Optimizing Live Sound

No matter what you test or measure, a considerable part of the sound of the show is controlled by environmental factors that are constantly changing. Knowing what they are is the first step toward being able to deal with them effectively.

Those of us who indulge in live sound spend countless hours paying attention to every detail in the audio signal chain – comparing, pondering opinionating and deciding every issue that crosses our path.  Does this mixing console sound better? Do I need to spend an extra $2,000 on a vocal compressor? Can you please move the guitar mic two millimeters to the left? Does phantom power really ruin ribbon mics?

One question persists, however: to what end is all this toiling done?

Blasting Perfection Into Chaos

Does it seem that a flown PA system sounds better than the exact same system ground stacked? How come it always sounds brighter when you stand on the mix riser?

Have you ever noticed that the same venue sounds different one night to the next, even when you do not change a thing? All of these things can be partially or completely explained by understanding the thermodynamics of a rock show.  Further, armed with this knowledge, you can make setup and mixing decisions that result in improvements that the people attending the show will actually notice – as opposed to things like fiddling with an expensive tube comp that the audience could not care less about.

This is not a scientific article peppered with equations; there are plenty of those out there already. My goal here is to present these complex factors as understandable concepts that will assist you as an engineer/system tech to optimize the sound in a venue.

In my mind, to keep things clear, I divide the relevant venue thermodynamics into three categories:

● Sonic absorption related issues

● Sonic direction related issues

● Sonic velocity related issues

So now let’s take a closer look…

…

The Bigger Picture

All in all, warmer and neutrally humid environments tend to be the way to go for a memorable adventure. Cold is drafty, sterile and often crisp and edgy sounding.  In my opinion, the hotter liquid atmosphere of a muggy rock show not only speeds up and tames the sound; it also seems to enhance that connection between the performers and those immersed in the performance.

Looking back at the three thermodynamic issues of absorption, direction and velocity, and combining those factors with practical experience, there are several useful concepts that can be distilled:

1) Humidity variations are sonically more tolerable in higher humidity environments.

2) Consistent temperature throughout the venue is sonically beneficial. Since the temperature of humans is fairly warm, and assuming humans will be attending the concert, having a reasonably warm venue temperature will assist in achieving that consistency.

3) A warmer indoor venue will tend raise in humidity levels more drastically than cooler venues due to human factors.

4) Sonic advantages are achieved by flying the loudspeakers.

5) Mixing a show while standing on a mix riser above the thermal/humidity provides the sound engineer an inaccurate representation of the sound the audience is hearing.

6) Venues with drastic variations in temperature and humidity tend to have complex and unpredictable responses.

7) No matter what you test or measure, a considerable part of the sound of the show is controlled by environmental factors that are constantly changing. Knowing what they are is the first step toward being able to deal with them effectively.

A thermometer and hygrometer can be useful tools for tracking and understanding more about how thermodynamics are affecting the sound of the show.

One of my favorite moments of mixing a show is the prediction and anticipation of that first note, the tones, the volume and the intensity of the unknown. The moment when the band first walks on stage is one of the biggest challenges any sound engineer faces.

Balancing all that knowledge with the tools at hand and formulating a mix to come up with a clear and accurate result is no easy task.  Each show presents a unique sonic landscape, and it is that uniqueness, that interaction between so many variables that we can and cannot control, that makes every live rock show a one-of-a-kind, potentially magical memorable experience.

To read the full detailed article see:  The Thermodynamics of a Rock Show

We offer Standard Marine Radios at affordable prices! Also offered are units in various price ranges, but all designed to meet your every need when looking for high quality sound reproduction equipment. Enjoy your own music through the MP3 format offered in many of our units.

We have affordable, high quality Marine speakers and Amplifiers of all shapes and sizes to fit all your needs. Enjoy your own music as amplified through one of our Marine Amplifiers and played through one of our MP3 compatible units. Featured products inclued BOSS and Bazooka.

Salam..

Lama sangat rasanya tak update blog ni..tp takpe, nanti satu masa di mana sifat-sifat kerajinan timbul, blog ni akan tetap ter’update’..hehe.. sibuk? erm, ye jgk kot. sibuk dgn benda lain..tp tetap berbesar hati kepada semua kawan2 dan client2 yang sudi mengambil khidmat pa system dan DJ kami ye..!

We offer Standard Marine Radios at affordable prices! Also offered are units in various price ranges, but all designed to meet your every need when looking for high quality sound reproduction equipment. Enjoy your own music through the MP3 format offered฀⃀

We have affordable, high quality Marine speakers and Amplifiers of all shapes and sizes to fit all your needs. Enjoy your own music as amplified through one of our Marine Amplifiers and played through one of our MP3 compatible units. Featured products inčৰ⃀

It is day three of my challenge to find amazing everyday.  Amazing today started with Melisa Monroe telling me what was amazing yesterday.  She made her first goal in four years of soccer.  Congratulations.  More amazing by Melisa Monroe, Mr. Roper read her amazing essay this morning in English. 

A little amazing, for lack of a better word, that I witness everyday is the fact that I see my parents all over the school.  My father teaches me everyday and I am my mother’s aide.  Twice.  I have picked up the skill to carry multiple sodas at one time.  Amazingly, I have never had a major soda spill. 

The yearbook staff was able to finish selling their yearbook ads today.  One day ahead of schedule.  That has never happened.  I was able to go over the PA system.  I thought that was pretty amazing. 

The freshman’s volleyball team is pretty amazing.  They come to school everyday at six in the morning, and when they get there, they play volleyball.  I know many of us get to school at 8:15 and then can barely even move.  They are jumping up and down and running around the volleyball court.  That’s crazy.  That’s crazy amazing.

I saw the Coca- Cola man today, bringing Diet Coke to our school.  To me, he is a pretty amazing guy. 

Now, I feel like to today’s post was about some amazing things that I did and a little about what Melisa did, but she had to tell me what she did.  I am looking for amazing, but, Hornets, we are going to need to become a little more amazing.  New challenge.  Be amazing.  Don’t fly under the radar.  Let everyone see how great I know each of you are.  Mr. Kidd told his economics class that we live in Utopia here in Declo.  Let’s live up to Utopia’s reputation.  Be amazing!

I must say I am a little disappointed with SkyTrain’s handling of a delay during today’s afternoon rush hour.  I arrived at Broadway Station around 5:45pm and discovered that the trains were extremely delayed.

One westbound train had just arrived when I got on the platform and one eastbound train was full of people waiting.  The platform was also quite full.  I patiently waited for about 5-10 minutes.  What really disappointed me was that SkyTrain control made no announcement in the station.  There might have been an announcement on the trains that I couldn’t hear, but there was nothing in the station. Very poor customer service by SkyTrain today.

I would think that SkyTrain control should be updating passengers every couple of minutes.  Poor SkyTrain attendant was fielding questions on how to get somewhere by bus.  Total thumbs down for today’s delay.

After almost 10 minutes with no news on what was happening, I decided to bus it home from Broadway.  I was a half hour later than usual.  I wish that I had stayed on my bus beforehand if I had known about the delay.  I would have gotten home faster.  Aren’t bus drivers informed of these delays?  Couldn’t they relay the news to passengers so they can make alternate plans for travel?

When I got home, I quickly loaded up the TransLink Current Conditions page.  Apparently there was a police incident at Metrotown that shut down the whole system.  The message said trains were running between Waterfront and Joyce, but that certainly was not the case when I was at Broadway Station.

Halifax Road, Ipswich between 12.30pm Sunday 02.08.09 and 6.30pm Tuesday 04.08.09.

A church was broken in to and a pair of 15″ phonic powered base unit PA speakers valued at £900 stolen from within.

Calls in relation to this incident should be made to PC Timothy Barrell at the Ipswich Neighbourhood Response Team on 01473 613500.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Further details – http://ping.fm/Nw6tv - further appeals – www.themissinglist.co.uk

We are very pleased to announce that for the third year running, Studiocare Professional Audio have been chosen for Live Event Consultancy and Equipment Hire for Cancer Research UK’s highly successful Race for Life campaign.  In total seventeen races were supplied by Studiocare, including  Aintree Racecourse, Castle Donington, Chester, Derby, Lancaster, Manchester, Nottingham Holme Pierrepont, Sefton Park, Stoke, Tatton Park, Wirral and Wolverhampton. The events, which take place annually across the UK, aim to raise £60 million in sponsorship money to help CRUK beat cancer.

As always, Studiocare’s main brief was, whether there are 2,000 or 10,000 people at the event that everyone needs to be able to hear the PA system clearly. As such, Studiocare has invested heavily into Live Events equipment with their preferred rig consisting of  JBL VRX932 Line Array, hung from two of Litestructures’s LiteMasts, and JBL SRX718S Subwoofers. Amplification of choice is Crown iTech6000 and Lab Gruppen FP3400/FP2400Q amps.

The full system is able to fit into one vehicle and can be set up within two hours of arrival on site. Studiocare is able to offer site visits and risk assessments and has public liability insurance of £2 million.

Any customers wishing to gain further information or prices for Live Event Consultancy and Equipment Hire please contact our Hire Dept on 0151 236 7800 –  hire@studiocare.com

Selamat Pengantin Baru..!!

Salam.

Kawan sekalian, minggu ini berlangsung karnival Huffaz di perkarangan stadium Kuala Selangor.. Bermula daripada hari ini, Jumaat 31 Julai 2009 sehingga Ahad 1 Ogos 2009.. Macam-macam ada.. Ada jualan, live show nasyid dan lain-lain..

Jemput ya semua memeriahkan karnival tersebut.. Jumpa di sana…!

15 Julai yang lalu, bertempat di Plaza Sentral berlangsung majlis perasmian produk terbaru daripada syarikat vtelecoms (www.vtelecoms.com.my). Dengan tema ‘V TELECOMS ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFICATION AWARD’, syarikat telekomunikasi ini benar-benar ingin ‘mengubah haluan’ pasaran broadband dan networking di Malaysia. Tagline mereka yang terkenal adalah ‘ Telecomunication Redefined’..

Berlangsung pada 12July2009, di Regency Hotel Jalan Raja Alang, Kuala Lumpur sebuah seminar yang mempamerkan kehebatan sebuah perniagaan MLM yang bertapak di Indonesia sejak beberapa tahun yang lalu. Sesi seminar yang bermula daripada jam10 pagi itu berakhir pada jam10 malam. Kehebatan sistem perniagaan mereka perlu digayakan dengan penyampai yang telah pun menjadi jutawan melalui sistem pernigaan tersebut yang didatangkan khas dari negara jiran, Indonesia.

Untuk tujuan promosi, mereka telah mengadakan seminar tersebut dengan bantuan sound system dan lighting kami. Sound system yang sepatutnya digunakan utk audience yang berjumlah lebih 1500 org telah digunapakai hanya utk seminar yang memuatkan 500 audience dlm sebuah ballroom di hotel tersebut!!!! Bayangkan dengan kekuatan speaker nexo PS15 sebanyak 6 unit bersama Subwoofer Flebcher 15″ sebanyak 4 unit memang benar2 menjadikan ballroom hotel yang terletak di tingkat 8 itu bergegar!! Dibantu dengan projector BenQ 2200 insi dan dua 6′ x 6′ skrin putih mmg melihatkan kehebatan syarikat MLM tersebut..

Sedikit gambar yg dapat saya rakamkan..=)

Salam.

Just to inform to all that my office fixed line phone 03-6187 8992 is currently unavailable. Need to go to TM Point to check.

Takde masa lagi nak gi TM Point. So, sebarang pertanyaan boleh terus hubungi saya di 012-3770412. TQ

Selain menyediakan perkhidmatan sewa dan supply sound system dan lighting, kami juga ada menjual alat perkusi@percussion dan lain-lain alat muzik.. Harga yang kami tawarkan juga adalah rendah dan bergantung kepada bajet anda. Jika anda mempunyai bajet yg rendah kami ada set atau barang2 utk bajet anda..

Berminat? Hubungi kami segera utk tempahan. Terdapat juga harga istimewa utk pakej sekolah!!Tempahan utk satu Malaya @ satu Malaysia termasuk Sabah, Sarawak dan Pulau Labuan. Hanya 1 no hotline 012-3770412.. Sekarang!!

Salam..

Apa khabar semua? Lama saya menulis..Rasanya dah tiga bulan kot.. huhu.. Terlalu sibu atau buat2 sibuk? saya pun tak tahu.. hehe.. Saya upload je lah gmbar2 pa system saya yg sempat saya amik kt wedding2 yang berkenaan selama 3bln ni..=p

Aufgrund der großen Kundenresonanz hat sich HK Audio entschlossen, noch auf alle bis zum 30. Juni 2009 erworbenen L.U.C.A.S-Systeme eine zehnjährige Produktgarantie zu gewähren. Die ursprünglich bis zum 31. März begrenzte Aktion anlässlich des zehnjährigen Jubiläums der L.U.C.A.S-Familie verlängert sich somit um zwei Monate.

„Das Feedback aus dem Fachhandel auf unsere Jubiläumsaktion war überaus erfreulich“, so Marketingleiter Stefan Fischer, „so dass wir uns kurzerhand für eine ‘Fristverlängerung’ von acht Wochen entschlossen haben. Je mehr Menschen wir mit unserem ungewöhnlichen Garantierversprechen von der hohen Qualität der L.U.C.A.S-Familie überzeugen können, desto besser!“

Mehr Details zur kompletten L.U.C.A.S-Familie lassen sich entweder der eigens eingerichteten Geburtstags-Website unter www.10jahrelucas.de oder der Firmen-Homepage unter www.hkaudio.de entnehmen. Ebenso ist dort die Registrierung von L.U.C.A.S-Systemen möglich, um in den Genuss der Zehnjahresgarantie zu kommen.

Die HK Audio L.U.C.A.S. Systeme gibt es natürlich auch bei uns:

Die Systeme:

>> MAX << >> IMPACT<< >> PERFORMER<< >> SMART<< >> ALPHA<<

Salam.

Sekali lagi kami dijemput ke Ikhwan Coffee House, Bukit Bintang utk setup sound system utk live show kumpulan nasyid Hawra’ pada 14hb Mac yang lalu. Sekadar persiapan utk menyambut krew tv9 yang ingin membuat liputan promosi Ikhwna Coffee House di tv9 utk rancangan Nasi Lemak Kopi O yang disiarkan pada hari ahad 15hb Mac. Menarik dan sungguh teruja melihat Ikhwan Coffee House serta staf-staf yang terlibat yang mana mereka ini sungguh2 menghidupkan syiar Islam di tengah-tengah ‘Bukit Bintang’ yang memang terkenal dgn bandar HIBURAN di Malaysia ini..