Nathan Lively's Blog, page 18

Essential Live Sound Training with Scott Adamson [REVIEW]

Takeaway: This is a great overview of almost every major tool and concept you will run into in live audio. Don’t expect to walk away ready to take Scott Adamson’s job mixing for Passion Pit, but if you didn’t go to school for audio or just want a refresher, I whole heartedly recommend this course. At $29/month for over 100 video lessons, it’s a steal. Take a look at the curriculum and sample lessons here.

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I was excited to get into Adamson’s new course. I had already heard from one of my student’s that it was worthwhile, especially around using effects. I was also nervous that Adamson was going to make the same mistake I see other books make, which is to talk about lots of concepts in general terms, but never show their specific application with context.

For example, Adamson gives a great overview of FX routing, but what I really want to know is how he handles his FX returns when he works with Passion Pit, Haim, Matt Kim, St. Vincent, and Sleater-Kinney. I know he has lots of great insight and experiences to share because I have interviewed him on Sound Design Live and I visited him when he came through Minneapolis with Haim. I got to poke around his board a bit and it was interesting to find his FX returns immediately following the inputs they are associated with. Kick 91, Kick Out, then Kick Verb. Snare Top, Snare Bottom, then Snare Verb.

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Luckily, Adamson does not disappoint. There are lots of concepts discussed in general terms, but there are also plenty of specific examples, plus some additional Q&A videos and a webinar that share more experiences and stories. For example:

I tend to use 800ms decay for drums and 1.5s for vocals.

This is gold for me. Hearing what specific settings a successful FOH touring mixer uses means a lot.

Like/Dislike

Here are a few of the general things I really liked about Essential Live Sound Training:

I can jump to any lesson.
Graphics and explanations are clear.
Site is fast and easy to navigate.
The listening demos are really helpful.

I also really liked Adamson’s attitude. He is obviously someone that cares about great sound, but doesn’t obsess about the details unnecessarily. This is really good for someone like me that can get an unhealthy obsession with the details and lose sight of the overall picture.

Here area few things I thought could be better:

More field demos. I wanted Adamson to show me how he uses each lesson in the field, but I realize that with over 100 videos, this may be unrealistic.
More specific examples. I wanted Adamson to say, “Here’s what a gate does and here are the gate settings I used on the kick drum on the last show I worked on.”
Where are the mixing examples? A few times in the course, Adamson refers to mixing examples that aren’t there, yet. He plans to have these available the end of the summer, though. Yay!

Things I do differently

I automatically compare any new information with old information. Watching new training videos gives me the opportunity to reexamine old information and past experiences under new light. Below I’ll mention a few of the things Adamson said that got me thinking and if you are one of my students or are considering taking one of my courses, you should know that these are things that I do differently. I had a chance to talk about these with Adamson so I’ll include his responses in blue.

Let’s flip the phase and see what it sounds like.

You can’t flip phase. It needs a time component. What you can flip is polarity. I know that this still gets confused, though, since some console manufacturers like DiGiCo still label their polarity switch as a phase switch.

*Technically you’re right, but this is still common language, so don’t be surprised if you hear this on stage.

The speaker system is the end of the signal chain.

I wasn’t going to be picky about this one, but then it was a question in the quiz for lesson 9.2. Anyway, you know what I’m going to point out here: Sound still has to go through the air and your ear, which are part of the signal chain.

*It is the end of the electrical signal chain, which is still commonly referred to as the end of the chain.

To really get even sound coverage for a large crowd, line arrays are pretty much key.

I don’t want to get into the live array vs point source debate here (please, no hate mail), but it would be more accurate to say that line arrays (aka asymmetrical coupled point source proportional beam width array) are good at solving the problem of deep audiences with high front-to-back distance ratios with a single array instead of multiple relay or delay arrays. They are just another tool, not the only tool.

*You’re right. They are not the only tool. But I’m talking about crowds of 10,000 people. For practical purposes, you’re not going to cover that audience with point source arrays.

If your horns sound super harsh, you can EQ that in the processing.

Adamson is suggesting using the system processor to EQ the output to specific drivers. I would never do this unless I really know what I’m doing. Processing of individual drivers is the domain of the speaker manufacturer.

*I have done it, but I wouldn’t suggest that beginners do it. It’s pretty advanced and not something you want to do on someone else’s PA that you are walking into for the day.

The most important development in the last 25 years as been the line array.

Hmm, Harry Olson published Acoustical Engineering in 1957 and L-Acoustics’ came out with the first commercial line array V-DOSC in 1992 so…sure.

*I was talking more about their common implementation. You didn’t see V-DOSC out on shows until the mid-90s.

If you still need [stage monitors] to be loud, the other option is EQ.

What about microphone choice/placement and and speaker choice/placement? The battle for GBF (gain before feedback) is not won at any single point in the signal chain. In live sound, the sound quality off-axis is just as important as on-axis. I also wouldn’t use a GEQ (graphic EQ) to fight feedback unless I absolutely had to. I can never find the frequency that you actually need. I always have to choose one lower or higher.

*I talk about this in the polar patterns section [Lesson 2.4]. Also, you can’t guarantee that a stage monitor will stay exactly where you put it, so you can’t rely on that entirely. In practice, the GEQ is still the first thing people go to. Most people are working with very limited time and resources so they won’t have the opportunity to change the mic or speaker. In an ideal world, you wouldn’t need a GEQ, but in practice, it’s GEQ first.

Personally, I use an aux send to do this.

I avoid using subs on an aux, but when I do, I use a group instead. The problem is that if you are sending different content to the sub channel than you are sending to the main channel, then those are no longer coherent sources, they are separate, and our measurement system doesn’t know what to do with them. This can be a problem when during measurements during soundcheck or the show. So when I have the option, I’ll choose simplicity and objectivity.

*If it doesn’t sound right to me, I need to make a change. I have found that changing the sub level, EQ, and mix is key. The way I mix (and many other people mix) is with a separate mix going to the subs. The only way to do that is with subs on an aux. At minimum I advise some kind of separate send out of the console for more control, which is why I discuss using a matrix. The most important thing is to understand that the option exists.

Looking forward

Adamson helps us dip our toes into many topics in this course that raise many questions. For example:

If the amps overload the circuit they are plugged into, the circuit will trip and you will lose all the sound in your PA.

What? That’s terrifying! How do I know if I have enough power?

It’s great to know that I still have lots to learn about live audio and there is a big opportunity here for Adamson to answer many of these questions in future courses and updates, which I look forward to.

Check out Essential Live Sound Training here.

This article Essential Live Sound Training with Scott Adamson [REVIEW] appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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Dan Dugan and the Birth of the Automatic Microphone Mixer

Subscribe on iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play or Stitcher.
Support Sound Design Live on Patreon.

In this episode of Sound Design Live, I speak with the inventor of the automatic microphone mixer and CEO at Dan Dugan Sound Design, Dan Dugan. We discuss the origin of the automatic microphone mixer, implementation and best practices, and his favorite locations for soundscape recording. I ask:

What are some of the biggest mistakes you see people making who are new to using the automatic microphone mixer?
Tell me about your field recording rig.
What has been your favorite location to record so far?
What is one book that has been immensely helpful to you?
What podcast do you love?
Facebook

Bashir

1- I have heard of people saying that it’s applied to music… Why? How?
2- speaking technically, would like an explanation of how it works, not how it’s applied, but of how it works technically… Like what it really does to the the sound that I am applying it to


Lou

Ask Mr. Dugan about non Dugan branded auto mixers. Im sure he isn’t happy about them but does he feel Dugan branded stuff is better.

[image error]Gating doesn’t work. I spent about 6 years figuring out a better gating system and discovered the magical system called gain sharing.

Notes

All field recordings used in this episode by Dan Dugan.
Dan’s field recording rig:

Heavy (50lb): Sennheiser MKH4020, Sound Devices 788T, Lowpro bag, MP1 batteries
Light: (4) Talinga, Zoom H2 (modified)


Sound System Engineering, Lang Elliott’s Listening Earth podcast
Public domain patents for the Dugan Automixer

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Why is Dan Dugan looking at my website?

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This article Dan Dugan and the Birth of the Automatic Microphone Mixer appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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Bobby Owsinski: Why Do Concerts Sound So Bad?

Subscribe on iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play or Stitcher.
Support Sound Design Live on Patreon.

In this episode of Sound Design Live, I speak with the the author of Music 4.0: A Survival Guide for Making Music in the Internet Age and Deconstructed Hits: Uncover the Stories & Techniques Behind Iconic Songs, Bobby Owsinski. We discuss concert sound quality and the three most important qualities for building a lifelong career in pro audio. I ask:

You recently published an article called Why Do Concerts Sound So Bad? in which you write, “The fact of the matter is that the majority of concerts really sound bad these days…” and that the biggest reason for this is that the vocal cannot be heard or understood. Is the solution as simple as turning up the vocal, or is there something more complex going on?
Are there any methods we could be using for building relationships and generating personal referral on a regular basis to be more in control of our future and getting more of the work that we really want?
Why aren’t artists and event planners streaming all of their events?

[image error]A whole generation of sound engineers learned the wrong way. They tend to concentrate way too much on the drums and far too little on the vocals.

Notes

All music in this episode by B1.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Products: The Presonus Studio Live Official Handbook, The Mixing Engineers Handbook
Quotes

It all comes down to attitude and perseverance and not so much on talent. You can have a lot of talent and if you’re no fun to be around, you’re not going to work. It’s always the case that the nicest person, the most fun to be around, get’s the gig.
Things don’t happen over night. The person with the most perseverance is the one that will have a career.


Big announcements

LIFETIME SoundGym Pro Membership Giveaway
Live Sound Summit

This article Bobby Owsinski: Why Do Concerts Sound So Bad? appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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Stop Smaarting the Sound System

Smaarting the sound system has turned into a bad word. It refers to a quick and easy sound system tuning procedure that can ruin your show.

Here’s how to Smaart the sound system:

Buy audio analyzer software.
Don’t practice at home.
Take a single measurement of the combined system at FOH with 1/3oct smoothing.
Insert 50 EQ filters to make the trace appear flat.
Don’t use your ears. Base all of your decisions on the graph.

Download the Sound System Tuning Roadmap

Watch the entire video series: Get Started with Sound System Tuning

This article Stop Smaarting the Sound System appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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Stop Smaarting the Sound System [GSwSST12]

Smaarting the sound system has turned into a bad word. It refers to a quick and easy sound system tuning procedure that can ruin your show.

Here’s how to Smaart the sound system:

Buy audio analyzer software.
Don’t practice at home.
Take a single measurement of the combined system at FOH with 1/3oct smoothing.
Insert 50 EQ filters to make the trace appear flat.
Don’t use your ears. Base all of your decisions on the graph.

Download the Sound System Tuning Roadmap

Watch the entire video series: Get Started with Sound System Tuning

This article Stop Smaarting the Sound System [GSwSST12] appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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Audio Calculators for Sound System Tuning

How to build your own audio analyzer (like Smaart) for FREE

You don’t need to spend $4K+ to run your own audio analyzer like Smaart, SATlive, SysTune, or RiTA. You can do it for free or cheap with components you already own. The most important thing is to start practicing as soon as possible, not to build the best rig in the world.

Watch the entire video series: Get Started with Sound System Tuning

This article How to build your own audio analyzer (like Smaart) for FREE appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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How to build your own audio analyzer (like Smaart) for FREE [GGwSST1]

You don’t need to spend $4K+ to run your own audio analyzer like Smaart, SATlive, SysTune, or RiTA. You can do it for free or cheap with components you already own. The most important thing is to start practicing as soon as possible, not to build the best rig in the world.

Watch the entire video series: Get Started with Sound System Tuning

This article How to build your own audio analyzer (like Smaart) for FREE [GGwSST1] appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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Simple Ideas to Improve Acoustics in Recording Studios and Concert Halls

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Support Sound Design Live on Patreon.

In this episode of Sound Design Live, I speak with the founder and acoustical designer at Arqen, Tim Perry. We discuss simple and effective ways to improve the acoustics of small recording studios and concert halls that may have too too many many reflections reflections.

[image error]Early reflections are the biggest problem in a listening room.

Notes

Tim’s bass trap placement guide.
Use the mirror technique to find first reflections.

Treat any reflection paths less than 22ft (20ms) so that they arrive at the listening position 10dB lower than the direct sound.


Priorities for treatment

First reflection points
Bass traps
Diffusors and parallel walls


Recording Studio Design
Room EQ Wizard
Products: Rockwool Safe and Sound, Bonded Logic Ultra Touch, Owens Corning 703,
Quotes

Most world class concert halls have an initial signal delay gap of 12-25ms. The highest rated halls have a gap of 20ms.
The thicker the treatment is, the lower density it should be.
In a small room you can’t add too many broad band bass traps.
Absorptive materials should be non-toxic and provide high air quality.
One of the worst things to use for diffusors is plastic. It will end up in the trash and take tens of thousands of years to biodegrade.

This article Simple Ideas to Improve Acoustics in Recording Studios and Concert Halls appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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FOH Mixing: EQ it till it sounds good

Subscribe on iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play or Stitcher.
Support Sound Design Live on Patreon.

In this episode of Sound Design Live, I speak with FOH mixer Scott Adamson who has toured with some of my favorite bands including Passion Pit, Haim, Matt Kim, St. Vincent, and Sleater-Kinney. I ask:

How do I become the next Scott Adamson and pursue a career touring as a FOH concert sound mixer? What would be your first steps if you had to start all over again?
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see people making who are new to FOH mixing?
What’s one thing that you wish everyone understood better that would make show set up so much easier?
What’s in your work bag?

[image error]If it doesn’t sound good, EQ it till it does.

Notes

All music in this episode by Daniel Mintseris.
Scott’s free courses: The Top 5 Live Sound Tips for Stage, How to Use a Mixer – the Master Control for Live Sound
The biggest mistakes by people who are new to FOH mixing:

Volume: There’s a big difference between making it sound big, and it being loud.
EQ, especially on outputs (tuning a PA). Tip: Look at your system EQ in the high-mids.
Pushing the outputs of the console super super hot.


Quotes

A lot of sound engineers want to share their information with people that are interested.
The hardest thing to do was to stick with it.
More than anything, what I feel has helped me is to just focus on being nice to people.
If you are on top of your patching, everything goes fine from there.
You always have to use your ear and do what sounds good and not what looks good on the screen.
EQ it till it sounds good.

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This article FOH Mixing: EQ it till it sounds good appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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Smaart is just a tool. You are the analyzer.

Subscribe on iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play or Stitcher.
Support Sound Design Live on Patreon.

In this episode of Sound Design Live, I speak with Product Manager and Smaart Instructor at Rational Acoustics, Chris Tsanjoures. We talk about sound system tuning time saving techniques, microphone placement for main+sub alignment, and the biggest mistake new Smart users are making. I ask:

Why should I care about the physics of audio and sound system optimization? I’ve got a good ear and I don’t need robots to tell me how to do my job.
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see people making who are new to Smaart?
How do I save time in sound system tuning? What are some time saving techniques or shortcuts you can share with us?
Thinking about the most common sound systems that we run into on a day-to-day basis, what is your guidance around microphone placement in the horizontal and vertical plane for main+sub alignment?
What’s in your work bag?
What are the new SPL features of Smaart?
From Facebook:

Kevin

Is he using FIR and IIR filters in his live system tuning? Does he believe there is a future in their applications for an end user system tech?
Has he seen FFT system tuning techniques being accepted by a wider audience of engineers in recent years?
Is he excited about any specific developments in the world of system processing or speaker design that will make system design and system teching easier?
What can we do as end users to encourage loudspeaker manufacturers to develop a proper standard for generating and publishing speaker specifications?
What’s his favorite subwoofer and why?


Jonathan

What’s next for Smaart ? Send and receive OSC ! Gain tracking on the Octa-Capture?


Rory

How to measure and read tonality or timbre of loudspeakers. For example at x-over freq two driver playing the same tone at the same magnitude and phase sound completely different! A progression of this is how to measure the ability of speaker system to convey the emotional content of an artists performance and connect with the listener.


Russell

What does he always recommend as the absolute minimum you should do? Which steps should you never, ever leave out.

[image error]If you’ve already set your subs up left/right, then you’ve already made a decision that you don’t care about coverage. –Chris Tsanjoures, Smaart Ninja

Notes

All music in this episode by It Prevails(Chris Tsanjoures, Lead Guitar).
Why Smaart?

Hearing is subjective. You like one song while I like another.
Hearing changes. What if you wake up with a cold?
There is proof in analysis. You have data to support your claims.
Speed. How do you recreate that sound that you love in a completely different environment in 5 minutes?


Biggest mistakes made by people who are new to using Smaart.

Lack of practice in a controlled environment where you get used to looking at the data.

So how do you practice?

Get two matching speakers and an output processor. Put them next to each other. Splay them apart and find the point of equal time and level.
Get two unmatched speakers and try to make them match.






Time saving techniques

The day before, look at the design to determine where you’re starting, ending, and what your target is.
Create a checklist of polarity, time, response, and level for each system.


Order of operations – download Chris’ personal system alignment worksheet

Verification: Does it work? Do all of the outputs arrive where they are supposed to?
Main systems. Everything else will then be set relative to the main.
Do symmetrical systems sound the same?
System response measurements and matching.
Level
Polarity
Time


Microphone placement for main+sub alignment

Where’s the person who can do the most damage? Is it at FOH? Where is the bulk of the audience at this EDM thing?
Make sure you are phase aligned not only at the crossover frequency, but 1 octave up and down from it.


Chris’ workbag

(6) Y-cable
(5) Measurement mic (Earthworks S30, Behringer ECM8000)
(1) PC
(1) MacBook Pro
(1) iSEMcon SC1 Microphone calibrator
(1) Manfrotto Micro microphone stand
(1) Smaart IO
(4) 1ft polarity inversion cables
short XLR cables
any adapter you can imagine


Hardware: Roland Octa-Capture
Quotes

If you are out there actually putting things together, you learn a lot faster.
Any analyzer, they’re just tools. They are going after the same goal, which is good sound.
If it takes you 2 hours to get [the system] to sound good, that’s not acceptable to me. If you get that system up and ready to be used in 15 minutes, you’re a hero.
If you’ve already set your subs up left/right, then you’ve already made a decision that you don’t care about coverage.
Nuisance monitoring is basically LF measurement. C weight to keep track of LF level, A weight to keep track of loudness that could cause hearing damage.
If I start a show off at 98 dBA/106 dBC, I don’t want to end too far away from there.
I’m a subtractive mixer. If you can’t hear the guitar, it’s because something else is in the way.
Sound is linear. What’s not is our human hearing mechanism.
The first two steps don’t involve an analyzer. You are the analyzer.
Smaart is just a tool. It just makes data. You are the one analyzing it.
Any idiot can make squiggly lines on a computer. The skill is in making data that you can rely on or make meaningful decisions from.
Part of the skillset for a system technician is being able to operate an analyzer. You definitely get paid more.
A good engineer can make a bad system sound good. And a great engineer can make a good system sound great. And an excellent engineer can make a great system sound transcendent. -Jim Woods

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This article Smaart is just a tool. You are the analyzer. appeared first on Sound Design Live. Sign up for free updates here.

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