Capsicum Pro Audio & VIsual Blog
Not to long ago, I went to a Staples to purchase a new computer bag. Upon checkout I was asked, “ would you like a bag?”. I immediately thought to myself, “how funny, this lady just asked me if I needed a bag to put my new bag inside.....” Of course I had to make a smart remark, of which we both laughed, and mutually agreed that a bag was unnecessary.
As I returned to my vehicle, the phrase, “Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle” had come to mind. It dawned on me that I had engaged in the 1st step of the phrase,”Reduce”. Though a small step, it got me thinking. Edible bags........ Just Kidding!!!
What are event companies doing to reduce? Are audio-visual providers using too much electricity....? Are caterers using plastic cups, that end up in the trash anyways......? We could go on and on.
I believe that “Reduce” is first in this short list because of it’s importance.
The best recycling is when there is never anything to recycle in the 1st place, and the best re-use program is when there is nothing to re-use.
If you never had to use it in the first place, then you don’t have to re-use it or recycle it.
Reduce:
At Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual most of our equipment is pretty energy efficient. New amplifier technologies have allowed us to achieve very high wattage outputs with little consumption. Lab Gruppen has recently released an amplifier called the 10000Q. This amplifier puts out 10,000 watts via four channels and only requires a single 30amp plug. Many amplifiers manufacturers are now striving for more output of their amplifiers with less power consumption. Capsicum mainly uses these amps.
We also do everything we can to remain paperless. And the paper that we do use, is re-used in our office before it is recycled. How often do we print something with an empty back side, which ends up in the trash?
Reducing is also a cash saving option. If you never purchased it, that means you didn’t spend your precious green backs. Making your green event a cost effective one as well.
Here are some reduction ideas for event planners:
*Try clear top tents. They can act as solar heaters in the fall or spring. Reducing the need for heaters. This has worked well for many people until temperatures reach freezing.
*Share photos digitally. No chemicals, wasted paper, or film. Using a dvd, slide show, projected or on television screens, is a great way to share photos.
*Use real china, glasses, and utensils. They’re reusable, and don’t end up in local landfills.
*Donate unserved food to local shelters. Also a great community service, we all hate to see good food thrown away. I've actually started to see this in a few major touring acts spec sheets.
*Use caterers who use local, organic and seasonal foods whenever possible. Locally grown food doesn’t have to travel far, reducing energy consumed by transportation. Also stimulating local economies.
Re-Use
I believe that “re-use” is second because it’s not the most energy efficient, but can drastically reduce consumption, and waste.
Have you ever been to a buffet? Your server comes around as you’ve finished your salad, and takes your plate away, and gives you a fresh clean one. How about giving the dishwasher in the back a break.......
If you could get everyone at an event to use their plastic cup twice, you’ve drastically reduced consumption.
At Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual we do everything we can to re-use. It is cost effective, which allows us to pass the savings along to our clients.
Capsicum often runs generators and trucks on bio-diesel, and re-uses our office supplies when possible.
Here are some ideas, that we got from other event planners.
*Use re-usable tablecloths, napkins, and dinner ware. Nothing disposable.
*Bring you own containers for unserved food.
*Use live, potted plants for your decoration. They can be replanted later, and provide an authentic atmosphere.
*Use reusable hand towels in restrooms. These can be embossed for your event.
Recycle
We take the approach that recycling should be your last option. The process of recycling consumes quite a bit of energy. Not to mention, if you have Reduced and Re-Used then recycling is less necessary.
Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual recycles all paper that we have already re-used.
Event planners can place recycling stations throughout the events venue.
Eco Friendly Steps:
*Plan your event near public transportation services.
*Use propane instead of gasoline, or diesel fuel for heat. Propane is non toxic and burns clean. Propane produces less carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,particle matter, and nitrogen oxide than diesel or gasoline.
*Use products made from sustainable resources, like bamboo. Bamboo is considered one of the most sustainable materials known to man.
*Whatever disposable products you do have to purchase, make sure they are bio-degradable.
Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual is always searching out new ways for our company to continue along the path of eco-friendly, and energy efficient event production.
If you have any questions or would like us to quote your next event, feel free to contact us.
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I keep a BOSCH DLR130 laser distance measurer in my console case, for quick time alignment of the backline to the mains. Along with the laser tape measure I also have an app on my IPhone called "Backline Calculator". The Backline Calculator is made by Audiofile Engineering, and has a calculator that is pretty useful for converting distance into time. Usually I prefer to use SMAART, but with a lot of quick and dirty gigs, it's easier to use a laser tape measure and the Backline Calculator.
It's quite simple
1. Measure the distance form FOH to the loudest item on the stage. This could be a drummers monitor, guitar amp, or anything.
2. Measure the distance to your main speakers.
3. Figure out the difference between the two measurements. e.g. The distance to the bass cabinet is 60ft. and the distance to the main speakers is 54 ft. The difference is 6ft.
4. Use the Backline Calculator's "Distance to Time" feature to quickly convert feet into milliseconds. e.g. The difference between 60ft and 54ft is 6ft. So now we can convert 6ft into milliseconds, which is 5 milliseconds.
5. Now apply 5 milliseconds of delay to your mains.
I find these tools really helpful when I'm in a hurry and all I really want to do is time align the system. Enjoy!!
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While recently mixing a Pro Tools session of a live concert, I was struggling to acquire some clarity and definition in the mix from the instruments. The mix was lacking that punch I am used to when mixing in a studio. After awhile I had muted the vocal microphones to just work on the instruments. All of a sudden my mix was tight!! So I went back and soloed the vocals to hear what was going on there. The vocal microphones were receiving almost as much of the instruments as it was receiving of the vocals. Especially the electric guitars......... Which were in a pretty close vicinity to the vocal microphones.
I decided to explore some options, some of which we have written about before in our blog here.
1. You can take the guitar amps and face them backwards or under the stage to avoid them becoming a nuisance in the vocal microphones.
2. Use a microphone with a tighter cardioid pattern and place the guitar amps somewhere where they are less likely to interfere with the vocal microphones.
3. Place the guitar amplifiers pointed straight up so that the guitar amp speakers are pointed to the venues ceiling and not at the vocal microphone or audiences. This will also help tighten up the Front of House mix by not having those guitar amplifiers compete with the main system.
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Using the Avid VENUE SC48 as a FireWire interface for SpectraFoo or SMAART
It is common practice for engineers who use SMAART or SpectraFoo to use an audio interface to get our reference and measurement signals into our analysis programs. I have personally been using Sound Devices USBPre for about 6 years now.
As audio engineers we are always looking for ways to streamline the process of setting up, tuning, sound checking, and doing the show. When the digital console came along our world as sound engineers changed! Now our digital consoles are also FireWire interfaces for recording programs. Since Avid is the manufacturer for both ProTools recording software and Venue Live consoles, the symbiotic relationship of console/recording interface has made the process of recording the show extremely convenient.
With the Avid VENUE 3.0 update and the FWx32 capabilities, I decided to see if we could use our Avid VENUE SC48 as an interface for SpectraFoo and SMAART. After playing around for a few minutes, I found that it's quite easy.
On the SC48
1. The first thing you will want to do is make sure that you have the FWx32 drivers installed on both the console and your computer.
2. Set aside two free channels on your SC48 as a Reference channel and a Measurement channel. Sometimes I use the IPod input as a reference channel.
3. Head over to the PATCHBAY PAGE on your SC48 and select DIRECTS.
4. Select a FWx direct output for both the Measurement and Reference channels (e.g. FWx channel 1as the Reference or IPOD channel, and 2 for the Measurement microphone)
5. Make sure to go to the inputs page of both your Reference and Measurement channels and enable the Direct Outs.
6. When I use the Reference channel I insert the signal generator plug-in on the channel.
On your analysis computer
For SpectraFoo:
1. Open SpectraFoo
2. Go to the Audio I/O menu and open Configure Hardware. Set the CA Driver as "Avid VENUE FWx32".
3. When opening any of the SpectrFoo analysis tools, select the FWx channels you had setup on the console as the inputs for the analysis tools.
For SMAART:
1. Go to Applications / Utilities / Audio Midi Setup and select "Pro Tools Aggregate I/O" as your Play Back and Input Device.
2. Set-up a SMAART measurement and select "CoreAudio: Avid VENUE FWx32" as your device.
By using the SC48 as an interface for SpectraFoo and SMAART, I have saved a bit of time used during setup and also have one less piece of equipment to carry around, not to mention that sometimes hard to find USB cable that we keep on forgetting at home……
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I've been working in the world of audio engineering for 16 or so years now. I have developed my knowledge of frequencies by spending countless hours in recording studios, sweeping through frequencies on a parametric eq, to find resonant frequencies. As I eventually moved on to the world of live sound, my studio experience allowed me to work quickly and efficiently, but it was ringing out monitors that taught me the exact frequencies on 31 band 1/3 octave graphic eq.
Many times I have been asked how someone might go about developing these skills and quite often I would refer to my experiences in studios and on stages. But with the arrival of smart phones and apps, have come a number of tools to assist in developing and training our ears..
One of these tools is Quiztones developed by Audiofile Engineering.
From the AudioFile Engineering website:
Quiztones is a frequency identification ear training app for amateur and professional audio engineers and musicians. Quiztones uses frequency-altered tones, noise and musical loops to train your ears and help develop more acute listening and frequency recognition skills.
Quiztones will...
- Sharpen your ears & frequency recognition skills
- Improve your mixing and EQ chops
- Prevent noise buildup in your mixes & recordings
- Eliminate the need to sweep for frequencies
Quiztones cleverly uses quizzes to engage users in training exercises.
Each EQ Quiz offers four trainers:
- Easy frequency boost
- Hard frequency boost
- Hard frequency cut
- Expert frequency boost – 1/3 octave (available via in-app purchase)
Upon downloading the Quiztones app for my IPhone, I went straight to the Tones trainer.
In Easy mode, a sine wave frequency is played and you are given 4 options. You are then scored on your accuracy. One training cycle goes through 10 frequencies.
Expert Mode is much the same, only you are given frequencies based on 1/3 octaves.
After playing around for sometime with the Tone trainer I had moved onto the EQ trainers. The EQ trainers are games that ask you to identify changed frequencies from various source materials. Like the Tone trainer you are given a list of 4 frequencies to choose from.
When entering the EQ trainer you are given a choice of what type of source material you would like to work with. First in the list is the Music Library containing music from Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, Fleetwood Mac, LCD Sound System, and Warrne G.
After Music Library you can choose from Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Drums, Electric Guitar, Orchestra, Piano, Pink Noise, Strings, Stings 2, and Vocals.
In each source material category, you are given 5 options varying in difficulty. Easy +8dB, Hard +5dB, Hard -10dB, Expert +7dB - 1/3 octave, and Expert +4dB - 1/3 Octave.
I personally think this is one of the best EQ and frequency trainers that I have seen yet. I would love to recommend it to all of my staff here at Capsicum Pro Audio but all of the products from AudioFile Engineering are developed for Apple based platforms only. Even though I am personally an Apple guy, I would like to see AufioFile Engineering apps for Android and other smart phones, so more people can use them.
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It was at NAMM that Avid made some big headlines in the pro audio world by debuting the SC48 Remote System along with Venue software version 3.
Working on D-Show and Profile systems over the past few years I have enjoyed features like, having the consoles I/O on the stage, strong Pro Tools integration, HW Inserts, more plug-in slots, and more busses. Venue software version 3 promises to bring all of these features to the Venue SC48.
Upon hearing this news I immediately placed an order for the software upgrade. The Avid Venue version 3 software update costs somewhere between $150 - $160..
From the Avid site:
What’s new for all VENUE users
- Record and play back up to 32 Pro Tools channels (up from 18) over FireWire (SC48 and FWx Option Card users)
- Create bigger mixes with expanded input processing channels in SC48 (increased from 48 to 64) and VENUE Mix Rack (increased from 64 to 80) Systems
- Manage multiple Aux busses with ease, now that Aux bus names are displayed on the Inputs page
- Get HPF settings included in all EQ presets, and when copying/pasting EQ settings
- Quickly configure your console layout by simply dragging and dropping channel strips
- Get fast access to the Inputs page by double-pressing the Select button
- Program the Console User button in the Events List to perform common tasks such as tap tempo or recalling a snapshot
- Quickly cancel Multi-Select mode by pressing the Multi-Select button
What’s new for VENUE SC48 users
- Handle larger monitor mixes, now with 24 busses available (up from 16)
- Create better mixes with more plug-ins, now with 40 plug-in slots (up from 20)
- Supports the new Stage 48 remote I/Os box and companion Ethernet Snake Card
Well the day came when the package showed up. The next day I pulled out our Digidesign Venue SC48 and set out to upgrade.
Anyone who has been using Avid products for any amount of time knows that upgrading a system can be pretty time consuming as there are ILok licenses, plug-ins to be re-installed or upgraded for compatibility, and the inevitable head scratching or "ooh yeah, CONFIG MODE!!!!"
Pro Tools Recording
One of the main reasons we're so excited about v3, is the ability to increase our channel count into Pro Tools. Venue version 3 increases the Pro Tools track count from 18 channels to 32. When we had purchased our SC48 it came with Pro Tools LE 8. But in order to take full advantage of Venue version 3, you will need to upgrade to Pro Tools 10.
I installed Pro Tools 10 on my MacBook Pro and noticed that I did not have the 32 channels of record and playback that I had expected. So I hit the web and learned that the Venue FWx 32-channel driver and updater needed to be downloaded and installed to access these features in Pro Tools and on the SC48. Once the FWx 32 updates were installed, all 32 channels came through and were available in Pro Tools.
Once we had Pro Tools up and running we connected an ethernet cable from the SC48 to our computer and enabled Venue Link. Venue Link allowed us to open a Pro Tools session with all the track information from the SC48. Venue Link has saved us time by eliminating track labeling and setting I/O in Pro Tools.
If you are going to be recording quite a bit with Pro Tools and Venue consoles, I highly recommend downloading and reading the "Live Recording Guide for VENUE Systems and Pro Tools".
So the night came when we had a decent amount of channels to be recorded. This show had 27 inputs and two, one and a half hour sets. The recordings went well until the end of the second set when the computer seemed to of had enough. After 2.5 hours of recording the processing on my computer was taxed.
My MacBook Pro has a 2.3 Ghz Intel Core i5 and 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory. But of course this is a problem of my computers processing power and not a fault of Venue version 3 software or Pro Tools 10. 32 channels of simultaneous recording can be pretty taxing on a laptop. With that being said, I would recommend having something with a bit more processing power if you plan on using up a good amount of channels in Pro Tools.
64 Input Processing Channels
Venue 3.0 software allows us to have 16 additional channels of input processing (up to 64 from 48). These extra 16 channels are not actual full microphone inputs. It does not mean that the SC48 can have 64 microphone inputs. What it does mean is that you can send any combination of channels 1-48 to be split and sent to 49-64. This comes in handy for mixing monitors from the FOH position, allowing you to have separate channels for the monitors. But this does not come without taxing the DSP inside the SC48. When I set the console to have 64 input processing channels I was not able to use many of the plug-in slots that I usually do. One cool thing about this feature though is that you can also decrease the channel count down to 16 channels, which could free up quite a bit of DSP for extra plug-ins when we have an artist with fewer inputs. The Venue SC48 can be configured to use 16, 24, 32, 48, and 64 input processing channels.
24 Busses through Variable Groups
From the Avid Site:
"You can configure SC48 to operate in Variable Groups mode. In Variable Groups mode, the eight Group busses are replaced by eight Variable Group busses, which operate in much the same way as Aux busses. When set to Variable Groups mode, the 16 Aux and eight Variable Group busses provide up to 24 busses."
This configuration is useful for situations that require more than 16 Aux busses, such as mixing monitors for groups requiring more than 16 independent mixes."
The 24 Bus through Variable Groups option is much like some of the other features found in Venue 3.0, they come with a trade off. If you want more than 16 aux mixes, you're going to have to trade some group busses for them. This feature makes the SC48 a much more powerful monitor console able to handle up to 24 mixes.
Assigning Events to User Switch
This is an exciting new feature as it allows you to assign any Event to the User switch. The reason we like this so much is that it keeps our hands near the faders during critical mixing. It can be a pain sometimes to have to reach for the top of the console while you're riding a fader and having to change snapshots or tap a tempo. All in all, it keeps you in a more comfortable mix position….
Hardware Inserts
This is a feature that I have wanted to see in the SC48. It has been standard in the D-Show and Profile Systems. What this does is act much like an insert on an analog console providing an I/O to send and return to an external piece of hardware such as a compressor, EQ, or gate and can be inserted on an individual channel or a bus. To utilize this feature on your SC48 you will need to purchase the IO16 card. Why can't we just use our current I/O cards? This is an upgrade I would like to see in Venue 3.1.
Drag and Drop Channels
How often have you nearly finished wiring a stage when the drummer comes up and hands you a trigger pad? I usually place something like this on the channels right after the drum overheads. With Venue 3.0 you can now place that surprise channel into any free input and then drag and drop that channel into place where you need it in your mix or on the control surface. The hardware input is not changed and the channel parameters stay the same. You can also move whole groups of channels by shift clicking the channel strips you want to be moved and then dragging all of them to your desired location.
Other Nifty Features:
HPF Settings Included in EQ Presets and EQ Copy/Paste
High-pass filter (HPF) settings are now included in channel EQ Presets, and are also included when copying and pasting channel EQ settings.
Fast Access to Inputs Page
Double-press any input channel Select switch to quickly re- turn to the Inputs page on-screen, regardless of which page was previously displayed.
Quick Cancel of Multi-Select Mode
To exit Multi-Select mode, press the Multi-Select switch.
What we would like to see in future versions:
1. Hardware Inserts I/O without having to purchase IO16 Card. I would love to use my Emperical Lab Distressors with out having to spend $2500.00
2. The ability to have an external unit for plug-ins processing like an SSL Duende or TC Electronics Powercore. Or the option to add another DSP Mix Engine Card...
Don't forget to join us on Twitter for more tips and reviews @ twitter.com/capsicumpro
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Mixing Tip
Another trick to get a vocal to pop out in a mix when using a digital console like the SC48 is to route all of the instruments to a stereo buss. Then add a multi band compressor on that buss that has a side chain input. On the multi band compressor select the mid to low mid frequencies to be compressed. Now set the vocals to trigger the multi band compressor through the side chain.
Now when the vocalist sings, a nice little pocket is created in all the instruments for them to stand out.
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SOUND NERD TIP:
If you're ever having trouble getting a vocalists voice to stand out in a mix, find their dominant frequency and pull that frequency down 3 db from all the instrument channels. Sometimes I have all the instruments on a sub group with an EQ inserted to just use one stereo EQ...
Happy Mixing!!!
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Sound Nerd Tip: When compressing a stereo signal avoid stereo linking your compressors. This causes the compressor to push on both signals at the same time ruining your stereo image. Unlink your compressors and set them both to the same setting....
Happy Mixing!!! And don't forget to share this link with your friends....
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THE BEST BASS DRUM MICROPHONE…….
So what is the best kick drum microphone? Well, That depends…. What kind of bass drum sound are you after?
Though I’m not sure that those in search of the best bass drum microphone have considered all the elements that make up a great drum sound E.Q. compression, preamps, speakers, and too many others to mention here.
I’ve used everything from a Neumann U87, Shure SM57, EV RE20, to the Radio Shack special.
In the recording studio, I hold the idea that anything goes and do whatever works. But, over many years of working in the concert touring industry, I have definitely noticed a trend and an industry standard. I can show you hundreds of technical riders, from many genres of music, asking for two bass drum microphones and often both of them at once.
The three microphones I am referring to are the Shure Beta52, and the Shure Beta 91. Although there are a few rising stars such as the Audix D6.
When using a combo of bass drum microphones, one microphone rarely changes, and that is the Shure Beta 91 inside the bass drum.
For a vocal based group send all of the instruments to a stereo group and add 3-6 ms, keeping the vocals heading straight to the main L/R. Then delay the mains to the backline. This allows you to tune some distance between the vocals and the rest of the instruments allowing the vocals to pop a bit more.
Happy Mixing!!!
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Capsicum Pro Audio is always staying up on the latest technology to provide our clients with the best service possible. We are very excited about the new presets for our JBL Vertec 4888's
From the JBL Website
LONDON, United Kingdom – HARMAN’s JBL Professional has launched the Pilot Program for its new VERTEC® V5 DSP presets—software plug-in upgrades for VERTEC VT4889, VT4888, VT4880 and VT4880A models that dramatically enhance VERTEC system performance. The V5 DSP presets leverage OMNIDRIVEHD™ linear phase FIR processing capability found in Crown I-Tech HD Series power amplifiers and JBL DrivePack® DPDA input modules.
The VERTEC V5 DSP presets offer significant improvements in horizontal coverage thanks to the use of higher order, asymmetric filters, and improved sound quality via phase linearization. The presets also feature improved system response to equalization, better far-field summation and throw, and improved inter-array interaction/summation and stereo imaging.
As part of the VERTEC V5 Pilot Program, upcoming VERTEC V5 releases will progressively add support for additional VERTEC models including VT4887A, VT4887, VT4886 and VT4881A, VT4882, VT4883 subwoofers along with presets for cardioid subwoofer configurations. The V5 presets will eventually be incorporated into the new JBL HiQnet Performance Manager™ sound reinforcement system configuration and control software.
The new V5 DSP presets are currently being employed in a sound system upgrade at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles, where Sound Image of Escondido, California has installed VERTEC VT4889 fullsize line array elements as the main PA system and VT4888 midsize line array elements as outfill arrays with the entire system powered by Crown ITech HD amplification running V5. In addition, Flag Systems of Santa Ana, California has installed five VT4888 loudspeakers as the center cluster at the Hollywood Palladium to supplement a house system consisting of 24 VT4889 loudspeakers (four arrays of six loudspeakers each).
Paul Bauman, Senior Market Manager – Tour Sound, JBL Professional, commented: “These two local showcase venues provided important test beds for V5, allowing for real-world testing and validation. We’ll be following up with VT4889ADPDA V5 testing on the system that was recently installed at the Staples Center in the coming weeks as part of the V5 Pilot Program.”
Select participants around the world have tested the V5 presets, and the early reviews are overwhelmingly positive:
“The high-frequency section is detailed and silky,” said Rich Davis, front of house engineer for Jimmy Buffett. “I also like the changes that have been made to the low frequencies.”
“We tried the new VERTEC V5 presets for our last gig and it was fantastic the horizontal coverage is a very good improvement in the 6 kHz range and in the low mids,” said Vishnu P., Owner of V&P Sound in India. “The vocal range appears to float outside of the box, bringing the sound image directly in the face of the listener. It has a more defined bass sound. I feel 2011- 2012 will be the years when VERTEC, with the V5 presets, will be on all the tech riders. We truly believe that it’s the right people at JBL Professional who made a great difference in making VERTEC sound fantastic, and doing so without changing any of the components.”
Bauman concluded: “The magnitude of improvement with V5 is as significant as was obtained in the transition from V3 to V4. I’m confident that VERTEC system owners will be more than pleasantly surprised with the result—it’s like having a new loudspeaker system all over again.”
Waves C6 Multi-band Compressor
Many engineers are familiar with the Waves C4 Multi-Band Compressor. The C4 is a multi-band dynamic processor. Meaning that you can select a frequency band and apply dynamic processing to that frequency band individually.
Similar to the C4, the C6 has 4 crossover bands but with the addition of two more floating bands of up/down expansion, limiting, and compression, plus dynamic and standard EQ, and the ability to have a side-chain input for each frequency band.
Features:
-Internal/External sidechain per band
-Individual band listen mode
-Four crossover bands plus two floating bands
-Dynamic EQ, compression and expansion
-Double precision bit resolution processing
-ARC (Auto Release Control)
-Up to 24bit, 192kHz resolution
-Mono and Stereo components
-Supports TDM, RTAS, Audio Suite, VST, and AU
-PC and Mac compatible
Since I am mainly using this plug-in for live sound on our Digidesign Venue console, some of these features mean little to me, such as PC or Mac, RTAS, Audio Suite, VST, or any of those compatibility features. But if you're interested in using the C6 in the studio then these might mean something to you.
The Waves C6 has plenty of controls to help you with hacking away at your signal victims.
Controls:
Input Gain Fader (-inf. to 0dB)
Range(-24dB to +18dB per band)
Gain (-18dB to +18dB per band)
Attack (0.5ms to 500ms per band)
Release (5ms to 5,000ms per band)
Threshold (-80dB to 0dB per band)
Energy Level Meter (-80dB to 0dB per band)
Solo per band
Bypass per band
DynamicLine Graph (Shows reduction curve -18dB to +18dB, 16Hz to 20kHz)
Frequency Band Marker (Graphic control over Frequency/Gain per band)
Master Controls (Global control of threshold, gain, range, attack, and release settings)
Release type (ARC or Manual)
Behavior (Opto or Electro)
Knee Type (Soft to Hard, 0.00 to 0.75)
Crossover Bands:
Low 40Hz-250Hz
Mid 100Hz-5993Hz
High 2kHz-16kHz
Crossover Band Q (0.1 to 0.75)
Floating Bands (16Hz to 21kHz)
Floating Band Q (0.35 to 60)
Output Gain Fader (-18dB to +18dB)
Output Meter (-80dB to 0dB with peak hold and clip indicators)
SideChain Controls (Source is used to choose the SideChain source: Internal/External)
SC Mode determines the frequency range of the Side Chain signal: Wide/Split
Now for the real life stuff...........
Once I had the Waves C6 authorization on my iLok and plugged back into the Digidesign Venue SC48, I ran some test music that I usually use for listening to sound systems. I spent about 20 minutes just getting familiar with how this thing works and sounds on some of my favorite tunes.
The user interface is pretty straight forward and easy to navigate.
The sound is pretty smooth. I fidgeted with the high band for a little while, and liked the way I was able shape and cut into frequencies. I then moved onto the other bands and found them equally as impressive.
Now onto a bit more meat....
I then began to run some pre-recorded (raw) drum sounds through the Waves C6. I was able to deal with a long time issue of single band compressors..... Other entities dictating the behavior of my compressors, such as a loud kick drum triggering the compressors on the drum buss, and squashing the overheads as well. I enjoyed the ability to compress the lower frequency and not have the kick drum dictate how the cymbals were compressed. This allowed me to achieve a natural sounding drum mix where the compressors weren't overly noticeable.
As for vocals....
A common struggle that I have faced on many occasions is the sonic characteristics of microphones and vocalists as they transition between singing levels. As the band and singer pick-up the pace and volume, sometimes the vocals begin to sound harsh. With the Waves C6 I was able to tame the problem frequencies and keep the vocals up front in the mix and clear.
Though I have not yet used the SideChain feature, I can sure imagine the possibilities.
Such as using the vocals to trigger instruments to clear a frequency space for the vocals allowing them to stay on top of the mix without dropping the entire signal of the instrument.
All in all I think the Waves C6 is a fabulous plug-in that I will be using quite a bit..
A feature that would be interesting to see, would be the ability to select separate key sources for the individual bands.
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Recently I was hired to mix sound at such an event. The stage was small with a fairly good sized band that included 3 electric guitarists, a bassist, keyboard player, drummer, and 5 vocal mics. Needless to say everyone was fairly cozy and close together with very little room to spare for jumping around.
During the sound check the vocalist was having trouble hearing himself sing, and kept asking for more monitors. Since the guitars were loud enough to be a dominate part of his vocal signal, when he asked for more vocals, he was also receiving more guitar. Thus begins the vicious circle of death and feedback. No matter how loud you can get that vocal microphone in his monitor, he will never hear enough of his vocals if there is more guitar signal in the vocal mic than vocals.
The current microphone of choice was the standard Shure SM58. Which has a basic cardioid pattern. To remedy the solution I needed to, A: lower the stage volume by bringing the guitar amp levels down. But this was not an optimal solution considering the problem was not any one guitar amp, but 3 different ones spread out across the stage. Or B: Find a different microphone which has better off axis rejection. Basically I was looking for a hyper-cardioid microphone. We then tried a Shure Beta SM58A, which has a super cardioid pattern. I was not satisfied with the performance of the mic, though it was a step in the right direction I felt there could be a better solution.
We then realized that the club had an Audix OM5 and an OM7.
Upon testing the Audix OM7 we immediately noticed a drastic difference! The vocals popped out in the artists monitor mix and the overall FOH mix improved drastically. When soloing the vocal microphone in my headphones I immediately noticed that there was barely any guitar amp bleed into the vocal microphone.
The only downfall of this microphone that we had noticed was that the vocalist had to stay in close. This was evident to the vocalist and he stayed close to the mic for the rest of the soundcheck and the evenings show. Add a comment
The concert touring industry is notorious for consuming tons of energy in the form of fuel consumed for transportation, and gobbling up as much electricity as possible.
Big light shows and big sound are the names of the game. We have to impress fans and that equates to energy consumption, and lots of it. The concert touring industry will always have a decent sized carbon footprint. People will always travel long distances to see their favorite artists, artists will always have to travel to their shows somehow along with their equipment. But concerts are a wonderful part of our culture bringing people together to celebrate life, friends, family, heritage, and so on. So the best we can do is reduce the environmental impact of our events.
The rest of the producing world has been using the words "Green, Sustainable, Organic, Eco Friendly, and so on" as the new marketing spin to get us to consume more of their products. It wasn't until recently that the live sound and concert production industry has caught on to the marketing trend.
Does buying new equipment that is more energy efficient than your current equipment mean you are making an environmentally friendly decision? Of course if it consumes less electricity, and weighs less, you are obviously saving energy in the form of fuel for transportation and electricity. All the while I've heard people say that the most energy efficient vehicle is the one that is already on the road……… Of course we are always purchasing new equipment to stay competitive in a gear driven industry. But at what point do we justify the purchase of new equipment as an environmentally friendly decision? Since manufacturing accounts for a large portion of the worlds pollution, by buying a new energy efficient piece of equipment we are still contributing to more manufacturing. So we need to consider the idea that a new piece of equipment has a debt to pay and at what point is that new piece of equipment turning an environmental profit? Or should we keep using the equipment that we already have, even if it is less energy efficient, and keep turning the profit in our pockets and possibly the environment?
As manufacturers have been meeting the touring industries' need for efficiency they, have also been creating a more energy efficient industry as well.
With advances in digital technology and Class D Amplification, manufacturers are now making 4 channel amplifiers that boast outputs of 10,000 watts, weighing well under 30 lbs. and consuming a fraction of the electricity of the old industry standard Crown MacroTechs. This obviously allows providers to carry less amplifier racks at a weight and energy savings. This all equates to cost savings in transportation fuel and consuming less electricity.
Digital consoles have allowed for smaller footprints, weight savings in channel to weight ratio, and not to mention eliminating the need for racks of outboard gear. Also some digital consoles have eliminated the need for heavy snake cables and drive lines by having their A/D and D/A converters on the stage and sending all the channel signals to the console digitally. This saves quite a bit in weight, space, and set-up/ tear-down time. I know I'd rather coil a small cable rather than a huge 56ch. snake…….
In Ear Monitors have reduced the need for stage monitors and their amp racks. Again saving space and weight
I think all parties involved in the concert touring industry have some questions to ask themselves.
Artists: Do we need to carry all of this extra stuff on our tour, or is it something that most local providers already have and can provide? This would save the touring artists money in transportation expenses and allow local business' the opportunity to have business that they might have otherwise not had. Also a great way for a tour to give to a community based business. Can we use In Ear Monitors and save the space and weight consumed by conventional stage monitors.
Local Providers: Consider the impact of your new gear purchases. Evaluate your transportation. Form relationships with other sound companies for cross renting. You can still be competitive and co-operate, all the while reducing the need to purchase extra equipment for those twice a year gigs.
At Capsicum Pro Audio we're striving to have as small of an impact on our environment as possible while providing the best concert experience possible.
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Quite often blown speakers are blamed on overpowering or lack of protection (limiting). Many times an inexperienced engineer will purchase an amplifier that is rated under the limits of what the speaker can take. You might think that it would be safe to assume if a speaker is rated at 250 watts, then a 200 watt amp would be a safe combination.........Not True!
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Here is a great Tech Tip from Shure Microphones.
Critical Distance and Microphone Placement
A microphone is the first component in any speech recording or transmission system. Its function is to convert acoustic sound waves into an equivalent electrical signal. This signal can then be recorded, transmitted, amplified, or modified. However, a microphone cannot effectively sort out desired sound (direct speech) from undesired reverberation (reflected speech). Also, a microphone cannot improve the acoustic environment in which it is placed.
Tech Tip: Get the rumble off the stage!
Amps with low frequency often spread their lows to the stage as well. This can be an issue as those low frequencies crawl up mic stands, into your microphones, then out of your speakers. This can muddy up your mix and make it sound blah.
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Tech Tip: Side Chain Compressio
n / Ducking
Recently we discussed the use of side chains inserts and gates. Today I would like to discuss the use of side chain inserts and compression.
Many times I have had trouble getting the kick and snare to stand out in some mixes. Usually because some of the other instruments are taking up the same sonic real estate. What if you could tell certain instruments to get out of the way when those drums hit? If we could some how do this we could get those kicks and snares to pop out in all of those mixes that need it.
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A great trick for cleaning up drums has always been to insert a gate on the toms, kick, or snare. All too often gating is not enough to prevent a constant bleed of noise into these microphones from cymbals, hi hats, and the other drums. How about we set the gates to be triggered by the physical act of the drum stick striking the drum head instead of them being triggered sonically by the microphone.
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Capsicum Pro Audio and Visual of Jackson Hole, Wyoming is now leveraging social media to reach more customers across the United States! When you need to Be Seen, Be Heard, and Be Remembered - turn to Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual for your audio-visual conert production services.
Providing our services to today's top local and touring artists, corporate events, installations, houses of worship, and entertainment venues. Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual in Jackson Hole Wyoming delivers the highest quality audio-visual production services to your event. With our experienced staff, technical knowledge, and state of the art equipment, we are able to meet the demanding needs of any event or production environment.
Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual serves the Jackson Hole Wyoming and Rocky Mountain region and also maintains a national network of local service providers that we trust, work with extensively, share the same philosophy of people who serve people, and are dedicated to the highest standards of production.
Many companies in the concert and touring markets have been scratching their heads during the recession, as to what our future may hold. Since many corporations held back their marketing dollars the concert, touring, and festival markets saw less funding from their usual corporate sponsors. This had also affected the event production companies who provided their services for corporate events and meetings.
Capsicum Pro Audio is a company that embraces the Three Pilars of Sustainability.
Economic Sustainability
Social Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
Microphones are subject to an inordinate amount of abuse, especially in live music. Grilles and foam windscreens can become saturated with saliva, clogged with lipstick, and will absorb the smell of cigarette smoke prevalent in most clubs.
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Quite often we relate quality to price. The highest quality products cost the most amount of money. But this is not necessarily always true. Some of the best audio equipment is the stuff that has been around long enough to to stand the test of time. Add a comment
As a mixing engineer for various bands, I have struggled at times to pull my mix together. Maybe I didn’t get enough sleep, maybe I had a stuffy head, or didn’t manage to remove the giant ball of wax that had been building up in my ears for the last year (just kidding!!). Either way, every mixing engineer has a hard time every now and then.
I can think of one instance where I had been struggling with a singer. I couldn’t get the e.q. right for his vocals. I spent most of the evening kicking myself, wondering if I had enough sleep, or a big ball of wax in my ears. When all of a sudden a very famous singer walks onto the stage to sit in with the band. Not even 5 seconds after he starts singing, I had his vocal punching through the mix and sounding awesome! WHY?
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Not to long ago, I went to a Staples to purchase a new computer bag. Upon checkout I was asked, “ would you like a bag?”. I immediately thought to myself, “how funny, this lady just asked me if I needed a bag to put my new bag inside.....” Of course I had to make a smart remark, of which we both laughed, and mutually agreed that a bag was unnecessary. Add a comment
