Brazil - When rental company Maxi Audio had to close the doors on the planned in-store Maxi Academy training programme, it was determined not to let its customers down and swiftly set up an alternative, online programme. Broadcast and Front of House engineer, Renato Carneiro, Audio Systems' DiGiCo support, a regular supporter of the Maxi Academy and long-time DiGiCo user, delivered the first session, based on the mix he had done for popular Brazilian duo Bruno & Marrone’s first live YouTube performance. “Maxi's training programme is 100% free and open to the market,” says Carneiro. “The idea of my original, face-to-face session was to have a quick description of an SD12 and rebuild the actual session used in Bruno & Marrone live shows - remember those shows we used to do on a proper stage, with an audience? - using the multitrack show recordings. We ha
Australia - FOH engineer James ‘Oysters’ Kilpatrick is one of Australia’s most experienced and has mixed for a who’s who of Australian music. The COVID-19 pandemic left him with no work so he decided to put all his gear, knowledge and contacts to good use creating The Roadie Show. Along with key contributors Barry Brody, Alex Saad and Christian McBride, the team behind the project have a combined history of more than 100 years of stage, screen and touring experience in the live music business. “The Roadie Show aims to provide fun-filled and creative opportunities to keep going and stay busy in this fragile climate of uncertainty,” commented Oysters. “Essentially, it brings long-time mates, roadies and musicians together with a Plan B to keep a small part of the once-thriving global entertainment industry alive.” “This project is gu
France - As many countries slowly lift confinement restrictions, L-Acoustics will re-open in-person education programmes this month. Simultaneously, L-Acoustics is pre-launching a new Online Education Platform. The first programme on the platform is a complete, but remote, version of its renowned System Fundamentals training, a prerequisite for all other L-Acoustics training modules. In 2019, L-Acoustics hosted training courses in 60 countries, completing 670 training days and awarding 6,000 certificates. Of these, 240 training days and 2,400 certificates were for the Systems Fundamentals course. “This education platform will foster the creation of a learning community where participants can share questions and develop a useful network of L-Acoustics users, as well as benefitting from the expertise of the instructors and the other trainees,” explains
UK - Sadly, we report the passing after a short illness of long-time Sennheiser executive and well-known industry personality Paul Whiting. “It is with deep regret that we inform you that Paul Whiting passed away on the evening of Friday 5 June,” says Sennheiser. “Paul was taken ill suddenly in early May and, although he came home for a short period, it was quickly apparent that he would not recover. The family were given the opportunity to visit Paul at the end of last week to say goodbye. On the Friday evening, Paul passed away peacefully in hospital.” The statement continues, “For those that did not have the privilege of knowing or working with Paul, he began his career at Sennheiser in 1990, after 15 years with former UK partner Hayden Laboratories as the head of its Professional Division as Sales and Marketing Manager. Paul was instrumental in establishi
UK - A new company specialising in immersive technologies for theatre, performance and live events has won funding from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. Copper Candle will use the funding to develop a platform to help the grassroots of the UK theatre and music industry, both in the short-term during the COVID-19 crisis and far beyond. Copper Candle’s innovative Break A Leg platform will help community theatre, choirs and schools to continue collaborating while under pandemic restrictions. But that’s not all: it will also open possibilities for more widespread online collaborations among creative communities in the future. “This funding enables us to build a platform which will allow anyone, but particularly community theatre groups, to easily navigate through technology to create collaborative performances and turn them into shareable content,” explai
UK - Torpedo Factory Group has upgraded the audio-visual system at the London headquarters of the Royal Society of Chemistry, one of the UK’s oldest professional scientific associations, established in the mid-19th century with the goal of advancing the chemical sciences. Burlington House, Mayfair, has been the RSC’s residence since 1857, and is famed for its historic library that not only houses a world-class collection of scientific journals but is also a leading event venue in central London. Key to the Library’s attraction as a venue – prized by users for seminars, conferences, lectures, award ceremonies and private functions – is its integrated audio-visual facilities and, taking an opportunity to benefit from the latest technological advancements, the RSC decided this year to upgrade its systems in order to provide better coverage and improved intelligi
China - When construction began on the Xi’an Olympic Sports Centre, home of China’s 14th National Games, officials wanted the modern 18,000 seat venue to feature a PA system that would give every seat a memorable experience. With help from pro audio distributor EzPro International, officials found the solution they were looking for in EAW’s Radius (RSX) Series loudspeakers and subwoofers. “In designing the sound system, the goal was to provide the same frequency response for each listening area and to address any unevenness throughout the audience areas,” says system designer Zhang Xianjun. “We first built a 3D model for the stadium in AutoCAD, according to the architectural drawings. We then imported the model into EASE4.3 acoustic analysis software, followed by a 1:1 EASE model setup. We choose EAW’s RSX line array for its strong directivity, ability to optim
USA - Audio Precision has released the latest update to APx500 audio measurement software, version 6.0. With this release, APx software supports multiple simultaneous input types, enabling the concurrent measurement of up to 16 channels of digital and eight channels of analogue audio data. This new multi-input capability, paired with the highest channel count and widest range of digital I/O available, provides APx users critical cross-domain insight and the opportunity to reduce testing time. Multiple simultaneous input types, or multi-input, is the ability to activate a second input type on any APx modular audio analyzer, or APx515 analyzer, and make measurements simultaneously on analogue and digital signals. With two input types enabled - for example, analogue for one or more reference microphones and PDM 16 for an array of MEMS microphones - there will be measureme
USA - In accordance with City of Chicago guidance, Sensaphonics has reopened its Chicago headquarters. After nearly three months of required closure, all facilities are back in operation, including the Musicians Hearing Clinic and the adjoining manufacturing lab. All Sensaphonics operations are being conducted under the social distancing guidelines suggested by the CDC and City of Chicago. The company has issued a simple set of rules for its staff and visitors, designed to protect employees and clients by minimizing any possible virus exposure. For the Musician Hearing Clinic, only one client will be permitted in the building at a time. All visits are by appointment only, and all guests must pass a temperature scan before being admitted. Visitors must bring and wear their own facemask, and the use of gloves is encouraged, though not required. Sensaphonics staff will w
Italy - With three decades of pro audio expertise under its belt, Funky Junk Italy has enjoyed a lengthy relationship with API Audio. Now, both companies are have announced that Funky Junk has been officially appointed as the exclusive Italian distributor for the US manufacturer's entire range of analogue consoles and signal processing equipment. "Funky Junk is the place to go in Italy if you are looking for professional and high-end equipment, and for good advice when it comes to planning an investment in a music production setup," said Funky Junk Italy's managing director, Paolo Orizio. "The recording market has changed greatly over the years, especially combined with the introduction of new genres of music. Computers and virtual devices have become a typical choice for a generation of musicians and producers who have grown up in the digital era. “At Funky Junk, we
Europe/USA - The 2020 AES Spring Convention, AES Virtual Vienna, was presented in real time to a global audience, 2-5 June as the Audio Engineering Society hosted its first-ever completely online convention. Despite being moved from its original, physical venue in Vienna, Austria, due to recent worldwide travel restrictions, organisers report that the AES Virtual Vienna Convention thrived, with attendees from 59 countries logging in to view and take part in over 200 presentations in live-stream and on-demand formats, many of which offered real-time Q&A discussion with the presenters and other attendees. The entire AES Virtual Vienna Convention will remain online through 30 June, 2020, for those currently registered, and registration (for as low as $50) will remain open through that time for anyone wishing enjoy the AES Virtual Vienna Convention on their own time,
South Africa - Digital signal processing technology specialist Xilica has appointed TOA Electronics Southern Africa, a subsidiary of TOA Group, as its distribution partner for Xilica DSP products in South Africa and select markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. Headquartered in Johannesburg with regional offices in Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth, TOA Electronics Southern Africa offers ‘a full-service approach that equally values sales, solutions engineering, training and pre/post-sales support’. “Our reputation for reliability, coupled with our engineering calibre, go a long way toward allaying any fears of system failures and breakdowns,” commentsRalph Singer, director, sales and marketing at TOA Electronics Southern Africa. “Xilica’s product range meet the same standards we value, and their products are especially ideal for the many installations that are
Myanmar - Total Electronic Solutions recently equipped mCube Family Karaoke’s two locations in Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon) with JBL KP Series loudspeakers and Crown XLi amplifiers. mCube is a popular karaoke chain with two locations in Myanmar’s largest city. Their Waizayandar location features 18 karaoke rooms of varying sizes, while the City Mall St. John location features 10. To provide loud and dynamic music, clear and intelligible vocals and consistent, focused coverage for large and small groups, mCube required cutting-edge sound systems tailored specifically for karaoke establishments. Total Electronic Solutions outfitted both locations with complete Harman audio solutions featuring specialised JBL KP 4000 and 6000 Series karaoke loudspeakers powered by Crown XLi Series amplifiers. "As the seating capacity for karaoke rooms ranges from 4 to 30 p
Europe/USA - Yamaha Pro Audio has added an extended programme of webinars dedicated to the latest Rivage PM Series digital mixing systems. Demand for in-depth information about the newly-introduced compact Rivage PM5 and PM3 systems has been high, says the company. Joining the established Rivage PM10 and PM7 systems, they allow a much wider range of applications and budgets to benefit from Yamaha’s flagship mixing technology. Produced by, and co-ordinated between, Yamaha’s three main technical centres in the UK, Japan and the USA, all live Rivage PM Series webinars are streamed globally and many are presented twice, to ensure people in as many time zones as possible can take part. Yamaha also runs online Q&A sessions, where people from all over the world can directly interface with the company’s experts to get answers to any technical enquiries.
UK - Working to support government officials in understanding the unique issues facing the events industry due to COVID-19, PLASA has produced two infographics illustrating how the events supply chain will be impacted without further government support. The graphics reflect the number of people it takes to deliver just one performance - on average 443 professionals, spanning planning, design, preparation, warehouse and venue staff. Additionally, the graphics show how valuable the sector is, delivering £100 billion to the UK economy and employing approx. 589,000 people. It is hoped that information contained in the graphics will help highlight to government officials how many jobs are at risk in the events industry without support beyond October. PLASA says in a statement: “Whilst many industries will be looking to return to some normality from July onwards, ex
Belgium - Gaant?! is a Belgian events organiser based in the city of Lokeren, whose name in the local Belgian-Dutch dialect Lokers, means “Are you ok?!” In the light of the current impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the question has perhaps never been more relevant, and the creative team at Gaant?! recently reached out to locked-down music fans by staging a livestream event featuring DJs DEEDEE, J.Roots and Hakimm. The charity event, aimed at getting people to dance at home, took place at Cultuurcentrum, Lokeren’s 400-capacity multi-use theatre, although for obvious reasons, no fans were present in the building... Production specialist LJKE is Gaant?!’s exclusive rental partner, and works on a wide range of the brand’s events, featuring top Belgian bands like The Van Jets and Goose as well as a number of top DJs. On this occasion they supplied audio, lighting, vis
Germany - Steinberg has released the Steinberg Production Starter Kit. As the name implies, this hardware/software bundle includes “all the essentials for recording and making music productions from A-Z”. The Steinberg Production Starter Kit features the UR22C USB 3.0 audio interface, Nektar’s Impact LX25+ keyboard, the ST-H01 studio headphones and the ST-M01 studio condenser microphone. On the software side, Steinberg’s Cubase Artist 10.5 is the centrepiece of music productions, with HALion Sonic 3, WaveLab LE and Cubasis LE, the sequencer app for the iPad and iPhone, rounding out this bundle and making it one of a kind. The UR22C is a two-channel audio interface with USB-C connectivity, housing two TRS/XLR combo inputs that include studio-grade D-PRE microphone preamps, two TRS outputs, MIDI I/O and one headphones output. Other highlights are latency-free har
Switzerland - Founded in 1982, Swiss private broadcaster Teleclub is considered one of the oldest pay-TV stations in Europe. Following the dawn of the digital era, a modern broadcast and production centre was built in Volketswil in 2002, featuring a playout centre, live broadcast control, digital archiving, transfer, editing and encoding/transcoding. The centre in Volketswil is connected to another Teleclub studio in Fribourg, where the French version of the content is being produced. Recently Martin Reich and Gregor Baumann from Audioconsulting AG were commissioned with the audio extension of the production centre in Volketswil. Just a few weeks ago the studio in Fribourg received its latest upgrade. A PRODIGY.MP replaced an older ANDIAMO.XT unit in order to convert a huge number of analogue commentary signals to the Dante network. Thanks to the powerful and flexible DSP p
Hungary - The Magdolna Ruzsa Band recently played two concerts at the Papp László Budapest Sportarena through a Martin Audio MLA PA, supplied by their Hungarian partner, BG Event. Magdolna ‘Magdi’ Rúzsa herself won the title of Megasztár (Megastar), Hungary's nationwide talent search, back in 2006, and now she was filling the 12,500-capacity venue for two consecutive nights, supported by a classic five-piece rock band line-up. To ensure sound was broadcast evenly to all corners of the venue BG Event used a total of 46 MLA cabinets, and four MLD Downfill enclosures as main PA and side-hangs. They also provided monitors. But this doesn’t tell the full story. In achieving this exceptional coverage BG Event’s Balázs Szentiványi notes the inherent challenges faced. "This is a difficult venue compared to an average arena in Europe due to its larger
USA - The Directors Guild of America recently completed a renovation of its flagship motion picture exhibition space at the DGA Theatre in Los Angeles. Guided by a Guild committee of six leading filmmakers, the renewal project has moved the 600-seat theatre to the forefront of cinema technology with installation of custom-built Dolby Vision laser projection and a Dolby Atmos immersive sound system encompassing more than 70 Meyer Sound cinema loudspeakers. To translate their creative concepts into design specifics, the Guild committee engaged the noted Gensler architectural firm. In turn, Gensler assigned the critical role of AV specification and engineering to Tom Schindler, senior vice-president at the San Francisco-based Salter consulting firm. According to Schindler, from the outset the committee had insisted on the absolute highest level of audio reproductio
UK - Sennheiser has reported that Alan March passed away on Saturday 30th May after a short battle with cancer. The statement reads: “It is with a very heavy heart that we have to inform you that our friend and colleague, Alan March, has been prematurely taken from us and his family. Alan sadly passed away peacefully on Saturday 30th May with his wife Kate by his side. After a short but brave battle with cancer Alan is now out of pain and at peace. “Alan took up his employment with Sennheiser UK in 2008 as a ‘Business Development Specialist’. Alan’s 21 years’ experience in the pro audio industry in various roles, for HW International and Shure Distribution UK, meant that he arrived at Sennheiser with a wealth of experience and knowledge and was an instant fit within the Sennheiser team. Alan helped drive both new and existing business for Sennheiser with his exce
France - L-Acoustics has announced that its L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology will soon be natively controllable via Yamaha Professional Audio’s entire line-up of Rivage PM digital mixing systems, including the newly launched PM5 and PM3, thanks to a DeskLink co-developed by the two manufacturers. As a feature of Rivage PM firmware version 4.0, which will be released simultaneously with the PM5 (CS-R5) and PM3 (CS-R3) hardware in the coming months, DeskLink enables Yamaha’s newest consoles to be fully capable of controlling L-ISA mixes, just like their larger siblings, the flagship PM10 and PM7 mixing systems. Within the Rivage PM desks, for every mono or stereo input channel, direct control of L-ISA Objects or Groups will be available on the console control surface and touch screens. The five main L-ISA parameters - Pan, Width, Distance, Elevation, and
Europe - Audio-Technica has released the version 1.1.1 update of its Wireless Manager software, available for immediate download. Wireless Manager is a Mac OS/Windows application for remote configuration, control, monitoring, spectrum management, and frequency coordination of compatible Audio-Technica wireless devices. For those customers who have A-T Wireless Manager previously installed the software will be automatically updated. Updated features in version 1.1.1 include improved usability, layout and control; enhanced scrolling capability; improved visibility of all frequency coordinated devices; updated and expanded channel list reports; upgraded user tools; and minor bug fixes. The software is compatible with Microsoft Windows 8.1, 10; macOS High Sierra (Version 10.13), macOS Mojave (Version 10.14). A-T Wireless Manager software is compatible with all wire
Japan - With competitive sport now returning ‘behind closed doors’ in several countries, a key problem is how to recreate the experience of passionate supporters, both for sporting participants and those cheering them on. To address this, two of Japan’s top professional football clubs recently helped Yamaha to trial its Remote Cheerer powered by SoundUD system at the 50,000-seat Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA. The passion of a noisy crowd is an essential part of many sports, from team games like football, rugby and cricket, to racquet sports and all forms of racing. For the foreseeable future, returning sports will need to be played without supporters present. So, in May, Yamaha collaborated with the Júbilo Iwata and Shimizu S-Pulse football clubs to field test the new system in one of Japan's largest stadiums. Remote Cheerer powered by SoundUD allows fans following a g
