Things to Expect In the World of Live Sound

Mark Farmer, Live Sound Engineer with Live Technologies Inc. in Columbus, Ohio, created an interesting list of things to expect in the world of live sound. Some of them include:

The security or the parking lot attendant will give you a hard time.
I know every year for the last nine years I have been given a hard time, by parking directors, at one particular seventeen-day event...I have had my car towed about four times in the last 14 years at events.

"Jimmy" will come and tell you his brother plays guitar in a band.
This is a classic moment in the world of live sound. "Jimmy" proceeds to ramble on about how his brother is the greatest living guitar player since Chuck Berry and his band plays great versions of, Back in Black and early Ozzy.

The power will go out.
The convention center electrician forgot to tie you in on a separate service from the lighting or forgot to put spare fuses in the electric closet. It seems inevitable that no matter the precautions taken, the electric gremlins will have your power for dinner. I have experienced this at a few high-pressure events over the years and it will take one or two of your nine lives away from anyone.

Read the full article: Things to Expect In the World of Live Sound

First Baptist Church Builds Impressive AV Capability

The First Baptist Church in Dallas TX, which has held worship services at the same location since 1890, has spent $130 million on its new downtown worship center and second hi-rise building that looks to revitalize the city of Dallas, as well as the church's ministry. Clear-Com's intercom systems were installed at the worship center to enable communiction between the production team members for the coordination of services and events.

Read the full article: First Baptist Church Builds Impressive AV Capability

Creative Headsets

We found some pretty cool headsets and artwork of headsets. Which is your favorite?


Photo credit: Nokia.com

Photo credit: deviantart.com

Photo credit: brit.co

Photo credit: jennacjones.wordpress.com

Photo credit: designswan.com

Photo credit: twist-n-turns.deviantart.com

Cables for Wiring Partyline Products

Partyline: Is there a recommended cable list for wiring partyline products?

The Clear-Com intercom line is intended to run on one shielded cable pair per intercom channel. One conductor carries audio and the other conductor carries the DC power for Remote Stations. The shield serves as the ground return for the audio and power conductors. When choosing interconnect cable, keep the following considerations in mind:
 
Keep cable runs under 500 feet (150m). The DC resistance of the ground or common conductor affects crosstalk. For permanent installation runs longer than 500 feet (150m), do not use wire smaller than 20 gauge. The capacitance of the interconnect cable affects system frequency response and sidetone stability. Total capacitance should not be greater than 0.25 uF.
 
Ground Isolation: The Pin 1 ground connection of each XLR connector must be isolated from the chassis. Pin 1 should not be connected to the shell of the XLR connector.
 
Multi-pair Cable: Individually shielded multi-pair cable is acceptable for use in multi-channel systems. For crosstalk considerations, the shields must be tied together on both ends of the cable to produce the lowest possible DC resistance path for the ground return.
 
Portable Installation Cable: Practical cable for portable system interconnections is flexible, two-conductor, shielded microphone cable. We suggest using BELDEN #8413 (24 Gauge). For runs longer than 500 feet (150m) use a 20 gauge cable or larger (BELDEN #8412).
 
Permanent Installation Cable: Vinyl-jacketed shielded pair is the cable of choice for permanent installations. Placing the cable in conduit is recommended but not necessary.
 
Suggested Cable Types: The following chart lists the specifications of various BELDEN cables:

Real Broadcast, Fake Soundtrack

Photo Credit: theatlantic.com

According to Alexis Madrigal, Senior Editor at The Atlantic, "Massive sporting extravaganza like the Olympics requires massive media production. The television broadcasts from the Olympics aren't merely an act of capturing reality, but an act of creation. TV sporting events are something we make, and they have a tension at their core: On the one hand, we want to feel as if we watched from the stands, but on the other, we want a fidelity and intimacy that is better than any in-person spectating could be...For the London Olympics, Baxter deploy[ed] 350 mixers, 600 sound technicians, and 4,000 microphones at the London Olympics. Using all the modern sound technology they can get their hands on, they shap[ed] your experience to sound like a lucid dream, a movie, of the real thing."

Read the full article: How the Gorgeous, Sometimes Fictional Sound of the Olympics Gets Made

QSC, A-T, Clear-Com and DAS Win for Obama

Equipment from pro-audio manufacturers QSC Audio, Audio-Technica, Clear-Com and DAS Audio played key roles in enabling re-elected US president Barack Obama to deliver his message to American voters over the last few month. Clear-Com's  Eclipse Median digital matrix and HelixNet Partyline intercom systems and Tempest®2400 digital wireless intercom with the new Seamless Roaming feature provided production team members at each of the four debate locations with an integrated communications solution for coordinating all the production elements within the venues as well as the pool broadcast truck.

Read the full story: QSC, A-T, Clear-Com and DAS Win for Obama 

The A to Z Sound Engineer Glossary

Photo Credit: audiotechnews.com

How many of the following sound engineering terms do you know?

Attack
The rate the sound begins and increases in volume.

Baffles
Sound absorbing panels used to prevent sound waves from entering or leaving a certain space

Coax
Two-conductor cable consisting of one conductor surrounded by a shield.

Dry
Describes a sound coming from the PA with no effects on it.

Electret Condenser
A condenser microphone that has a permanently polarized (charged) variable capacitor as its sound pressure level sensor.

Fader
A control to control the gain of a channel on the console, thereby determining the level of the signal in that channel.

Ground Loop
A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different “ground” points of differing voltage.

Hum
The 60 Hz power line current accidentally induced or fed into electronic equipment.

Isolation
A containing of the sound wave in a certain area so that it will not leak into other areas and/or unintended mics.

Check out the full Glossary of Terms for Sound Engineers!

Hope Springs Eternal



Photo Credit: Proaudio-central.com

Singapore’s Hope Church moved into its brand new premises in the Textile Centre on Jalan Sultan. The new facility consists of an auditorium which can accommodate 1,400 people, and two smaller multi-purpose halls, each of which can accommodate 200 people. The staff at the new venue keep in contact with Clear-Com's Encore partyline and HME DX210 wireless intercoms.

Read the full article: Hope Springs Eternal

October 2012 Tradeshow Wrap-Up

AFCEA C4IST (October 2-4, 2012 / Fort Huachuca, AZ)

Photo Credit: svherald.com

AFCEA C4IST provided an ethical forum for government and industry professionals to come together to demonstrate and discuss the latest C4I technologies, products and services. Clear-Com’s advanced intercom solutions, including our Eclipse matrix and Tempest2400 wireless system, caught the attention of many military, government and aerospace personnel.

Read the full article here: Technological Improvements Highlighted at Exhibit

LDI (October 19-21, 2012 / Las Vegas, NV)

Live Design International (LDI) has become the leading tradeshow and conference for live design professionals in North and South America.  Over 8,000 attendees working in theater, concerts, houses of worship, theme parks, and more went to LDI to see the latest gear in action and to replenish their creativity.

Clear-Com hosted the LDI 2012 training session, Advances In Intercom Communications. Vinnie Macri, Clear-Com’s Product Marketing Manager, spoke on the role of intercom systems in backstage communications. He also discussed the benefit of intercoms with seamless wireless roaming and highlighted the major advances in digital partyline technology.

Clear-Com also demonstrated HelixNet Partyline, CC-300/CC-400 headsets, Tempest2400 Seamless Roaming and MasterBelt intercom solutions at booth #805.

AES (October 27-29, 2012 / San Francisco, CA)

For over 60 years, the AES Convention has been the largest gathering of audio professionals and enthusiasts on the globe, attracting delegates from over 100 countries worldwide.

Larry Estrin, Clear-Com's Global Rental Group Director, was a panelist at the AES live sound seminar, Wireless Frequency Wrangling at Large Events. Topics discussed include microphones, in-ear monitoring, and production communications with a specific focus on antenna systems, cabling, RF environment isolation, monitoring, verifying operation, and procedures.





Clear-Com also showed its HelixNet Partyline, HME DX210 wireless system and CC-300/CC-400 headsets.

Press Release
>Clear-Com Announces Expansion of Optocore Partnership

Other tradeshows from this month included the following:

2012 Broadcasters Clinic (October 9-11, 2012 / Middleton, WI)

 
SBE Broadcast & Technology Expo (October 11, 2012 / New York, NY)
 
NEBC (October 16, 2012 / Worcester, MA)
 
Rocky Mountain AVX (October 23-24, 2012 / Denver, CO)

ITC (October 22-25, 2012 / San Diego, CA)

AUVSI USIC (October 29 – November 1, 2012 / San Diego, CA)

Tune Into Free-Form Radio!

Photo Credit: kdvs.org

Relive what FM radio was like in the early days as KDVS, the radio station operated by UC Davis students, joins forces with former air staff of legendary Sacramento radio station KZAP to celebrate free-form radio.

KDVS will dedicate 48 hours of continuous programing featuring former KZAP disc jockeys playing the music of the late-1960s and early-1970s and telling stories about what it was like in the early days of progressive FM radio. The special programming begins 6:00 a.m. Thursday, November 8, 2012, and ends at 6:00 a.m. Saturday, November 10.

Back in the 1960s, most radio stations were only playing music from the top 40 playlist. Around that time, Tom Donahue invented free-form radio in which a station would play the album tracks chosen by the DJ rather than from the predetermined top 40 playlist.

Founded in November 8, 1968 in Sacramento, CA, KZAP was one of the earliest adopters of free-form radio. Ed Fitzgerald, Clear-Com’s Director of Customer Satisfaction, was the General Manager of and a DJ (Uncle Ed) at KZAP during its early beginnings. He will be one of the individuals featured on KDVS this week.

On a similar note, many of the rock and roll legends that were featured on KZAP played at the Avalon Ballroom, which was a music venue owned by Bob Cohen, who was one of the founders of Clear-Com. Those musicians included the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and more. Tune into KDVS to hear some of those great hits once again!

 

Read the full press release: KDVS Radio Celebrates Free-Form Radio