The sound system was designed by Carlos Esteves, technical director of CHS Sound and Light Hire. Amália The Musical is a complex and challenging show to mix, with 54 actors on stage and 38 radio mics in total. The show is about fado - a type of music with a great deal of dynamic, often reaching high SPLs. The stage comprises three platforms, with a second rising stage, as well as video projection, state-of-the-art lighting and a comprehensively specified sound system. Carlos has been involved with the show from the outset, explaining: "This musical is very difficult to operate with a conventional mixer - we used to have two operators and even then, they didn't have time to 'listen' to the play. Obviously, one has to consider issues of budget and technical performance as well, but as we were, it was impossible to achieve a consistent performance every night - especially when you are having to change VCAs, auxes, sound effects levels etc on your own during a show. We knew that the tour schedule was very challenging, with tight timescales for rehearsals and load-in, and realised that we needed a really first class console to cope with the show's complexity.
We were looking for high quality, reliability, and above all, a desk that was specially designed for this line of work. We looked at a number of different consoles - including digital - but found each time that there were some functions that they didn't and still don't do. This was particularly true of the different software and the way you can control the show and 'see' what comes next." The final specification for the F-Type was 36 dual input modules, with 4 stereo modules, 12 motorised VCA modules, 16 aux sends, 12 sub groups and a 24 x 12 matrix, with the desk supplied to Carlos and his team in January 02 - ready for the first date in Porto's 3400-seat Coliseum Theatre on 6 February.
The Cadac F-Type is designed to offer modularity with easy upgradeability - frame sizes accommodate from 25 to 63 module positions, with up to 4 mixer frames and 256 channels in a single system. Comprehensive show control flexibility is provided by the advanced Sound Automation Manager (SAM) for Windows - the result of some 30+ man-years of research and development to date with console control and automation systems. SAM provides state of the art automation functionality for use with Cadac consoles, integrating the full Windows operating system in a totally user-friendly, intuitive software release. SAM typically handles cue management, routing, VCA automation, level control and MMC - supported by extensive visual feedback of all routing and variable functions, including fader positions. For additional flexibility, operators can perform all console programming off-line, porting to the on-line PC via the Ethernet LAN.
The latest version of SAM - V1.05 - incorporates several significant new features, which were designed in close liaison with leading sound designers. Along with the existing MIDI control functions, MIDI sequencing is now an integral part of the package. SAM has also been extended to users of the R-Type touring console, who are now able to use their laptop PCs to plot and run the automation system through the USB port.
(Ruth Rossington)
