and more

eciently. The touring engineer can quickly ver-

iy constraints o the days new RF environment,

the local vendor can chose requencies without

guesswork, and in-house techs can easily trou-

ble-shoot new situations.

Several eatures are worth mentioning. UFO

Alert (Unidentifed Frequency Objects) warns

when a new RF signal appears above a defned

threshold (like a support act turning on wireless).

RF Level Alert warns when any RF signals on

the Master Status Displays sub-panels all be-

low a threshold (such as talent turning o their

transmitter or leaving the venue). Click to Listen

allows RF techs to actually hear a transmission

where IWxs cursor is located (providing con-

fdence monitoring or hearing assist systems

or just identiying rogue transmissions). Finally,

IWxs RF Coordinator identifes usable open

spectrum to aid in choosing requencies.

The system has a couple o shortcom-

ings. While its RF Coordinator can choose open

spectrum, it cant coordinate sets o wireless in

RF groups to avoid inter-modulation (IM). Us-

ing manuacturers pre-coordinated requency

groups is still the best insurance, or, or more

complicated wireless projects, multi-channel re-

quency coordination sotware, like Proessional

Wireless Systems (PWS) Intermodulation Analy-

sis Sotware (IAS).

That said, IWx is powerul, even when there

are no rogue transmissions, simply because its

constant visual aid helps RF techs do a better job

o employing best practices by continuously dis-

playing the RF environment.

At a Michael W. Smith show, the drummer

was getting dropouts on his IEMs, and I could see

that his requency was loud and clear with no in-

tererence near it. This logically led to ollowing

best practices o getting his G2 packs antenna

away rom his sweaty hip and replacing his trans-

mitters whip antenna with a paddle to increase

gain. Problem solved. Without IWx, a lot o time

might have been wasted looking or an alternate

requency that wasnt needed and wouldnt help.

Like a rear-view mirror, IWx doesnt make

better drivers, but by increasing awareness o

whats around, it helps avoid problems. Everyone

knows you should never have to use your spare

RF. For about the price o a spare RF unit, IWx can

help make sure o it.

Kaltman Creations Invisible Waves X Windows-based RF Spectrum Scannercontinued from page 33


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Waves CLA-2A Classic Compressor

On the Digital Edge

In previous columns, various Waves plugins

that I use on vocals, horns, violins, electric

guitars, bass guitars and drums have been

discussed. By now it should be apparent that I

like to use a lot o compressors. This current en-

try will ocus on my compressor o choice or theacoustic grand piano: the Waves CLA-2A Classic

Compressor.

The task o live mixing has many recurring

challenges, and one o the most dicult to ac-

complish successully is maintaining control

over the dynamics o each instrument without

sacrifcing the natural energy and expression o

the musicians. An engineer simply doesnt have

enough hands, fngers or the multitasking men-

tality to exercise constant vigilance over the all

the instruments in a 60-plus input show. It be-

comes necessary to employ electronic hands to

exert that control.

One Size DoesntFit All AJC

By defnition, correct application o com-

pression makes soter parts louder and louderparts soter, with the goal o making it easier to

hear and appreciate the characteristics o that

particular instrument or vocal in the mix. How-

ever, its never enough to just siton the dynam-

ics o an instrument. Thats the minimum asked

o a compressor plugin. I also choose plugins that

enhance the diering musical properties o each

instrument. I have yet to encounter a one size fts

allcompressor, so I always go through a trial and

error process or each input until I fnd the plugin

that properly marries itsel to the timbre and dy-

namics o an instrument.

On the James Taylor tour, we carry a beauti-

ul Yamaha C7 MIDI grand piano that is expertly

maintained and tuned by Mark Konrad, our key-

board tech. For obvious isolation reasons, the lid

is closed during perormances. However, closing

the lid creates a very dierent sound and pro-duces a radically dierent audio environment or

the transducers inside the piano. Mics must be

placed close to the strings, and this predictably

results in hot spots. Furthermore, reections are

coming rom everywhere in a closed box. The in-

struments inputs become harsher and less con-

nected.

The magic is to then reintegrate the whole

and somehow create the auditory illusion o

listening to a raised lid piano in a normal peror-

mance environment. Several tools can be used

to attack this audio conundrum. One invalu-

able tool has been the Earthworks PM40 piano

mic system. These remarkable small diaphragm

omni mics have revolutionized closed-lid miking

techniques. The engineers at Earthworks have

created a exible system that produces astound-

ing results within that less-than-optimum envi-ronment.

As noted, mic placement is critical and varies

with each piano. The two PM40 transducers are

mounted on a telescoping carbon graphite tube

allowing variable horizontal placement, both

mounted on 6-inch goosenecks or vertical ad-

justment. One can choose to orient the capsules

toward the hammer or toward the nose o the

piano. Placement choices become myriad, and

the only right way is the one that sounds best

right out o the box.

Wherever the mics end up being placed,

proper application o equalization will be nec-

essary to smooth out the hot spots created by

proximity to the strings. Its simply a necessary

evil dictated by the closed-lid condition. High-

pass flters, low-pass flters and parametric EQ

must all work in concert to massage the sound

back to a more natural, even distribution across

its 88 keys.

Subtle is Good AJC

Larry Goldings, our pianist on the James

Taylor tour, is an incredibly gited and expressive

musician, and it is never my intention to impose

needless dynamic restrictions on his playing. Tothat end, I chose a compressor that exerts very

subtle dynamic control and also enhances the

closed lid piano sound by its inclusion in the sig-

nal path.

The Waves CLA-2A Classic Compressor plu-

gin was modeled rom a legendary unit in the

enviable collection owned by Chris Lord-Alge.

The overview rom the user guide is helpul:

The CLA-2A is modeled on a hand-wired, tube-

based compressor originally produced by Teletronix

in the early 1960s. Intended or use in broadcast, the

original employed an electro-luminescent optical

attenuator or gain reduction called T4. Unlike

other designs, electro-luminescent circuitry doesnt

add distortion when it modulates the sound.

(Tubes, however, do, and Waves made sure to mod-

el that distortion.) Additionally, the inspiration orthe CLA-2As requency-dependent response made

it an instant avorite o audio engineers. However,

many consider its most unique eature to be its pro-

gram dependent, multi-stage release, which was

achieved using a 2-stage photo-electric cell. With

a Frequency Response o 30Hz to 15kHz (+/- 1dB)

and < 0.5% THD, the original provided up to 40dB

o gain limiting.

The tubesdo exactly what one expects in

the Waves CLA-2A emulation. The audio result

is a warmer, richer and denser sound that more

closely resembles the output o an open lid pia-

no. I set the compression threshold to just nip 2

to 3 dB o the loudest passages Larry plays. As I

said, I want Larry to create his own dynamics and

weave his parts in and out o the mix because o

the way James and the band have layer arrange-

ments. Instruments speak, then pull back and letanother voice be heard. Theres much movement

and texture woven into the tapestry created by

the mature, gited players in Jamesband.

The screen shot shows the setting on the

piano low mic on the PM40 system. There are

simply our user variable parameters. Begin with

unity gain and no compression, and then turn

up the gain reduction until you hear the desired

result. Add makeup gain to compensate or com-

pression and Viola! One caveat I must give to

those who have used old Teletronix units in the

past: Dont get ooled by the metering. Old units

still in use oten have a tired T4 unit inside them,

so 6 to 8 dB on its meter may translate to just 1 or

2 dB o actual compression. On Waves sotware,

however, what you see is what you get.

And what you get is a remarkably accurate

emulation o the classic original. Its not overlynoisy, operation is smooth, output is velvety, and

the compression characteristics lay gently on the

dynamics but leave the musical quality pristine.

Adding in the two other parameters allow the

user to urther enhance the audio result.

The Hum circuit is common to most o Waves

classic emulations and is included to more accu-

rately recreate the actual operating conditions

in which the original units were employed. Its a

simple push button control that lets you decide i

the signal is enhanced by adding 50 Hz (Europe)

or 60 Hz (USA) line hum to the signal. Dont like it?

Switch it to o. Youre the che.

The ourth parameter controls how the com-

pression circuitry responds to HF inormation.

Again quoting rom the user guide:

HiFreq increases voltage amplifer gain in the

peak reduction circuit, or requencies above 1 kHz,leaving lower requencies less aected. When set to

Flat, the CLA-2A provides equal reduction to all re-

quencies. The more you move away rom Flat, the

less sensitive the compressor is to lower requencies,

resulting in less low-end compression.

I dial this control down to increase the HF

crossover eect on the low mic. Greater com-

pression on the HF component o the signal lets

the let hand come through a little better with

more push at the bottom. It also allows me to

back o on some o its HF EQ bands.

Ive also employed this plugin on an acoustic

guitar that didnt produce enough bottom end

output. The CLA-2A produced equally pleasing

results. This is a good product and carries the

venerable LA-2A into the digital age with very

little compromise. The CLA-3A is also great ad-

dition to the Waves lineup and I will discuss this

solid-state brother to the CLA-2A next month.

Happy New Year!

David Morgan is a musician, songwriter and sound

engineer or James Taylor, Carole King, Joe Walsh

and other top artists. Reach him at dmorgan@o-

honline.com.

By DavidMorgan


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44/48

Happy New Year to all o you. By the time

you read this I will either have been to

the winter NAMM show or be on my way.

The reason I am mentioning NAMM (other than

the act that it takes place in January) is that I am

specifcally looking at architectural speakers thatcan be installed in a house o worship.

I you are not up to speed on todays column

speakers, I can tell you they are much improved

rom those o years ago. Many o you remember

(or have heard o) the Shure Vocal Master. Each

one o the columns incorporated our 8-inch

and two 10-inch speakers. I had a pair o those

column speakers in my frst band. However, by

the time I bought mine, they were very used and

well worn.

Anyway, beore I digress urther, let me just

state that modern column speakers can work

beautiully in a variety o house o worship set-

tings. Along with wide horizontal coverage andminimal vertical coverage above and below the

enclosure, they oer clarity in the vocal range.

And, o course, their narrow profle is ideal or

mounting on the walls or columns o your avor-

ite house o worship.

I your worship house is all about singing and

preaching, you may fnd that some inexpensive

column speakers can fll all o your needs. Should

you have bigger musical demands requiring

more dynamic range and greater bandwidth

(keyboards, acoustic guitar, etc.), you will want to

look or a 2-way design incorporating separate

high requency transducers.

Personally, I like the addition o a ribbondriver to my column speakers. A tall thin high

requency ribbon driver fts into the column

speaker design brilliantly especially when the

alternative is to try to mount a high-requency

horn into a narrow column box.

I am also a an o the sound o a good ribbon

driver. The highs always seem a little smoother

and less brittle than a high compression horn.

Another thing to keep in mind while you are

planning your column speaker installation is that

the longer the speaker column, the better your

bass perormance will be. A nine-oot column

can provide pattern control down to 125 Hz. O

course, you can always add a traditional sub-wooer to supplement a columns low requency

response.

Another advantage o using column speak-

ers is that you can provide lower volume and po-

tentially higher quality audio or your specifc au-

dience. Lets say you have a long, narrow house

o worship. Using six or eight column speakers

mounted at the appropriate interval, you can

bring the word (or music) right to the intended

listener.

(O course, you will have to consider place-

ment and audio delay times, but that is a subject

or another day.)

Beore you jump into a new set o column

speakers or your worship house, I suggest you

seek out and visit houses o worship that are al-

ready using this type o speaker. Once you havehad the opportunity to listen to some column

speakers, you can gain a better perspective

when it comes to purchasing and installing your

own speakers.

Personally, I have installed only a ew column

speakers in houses o worship. However, two

years ago, on a trip to Italy, I saw and listened to

column speakers in almost every major church

I visited (I think they are reerred to as basilicas).

The main basilicas in Florence, Pisa and Siena

(to mention a ew) all used column speakers to

reinorce their audio. The speakers were either

mounted on the walls o the churches or the

huge marble columns that support the basilica

ceilings. Speakers were mounted rom 6 to 7 eet

high at the bottom o the enclosure. In those

enormous, very reverberant spaces, column

speakers are the best way to get audio to theentire congregation at a low volume. And those

big churches are all about the word, prayers and

the occasional choral song. The reality is that you

just cant put a rockin worship band into a giant

marble basilica.

Whether you are in a big reverberant church

or a small house o worship, column speak-

ers can work together in tandem. A variety o

manuacturers design their columns enclosures

to couple together. In many cases, they actu-

ally bolt together so that two enclosures become

one column. I have seen instance where two

3-oot columns were coupled to create a 6-oot

box. (Remember, a 9-oot box enclosure will give

you bass control down to 125 Hz).

Architectural column speakers are easy on

the eyes and can become almost invisible once

they are installed. The narrow enclosures cancome in a variety o colors or can even be paint-

ed to match your house o worship colors. I feld-

tested a pair o K-array KR200 columns last year

that could not have been more than 3 inches

wide. Wherever I set them up, they literally disap-

peared into their surroundings. O course, I had

the advantage o some very powerul subs that

came along with the columns, but my point is

that the speaker enclosures just blend in because

o their narrow profle.

Lastly, i you already have a big FOH speaker

system in you worship house, columns can be

used to supplement that sound. In a big room,

columns can be placed urther rom the stage,

or even in another room, i needed. There are

so many possibilities with column speakers that

you should consider checking them out beore

you jump into your next install or addition.

Reach Jamie at [email protected].

Column Speakers

Sound Sanctuary

By JamieRio


45/48-$18$5


46/48ZZZIRKRQOLQHFRP

Wrong & Right

FOH-at-Large

There is no definitive way of set-

ting up gain structure and mix-ing a show but, after much time

and years of practice, we all learn the

right way to go about achieving our

desired results. While the art of mix-

ing may not be an exact science, there

are still many precise and defined rules

to which we need to adhere as we mas-

ter our craft and practice our art. The

rules that define right from wrong are

not only imperatives for mixing, but are

also the tenets that extend to every as-

pect of a given production.

Self-Evident Truths AJC

For the most part, these canons are

unwavering and do not leave much

room for speculation. It is wrong if oneshould need a minimum of 60 amps to

run their show and a venue can only

provide 20 amps of power. Its not right

if, when tying into an electric panel,

one should cross their ground and neu-

tral cables. It is wrong to expect input

signal to go to the speakers unless said

signal is assigned to an output chan-

nel that is sending to the speakers. Its

wrong to turn the channel input gain

up all the way while at the same time

boosting 2.5k and then trying to get

the channel fader to unity. It is wrong

to think that a 48-channel show can be

properly mixed on an 8-channel board.

What is right is mixing 10 stereo

ears on a console with 24 outputs. It is

wrong to think that this same feat canbe accomplished on a board with only

six outputs. It is wrong to mismatch

amplifier and speaker impedance, and

it is wrong to send square waves to the

speakers. Spilling beer into your con-

sole is wrong, and wrapping the micro-

phone cables between your elbow and

hand is also wrong. Loading in and set-

ting up the stage and lights before fly-

ing the audio rig is right. Bringing two

self-powered speakers on stands for a

full band in a shed is wrong, as is bring-

ing 16 over eight per side for a solo gui-

tarist in a living room. Attempting to fly

a 3,000-pound load with a half-ton mo-

tor is wrong. Flying the same load with

two one-ton motors is right. Using gaff

tape and tie line instead of span sets

and shackles is wrong.

All of the above are easy examples of

right and wrong. This is this, and noth-

ing more than basic physics. If a piece

of equipment runs on electrical energy

and there is no electricity, then that spe-

cific piece of gear will not function. Oil

wont work, coal wont help and neither

will a good whipping with a stick. There

are no gray areas involved with the op-eration of this piece of equipment, and

it is what it is: electricity is right and ev-

erything else is wrong. Its great when

you learn the rules, since you then know

where you are at all times. There are no

gray areas to confuse the matter; some-

thing is either right or it is wrong, and

if its right, it works, if its wrong all hell

breaks loose. These rights and wrongs

are concise and exacting as gravity and

are not open to discussion or debate.

There are no gray areas to compl icat e

matters and no soul searching required;

something is or it is not, period.

Getting Our Bearings AJC

I cite these examples of right and

wrong because it seems that, on a daily

basis, we are bombarded by the moral

turpitude of bankers, politicians, celeb-

rities, athletes and scammers from all

walks of life. It appears that we have

collectively lost our moral compass or,

better yet, there is some interference

and our moral compass cannot find true

North. Oh wait, this is the other right and

wrong, this is the right and wrong that

can be very messy and confusing witha profusion of debatable gray area. This

is the right and wrong that requires us,

as humans, to actually make a choice

between the two. This is the right and

wrong of ethics and morals.

Its easy to look at situations from a

distance, judging them and wondering

what the people involved were think-

ing at the time of their ethical and moral

failing, but it seems that the pattern be-

hind these failures is simply explained.

These pe ople were thinki ng abou t noth-

ing but themselves, and not the greatergood. From Wall Street to the hallowed

halls of our government, from religious

institutions to esteemed colleges, it ap-

pears that the moral and ethical fiber of

our society is disintegrating. Of course,

this is nothing new neither in the

history of mankind nor in the narration

of our society. We can cite examples of

immoral and unethical behavior from

every culture, but while its easy to be

an armchair moralist as we watch the

evening news we need to be aware of

our own challenges in our daily lives.

Decisions, Decisions AJC

If a client should hire an audio com-

pany for the cost of $5,000 and unwit-tingly overpay by $30, should the $30 be

refunded, or just absorbed into the cost

unless the client should notice? On the

outset, the question seems pretty cut

and dry, and the ethical thing to do is

refund the money. But what if the sound

company has a payment due for the loan

they took to finance the system, and this

just happens to be the first gig after a

long dry spell? What if the overpayment

to the audio company is $1,000? Does

that change the moral and ethical re-

sponsibility of the audio company?

What if your audio company is one

of three bidders on a big job and, just

before submitting the bid, you find out

that the other two companies have sub-

mitted similar bids? Do you lower yourbid substantially just to get the job? Can

you justify doing so by saying It is just

business? Meanwhile, you get the job

and find out that it will be an extremely

long and difficult event, but because

youve underbid on it, you dont really

want to pay too much money for labor.

Therefor e, do you tell the hands youve

hired the kind of difficulty they will be

facing, or, fearing that they might re-

fuse the gig for the money offered, do

you send them on the show without let-

ting them know what they might be up

against?

What Will YOU Do? AJC

At this point, Im not quite sure that

I have proven anything other than phys-ics is easier to master than ethics, but in

light of all the unethical behavior that

has been in the news of late and the fact

that we are now in the much ballyhooed

year 2012, it may be time to try honing

our ethical and moral abilities as well as

mastering our audio skills. Not that any

of us are unethical, Im just saying.

The correct way to reach Baker Lee is by

sending email to [email protected].

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FOH Magazin Jan 2012

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Transcript of FOH Magazin Jan 2012