LOS ANGELES, California – As the FOH engineer for American
rock/soul/R&B group Fitz and The Tantrums, Aaron Glas has been feverishly
touring with the band all over the world, while utilizing a HARMAN Soundcraft
Vi3000 digital console and Realtime Rack.
Led by vocalists Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs, Fitz
and The Tantrums are known for combining multiple musical styles into their own
unique sound, and for their high-energy live performances. “Each show is a
kaleidoscope of sound and a non-stop dance party demanding fan participation. Each
band member is a force to be reckoned with and you just can’t take your eyes of
Fitz and Noelle,” Glas said.
The last two years of touring have been in support of the
band’s 2013 album, More Than Just a Dream.
“The production design for the show is fantastic, where the album art is
recreated live with video content into an enormous set piece,” Glas added.
Matching the visual impact of the band’s performances with
dynamic audio, Glas has been using a Soundcraft Vi3000 with a Realtime Rack at
the FOH position. “The Vi3000 shares a Compact Stagebox with the Vi1 at
monitors, so it’s really efficient. We don’t have the need for an analog split or
analog snake and it’s worked very well for us.”
While the eclectic nature of Fitz and The Tantrums’ music is
one of their distinctive qualities, it also poses a series of challenges for
Glas and the sound team. “The band can change vibes quickly: they’ll move from
an old Motown sound to an electronic synth-y feel, and I need to be able to
switch instantaneously to keep the sound consistent for the audience,” Glas
noted. “The snapshots on the console help me with that. I also make changes on
the fly right along with the set list and even during different verses and
choruses within the same song.”
Prior to becoming the FOH engineer for Fitz and The
Tantrums, Glas handled monitor duties for the band, and Glas notes that audio
quality is the main reason he has chosen Soundcraft consoles for both roles.
“Soundcraft consoles always sound incredible compared to other digital consoles
out there,” he said. “I’m also really enjoying the Realtime Rack. Universal
Audio makes the best-sounding plugins and now I have an entire library at my
disposal. Being able to set it up with the touchscreen and make changes on the
fly is a tremendous advantage.”
Another challenge is the differences in vocal range and
style between the band’s two lead singers. “I have to keep up with their
dynamic ranges and movements of Fitz and Noelle on stage,” Glas said. “That’s
where a cool plugin chain comes in handy. Before using the Realtime Rack, I had
an analog plugin chain with a series of compressors and EQs. Now I can achieve
the same result [or better!] with the plugins.”
HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers
connected products and solutions for consumers, automakers, and
enterprises worldwide, including audio, visual and infotainment systems;
enterprise automation solutions; and software services. With leading
brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson
® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment
venues where they perform around the world. HARMAN also is a technology and
integration services leader for the Automotive, Mobile, Telecommunications
and Enterprise markets. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are
equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. The Company’s software
solutions power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected,
integrated, personalized, adaptive and secure across all platforms, from the
work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 25,000
people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $5.9 billion
during the last 12 months ended March 31, 2015.
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