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Siemens/Sitral W295

The Siemens W295  is a bridge impedance, fully discrete class-A push-pull output Equaliser designed in West Germany in the early 70s.

The cassette size unit features input and output transformers, inductor based midrange, old and hard to find BCY58, SST117, and BCY 66 transistors and it has a 600-ohm input and output impedance, hence “bridge impedance.”

It is one of the most colorful, sweet and round EQ I have ever had.  The W295B has a fixed frequency High Shelf eq, and Low Shelf eq, both with +/-15dB in 3dB increments. It also has a Middle Range bell eq with fixed frequencies of 700Hz, 1kHz, 1.5kHz, 2.3kHz, 3.5kHz, and 5.6kHz with +/- 8dB in 2dB increments.Both High and Low shelf are based on the classic Resistor / Capacitor design while the midrange uses a multi-tapped inductor to create the resonance frequency of the filter.

Think of it as the NEVE / PULTEC of Germany.

This unit, along with the all series of preamps (676) line amps (672,274,374 and so on) were part of the Siemens/sitral broadcast consoles (see pictures) and were designed for radio stations use.

Soon enough recording studios had found out that the broadcast modules had uber high specifications, sounded amazing and as radio stations started upgrading for more modern equipment these cassette modules started to find their way into the recording business.

This is an incredible tracking and mixing tool that can be used in wide variety of applications from vocals to drums to guitars and bass. I find that the frequency choices are really useful to bring out the grit and air of guitars, top end on drums and generally air on vocals. The top shelving is especially very useful when a singer needs a bit of overall presence as the filter starts at  1KHz and very very gently boosts up until 15KHz. On drums, it is very useful as both snare and overhead EQ as the midrange inductor EQ sits in that range of frequencies where most of those elements live.

I absolutely love the silk and sweet character it has and how you can boost program material without ever sounding harsh. I tend to use it for additive equalisation that happens while recording so I can paint coarse strokes to change the colour and feel of the instrument very quickly without spending too much time. The channel where this EQ is used is normally then paired in the mix with a more surgical Plugin EQ which helps to remove any extra resonances.

I think this is an excellent tool that every musician could use when recording and/or mixing as it gives a good alternative to the usual Pultec or NEVE EQ, so it can be a different flavour and yet maintain the “polished/ expensive record” sound. The SoundToys Sie Q is an incredible emulation of this. I also own the plugin, and I ended up using it extensively in quite a few classical records I have worked on lately. If you cannot get your hands on an original one, I highly recommend the SoundToys alternative.

Matt Sartori of Vintage Productions

Vintage Productions is a Location / on demand recording service. We use the latest audio interfaces and multitrack recording systems along with vintage gear and some special DIY custom built tools to bring studio quality to any location that the artist chooses to work in.

Our portable system allows bands, ensembles, and producers to work in any location they choose using a discrete headphones system and high-end gear, cutting down on studio rental cost and allowing everyone to work very comfortably.

 

 

 

 

 

What are you worth? or Do I need an agent?

In an industry where fees are kept close to everyone’s chest, it’s often hard to know what is a fair price for your time. Taking a job where I feel I have been ripped off in the fees department is never a way for me to feel like part of a team and produce my best work. I have found that it is often not a one-off. Doing one show at a discounted rate, in my experience, only leads to being offered more shows with a discounted fee attached. It is often assumed, in theatre, that the Sound Designer is at the bottom of the pile when the money is being handed out. Add to that the global phenomenon of women being paid less than men. Yes, women working full-time still often earn less than men doing the same job:

Women are Still Paid Less than Men Even in the Same Job

Nursing Pay Gap Women Paid Less

Research Finds Women Paid Less than Men in 90 Sectors

The Gender Pay Gap

It can feel the struggle to find out if you are getting paid what you are worth. I have said this before but, I have found that, for me, working for free has never led to a paid gig. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but not in my personal experience.

There are Guidelines for Theatre Designers, but not specifically for Sound:
The Association of Lighting Designers has a suggested fees document that covers everything from a major musical (£20,000) to a fringe/pub theatre production (£1,000). I find that the only way not to drive myself mad is to try to stick to this. If there are special circumstances, like a very short run in hope of a transfer, then I will make sure there are clauses like: I get the first refusal if the show transfers, and that transfer will come with a fee that is the going rate. I also make sure the copyright of the sound design and content created stays with me.

If I have to be away from home, there is the issue of accommodation. £500 seems to be a standard figure offered for accommodation and travel but I am very honest if I can’t find anywhere for that and/or there are last-minute changes to schedules. Not being able to book ahead makes everything a whole lot more expensive.

Also, I always mention any dates I am not available for during the rehearsal and production period. We aren’t expected to be there for every day of rehearsals unless specified in the contract and compensated, but it is still good to give a heads-up to the director and producer of any clashes in my schedule. Theatre Sound Design pay rates mean you often have overlapping projects; people understand this but communicate with them so there are no awkward surprises later on.

I do sometimes wonder if it’s worth trying to get an agent to do the negotiating, but the only benefit I can see is that they have more of an idea of what the going rate is. I would still have to agree, or not, to the terms of the contract. Technical Design Agents in the UK theatre scene don’t really get you to work, at least not actively. As far as I’m aware, they negotiate the contract on your behalf. I have heard a variety of things from Lighting Designers: those whose rate tripled when they got an agent, to the agent who insisted on taking a cut from all of their clients’ earnings, regardless of whether they had been working as a designer or not.

The only way through, for me, is to make sure I don’t go into a job feeling that I’ve been taken advantage of. If I can manage that, then I am happy to negotiate the contract myself. And there is always the rest of the creative team who, if they won’t actually tell you the fee they are on, will tell you if they think yours is below the going rate.

 

 

 

Standard Brazilian P.A. Mix for DVD Recording

In our past blog, Live Recording of a DVD of Setanejo, my colleague Karen Avila went through the crazy process of Brazilian DVDs. Although she was specifically referring to the ‘sertanejo’ style, most Brazilian artists record a DVD before going on tour. We only get one day of live recording. Also, some new singles are recorded live on that day, to promote the ‘DVD tour.’

We usually record the sound/light/video check, with cameras in positions that would be impossible to do with the public. Then, we record the show with the public and re-do some songs at the end. It works fine, but we have to mix the P.A. with the recording in mind.

Over the years I’ve been the DVD P.A. mixer, but also the studio mixer and editor. I’ve developed some procedures – some are my own, some that I have learned from more experienced colleagues – in order to have a good P.A. mix without compromising the recording.

Overall volume and alignment of the P.A., front-fill, subwoofer, and delays:

Most DVDs are not recorded in open areas because it is safer concerning weather variations. On the other hand, acoustics are always a problem here. The house mix is usually not centered because it is more important to have open space in the middle for the audience and cameras.

Because of these conditions, I always prefer a digital console, which can be controlled through Wi-Fi. It is better that the P.A. console is not the one being used for recording but, depending on the budget, it will be FOH, monitors, and recording…

FOH not centered – Digital console, Wi-Fi controlled

The volume has to be high enough for the crowd to be excited and reach them even when they are screaming the song. Brazilians usually sing all the lyrics during the whole song, together with the band (I think this is a Latin phenomenon). But it cannot be too high, so it doesn’t mess up the ambience microphones. We want to clearly catch the crowd screaming. It is the same for delays all over the room.

Front-fill is a solution and a problem. I usually only put vocals and solo instruments on the front-fill in this type of mix. And I do not put any effects on the front. The best crowd is always the one near the stage. They need to hear the singers, but we have to be careful in case we have some editing, studio overdub or auto-tuning to do afterward. All high frequencies tend to be reflected back to the stage and mess up the ambience mics. I do not use a lot of hi-hat and overheads, nor high-frequency percussion on the mix.

For the front-fill, I use an HPF. I need it to complete the Main Stereo. It doesn’t have to sound really, really nice. It is usually on an aux send or matrix send

 

I cut the subwoofer at 80Hz because it is easy to cut this out from the crowd in the mix. I use it a lot. It saves me when we don’t have too much volume, but we need the crowd to jump and dance. I only send the instruments that I want to excite the crowd to the subwoofer; like the kick drum, the electronic stuff, and the bass. It is usually on an aux send or matrix send. We must be very careful to have the subwoofer outside the stage, or in an end-fired or cardioid arrangement.

 

I like to duplicate the voice with some parallel compression, to make it powerful but not too high. I need a strong de-esser because of the above-mentioned high-frequency issue in the P.A.

As for effects, unfortunately, I must use very little. For example, I cannot do crazy long effects or delay rides. Usually, I prefer to use a short modulated-delay (in eighth-note), a medium stereo-delay (in quarter-note) instead of reverb. If you don’t put a lot of feedback in them, they will be wonderful esthetic allies. I also use a little overdrive in some of the instruments, but especially in vocals, to add presence, since I don’t have analog gear in general.

 

Basically, this is it. I’m constantly in touch with the recording suite, so they are always giving me feedback about P.A. leak in the recording. If we are always working as a team with artists, monitor/recording/P.A., lights and video, it will come out just fine.

Florencia Saravia-Akamine has over 20 years dedicated exclusively to audio, whether in the studio or live. Today, she centered her activities in the areas of “live sound” and recording, editing, and mixing for broadcasting. (This has changed through the years and will probably keep on changing every day.

More on Florencia Saravia-Akamine at Pro Audio Clube

Australian SoundGirls Lunch – Sydney

The SoundGirls Sydney Chapter will be hosting a lunch to meet New Zealand SoundGirl Gil Eva Craig.  Details below. Hope to see you there.

Thai Pothong in Newtown. Great food and it caters for everyone.

Menu

RSVP to Toni Venditti at toniandgab@gmail.com

 

Touring – A Tribute to our Strengths in Times of Darkness

‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness- only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate – only love can do that.’

Dr. Martin Luther King

The horrific recent event in Manchester shocked the world, and hit the industry many of us call home, the touring music business. This murderer targeted not only human lives, but joy, happiness, and community. People – kids – who loved music, having fun at a gig. Coming together to celebrate life and enjoy that transcendent sense of uniting in the excitement of a great show.

The attack happened a few days before my current tour was scheduled for its Manchester gig. Our show went ahead and was one of the first to happen after the attack. While there were a significant number of people who had bought tickets but understandably decided not to come out that night, there were also a great many who felt brave enough to defy the hate-filled cowards who try to scare a free society into submission.

I won’t begin to try to make sense of what happened at Ariana’s show – we call it senseless violence for a reason, and there can be no justification for such appalling actions. Instead, I’d like to pay tribute to all of those who have been affected by this real-life horror story and remember everything that is so wonderful about the music industry and our touring family.

The whole reason that a music industry exists is because of how music makes us feel. Whether we’re feeling elated, melancholy, misunderstood or angry, music is there to help us ride that wave of emotion, process it, or shift out of it. It touches the deepest, truest part of us. It makes us stronger. It unites us. Nothing else has a power quite like it – music is unbreakable. While the industry which has grown up around it certainly has its dark side, the fact remains that it only exists in the first place because of joy. For all its downsides, it’s a fabulous way to make a living – it’s pretty great to look at a jubilant crowd during a gig and know that, in some infinitesimal way, you have contributed to the sum total of human happiness. Those fans deserve our gratitude and respect because they are the music-lovers who make our touring industry possible.

I’ve written before about the strengths of roadie-dom and the way we pull together to make shows happen in the most unlikely and challenging of circumstances. I can think of no better folk to be amongst when you need to pull off the seemingly impossible, and whilst we may not go in for deep and meaningful heart-to-hearts (at least not until the wine is flowing), we become very attuned to each other and quickly sense when someone isn’t ‘right’. I’ve lost count of the ‘is he/she ok? Will you have a chat or shall I?’ conversations I’ve had over the years. Even when it’s just a case of the tour blues and you’re missing home, it’s good to know that you’re surrounded by friends who have been there too and who get it. Friends who will let you get it off your chest and then jolly you along.

We have each other’s backs in a way that more formal industries can only dream of. Because we literally live together for months at a time, strong bonds are quickly formed, and this motley bunch becomes your touring brothers and sisters, your family away from home.

So what are those shared qualities which make our industry so special?

1 – We are resourceful. Rock concert up a mountain in a blizzard? We’re your gang.

2 – We are determined. Blizzard or not, that concert has to happen. The fans have paid, and there WILL be a show.

3 – We are practical. We roll up our sleeves and get stuck in.

4 – We are logical. Things happen in a certain order for a very good reason.

5 – We are adaptable. If that order can’t happen (lighting truck falling down a ditch is one that springs to mind), we find ways around it. Because see 2.

6 – We are responsible. Yes, we might like to party on our downtime. But don’t let that fool you – when we’re dealing with large amounts of electricity, hanging tons of gear in a roof, and lifting heavy, cumbersome flight cases, we’d better have our heads on straight, or someone’s going to get hurt.

7 – We are efficient. Non-touring folk are amazed at the speed at which we can set up and pull down a spectacular show. Especially after the 100th time, we do it!

8 – We are hard-working. There are no sick days in our world – I’ve mixed shows with a bucket next to me when I’ve had a vomiting bug, and most of us can relate similar tales. But if you are seriously ill, get to a hospital.

9 – We are there for each other. If one of us is truly too ill to do the show, we pull together our collective skills and make it happen. It might not be perfect, but the audience will be none the wiser.

10 – We are friends. We laugh and joke and share truths, we fall out and make up and put it behind us. We take the piss out of each other mercilessly but stick up for each other when it matters. We don’t see each other for months and years and then pick up right where we left off.

We are family.

Honing Your Sound Skills in Your Own Home

By: Sally Perkins

Getting into the audio industry can be tough – especially if you’re caught in the cycle of ‘no experience = no job = no experience.’ Many schools and technical colleges offer programs in music production and sound engineering. Obtaining an internship or volunteering with a local band can be a great first step on the ladder – but if you’re looking for a way to build up your skillset in your spare time and can’t do either of those, setting up a studio at home could be the way to go.

The acoustics of your average bedroom or living room aren’t fantastic but experiment with the placement of equipment around the room to see what works best

Build up your familiarity with different software and hardware – lookout for second-hand items advertised in music shops.

Make sure that, like with any music practice room, you’re free from distractions and able to concentrate on the most important thing: the sound. This guide provides further details on building a productive music environment. 

Navigating the New Building

Keeping up with tradition, but changing with the new space

I regularly encounter reoccurring events on campus; yearly activities that different departments host to raise funds, celebrate their achievements, or to just have fun. Working with a variety of people, trying to meet the needs of their event, can offer up quite the challenge sometimes. Several of these organizations have, in their own ways, established traditions for their events: how the room is set up, the position of the lighting, the stage setup, methods of projection, staging options, or other fine details. With a new building, many of these traditions need alterations due to the many changes within the new space and its different technology – this throws both customers and staff into a new learning curve.

In my time in this position, many of these recurring events have become familiar and normal. In the past, all that’s been required is a quick check-in to see if there are any changes, confirm the date, and move on. This semester has been extremely different. It has been important to not take the norms of the past for granted. As a service provider with a new facility, it has been important to take a moment to consider all the events and the changes the venue’s offering and then adjust accordingly to all the changes. It has become important to slow down, to reconnect with everyone, both staff and customers, to make sure they understand the changes that have occurred and how they might affect their events.

For instance, the new facility has improved customer-controlled projection, which accommodates most customers’ desire to be able to run individual PowerPoints without the added cost of having staff there to help. However, there is no professional video switching at the moment so some groups have to rethink their presentation to have seamless viewing of PowerPoints and DVDs. To work through these changes it has been important to provide customer training on the newly installed technology, taking into consideration how this challenges any of their long-standing practices. The more of these challenges you can identify and work in advance, the better; customers need time to learn all the new stuff and to make adjustments.

Another example is the lighting in the venue. Previously, we had over thirty lights, now we have eight (at least until we have worked through some budgeting and contracting issues). Eight lights by no means produce the coverage needed for the stage, let alone the traditional look dance groups strive for. Connecting with each dance group is important to explain the limitations of the space, including offering them the best options possible to support their event, so they can plan accordingly.

The biggest hurdle within the venue at the moment is the size and shape of the room. It is such a change from the old space that everyone that uses the venue has to take the time to really learn the space and hear the differences. Even with the assistance of technology and some acoustical treatment, there is still a significant slap-back off the back wall which reaches the front of the stage just in time to muddle in with the monitor sound. There is some acoustic treatment but it’s not enough, and it is going to take time to purchase and install more. In the meantime, we have to strategically plan to assist groups, warning them about the slap-back, and trying new setups to alleviate some of the effects until improvements are possible.

Overall, the venue is still a work in progress, and it will take time to meet all of our customers’ desires. There seems to be an idea that this change was going to make everything perfect, solving all the problems of the past, but that has not been the case so it is important to connect with everyone to work together to create some amazing events.

In my case, the new building brought the need to look at old practices and make new ones. It has highlighted how easy it is to get caught in the norms or traditions of regular events. Sometimes it is important to reconnect and truly talk through details, explaining the new opportunities a venue or equipment has to offer. This way, as service providers, we can meet the resources and skills to create even more spectacular events.

When the Going gets Tough…

Sometimes things are tough. We are all strong and competent, but sometimes the circumstances we find ourselves in are tough. Even the strongest and most experienced of us have bad days. There is no nirvana level of badass that we reach where events can no longer bother us. But life, or at least working in a male-dominated industry, isn’t about how we get knocked down – it’s about how we get up again. Why would I allow my knockbacks to define me when I could choose to let my recoveries do so?

How do you recover from a knockback, from that awful gig, from finding out those you thought had your back didn’t? Firstly, stop. Stop, take a breath and think: Is there anything about what happened that you could learn from? Is there any responsibility you can take for any part of what happened? If there is, then you will become stronger by admitting it, if only to yourself, especially to yourself. Can you afford to let this one thing rock you?

Where to look for sources of strength

Ever since I was a girl, I have found books, both fictional and factual, to be a great place to mine for inspiration:

Fiction

‘Granny sighed. “You have learned something,” she said and thought it safe to insert a touch of sternness into her voice. “They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one-half so bad as a lot of ignorance.’

― Terry Pratchett, Equal Rites

‘Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom.’

― Terry Pratchett

‘If you trust in yourself….and believe in your dreams….and follow your star…you’ll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren’t so lazy.’

― Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

‘“The secret is not to dream,” she whispered. “The secret is to wake up. Waking up is harder. I have woken up, and I am real. I know where I come from and I know where I’m going. You cannot fool me any more. Or touch me. Or anything that is mine.”’

― Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men
I’ve been a huge fan of Terry Pratchett since I was a girl. It struck me as magical that a grown man could know what it was like to be a teenage girl. He has written a whole cannon of works that have a variety of women in lead roles, overcoming obstacles, and not caring what the rest of the world thought.

Iain M Banks

I discovered the fiction of Ian M Banks when I was a teenager. He wrote both science-fiction and a strange (to me) type of mainstream fiction. The Wasp Factory was the first novel of his I read, and it changed the way I thought about a lot of things. I also spent a lot of time reading his science fiction novels as well.

Although fiction is stirring and often empowering, I find factual accounts to be more so. Knowing that the things I am reading actually happened, that other people have faced challenges greater than any I personally face – I find it especially humbling and it helps give me perspective.

I Write What I Like is a collection of works by Steve Biko, a journalist, and activist who was killed by the South African government for speaking out about Apartheid.

‘The greatest weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.’

― Steve Biko

‘You are either alive and proud, or you are dead, and when you are dead, you can’t care anyway.’

― Steve Biko

‘A people without a positive history is like a vehicle without an engine.’

― Steve Biko

My Own Story is an account of the British Suffragette movement. It chronicles Emmeline Pankhurst’s struggles with the police and the British Government.

“As long as women consent to be unjustly governed, they will be.”
— from Pankhurst’s speech in Hartford, Connecticut on Nov. 13, 1913
‘Men make the moral code, and they expect women to accept it. They have decided that it is entirely right and proper for men to fight for their liberties and their rights, but that it is not right and proper for women to fight for theirs.’

— Emmeline Pankhurst

Who do you surround yourself with? Are the people that you allow into your life supportive, or are they happy to give you a bit more grief when you are trying to push through a rough patch? There is a theory that the five people you spend the most time with will have a great influence on how you live your life. I don’t know how true that is but I do know it’s important to have people around you that make you feel supported.

‘You can’t change the people around you. But you can change the people around you.’
— Joshua Fields Millburn.

Fix your own oxygen mask first – that is what you are told during the safety drill on an airplane. You can’t take care of anyone else if you are letting your own state slide. Taking good care of yourself is especially important when you have faced a setback. Even if it can feel indulgent to be extra nice to yourself, it is important to realize you need a bit of support from yourself at times.

We all have difficulties at times but, if you think back to the difficulties you have had in the past, you overcame them. There is no reason why you won’t overcome this as well.

Australia – Intern – Bill Frisell Sound Check

Claudia Engelhart, FOH Engineer and Tour Manager for Bill Frisell has invited up to three SoundGirls members to come shadow her for load in and sound check for the their shows in Brisbane and Adelaide. Please send an email to soundgirls@soundgirls.org

  • SoundGirls Member ID
  • Show: Adelaide or Brisbane
  • Brisbane – June 9th – QPAC Concert Hall

Adelaide – June 11th – Dunstan Playhouse

You then will receive confirmation with load in time.

 

 

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