SOUTHFIELD,
Michigan – Having founded the sound reinforcement company EBR Providers LLC. in
2012 to support regional events in Michigan, Eric Rayford recently purchased a
HARMAN’s Soundcraft Vi1 digital console for local acts such as the Southfield
Jazz Orchestra, which began in 2010 in collaboration with the City of
Southfield Parks and Recreation Department. The Vi1 will serve as a powerful
upgrade that not only fits into the budget of the orchestra, but also the
modest spaces of its venues.
The
Southfield Jazz Orchestra performs mostly as a jazz ensemble playing tunes such
as “In The Mood”, “Teach Me Tonight”, “Love For Sale”, and many more.
Privileged to have saxophonist George Benson and vocalist Barbara Ware perform
in the band as artists-in-residence, Rayford wanted to move into the digital
age with the Vi1 console.
“Sixteen
channels are sufficient for what we need and the Vi1’s size is ideal for the
small venues that we play in,” said Rayford. “The ability to control some
venues remotely on the iPad is great, because sometimes we don’t have enough
room for a board near the stage. With the Soundcraft ViSi Remote App, I am able
to keep the system in a protected area when performing in a bar, out of harm’s
way from the audience.”
Moving away
from the analog consoles he used previously, Rayford appreciates the familiar
analog-like controls on the Vi1. Every knob and button correspond to only one
function, eliminating the layering of controls. Although it is the smallest
member of the Vi Series, the Vi1 console still packs the intuitive Soundcraft
FaderGlow™ for color-coded illumination of the motorized faders, and the
Vistonics™ touchscreen user interface for all other surface controls. The
Southfield Jazz Orchestra also uses JBL Professional EON Series portable
loudspeakers for many of its performances.
“This board
is so well-designed and packed with so many functions, I won’t ever need a
larger one for this act,” said Rayford. “The dedicated buttons for EQ’s and
effects are very useful, and the layout is not cluttered at all. I can finally
put EQ on an individual channel, which is great!”
Besides
generating more success for the band with the brand new digital console, Rayford
also assists with managing the sound at three different church sites under the
Third New Hope Baptist Church, one of which is equipped with a 32-channel Soundcraft
Vi1. He also would like to see the remaining two locations to be outfitted with
Vi Series consoles as well.
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs,
manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for
the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world
leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman
Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge
connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The Company is admired by
audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional
entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million
automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment
systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 15,200 people across the Americas, Europe,
and Asia and reported sales of $5.1 billion for the last
twelve months ended March 31, 2014.
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