Soulsound presented and coordinated a total of seven sessions, kicking off with Funktion-One founders, Tony Andrews and John Newsham, who were joined by sound consultant, Jim Cousins. The trio, who have an illustrious history in audio, discussed Point Source. Line Array. What do these terms really mean? - providing anecdotes and explanations along the way.
Shure's Tuomo Tolonen followed with Wireless Mastered, which unravelled some of the mysteries of radio frequencies, enabling engineers to be confident in their dealings with radio mics and IEMs, which are now an integral, yet often-misunderstood, part of the pro audio skill base.
Jon Burton rounded off the first day with Sound Engineering for Bands, using his considerable experience to explore roles like house engineer and systems engineer from the perspective of a group's touring engineer. He talked about building relationships with musicians and how to help realise the band's sound in the live environment.
Soulsound founder, Darryn de la Soul, started day two with Getting a Foot in the Door - How to make your way in the Live Sound Industry. She delivered a practical, honest and challenging guide for aspiring sound engineers and for others who are already working but struggling to progress.
Justin Grealy and Marcel van Limbeek discussed The Nature of Phase - a subject that that is often misunderstood. From first principals, Marcel and Justin discussed how phase relationships relate to audio.
Sound Network's Simon Honywill stepped up to present Building a Sound Reputation - a guide to keeping your head above the crowd in the live sound industry. Darryn returned to conclude Soulsound's involvement with Setting Yourself Up for Success as a Freelancer.
Reflecting on three days of packed seminars, Darryn said, "Our commitment to professional development through inspiring content has paid off. We've welcomed large numbers of people, from all kinds of backgrounds, to some incredible Soulsound sessions. I'd like to thank everyone who attended. My gratitude goes out to all the session leaders who contributed their time and knowledge - you've been amazing."
PLASA Events' Sophie Atkinson adds: "This is the second time we've worked with Soulsound and once again it's proven to be a successful move. The sessions were lively and engaging and attracted brilliant audience numbers. It's been a pleasure collaborating with Darryn and the team."
(Jim Evans)
