Deep Blue Sound began life as a commercial recording facility, moving into education four years ago. Its first foray into live sound education was the inclusion of a six-week Live Sound module into its Music Production diploma earlier this year. The new Live Sound HNC is a one-year higher education course aimed at training students for work in the industry and providing an academic qualification. The course will be a combination of practical workshops and lectures, together with work-based learning in 'real-life' environments such as clubs, theatres, concert halls, conference venues and festivals.
"The first person I contacted for support for the six-week module was Midas and Klark Teknik's David Wiggins, who arranged to get some mixing consoles to us, as well as 36 channels of KT splitters and some Square ONE dynamics and graphics units," says Honywill. "I was completely bowled over because he was so passionate about it. We used them on the module with some equipment from RG Jones, and this meant that our students could see how a properly prepared PA system was put together using leading brands of audio equipment.
"Above all, I wanted to work with good quality, straightforward analogue desks that people use in the real world, and Midas is perfect. Students will immediately appreciate and respect the value of quality equipment, and using brands such as Midas on gigs will raise the game for the local live sound industry."
Adds Dave Wiggins, Midas and Klark Teknik international sales manager: "I was delighted and flattered to get the call from Simon. Education is very important to us at Midas and KT, and we've supported various educational establishments both at home and abroad for some years. To us it comes under the heading of putting something back, and so we couldn't be more pleased to be involved.
"The college now owns a Venice, and has the use of a Siena and Verona donated by Midas, plus an assortment of both classic and Square ONE equipment from KT, and Honywill hopes that the brands' involvement in the Live Sound HND will encourage support from other major industry players. "It's a great opportunity to put something into the industry that's never really been there and Deep Blue has provided the opportunity to do that," he says. "The Live Sound course will provide a foundation in the methodology behind live sound, and why getting it right is so important. This awareness-raising will extend to all areas of live sound such as public PA systems and theatres, not just gigs. If this course produces people who can make a difference when it comes to understanding good sound, then we'll be making a difference."
Adds Deep Blue Sound's operations manager Mark Trewin: "People tell us they've looked everywhere for a course like this without being able to find it - even on an international scale - and we believe it's unique. An accredited live sound course has simply never existed at this level."
As well as presenting a unique opportunity to find employment in live sound through study rather than the traditional method of working up through the ranks, Deep Blue Sound is keen to stress that all its courses are accessible to those who can't afford private tuition fees. "We didn't want to set up yet another private audio college because that can exclude potential students and that's not what we're about," says Deep Blue Sound's co-owner Dave Puttick. "Students can get funding for our courses and study here regardless of their backgrounds."
(Lee Baldock)
