DigiTech Introduces BP355 Bass Multi-Effects Pedal

DigiTech today announced the introduction of its BP355 Bass Multi-Effects Pedal, a modeling bass processor that offers bass players hundreds of sounds, amp and speaker cabinet models, effects and much more.

Powered by DigiTech’s leading-edge AudioDNA®2 processor, the BP355 offers state-of-the-art modeling of 20 amps, 17 speaker cabinets and more than 70 different effects – distortion pedals, flangers, phasers, chorus pedals, envelope filters, compressors, delays, pitch shifters and more, including a selection of industry-standard Lexicon® reverbs and popular stompboxes. The BP355 includes 70 factory and 70 user presets, a Tone Library with 30 sounds and an Effects Library with 30 effects. A choice of 3-band or 4-band semi-parametric EQ enables precise tonal adjustment.

The DigiTech BP355 is ideal for practicing and rehearsing. It includes 60 CD-quality drum patterns, an audio input for a portable audio player, and a 20-second looper that players can play along with. It even has a built-in tuner.

All of the BP355’s sounds and functions are easily accessible via its straightforward control layout and three footswitches, and the BP355’s expression pedal enables on-the-fly control of volume, pitch, modulation speed and other parameters. The BP355 has a rugged, die-cast metal housing that stands up to on-stage use, while its USB connectivity and included Cubase® LE5 recording software and DigiTech X-Edit™ editing software make it perfect for home or studio recording.

The BP355 has a 1/4-inch input and 1/4-inch and XLR stereo outputs, an Amp/Mixer switch that enables connection to an amplifier or a PA system, a 1/8-inch external audio input, 1/8-inch headphones output and a USB jack. Its power supply is included. With the BP355, bass players have all the sounds they need to take center stage, with a pedal that offers more sounds, effects and versatility than ever.

The DigiTech BP355 Bass Multi-Effects Pedal will be available in December 2010 at $309.95 suggested retail and $199.95 MAP. Please visit digitech.com for more information.

Sarah McLachlan Takes Soundcraft Vi6™ To The Fair

Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan brought an abridged version of her world-famous Lilith Fair to Australia in October, the first time the female-only festival tour has been staged outside North America.

The Lilith Fair was founded in 1997 after McLachlan became frustrated with concert promoters and radio stations that refused to feature two female musicians in a row. In Australia local acts Kate Miller-Heidke and The Verses joined her for the 5-concert tour.

Jands Production Services provided the audio equipment and crew for veteran front of house engineer Gary Stokes, who has toured with Sarah for close to 21 years.

At FOH was a Soundcraft Vi6 digital mixing console, which Stokes first became acquainted with while mixing for French-American singer Madeleine Peyroux. Sarah McLachlan also utilizes AKG 535 Eb stage microphones for backup vocals during her set.

“[Peyroux] was opening for Diana Krall, whose FOH guy uses a Soundcraft Vi6,” Stokes explains. “The Soundcraft Vi6 delivers value for money, meeting most of my needs at a lower price point than other digital consoles. I would say its prime attraction is its user-configurability. I really like Version 4 of the Soundcraft software as it allows more flexibility when configuring the faders to be different things. They’ve implemented their user layers on their fader pages and that allows you to customize different layers to be different things.”

Gary further describes the Soundcraft Vi6 as a powerful platform that offers a very flexible approach.

”I like the way the I/O’s are situated,” he added. “You have a lot of patch points situated on the FOH rack as well as the stage so you can make anything go anywhere pretty easily. That’s a powerful advantage over other systems.

“I also like the MADI card capability of the Soundcraft Vi6--in fact it’s a big deal for me. It’s important to be able to work inter-operatively with other manufacturer’s equipment, different recorders and splitters.”

Southbank Centre Invests In Multiple Soundcraft Vi1 Consoles

London's Southbank Centre is adopting a more flexible approach to digital sound mixing through its three flagship venues, the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, thanks to the acquisition of several Soundcraft Vi1 digital consoles from Richard Nowell Sound Services (RNSS).

Based at London’s Southbank Centre, the highly experienced rental company has been servicing the audio requirements of the Centre’s three premium venues for many years.

With the London Jazz Festival looming, technical director, Eddy Smith, decided that a more flexible platform was needed for incoming sound engineers than was offered by their existing digital desks. “We didn’t feel the sound of the preamps was as good as we wanted, nor were the configurations particularly user friendly--which was important when shows needed to be set up quickly.”

He asked Richard Nowell to arrange a three-desk shoot-out and the Vi1 came out on top in terms of usability and functionality.

RNSS placed an order for the Vi1’s--along with an optical MADI card for future channel capacity expansion--with his long-term supplier, Amber Sound, which has also made available a third desk for general demo purposes.

Nowell says that the support given by the Potters Bar-based suppliers was again second to none. “Amber Sound meets pretty much all our requirements and provides absolute support on every product. I can’t sing their praises highly enough.”

While one Vi1 has been permanently installed in the 500-capacity Purcell Room the second will be floating between a number of locations--from the Front Room at the Queen Elizabeth Hall to the foyers of the Royal Festival Hall. Another Vi1 is expected to be installed permanently in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the near future, with all Soundcraft components distributed in the UK/ROI by Sound Technology Ltd.

Explaining the timing of the sale, Richard Nowell commented, “In most of the halls analogue desks are still installed--but these are now getting a bit long in the tooth. The technical team’s policy is that it does not want to restrict programmers in any way and with the compact footprint of the Vi1 we can easily add this alongside the existing analogue desk, providing a lot more flexibility in what they can offer.”

This is the first time RNSS has worked with Vi1 consoles and Richard Nowell states that the desk’s footprint was just one of several primary concerns. “The desk also needed to be easily recognizable for incoming engineers — and you also want a very easy interface. Not every show is staffed by experienced sound engineers so it had to be something the engineer would not be fazed by — and the Vi1 fits the bill. It is just so much easier to get your head around.”

For more information, please visit http://www.soundtech.co.uk/soundcraft/vi1-southbank-centre-london

Trio of Soundcraft Vi Consoles For Doctor Who Live Tour

Three Soundcraft Vi consoles--two Vi6 and a Vi1--were supplied to BBC Worldwide by ADLIB Audio for the recent Doctor Who Live tour, which visited nine major UK arenas in October and November. All desks were originally supplied by Sound Technology Ltd, Soundcraft’s UK/ROI distributors.

This action-packed stage version of the cult TV series stars a selection of classic and favourite Doctor Who monsters including The Daleks and Cybermen, with Nigel Planer as ‘intergalactic showman’ and archetypal baddie, Vorgenson.

The tour's 270-degree sound system was specified by XL Events’ Rich Rowley, who was also instrumental in choosing ADLIB to supply the kit. The sound company itself fielded a vastly experienced team, including Tony Szabo (systems engineer), Chris Leckie (FOH, on a Soundcraft Vi6), with Fergus Mount handling audio playback on a Soundcraft Vi1, and Marc Peers mixing monitors on a second Vi6.

“There was no other console family on the market that would give us the interface and the footprint of the Soundcraft Vi series,” says Rowley. “It’s about having a range of compatible consoles that talk to each other on every level--and for me this solution ticked every box.”

Chris Leckie piloted the main house mix on his favourite Vi6, taking it on a hair-raising voyage through a few centuries of time travel. “I can’t think of another console which, in tandem with the Vi6 on stage, the local racks and remote stage racks could have provided the flexibility required for this show,” he states.

The experienced sound man, who first worked with ADLIB back in 1985, had over 80 inputs into the desk, requiring complex patching, and including stems from Fergus Mount on the Vi1, who was controlling the audio playback hard drive via QLab software. This effectively ran the show, sending timecode to trigger the video play-ins. The Vi1 handled literally hundreds of sound effects and pieces of pre-recorded dialogue, receiving the majority of its inputs via ADAT interface cards.

 “It was a joy to mix about 60 inputs of very dynamic music, from a wide variety of sources, and my capabilities were stretched somewhat further with the addition of playback stems, sound effects and then a dozen microphones for the show's cast. It's the first gig in 25 years that I’ve actually had to learn a script!”

Chris Leckie notes that the Vi6 now makes the layering of inputs as user-friendly as possible with the ‘user banks’ available on the most recent software release. Everything for which the FOH engineer required speedy access when in show mode was arranged on one bank of 24 faders. “This facility is going to be an absolute godsend to touring engineers walking onto mixers laid out at multi-band events with a generic ‘festival patch’, in that within a couple of minutes they can arrange just the inputs they need into their familiar sequence.”

Summing up, he says, “The two Vi6 desks on the tour, along with the optical multicore, allowed almost limitless options in terms of delivering different signals to different locations around the system – which would have been impossible in the analogue world. But as with every bit of kit I use, my priority is ease of use, and the Vi6 is the closest I've come to the intuitive, feel we old folk look for in a console.”

For more information, please visit http://www.soundtech.co.uk/soundcraft/news/trio-vi6-vi1-dr-who-live

Trey Songz Opens Usher’s OMG Tour With AKG Microphones, Networking Solution

Following his fourth studio album release in September, R&B sensation Trey Songz has teamed up with Usher for the international OMG Tour, utilizing AKG microphones for lead vocals and his band’s lead guitar and percussion. With a 40-minute set each of the 58 nights of the tour, Songz’s relies on top-quality technology to deliver memorable performances to hundreds of thousands of fans in the world’s most famous venues.

Trey Songz’s performances are highlighted with an AKG D 7 mic with a D 7 Reference Dynamic Capsule for lead vocals. The lead guitarist is heard through an AKG C 214, while the drummer snaps C 519’s to his set. The mic system is networked through the AKG WMS 4500 Wireless System.

“The AKG line sounds great and are some of the best vocal mics I’ve heard in the industry,” stated Bryon “Hot Dog” Tate, front of house engineer for Trey Songz.  “The wireless vocal D 7 is extremely responsive in the mid range and the 214 give us a more compact and easy-to-use piece for the guitar.”

Utilizing the WMS 4500 with the AKG microphones gives Tate multiple features that are essential to the success of a live show.  With an easy-to-access-and-view monitoring system, auto frequency synchronization, environment scans and pilot tone status data transmission, ensuring the vocals and instrumentation are completely in-line during the performance is a much simpler task for Tate.

“I’ve had a long-standing relationship with AKG through many well-known artists and the mics continue to exceed my expectations,” continued Tate.

For more information on Trey Songz, please visit http://www.treysongz.com.

Studer Vista Series Digital Consoles Are the Favorite of Top Talk Show Engineers

Studer’s Vista 9 and Vista 8 digital mixing consoles have quickly become a favorite of broadcast engineers, thanks to features like their easy to use Vistonics™ touchscreen interface, fast, flexible operation that’s ideally suited to a live TV environment, and pristine sound quality. Currently, Vista 9 and Vista 8 consoles are being used on “Dr. Phil,” “NFL on FOX,” “The Martha Stewart Show,” “The Wendy Williams Show” and many other popular shows, and most recently, for “Conan,” the new Conan O’Brien show on TBS.

All Mobile Video is the country’s premier provider of end-to-end video and audio broadcast solutions for entertainment, sports, and news programming and events. They provide a complete range of on-site and mobile services, with the ability to handle any broadcast production requirement from daily TV broadcasts to major sporting events. Currently, All Mobile Video is using Studer Vista 8 consoles on “The Martha Stewart Show,” “Tyra” (“The Tyra Banks Show”) and “The Wendy Williams Show.”

Respected industry veteran Mike Stock has been the production sound mixer on a wide variety of television programs including “Dr. Phil,” “The Doctors,” “NFL on Fox,” “The Bachelor” and “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” as well as numerous live events on the TV Guide channel. Stock is also the production sound mixer for “Conan,” the new late-night talk show featuring Conan O’Brien, which debuted November 8 on TBS. The production facility for the show uses two Vista 9 consoles. “Conan” is taped before a live audience from Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.

“One of my favorite features of the Vista consoles is the strip setup. Being able to move inputs to the center section of the desk means I’m never mixing out of the sweet spot,” Stock said. “I’m also enjoying the Vista 9 with the added control bay features and the upgrades to the meters.”

The Studer Vista 9 and Vista 8 are ultimate-performance digital mixing consoles with an exclusive, configurable Vistonics user interface and, on the Vista 9, new user-definable FaderGlow and TFT meters, including History Mode, that provide a clear, easily understandable display of all operating parameters along with fast, easy operation. The Vista 9 and Vista 8 offer additional advanced features such as 7.1-channel surround-sound mixing capability, dynamic automation, a sophisticated snapshot system, dedicated mute groups and much more. Both consoles enable seamless integration with other Studer products via Studer RELINK network technology.

Studer Vista 5 Console Provides Surround Sound For Fela! At the National

When the Broadway blockbuster Fela! transferred to London’s National Theatre on the South Bank this month, Tony Award-winning sound designer Robert Kaplowitz took advantage of the auditorium’s vastly different form to rework his original soundscape, with a Studer Vista 5 digital console at the control centre.

Portraying the life of Nigerian political activist and musician Fela Kuti had required the audience to be immersed in a soundfield as part of the adventurous production--but at the National he decided to go a step further.

The opportunity came when the National’s Sound Operations Manager, Borneo Brown, and assistants, Matt Berry and Ed Ferguson, requisitioned a 42-fader, custom-configured Studer Vista 5 digital console for the production.

“I had hoped to have used this desk for the Broadway production--but for various reasons it didn’t happen,” said Kaplowitz. Of the advanced feature set offered by the Vista 5, the highlight--as far as this show is concerned--is the Virtual Sound Panning (VSP) feature. Offering phase and time delay, this is assigned to the 11-piece band (over 25 channels), to provide panning and a wide stereo image without level shifts.

As a result, the band audio image moves subtly. “They are on moving trucks which go back and forward and we can psycho-acoustically connect the image of the band without sacrificing gain in the whole room. It’s a big bonus having the VSP as we missed a lot of this on Broadway.”

Kaplowitz admits that the shape of the National’s auditorium had a strong impact on the mix. “This is a very different space--with 150-degree audience seating rather than a proscenium as on Broadway, where we used a runway to break up the proscenium space. At the National we are more ‘in the house’ and the VSP helps us bring the audience right into the show.

“We have ended up using a different output configuration--the flexible DSP allowed us to reconfigure the desk during our prep, and we were also able to use the flexibility of the DSP chips to add the Virtual Surround Panning.”

One of the elements important to both the sound designer and [choreographer] Bill T. Jones was the vocal surround. “The challenge was that he wanted to know where every actor was on stage with his eyes closed, and also be able to feel the surround.

“We use TiMax 2, utilising its crosspoint delay/gain matrix, to create various ‘zones’ in the house.  Each of those zones is a zero point for the entire sound system, including the surrounds.  The performers are placed in those zones, using the multitrack busses on the Vista 5 in conjunction with TiMax 2's Tracker system. These zones allow us the ability to fulfill Bill's request to localize the voices to their sources, while simultaneously allowing me to enfold the entire audience in the events onstage.”

At the same time Studer’s dedicated VST host plug-in engine lets users run favourite VST effects either as inserts or on effects sends, with recall on Vista's Cuelist function. “This has allowed me as a designer to pick my output FX, and by freeing me for the plug-ins means I’m not limited.” The plug-in suite includes eight full-time Lexicon reverbs.

The ability to programme a custom channel / bus structure via Studer’s Config Editor, provided all the flexibility needed to structure a complex surround mix incorporating the TiMax spatialization.

The freely customizable console DSP structure has been designed around 80 mono and 20 stereo inputs, including 25 vocal inputs, a further 25 inputs from the 11-piece band (including percussion), and 12 channels of playback sound FX using QLab. The bus structure includes 32 mono and eight stereo auxes, 40 special multi-track busses for feeding the TiMax system and 18 mono subgroups for the band. Each band subgroup is split into L/C/R feeds which in turn feed eight mono matrices.

The show’s sound engineer, Paul Stannering confirms that they are using five Studer D21m Series I/O MADI expansion cards, which provide feeds for the monitor console, TiMax, an OB vehicle and lastly the Studer VST machine.

“By using a MADI interface to hook up to the VST engine it meant I could theoretically have any VST plug-ins I wanted via the host software without it eating up DSP. For instance, we found a VST plug-in version of a sub-harmonic synthesizer and added it to our virtual rack. We could use all the DSP in the Studer desk without having to waste capacity on outboard FX.”

Given the complexity of the show, Robert Kaplowitz’s task was boosted by the support he received from Studer’s sales director, Jamie Dunn, and product manager Peter Weber--with many show files bouncing back and forth between Kaplowitz and Dunn to achieve the optimum structure within the processing capacity.

The Vista 5 comes in 32-fader and 42-fader chassis--and this production has opted for the additional bay of 10 input faders. “It’s important to have more faders under your fingers,” believes Kaplowitz. “With this control surface it means Paul [Stannering] has access to 12 VCA’s on the control bay without having to go to another layer which is great.”

In addition to the flexibility and speed of the VCA’s, ease and speed of programming and an intuitive cue list structure are further attributes of the desk, he states.

“In fact the console has been able to keep up with everything. We recently added an encore and with just 20 minutes notice, we programmed the desk while the singers were learning the song--the speed with which the Vista could deal with this on the fly was amazing.”

And Paul Stannering seemed far from fazed by his first outing on the Studer desk. ”It can be a difficult learning curve on both a new desk and a new show--particularly one as complicated as this--but it’s acquitted itself well and with an intuitive interface, it’s been a quick learning curve.”

In summary, Robert Kaplowitz says, “Whereas the sound desk we used on Broadway did the job, the Studer is made to do the job-- we haven’t needed to trick it into things.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

Hollywood Outdoor Movies Provides Complete Entertainment With JBL VRX Constant Curvature Line Arrays

Providing the greater Los Angeles area with a unique twist on the late night movie, Hollywood Outdoor Movies (HOM) relies on JBL VRX loudspeakers to entertain thousands by displaying feature films on a giant portable outdoor movie screen. With audiences ranging in size from 1,300 to 2,500 people, HOM owner John J. Snyder’s VRX system is using his JBL VRX system to deliver high-impact sound for movie exhibitions throughout southern California.

From Exposition Park and La Cienega Park, to the Fashion Institute of Design and an area of Los Angeles known as “The Cornfields,” HOM arranges day-long events for families that include live music, games, food, costume contests and of course, a feature film on screens up to 100 feet wide.

“We focus on making each screening a large, family-friendly event, rather than just showing a movie for an hour and a half,” stated Snyder.  “We try to make it all about the activities and events, where the movie at the end of the night is the icing on the cake.”

The Hollywood-based firm has shown a variety of movies, including Walk the Line, Swingers, Big Lebowski, Pulp Fiction, Moulin Rouge, The Hangover, Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Back to the Future, Wedding Crashers, Zombie Land, the Shining on Halloween night and the Princess Bride at La Cienega Park, which brought HOM’s largest crowd to date. 

Providing equally stunning sound to match the visuals on the screen, Hollywood Outdoor Movies relies on its inventory of JBL VRX 932LAP Constant Curvature line arrays and VRX918SP powered subwoofers, in addition to VERTEC® VT4888 midsize line array elements and VT4880 fullsize arrayable subwoofers.

“The user-friendly and lightweight characteristics of the VRX line arrays allow us to maximize our time and quality during the setup process,” continued Snyder. “With the built-in signal processing and amplifiers, the speakers give us a happy medium between our smaller JBL EON portable loudspeakers and larger, longer-throw VerTec line arrays. This enables us to easily entertain thousands of guests with plenty of audio coverage and distribution, even in large outdoor areas.”

Utilizing inflatable AIRSCREEN technology to provide the highest quality and safety for all outdoor screenings in any weather conditions, HOM can project a film on screens up to 100 feet wide and more than five stories tall, entertaining thousands of fans in a variety of venues including outdoor parking lots, civic parks and other locations.

“With outdoor audio as challenging as it is, the VRX’s provide the perfect solution,” Snyder continued.  “Many of our guests have raved about actually feeling the bass in the ground as they watch, which is exactly what we want at these feature film screenings.”

For more information on Hollywood Outdoor Movies please visit, http://www.hollywoodoutdoormovies.com.

Soundcraft Si3 for Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

When Northern Light won the competitive to tender to provide the advanced technical infrastructure for the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury, UK, the company set out to design a fully integrated system that was both versatile and reconfigurable, which included a Soundcraft Si3 digital mixing console.

Working to a specification devised by Carr & Angier Theatre Consultants, the integration company designed a production infrastructure that would enable the client, Aylesbury Vale District Council, to decommission its old Civic Hall in favor of this superb new multi-cultural arts centre, and kick start the new development in the town centre.

With three audience tiers (including fixed-seating balcony and upper balcony levels) and optional ground floor seating wagons—enabling the 1,200-seat auditorium to convert into a larger 1800-capacity standing space—evenly-dispersed sound to every seat was of paramount importance.
While Northern Light project manager Simon Cooper was convinced the theatre should go digital in order to save space on outboard equipment, he did not want the upgrade curve to be too steep.

Thus he selected a Soundcraft Si3 64-input desk, which can either be operated from the control room, set above the first floor balcony, or from a mixer lift position in the stalls.

“We were able to offer the theatre a better mixing solution than originally planned, for the same price—and they were delighted,” Cooper states. “We recommended the Si3 largely because, although digital, it is basically a direct replacement for an analogue desk, and all the existing cable infrastructure was there.”

Supplied by Sound Technology Ltd, Soundcraft's distributor in the UK and ROI, the Soundcraft Si3’s intuitive operation and high input and bus count makes it a perfect choice for theatres such as this.

Above each fader is a rotary encoder, the function of which changes according to the mode selected. This “bank” of encoders, known as the Virtual Channel Strip can be set to control every function of a channel, so that mic gain, EQ, dynamics, auxes, panning are all controlled as if a normal analogue channel strip was laid sideways in front of the engineer.

“While retaining that analogue feel, this solution offers a lot more processing power, all built into the desk,” continues Cooper. “This means that they are saving space on outboard equipment and getting a lot more than they were expecting within the desk.”

In addition, portable racks have been provided for use in meeting rooms, with a Soundcraft EPM6 provided for mic and line mixing.

Northern Light’s project manager realized that with Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), the UK’s largest theatre group, running the new venue, the visual reinforcement would also need to be world class, since the Aylesbury Waterside will become a circuit venue for the nation’s UK’s top touring productions.

In every case, he evolved a solution to match the challenges—which included networking through two lighting bridges and a forestage, plus ancillary areas such as a second, 225-capacity studio/function space, a foyer and a number of dressing rooms requiring show calls. All this is within an extraordinarily high, seven-storey building — measuring 25.27m from stage level to fly tower—with orchestra pit and motorized floor.

Working alongside the construction team of main contractors, Willmott Dixon, electrical contractors Darke & Taylor and architects the Arts Team at RHWL, Northern Light helped ensure that this landmark building—with its curved timber frame structural design combined with a concrete core—was ready for its first show on October 12th.

Producer Steve Levine Mixes Patch William On JBL LSR6300 Studio Monitors At British Grove Studios

Harman Automotive produced a special event showcasing Harman’s heritage as a supplier of leading-edge audio equipment used in world-class audio production facilities. To demonstrate this, GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Steve Levine recorded young band Patch William at Mark Knopfler’s British Grove Studios in London, employing leading-edge equipment from Harman Professional. Using JBL LSR6300 Series studio monitors, Lexicon PCM96 Surround effects processor and a range of AKG microphones, Levine recorded an original track in 5.1 surround format and played the mixed track for guests in a Range Rover equipped with a stunning Harman Kardon Logic 7 HD system. 

Levine is famous for producing all of Culture Club’s greatest hits and albums by The Clash, The Beach Boys, Motorhead, Ziggy Marley, Gary Moore and China Crisis. In addition, Levine is currently the chair of the Music Producer’s Guild.

Working with Patch William, Levine produced a 5.1 mix using JBL LSR6300 Series studio monitors and the mix translated perfectly to the Harman Kardon Logic 7 HD system in the Range Rover.

“The band and I really enjoyed using the JBL LSR monitors on the Harman 5.1 sessions,” Levine said. “I think everyone agreed the mixes translated very well from the control room to the Logic system in the Range Rover. As a young engineer in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, I had a lot of experience with JBL’s famous 4311 speakers. It brought back fond memories as the LSR6300’s sounded just as fresh and punchy as I remember.”

“JBL designed the LSR6300 Series to help engineers create mixes that sound excellent in any environment, from a high-end recording studio to the cabin of a luxury automobile,” said Peter Chaikin, Director of Marketing, Recording & Broadcast, JBL Professional. “The event at British Grove demonstrated Harman’s unique ability to provide not only a superb listening experience in a car, but also the precision and quality to meet demanding requirements in professional music recording control rooms.

The JBL LSR6300 Series monitors incorporate patented dual-drive transducers, capable of delivering flat response at all listening levels and very high SPL. Using Linear Spatial Reference design criteria, JBL takes 70 measurements, 360 degrees around the speaker providing 1200 times the data of a single on-axis measurement. Using this data, JBL designs critical components to deliver very neutral response in a broad range of acoustic conditions.

For more information on JBL LSR studio monitors, please visit www.jblpro.com/lsr

Pick of the Hits - Pro Sound News, Sound Technology

AKG Delivers Full Line Of Microphones to Dweezil Zappa, Building Upon Performances And Preserving Frank Zappa’s Legacy

Following in his father’s footsteps, Dweezil Zappa is a proud user of the full line of AKG professional microphones.  Ensuring Frank Zappa’s AKG endorsement lives on, AKG presented Dweezil with the Austrian-engineered mics so he may continue providing his fans with quality sound on tour and in the studio, whether playing the elder Zappa’s hits or introducing his latest single to fans.

Kicking off Dweezil’s two-month international summer tour, the AKG mics replaced the majority of Zappa’s full arsenal of vocal and instrument microphones.  AKG presented Dweezil and his front of house engineer with eight AKG D 40 Dynamic Instrument Microphones, two C 451 B’s, five C 518 M clip-on percussion mics, four C 214’s, four C 414 condensers, two C 4000 B’s, two C 519 ML miniature condensers and nine D5 and D7 dynamic handheld mics.

“Mechanically, the AKG’s are absolutely, phenomenally brilliant,” stated Glynn Wood, FOH engineer for Dweezil.  “They are really rugged and I’ve not had one break or fall off, even on the tom toms.  The sonic and mechanical quality presented in AKG mics exceeded our expectations and are truly excellent.”

Starting in Mexico City, Mexico, Dweezil’s latest tour travelled across the United States up the West and East Coasts, over to Europe through the UK, Italy, France, Amsterdam, through Tel Aviv, Israel and finalized the trip in Tokyo, Japan at the Fuji Rock Festival.

Wood continued, “I’ve been completely delighted with the response and results from all of the AKG products, and Dweezil and the entire crew are looking forward to starting the next leg of the tour in November.”

For more information on Dweezil Zappa, please visit http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com.

Photo Credit: Glynn Wood

Maryland Sound Deploys JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays For Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, John Legend and More At Political Comedy Rally at Washington D.C.’s National Mall

Leading audio systems provider Maryland Sound (MSI) deployed an extensive JBL VERTEC® line array system for the recent “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.” Co-hosted by Jon Stewart of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report, the “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear” took place at the National Mall in Washington D.C. Designed as a satirical comedic response to prior rallies that have been built around some of the political spectrum’s more extreme causes, the rally’s stated purpose was to provide a voice to the “reasonable majority” of U.S. citizens who are often not accurately represented in the media or in politics. The turnout was overwhelming, with CBS News estimating an attendance of 215,000 people for the 3-hour event.

In addition to a variety of comedy segments involving Stewart, Colbert and The Daily Show correspondents, the Rally featured musical performances by Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staples, John Legend, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), the O’Jays, Ozzy Osbourne, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow. Vocal group 4TROOPS performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the first hour of the rally, while Tony Bennett sang “America the Beautiful” to close the event. The Roots served as the rally’s house band, opening the rally with a 30-minute set and supporting all other artists throughout the event. The rally also featured appearances by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman of television’s MythBusters, Don Novello’s Father Guido Sarducci character of Saturday Night Live fame, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Maryland Sound was responsible for sound reinforcement at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, with the main left-right line array system consisting of VERTEC VT4889 fullsize line array loudspeakers and VT4880A fullsize arrayable subwoofers. To reach the massive audience, Maryland Sound also provided 12 delay towers throughout the Mall, which consisted of VT4889 loudspeakers, VT4888 midsize line array loudspeakers and VT4880A subwoofers. Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers powered the entire system. Harman’s HiQnet™ System Architect system software was used for configuration, remote control and monitoring of the system.

“We used VERTEC line arrays because they always perform to our expectations; they are what we’ve successfully used on numerous similar events,” said Bob Goldstein, President of Maryland Sound. “The system’s sound is totally predictable, which makes it easier for us to design a complex system for major events such as this.“

For more information on Maryland Sound, please visit www.marylandsound.com

Studer’s Vista 8 Console Is Installed at Trinity Broadcasting Network’s Nashville Production Facility

The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) is the world’s largest religious network and America’s most-watched faith channel, reaching 104 million households worldwide. Recently, the Trinity Broadcasting Network revamped its Nashville production facility from standard-broadcast analog to high-definition digital, and selected a Studer Vista 8 console as a key component of its upgrade. In addition to the Vista 8, TBN has outfitted seven control and edit rooms in its Nashville facility with JBL LSR4300 Series studio monitors.

Russell Hall, TBN Nashville’s Station Manager, explained TBN’s reasons for choosing the Studer Vista 8: “We’re a global broadcaster, the sixth-largest broadcaster in the world. We produce a wide range of content including Christian educational, worship, variety, music, entertainment, children’s and even sitcom programming. We recognized that our existing 16-year-old analog broadcast facility could no longer meet our growing requirements, and upgrading it involved nothing less than a complete overhaul. Basically, we gutted everything and went from analog broadcast straight to HDTV.”

“For us, there was no other choice but the Vista 8, because of its audio routing capabilities and flexibility,” Hall continues. “TBN had already done three HD renovations of other production centers, and we had been putting in a complicated system of audio routers. We found that the Vista 8 eliminated the need for all of that--the Vista 8 can handle all of our complex audio routing needs with capability to spare. Its touchscreen control interface is easy to use--which is especially important for live TV broadcasts--and its sound quality is excellent.”

“We have many facilities in one, including a 1,400-seat auditorium, a park area that’s wired for outdoor shoots, and a recording studio,” says Greg Malenovsky, head engineer at TBN Nashville. “So we’re doing lots of different programming from lots of different places, and all I need to do with the Vista 8 is recall the settings for each show. I can reconfigure easily so everything I need for a specific shoot can be recalled. “

The Studer Vista 8 is an ultimate-performance digital mixing console with the exclusive Vistonics™ User Interface which provides a clear, easily understandable display of all operating parameters along with fast, easy operation. The Vista 8 offers additional advanced features such as 7.1-channel surround-sound mixing capability, dynamic automation, a sophisticated snapshot system, dedicated mute groups and more. The Vista 8 also enables seamless integration with other Studer products via Studer RELINK network technology.

“Another advantage is that we already had Soundcraft Vi6 consoles for the studio floors and our theater,” notes Hall, “so it was much easier to interface the Studer Vista 8 with the Soundcraft consoles. We weren’t concerned about the cost as much as with getting in a system that worked seamlessly – but as it turns out, the Vista 8 was less expensive than competitive consoles, in addition to being better suited to our needs. In my opinion, the Vista 8 is the best console in the industry for HD audio/video production.”

“In addition to our in-house work, we cater to a wide variety of outside clients and producers who require us to provide complete production services,” says Hall. “We’ve seen an increase in business as the word has gotten out about our upgraded studio. In fact, some people who didn’t necessarily want to partner with us, and who normally would work elsewhere, have now decided to use our facilities.”

“I love the Vista 8 console for what we need,” Malenovsky concludes. “As far as ease of use, sound quality and versatility, we couldn’t have chosen a better console.”

For more information on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, please visit http://www.tbn.org

Soundcraft and Studer Provide Wealth of Educational Resources With New U.S. Websites

Soundcraft and Studer today announced that the brands have launched new U.S. websites, usa.soundcraft.com and usa.studer.ch, dedicated to serving the needs of the U.S. market.

In addition to product information for the complete range of products, the websites provide an expanded range of videos, white papers, user guides and many additional resources. The websites also provide an opportunity for visitors to locate local dealers, find out information about hand-on training in their region and to access regional product support.

“Along with comprehensive product information and specifications, our new websites offer a wealth of educational and technical material,” noted Katy Templeman-Holmes, Senior Manager for Sales and Marketing, Soundcraft Studer. “Such tools, including the now widely distributed ‘Soundcraft Guide to Mixing’ DVD, have been available internationally but now we can provide our U.S. customers and interested parties with local resources and support tailored precisely to their needs and domestic events.”

The New Soundcraft Si Compact Digital Live Sound Mixer. Powerful. Intuitive. Flexible. Affordable.

Positioned as the digital mixing solution for all sizes of sound company or user, the new Soundcraft Si Compact Series is a power-packed range of digital consoles that brings all the experience of Soundcraft’s digital mixing platforms to a very affordable price level for tour sound, corporate event, house of worship and theatre applications, amongst others.

With full DSP functionality built-in to a small-footprint chassis, the Si Compact provides up to 40 inputs to mix in 3 frame sizes, the smallest of which is also rack-mountable. Motorized faders with patented Soundcraft FaderGlow™ operate on two layers, but the main difference from similarly priced mixers is the provision of a full encoder set for all the functions on a channel, from input gain through EQ and dynamics to bus controls.

Drawing on its bigger brothers; Soundcraft’s acclaimed Si Series, the new Si Compact packs powerful digital mixing facilities along with stunning Lexicon® effects into a trio of small footprint consoles available in 16, 24 or 32 mic/line input formats, with 4 stereo returns.

And for once, compact doesn’t mean compromise. No layering of the audio controls makes operation fast and simple, and with 4 separate Lexicon FX processors with dedicated FX busses in addition to the main mixes, and BSS Graphic EQ for every bus, you’ll never find yourself wishing you had more processing power.

Speaking of the launch, Andy Trott, Harman’s Vice President and General Manager for Mixing, Microphones & Headphones said, “Whilst over the past two years we’ve expanded our digital range with high- and mid-range extensions to the Vista, OnAir, Vi and Si Series’, we’ve been determined to drive our product portfolio down into the sub $10,000 price points. Our strategy has always been to integrate no-compromise audio quality together with innovative, feature-rich specifications and an easy-to-use-and-learn, highly intuitive user interface. Si Compact is the result of 18 months extremely focused and creative development and is particularly exciting as it’s so unique; it brings together so many professional features and technologies from across Harman Professional brands into a highly specified but yet super compact mixing platform at an unbelievably low price point.” 

Legendary Soundcraft audio quality comes courtesy of EMMA Lite, the same DSP platform that has helped propel the larger Si Series to industry standard status and riders on events all around the world. Features like dedicated FX busses, 16 line outputs plus AES, an option card slot for MADI or other connectivity, a Global Mode for instant access to Pan, Gain and Filters, a colour touchscreen interface and FaderGlow™ equip Si Compact to easily handle a range of live sound mixing applications including bands, theatres and houses of worship.

Key Features

• Frames with 16, 24 or 32 mono inputs and 4 stereo channels to mix
• 14 mono aux busses
• 4 FX busses
• 4 Matrix busses   
• LRC Mix busses
• 4 Stereo Lexicon Effects engines
• 4 Mute Groups
• 4 assignable insert send/returns (24 and 32 models)
• Harman HiQnet integration

Trott adds, “I’m confident that the user community will be delighted with the Si Compact and the wide choice we now provide with Soundcraft and Studer mixing consoles. We’ve now got the widest price-range of digital consoles in our history – that’s got to be good for engineers and audio companies!”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

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Studer Vista Series Digital Consoles Are the Favorite of Top Talk Show Engineers

Studer’s Vista 9 and Vista 8 Series digital mixing consoles have quickly become a favorite of broadcast engineers, thanks to features like their easy to use Vistonics™ touchscreen interfaces, fast, flexible operation that’s ideally suited to a live TV environment, and pristine sound quality. Currently, Vista 9 and Vista 8 Series consoles are being used on “Dr. Phil,” “NFL on FOX,” “The Martha Stewart Show,” “The Wendy Williams Show” and many other popular shows, and will be in the studio for “Conan,” the upcoming Conan O’Brien Show on TBS.

All Mobile Video is the country’s premier provider of end-to-end video and audio broadcast solutions for entertainment, sports, and news programming and events. They provide a complete range of on-site and mobile services, with the ability to handle any broadcast production requirement from daily TV broadcasts to major sporting events. Currently, All Mobile Video is using Studer Vista 8 consoles on “The Martha Stewart Show,” “Tyra” (“The Tyra Banks Show”) and “The Wendy Williams Show.”

Respected industry veteran Mike Stock has been the production sound mixer on a wide variety of television programs including “Dr. Phil,” “The Doctors,” “NFL on Fox,” “The Bachelor” and “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” as well as numerous live events on the TV Guide channel. Stock is also the production sound mixer for “Conan,” the upcoming new late-night talk show featuring Conan O’Brien, which is slated to debut in November on TBS. The production facility for the show will be using two Vista 9 consoles. “Conan” will be taped before a live audience from Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.

“One of my favorite features of the Vista consoles is the strip setup. Being able to move inputs to the center section of the desk means I’m never mixing out of the sweet spot,” Stock said. “I’m also enjoying the Vista 9 with the added control bay features and the upgrades to the meters.”

The Studer Vista 9 and Vista 8 are ultimate-performance digital mixing consoles with an exclusive, configurable Vistonics User Interface and touch-sensitive meters that provide a clear, easily understandable display of all operating parameters along with fast, easy operation. The Vista 9 and Vista 8 offer additional advanced features such as 7.1-channel surround-sound mixing capability, dynamic automation, a sophisticated snapshot system, dedicated mute groups and much more. Both consoles enable seamless integration with other Studer products via Studer RELINK network technology.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.
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JBL Professional Introduces Macintosh Software For MSC1 Monitor System Controller

At the 129th AES Convention, JBL Professional is introducing MSC1 Control Center Software for Macintosh, allowing Mac users to take advantage of the JBL MSC1 Monitor System Controller’s powerful speaker tuning and software-controlled features.

In a compact desktop form factor, the MSC1 Monitor System Controller provides features found in the monitor section of professional mixing consoles including input source selectors, a large volume control, and the ability to listen to two sets of speakers plus a connected subwoofer. Control Center Software for Macintosh allows adjustment of MSC1 speaker alignment delay, EQ, and settings for a connected subwoofer. Most significantly, the Mac software gives access to the MSC1’s powerful RMC™ Room Mode Correction system that tunes speakers for greater accuracy and superior mixes in any room. MSC1 Control Center Software runs on any Power PC or Intel Macintosh computer with Tiger, Leopard, or Snow Leopard operating system (OSX 10.4.1.1 or greater.)

The MSC1 Monitor System Controller provides the ability to monitor up to three 2-channel input sources, such as a mixing console, computer workstation, and personal music player while controlling the volume of the monitor system and connected headphones. The MSC allows connection of two sets of speakers and a subwoofer. The subwoofer output has its own level control and selectable crossover settings to perfectly blend a sub with the “A” speakers. The “B” speaker outputs allow connection of a second set of studio monitors.

The acoustics of the room can play a significant part in what listeners hear and poor room acoustics can compromise the quality of mixes. With this in mind, the MSC1 includes JBL's RMC Room Mode Correction Technology that measures the room and automatically tunes the speakers for more accurate low-frequency response at the mix position. RMC calibration is simply carried out using a supplied microphone and MSC1 Control Center Software.

Priced within reach of any studio, the affordable MSC1 works with any speaker system, and is the perfect add-on to JBL’s new LSR2300 Series studio monitors.

"The MSC1 is a hit with studio owners who simply need to take control of their work flow,” said Peter Chaikin, Director of Marketing, Recording & Broadcast, JBL Professional. “The RMC feature is making a significant difference, particularly for home and project studio owners. We're thrilled to launch Mac software that brings this groundbreaking technology to an even wider range of recording customers."

The Macintosh software will be offered on a CD-ROM included with the MSC1 Monitor System Controller and can be downloaded at the end of November from the JBL Professional Website at http://www.jblpro.com/msc1

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

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JBL Professional Updates AE Series And PD Series Array Application Guides

In a continuing effort to provide its customers with the essential tools to design and install the most effective audio systems possible, JBL Professional is introducing its new Array Application Guides. The Array Application Guides offer useful information on JBL’s AE Series, both as standalone products and in situations when they are to be used in conjunction with JBL’s PD Series loudspeakers.

Over the past 18 months, JBL Professional has been upgrading and expanding the AE Series product line. Five new subwoofers were introduced at InfoComm 2009. At PLASA 2009, nine new medium power 2-way full-range systems were introduced that featured two new horn coverage patterns, 60° x 60° and 120° x 60°. At InfoComm 2010, nine new high-power 2-way full-range models were added to the lineup and most recently, the final phase of the program was completed with the introduction of two new high-power 3-way full-range models, two new high-power mid-high modules, and one new high-power low-frequency module. All new systems utilize JBL patented Differential Drive® low-frequency transducers, Progressive Transition Waveguides™ and the latest JBL developments in compression driver technology. Three-way and mid-high models utilize JBL’s CMCD™ Cone Midrange Compression Driver technology. These 28 new models, along with eight AE Compact models introduced two years ago, brings the AE Series “tool kit” to 47 models for system designers to choose from when designing projects ranging from corporate board rooms to lecture halls and from multi-purpose auditoriums or houses of worship to nightclubs or large scale sports facilities. The AE Series provides a complete solution for nearly every permanent installation situation.

To help system designers understand the vast possibilities of the AE Series group of products, JBL’s Application Engineering Support team has developed an Array Application Guide specifically for the AE Series.  In addition, the Application Engineering Support team has developed a PD Series Array Application Guide for reference when AE Series loudspeakers are used to support the larger format PD Series loudspeaker systems.  Both guides provide overviews of a number of topics including array applications, overhead suspension, inspection & maintenance, signal processing, low-frequency pattern control and guidelines for speech & music systems.

Combined, there are more than 20 array examples that include array specifications calling out splay angles and tilting angles as well as overall array dimensions and weights.  These guides are intended to aid designers with basic design possibilities for AE Series and PD Series loudspeaker systems and can be downloaded from:

http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/ProductFamily.aspx?FId=25&MID=2 for the AE Series guide and from http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/General/ProductFamily.aspx?FId=2&MId=2 for the PD guide.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

Lexicon® Expands Software Suite with Introduction of PCM Native Effects Plug-In Bundle

In a move that brings the sounds of its PCM96 Stereo Reverb/Effects Processor to more users than ever before, Lexicon today announced the introduction of its PCM Native Effects Plug-In Bundle. The new software package makes all the effects processing of Lexicon’s acclaimed PCM96 available as a plug-in that adds a wealth of inspirational new sounds to a user’s DAW that are not available anywhere else.

The PC- and Macintosh^®-compatible PCM Native Effects Plug-In Bundle is designed to work with popular DAWs like Pro Tools and Logic, as well as with any other VST, Audio Unit or RTAS-compatible host.

The PCM Native Effects Plug-In Bundle incorporates all the capabilities of the PCM96 hardware unit including:

·       Dual Delay – The PCM provides a comprehensive palette of delay effects, such as slap-back echo, tape echo and much more – all with complete control over delay time, mix, repeat and other parameters.

·       Random Delay – Builds upon the capabilities of Dual Delay with more voices and four LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators) that control delay time with both familiar waveforms as well as random values and input levels.

·       Chorus/Flange – The available chorus, flanger and long multivoice delay enable everything from traditional flanger sounds to flangers that play far behind the beat for out-of-this-world effects.

·       Resonant Chords – This unique mode, first introduced in the Lexicon PCM70, allows multiple delay voices to be tuned to resonate on specific notes. The sonic result can be glistening chords, strange ringing delays or truly bizarre room sounds.

·       Pitch Shift – A multitude of mono and stereo pitch-shifting capabilities are available, from pitch correction in a mix to standout special effects.

·       Multivoice Pitch Shift – This is a multivoice delay algorithm with an independent pitch shifter on each voice. It can function as anything from a voice thickener, to multiple delays that can shift up or down while locked to tempo, to a “Seasick Room” preset that must be heard to be believed.

The PCM Native Effects Plug-In Bundle adds to these effects an all-new Stringbox algorithm, which provides the user with 88 virtual strings resonating according to the audio in. Several tuning and panning options are available, along with a virtual keyboard and randomizer, giving users the ability to create never-before-heard chords, melodies and room sounds.

The Lexicon PCM Native Effects Plug-In Bundle is Native only, and requires iLok authorization. It will be available in Jan 2011 at a suggested retail price of $1199.95.

Lexicon is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com).
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG^®, Harman Kardon^®, Infinity^®, JBL^®, Lexicon^® and Mark Levinson^®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010. The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

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DigiTech® Now Offers Free Switching System Kit With the Purchase of An RP1000 Multi-Effects Switching System

DigiTech today announced that effective immediately, purchasers of an RP1000

Multi-Effects Switching System will receive a free Switching System Kit. The kit includes cables to connect the RP1000’s dedicated amp loop, cables to create a stompbox loop and an easy-to-follow Quick Start Guide.

The DigiTech RP1000 is a versatile guitar multi-effects processor that offers more than 160 popular effects, amp and cabinet models, including overdrive, distortion, delay, flanger, chorus and many others. Its built-in expression pedal provides complete control of volume, wah and other parameters, and the RP1000 provides 100 factory and 100 user presets. The RP1000 offers a wealth of additional features including USB computer connectivity, Cubase LE4 music production software, a phrase looper, a built-in chromatic tuner and much more. The RP1000 is built to last, with all-metal construction designed to stand up to the rigors of the road.

The Switching System Kit adds even greater versatility to the RP1000’s already formidable capabilities. The four 15-foot, 1/4-inch cables enable the user to connect a dedicated amp loop, so players can connect to an external amplifier or preamp and use the tone from these components instead of the internal amplifiers of the RP1000.

The two 2-foot, 1/4-inch cables facilitate the use of a stompbox loop, which allows the player to patch in an external stomp box effects pedal to one of two different positions in the RP1000’s effects path.

The DigiTech RP1000 Switching System Kit comes packaged inside current RP1000 units. No separate purchase is required. The kit will be available at authorized DigiTech retailers and online sellers while supplies last.

Producer Steve Levine Finds The Right Effects With The Lexicon® PCM Native Reverb Plug-In

Highly acclaimed producer Steve Levine recently put the Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-In to the test with some of the most exciting young artists in music today.  Working with artists such as Patch William and Natalie McCool, Levine utilized the Lexicon Plug-In on tracks for each of their new recordings.

“The Lexicon Plug-In is so easy to use.  With every track you work on, you can customize the sound and adjust everything from source reflections to the room size much easier than you could with the hardware, and it recalled as part of the track” stated Levine.

For Levine, working with Lexicon is something he has become accustomed to throughout his career. “In the past I used the Lexicon 224, 480 and to this day I still use the PCM 42.  With Lexicon, you know the type of FX you are going to get and what the quality of the sound is,” stated Levine.

“With the younger generation of musicians, they don’t necessarily know the heritage of Lexicon, but when they hear something they like, they will ask you what they are hearing.  That has been the case on more than one occasion when I’ve been using the Lexicon Plug-In,” added Levine.

Additionally, the enhanced automation control that the Native Reverb plug-in offers is another major benefit. “I now have easy control of the parameters, plus a whole new way of adding reverb as an insert on a given track in addition to the normal send/return method that’s traditionally used and that’s a major benefit,” stated Levine.

Steve has won numerous prestigious awards including BPI Producer of the Year, Musicweek Top Singles Producer as well as a Grammy for his work with Deniece Williams. Steve is a Director of PRS for music, MCPS, BASCA & a member of the MU executive committee and was recently appointed Chairman of The Music Producer’s Guild.

The Lexicon Native Reverb Plug-In Bundle is a fully functional cross-platform plug-in that is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7 along with MAC OSX 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, Power PC and Intel based.

For more information on Steve Levine, please visit http://www.stevelevine.co.uk/.

StagePro Provides Winning Combination Of JBL VERTEC® Subcompact Line Arrays and Crown VRACK For LDI Show Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas

Leading rental sound, lighting and staging production company StagePro (Ottawa, Kansas) provided the live sound reinforcement system for the LDI Awards Ceremony, held at the recent LDI trade show in Las Vegas. The Awards recognized excellence in a variety of categories related to the live design, events and staging industry, including lighting, audio and video. The audio system featured a comprehensive range of products from Harman Professional, highlighted by JBL’s subcompact VERTEC® line arrays.

For the event, StagePro supplied the audio reinforcement system as part of its Apex Mobile Stage. The main PA system included left/right hangs of four VERTEC VT4886 subcompact line array loudspeakers and two VT4883 subcompact arrayable subwoofers per side, supplemented by an additional four VT4886 loudspeakers placed along the center edge of the stage for front fill.

“The response to the Awards Ceremony was very positive and the audio system performed wonderfully,” said Jay Waller, Owner of StagePro. “The subcompact VERTEC line arrays were a terrific solution for this event, which provided an opportunity to expose this relatively new product line to a variety of potential clients.”

A new Crown VRACK loaded with I-Tech HD amplifiers powered the system, which also included a Soundcraft Vi4 digital mixing console along with AKG wireless microphones. “The Vi4 console performed flawlessly,” Waller added. “We received a lot of comments that the effects package incorporating other Harman technologies like Lexicon is very impressive, and it truly is. Of all the digital consoles on the market, it has one of the nicest sounding effects packages available.”

"The LDI Awards are a great way for the show to recognize excellence in the industry, from the Wally Award in memory of Wally Russell honoring a veteran in the lighting industry, to the Redden Awards in memory of Craig Redden and presented by Epic Production Technologies to honor excellence in lighting in theater, concerts, and corporate events,” said Ellen Lampert-Greaux, Consulting Editor and Conference Director, Live Design/LDI. “The awards also include the ESTA Members Choice Product Awards and LDI's Best Debuting Product Awards, which honor technical innovation. The LDI booth awards accented the excitement on the show floor. The final award, sponsored by Showman Fabricators, was for the best Green Product Award in recognition of the greening of our industry. We appreciate the support of StagePro and Harman/JBL in making the awards ceremony a successful event."

For more information on StagePro, please visit www.stagepro.com

For more information on Apex Mobile Stages, please visit www.apexstages.com

KMA Studio Brings Music Back To The Brill Building With AKG Microphones

Building upon the already historical musical foundation supporting New York City’s Landmark Brill Building, KMA Music continues to book a range of VIP artists to record chart-topping hits, with the help of AKG microphones.  From vocals to instrumentation, AKG has been a go-to microphone in KMA’s Studios A and B for numerous performers since opening its doors in 2007.

Utilizing AKG’s C 12 VR Tube microphone and a set of C 414’s, Studio Manager Dave “Roz” Rosner offers his clients, ranging from Jordan Sparks, Jay Sean, Jay-Z, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon, Lil Wayne, Beyonce and many others, a selection of the most widely requested microphones in the industry at a moment’s notice.  “Each artist has their own personal taste, but a large portion of our clientele are very loyal and will request the C 12 for their sessions,” he said.  “The C 12 is a great microphone and really gives a ‘whomp’ to any artists’ vocals.”  The C 12 is also used in recording bass drums, hi-hats and piano in the studio.

KMA also utilizes the Lexicon 960 Digital Effects System and the PCM81 Live Sound Multi-Effects Processor during mixing.  Assistant Studio Manager James Spano explains that KMA has demoed multiple Lexicon plugins with artists and is currently researching a permanent Lexicon plugin system for the mixing rooms.

Complete with a striking view of Times Square and walls lined with Platinum Records, KMA stands as one of the most prominent recording studios in New York, offering its clients free-range use of the equipment, while other studios charge a rental fee.  “Our clients expect the best service and hospitality, which is what we provide.  We’ve made the investments in our equipment to ensure the artists and labels are happy and continue to work with us,” continued Roz.

For more information on KMA Music, please visit http://www.kmamusic.com.

Photo Caption: Dave ”Roz” Rosner with AKG C 12 VR in Studio B

Harman Professional Appoints John Goodrich Global Sales Manager For Mass Communications

In a move to provide systems integrators and clients in the mass communications vertical market with specialized attention, support and programs, Harman Professional appointed John Goodrich to the newly created position of Global Sales Manager for Mass Communications.  Goodrich joins Harman Professional from Altel Systems Group, where he was Vice President of Business Development, leading the development of integrated audio/visual and communication systems for the airport, mass transit, and hospitality industries.  He previously held senior sales and business development roles at Meyer Sound Labs and Innovative Electronic Designs (IED).  In his new role, he will report to Michael MacDonald, Harman Professional Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales, and will be responsible for developing Harman Professional’s presence in the mass communications market.

According to Michael MacDonald, John Goodrich’s appointment marks an important strategic step by Harman Professional to grow its business and provide customers in a host of vertical markets with a higher expectation level for audio performance and integration. “In some verticals audio has been commoditized and as a result communication has suffered,” MacDonald said today.  “Harman Professional brings professional-grade systems that are proven at the highest performance level but designed to suit the needs of mass communication and other verticals.  John Goodrich is the person to bring these systems to market; to work with integration partners, end-users and our own product designers to ensure that we enable better sound in more places than ever before imaginable.”

Commenting on his new position, John Goodrich noted, “Harman Professional’s dual strength in systems integration and audio performance presents a compelling opportunity to integrators and their clients in mass communications.  I look forward to working with Harman’s design teams and with our customers to advancing public address audio for communication, entertainment and life safety in the domestic and international markets.”

Earlier this year at the 2010 InfoComm Expo, Harman Professional launched a partnership with information display and paging specialist Com-Net Software to launch a series of new communication technologies starting with the co-branded IDX Information Delivery Systems. The IDX System couples Harman’s Crown CTs, BSS London and HiQnet™ technologies on the back end with Com-Net Software ECLIPSX Flight Information Display System or ECLIPSX Transit Information Display System at the front end.  The combined result is great sounding, highly reliable audio networks with application-engineered interface and control in a versatile, cost-efficient package.

“IDX is remarkable,” Goodrich said today.  “I applaud Harman for not seeking to reinvent the wheel on the front-end software and interface but instead integrating a high-performing, back-end audio network with a proven mass communications system and interface from Com-Net.  Its is literally and comprehensively the best of both worlds and I am very excited to be involved!”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010. The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.