Distributed in 94 countries, Mix is the world's leading magazine for the professional recording and sound production technology industry. Mix covers a wide range of topics including: recording, live sound and production, broadcast production, audio for film and video, and music technology.
THERE’S SOMETHING COOL, HIP AND INHERENTLY GREEN about recycling and every now and then I go by this very cool (and very Berkeley) place called Urban Ore, which is just a couple blocks away from the Mix offices. This is a locale where people bring old furniture, leftover building materials and obsolete technology stuff to be resold, reused and otherwise redistributed to people in the know. It’s essentially a huge old warehouse and outdoor sales area brimming full of STUFF of every sort (and well sorted), ranging from consumer electronics, plumbing/electrical supplies, picture frames, desks, sinks, tubs, windows, doors, slightly overused–meaning really beat up–musical instruments and occasionally (but alas, not too frequently) even PRO AUDIO.
But today in the electronics section–among the piles of Kodak Ektagraphic slide projectors, 1970s-era slide programmers/dissolve units (in case anybody is old enough to remember olde-style multimedia/multimage), Mac 8600s, vintage PCs, turntables, cassette decks and piles of Jaz/Zip/Bernoulli drives–was a more unusual item.
A Neve/Necam 96 power supply.
Unfortunately, no other Neve gear was lurking about, but at a mere $50 buckaroos, you could have this monster of monsters: About six rack spaces high, it must have weighed about 100 pounds–they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore. What awesome construction!!! I was even tempted to bring it home and adopt it myself for resale or some future project, but this was like the big one you toss back into the pond, hoping that it will make someone else’s day.
But the real mystery in the back of my mind was what tales this thing could tell. Where did it come from? What great projects did it once supply (pun intended) the juice for? Some things I may never know, so if anyone DOES know, let me know and help me finish this Unsolved Mystery for the rest of the world…
I hate telling you this, because, for one, I don’t want anyone to be misled and think that among the porcelain toilet tanks, printing presses and dictaphones that haunt this place, there are boxes of dusty Neumanns in every corner–which there aren’t, although today, they had a 15-inch Peavey Black Widow woofer (untested and missing its aluminum dust cap) for $12, a solid-looking single-15 cab in faux wood finish–empty, but sporting road handles and dual front ports for $25 and an empty (but extremely heavy) dual-12 cab–it was a generic roadcase-looking box (no handles)–for $20 or so. Yet at the same time, they were trying to sell some heavy black/chrome older steel Atlas speaker stands (NOT MIC STANDS) priced about $260–I’m not sure who came up with THAT price!
So you never know what to expect. Besides this week’s Neve PS, they also had a Sony SDDS 35mm projector soundhead for $25–not bad if you need one–and an Ampex 35mm mag stripe stereo reader (the “penthouse” style) also for $25, but it will be a while before that one moves… Oh, and if you happen to need to need some 35mm exhibition reels, they have both 6,000 and 13,000 foot versions in stock this week.
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com/ariel.html and check ‘em out. ________________________
What do YOU think? CLICK ON THE “COMMENTS” LINK BELOW AND SPEAK OUT!
I FIRST GOT A REAL SWISS ARMY KNIFE back in the early ‘70s, when I spent a lot of time troubleshooting gear. I finally managed to destroy it (it essentially was worn out to the nubs) after it saved my butt about a thousand times, repairing hundreds of pieces of A/V gear, from simple P.A. rigs to elaborate 70mm projection systems with 6-channel Dolby playback. I even filed down the flat screwdriver that stuck out of the side of the knife body at a 90-degree angle so it would fit those reverse-threaded XLR set screws that holds the connector into place. That same attachment also made for a pretty formidable brass-knuckle effect, although that particular usage wasn’t mentioned in any of the official Victorinox literature.
Anyway, it’s too late for Christmas now, but I just heard about a slick new entry in the Swiss Army line—even cooler than the company’s Cyberknife of a couple years back, the one that even included mini Torx drivers for repairing PCs.
Although it’s a whopping $1,200 retail, Wenger Giant Swiss Army Knife™ V1.0 #16999 certainly tops anyone’s gift list—or for those companies looking for the ultimate in tradeshow swag—this one’s the ticket. At an actual size of 8.75×3.25-inches (WxL); and weighing in at 2 pounds, 11 ounces, it’s a bit large for the average pocket. However you get a lot here…
It touts 85 implements with 110 functions in all including a 2.5″ 60% serrated locking blade; nail file, nail cleaner; corkscrew; adjustable pliers with wire crimper and cutter; removable screwdriver bit adapter; 2.5″ blade for official world scout knife; spring-loaded, locking needle-nose pliers with wire cutter; removable screwdriver bit holder; phillips head screwdriver bit 0; phillips head screwdriver bit 1; phillips head screwdriver bit 2; flat head screwdriver bit 0.5mm x 3.5mm; flat head screwdriver bit 0.6mm x 4.0mm; flat head screwdriver bit 1.0mm x 6.5mm; magnetized recessed bit holder; double-cut wood saw with ruler (inch & cm); bike chain rivet setter, removable 5mm allen wrench, screwdriver for slotted and philips head screws; removable tool for adjusting bike spokes, 10mm hexagonal key for nuts; removable 4mm curved allen wrench with philips head screwdriver; removable 10mm hexagonal key; patented locking philips head screwdriver; universal wrench; 2.4″ springless scissors with serrated, self-sharpening design; 1.65″ clip point utility blade; philips head screwdriver; 2.5″ clip point blade; golf club face cleaner; 2.4″ round tip blade; patented locking screwdriver, cap lifter, can opener; golf shoe spike wrench; golf divot repair tool; 4mm allen wrench; 2.5″ blade; fine metal file with precision screwdriver; double-cut wood saw; cupped cigar cutter with double-honed edges; 12/20-gauge choke tube tool; watch caseback opening tool; snap shackle; mineral crystal magnifier with precision screwdriver; compass, straight edge, ruler (in./cm); telescopic pointer; fish scaler, hook disgorger, line guide; shortix laboratory key; micro tool holder; micro tool adapter; micro scraper–straight; micro scraper–curved; laser pointer with 300 ft. range; metal saw, metal file; flashlight; micro tool holder; philips head screwdriver 1.5mm; screwdriver 1.2mm; screwdriver .8mm; fine fork for watch spring bars; reamer; pin punch 1.2mm; pin punch .8mm; round needle file; removable tool holder with expandable receptacle; removable tool holder; special self-centering screwdriver for gunsights; flat philips head screwdriver; chisel-point reamer; mineral crystal magnifier, fork for watch spring bars, small ruler; extension tool; spring-loaded, locking flat nose-nose pliers with wire cutter; removable screwdriver bit holder; phillips head screwdriver bit 0; phillips head screwdriver bit 1; phillips head screwdriver bit 2; flat head screwdriver bit 0.5mm x 3.5mm; flat head screwdriver bit 0.6mm x 4.0mm; flat head screwdriver bit 1.0mm x 6.5mm; magnetized recessed bit holder; tire tread gauge; fiber optic tool holder; can opener; patented locking screwdriver, cap lifter, wire stripper; reamer/awl; toothpick; tweezers; and of course, a key ring—you won’t lose your keys if this sucker is attached—guaranteed.
Of all these functions, my fave would have to be the “12/20-gauge choke tube tool” (some of use work some pretty tough gigs), but the “shortix laboratory key” sounds intriguing as well…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
AFTER WAY TOO MANY YEARS, APPLE FINALLY did a real makeover on Logic, its flagship music/audio production software, now offered as the “Logic Studio” bundle of production tools. It’s sort of the Final Cut Studio approach, which includes FCP, Soundtrack Pro 2, Compressor, DVD Studio Pro, Motion and more–pretty much a script to screen package.
And there’s a lot of good news here. Gone is Logic’s clunky look, instead Logic 8 uses a single-screen interface that’s streamlined and fast. The surround mixing is elegant and there’s a vocal comping feature that’s just amazing. Also in the bundle is Soundtrack Pro 2 (the same version from the FCP Studio bundle), Studio Instruments, Studio Effects (with some 80 plug-ins) and Studio Sound Library, with 18,000 Apple Loops and 1,300 sampled instruments. At $499 it’s almost stupid NOT to buy this package—whether you own a Mac or not.
But what really floored me was the not-so-lowly MainStage. Intended to simplify using software instruments onstage, this standalone app provides a live performance rig for guitar/keys/bass. Virtual keys instruments and guitar/amp/effects modeling is nothing new, but what’s the big deal?
First of all, ya gotta wonder why this is in a studio production bundle anyway. Someday, Apple might wise up and include this with its iLife software, but that’s not the point. I was absolutely amazed by the keyboard setups and their ability to do splits. Again, no biggie—I even have left/right-hand organ/bass splits on my vintage ’60s Farfisa organs. Custom splits are nothing new and nearly any decent keyboard controller can store/recall different split presets for different songs. Yet the real trick with MainStage’s split keyboard mode is its ability to do intelligent splits.
Many of us have experienced the frustration of playing a bass line that as it moves up the scale, will eventually start playing piano notes. But playing left-hand bass/right hand melody parts on a keyboard that can move the split as you play, keeping you in range is pure magic. Evidently MainStage runs some algorithm that tracks your hand movements and moves the split point accordingly. It’s awesome and is probably worth the program’s $499 bundle price. Of course, once your include all the other apps—Logic 8, Soundtrack Pro 2, etc.—this is one amazing bargain.
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
WALKING AROUND THE AES SHOW LAST WEEK, ya couldn’t miss it. Right out in the middle of the exhibit floor at New York City’s Javits convention center was a huge 30×30-foot pad of astroturf, with a rustic-looking cabin sitting right in the middle of it.
What is it? It’s a copy of Peter Gabriel’s backyard songwriting sanctum, equipped with a Solid State Logic AWS 900+ console /workstation controller, SSL XLogic outboard gear and additional Gear provided by Guitar Center Pro, including a Pto Tools HD rig, Auralex acoustic treatment, Argosy studio furniture and Henick-Lane air conditioning. Mix editor Sarah Jones and I sat down with Gabriel during the show and got his take on this. (Click here to check out the video interview.) Bringing “turnkey” to a whole new level, this “Shed of your Dreams” studio costs under $250K, depending on exact finish, specifications, the exact gear you choose and location—the user only need provide a concrete pad and electrical service.
Evidently the reaction at the show was overwhelmingly positive and from what I hear, several orders were placed. But $$$ aside, the concept of having a cool, prefab studio laid down at your location over a matter of days has a lot of merit.
The building itself is a 240-square-foot Summerwood Cheyenne cabin and it had a great vibe of its own. Gabriel’s own shed is decorated with some amazing (and quite valuable) artwork that’s NOT part of the purchase price. But as an avid art collector myself, I’d have no problem finding stuff from my own to spruce the joint up.
As an aside, my wife and I collect a variety of styles, but lately have been focusing on illustration art from science fiction. To get an idea of how cool some of this stuff is, you can check out one dealer we occasionally buy from—Worlds of Wonder at www.wow-art.com. Hey, just don’t complain to me next month because you spent all you money there, but even if you don’t, it’s a great source of eye candy—or a way of finding the right artist for your next album cover.
And while I was on the web, I checked out the Summerwood Products site www.summerwood.com (the guys who built the Gabriel shed) and was impressed by the array of designs and possibilities offered. More eye candy to be sure…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
HERE WE ARE AND AES IS JUST A MONTH AWAY! It doesn’t seem so long ago when we were at AES (at least the San Francisco show) and now AES is upon us once again. If you haven’t done so already, now–or at least 21 days before the show to get those advance-purchase fares–is a good time to lock in those cheap plane tickets. Or if you’re really lucky to live within a manageable distance—train tickets.
Or to steal the lyrics from a song about another U.S. city, “GONNA TAKE A BUS. GONNA TAKE A TRAIN. EVEN IF I GOTTA WALK, GONNA GET THERE JUST THE SAME…
New York AES is the place to be if you’re an audio pro. By all indications, the show’s gonna be great, with hundreds of exhibitors hawking the latest hoo-hahs and a great selection of workshops, papers and events to keep you way busy on October 5, 6, 7 and 8th.
But the magic of AES isn’t necessarily the show itself, but a gathering of the tribes and often the best place to find the real action is late night, at the bar of the Marriott Marquis or any of the dozen other official AES hotels. In fact the number of products on the show floor that are directly attributed to sketches made on rum-soaked cocktail napkins from last year’s AES is just as staggering as the comical gait that many attendees have when exiting the bars at closing time.
If you’re really smart, call the Iridium Jazz Club (212/582-2121) and snag a couple tickets for one of Les Paul’s shows, Monday night October 8th. Les is really an American icon and in a day when the word “living legend” is bandied around to apply to nearly anyone, Les is the genuine article. The shows start at either 8 or 10 pm, but it’s best to get there early to get good seats, as there are no reserved seats and it’s first come, first serve. Check it out at www.iridiumjazzclub.com.
If you’re really, really smart, bring something for Les to sign after the show. He’s usually pretty nice about such things, unless you walk in carrying a Strat. In that case, you’re on your own, and you certainly don’t want to mar your New York experience by needing to drag yourself into an emergency room to have a (Fender) guitar neck extricated from one of your body cavities. My advice? Leave the Strat at home, bring a CD, LP or your ‘58 gold top Les Paul guitar to get signed. And watch out, because Les sometimes “forgets” to return your pen after he autographs something. In any case, a performance by the Les Paul Trio is a wonderful and unforgettable experience that’s well worth the $45 ticket price. Don’t miss it!
And if you really need a great reason to attend NYC AES, just say the words “Ray’s Pizza” three times and you’ll be magically whisked to the doors of the Javits Center. But if that fails for some reason, just grab a cab… from anywhere. And for more info about the AES show, visit www.aes.org. You’ll be glad you did!
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
THERE OUTTA BE A TRADESHOW FOR TRADESHOWS, where all these organizers can all meet and coordinate their dates for the upcoming year. Just about anybody who goes to a lot of audio tradeshows can remember those years when Musikmesse overlapped NAB, etc. And it never seems to end—next month’s IBC (the big European broadcasting show) overlaps PLASA (the big U.K. live sound show). Whether you’re attending or exhibiting, such intertwined schedules can really complicate your life.
But sometimes, there is some good news. Over the weekend, InfoComm and NSCA announced that they would combine their expos into a single event next year (June 18-20) in Las Vegas. Both organizations should be applauded for this move, which should really reinforce (no pun intended) and help build show attendance and the depth of the workshops/ancillary activities surrounding the expo itself. Faced with two similar (but certainly NOT identical) events, many showgoers–and many exhibitors as well–simply selected one or the other each year, leading to two competing events just a few months apart. After years of complaints about the situation from exhibitors and visitors, both organizations decided to take action and work together for a common good. Bravo!
And after a three-year absence, Summer NAMM is returning to Nashville in 2008. Indianapolis and Austin are great towns, but the only place where Summer NAMM seems to work these days is Nashville. As with other cities where Summer NAMM has been held—such as Austin, New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta, Atlantic City—Nashville is also a great music town. But Nashville is a major recording center—another plus, with a great downtown convention center with affordable nearby lodging and is in the center of a huge population circle within a one-day’s driving radius, making it convenient as well. So far, so good. Unfortunately, Summer NAMM 2008 is June 20-22, and this timing overlap with the new, powerful, merged NSCA/InfoComm will create some tough decisions for a fair number of pro audio exhibitors in picking which show to attend/support.
The very real issue of overlapping tradeshows actually hurts everyone in the industry, especially in today’s tough business climate. So far, we have two steps forward, and one step behind. Maybe someday, in that perfect world where all these organizations do a little more coordination, this wouldn’t happen. The solution could be that “tradeshow for tradeshows” where all this occurs, but until that day…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO WANDER FARTHER THAN YOUTUBE.COM to notice that video’s making a big impact on the web. Sure, the ‘net is filled with lots of funny clips, animations and occasionally even interesting bits, like the torture test of the Unitron waterproof computer keyboard. But there’s a serious side too…
On the Mix front, we’ve been incorporating video into our site for years, ranging from Seminars on Demand on topics such as Kevin Becka’s excellent series on studio miking techniques or technology previews like Taylor Guitars/Rupert Neve Expression Series or going backstage with the crew on the 2007 Snow Patrol tour. Just go to http://mixonline.com/video/ and you can find all this and more—including video highlights of past trade shows—AES, NAB, NAMM. And with the opening of Pixar’s Ratatouille, we’re going online tomorrow morning with an exclusive chat with the film’s sound designer extraordinaire Randy Thom—neat stuff!
There’s a whole lotta video going on around here with a whole lot more to come. That’s good. The bad part is trying to shop for some fairly simple HD camcorders that we can dole out to our editors for events like tradeshow coverage, where we need something lightweight, easy to use and capable of good quality picture and sound. That’s the ugly part. Picture-wise, there are plenty of low-cost models available that can handle the job, but getting decent audio from a consumer camcorder is like pulling teeth: Real ugly.
Today’s low-cost models tout features like 20x optical zooms (and the all-too-bogus 200x “digital” zoom functions), onboard effects, 720 HD picture quality, and storage to DV tape, hard disk, mini DVD and all manners of removeable media cards (SD, CF, Memory Stick, etc.) Yet at the same time, the attention to audio is deplorable. Here, I’m not even getting into the nuances of digital filter design or sampling rates or the quality of the onboard mics—or an almost total lack of manual controls for audio level. [Besides, there’s something VERY cinema verite about that blast of noise that appears when an AGC circuit pumps up the hiss or background noise during the pauses between sentences of dialog.] But what really kills me are the places where manufacturers locate these onboard mics. For some reason, the favored locations seem to be along the rear of the top panel–didn’t these companies ever consider putting mics on the FRONT of the camera, like maybe under the lens?
One model I looked at had the mics mounted on the back side of the flip-out viewscreen. On first glance, I thought this could be cool–the backside would form a quasi-boundary, giving you a semi-hemispherical pickup. However, it could get real ugly when the user tilts the viewscreen downward for low-angle shooting (pointing the mics at the floor) or when your hand partially covers the mics when holding the camera. Ugly, for sure.
Of course, it’s all fixable with an external mic, but finding a low-cost camcorder that has an external mic input (even 1/8-inch unbalanced) is not easy. But at least if you do, there are options, such as Rode’s VideoMic or Sennheiser’s MKE 300 shotguns or a simple Audio-Technica Pro 24 cardioid X-Y stereo. Yeah, I know there are much higher-end mics, but at least simple solutions like these will put you way ahead of the audio quality game.
And XLR inputs??? Fuggettaboutitt–at least in the sub-$2000 range. Certainly, there are other options, such as the cool XLR-to-minijack adapters from www.beachtek.com or the vintage PASS MD Report Jr. unit I’ve used for years. Heck, you could even go double system, and pack your fave location recorder, mixer, sound cart, booms, fishpoles, radio mics, shotguns and lavaliers. Sure, it’s a little bit of overkill when you’re shooting the kid’s birthday party on a $400 camcorder, but maybe that’s what real sound is all about…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Check ‘em out at www.jenpet.com.
AFTER A LOT OF GLOOM/DOOM SCENARIOS for the future of pro audio wireless, a few streaks of blue are starting to break through the crowded clouds of RF. The problem stems from the February 2009 end of analog television and the possible loss of frequency bands for wireless mic use. Since pro wireless never had an “official” frequency allotment from the FCC, we’ve typically “borrowed” unused “white space” frequencies—essentially the guard-band easements between analog TV channels.
As digital TV has no such guard-band requirements, a cash-strapped FCC looks toward auctioning these unused frequencies to other industries, with a keen eye toward the burgeoning wireless Internet market. Once analog TV goes dark, vacant frequency bands in that region will be available as well, but to who is anybody’s guess.
Earlier this year, the congressional bill “H.R. 1320, The Interference Protection for Existing Television Band Devices Act of 2007″ was introduced by Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) to protect the needs of pro wireless users in the face of possible interference from wireless Internet devices. The good news is House members Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Jim Cooper (D-TN), Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL), and Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) have pledged their support for the bill.
It’s a start, but the pro audio community needs some more help. Encourage YOUR local representatives to support bill H.R. 1320. Best of all, it won’t cost you a dime and it’s even fun! Just go to www.house.gov/writerep, enter your state and zip code and an e-mail form pops up with your representative’s name. Let ‘em know that the possible loss of frequencies for wireless microphone use represents a major loss to users in the broadcast, sports, film/TV production, live entertainment, house of worship, business, government and educational markets.
AUDIO-TECHNICA SPECTRAPULSE
At InfoComm this week, Audio-Technica unveiled one possible solution to the white spaces issue. Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology has been used in military and government communications for years, and now A-T has applied this to offers near hard-wired performance without concerns about RF competition, frequency coordination, white space issues or infringement from other wireless sources.
Recently licensed for commercial use by the FCC, Ultra Wideband technology allows the wireless transmission of data in extremely short-duration pulses over a wide spectrum of frequencies. Rather than using conventional channels and carrier frequencies, UWB uses a series of short nano-second pulses that occupy an instantaneous bandwidth of 500 MHz within the 6 GHz frequency spectrum. In precisely timed sequences, the signals result in the reliable transmission of information at near noise-floor levels. And latency—always a concern with any digital system—is said to be a low 2ms.
A-T’s first UWB system is the SpectraPulse Ultra Wideband wireless microphone system, designed for conferences, courtrooms, corporate events and more. The first SpectraPulse products ship this fall, but there’s more information and a detailed white paper available at www.audio-technica.com. Check it out!
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Check ‘em out at www.jenpet.com.
YOU’VE HEARD THAT OLD ADAGE “WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN” a million times, but you probably never did. But maybe this time you should, especially if you’re a user of pro audio wireless systems, whether for mics, guitars, IFB, radio intercoms or in-ear monitoring. You see, with the upcoming shift to DTV broadcasting less than two years away, analog TV over the airwaves is gonna disappear. So who cares, anyway? I get cable at home… Well, you better care, because, some very large, well-financed players are looking at picking up a lot of soon-to-be unused frequencies for new uses, such as portable Internet devices.
So what does any of this have to do with audio? Plenty. Because unlike CB radio and maritime navigation, pro audio never had any official allotment of frequencies from the FCC for wireless use. We rode on the coattails of broadcasters, first using unused VHF TV frequencies and later mainly moving to the middle and upper UHF bands. Now here’s the rub: DTV operates with more precision than analog TV channels, which require large areas of “white space” padding around each frequency to avoid interference from adjacent channels. And that white space offered a mostly safe haven for wireless audio users. So with no white space requirement, DTV’s arrival leaves a whole lot of ex-analog TV spectra, which a cash-strapped FCC is more than willing to reallocate to deep-pocketed companies such as Sprint Nextel, Verizon, ATT/Cingular and others who see boon times ahead for wireless Internet.
Meanwhile, Senators John Kerry and John Sununu are offering separate bills mandating the FCC allocate the vacant spaces for wireless broadband. Wireless Internet is a wonderful advancement in technology and good for the nation as a whole. However, some key issues must be resolved. Firstly, portable wireless products are two-way devices, operating as both receivers for downloading data, as well as transmitting e-mails, text messaging, baby pictures, etc. As the market expands, ensuring adequate testing so these devices don’t interfere with existing products operating in the white spaces–such as wireless mics.
With that in mind, Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush introduced H.R. 1320, “The Interference Protection for Existing Television Band Devices Act of 2007.” Rush’s bill doesn’t seek to negate the Kerry and Sununu proposals, but would allow some white space use for gear such as wireless mics, while asking the FCC to require interference testing of portable broadband devices.
The long-term effect of any frequency reallocation remains unsure. Will your wireless gear work after the changeover? Maybe, maybe not. It may come down to losing certain frequencies or having a shorter operating range, but at least the Rush bill gives our industry and the general public the best shot at maintaining high-quality wireless communications in the years to come.
But’s it’s not quite law yet. Currently being examined by the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, H.R. 1320 is a balanced approach and audio pros should encourage their local representatives to support this bill.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Get involved. Just go to www.house.gov/writerep, enter your state and zip code and an e-mail form pops up with your representative’s name. It couldn’t be easier. As the bill is in committee right now, the people to contact are the subcommittee members, listed below by state. Let them know how important wireless audio products are in both your day-to-day work as well as the industry as a whole. It doesn’t require an essay, just a quick note, like an e-mail. The best part? It won’t cost you a stamp. It’s even fun, and while you’re at it, encourage your colleagues to do the same, particularly if any subcommittee members represent your districts.
CALIFORNIA: Mary Bono, Lois Capps, Anna Eshoo, Jane Harman, George Radanovich, Hilda L. Solis
FLORIDA: Cliff Stearns
GEORGIA: Nathan Deal
ILLINOIS: Bobby Rush, J. Dennis Hastert, John Shimkus
INDIANA: Baron P. Hill
MASSACHUSETTS: Edward J. Markey
MICHIGAN: John D. Dingell, Fred Upton, Bart Stupak
MISSISSIPPI: Charles “Chip” Pickering
NEBRASKA: Lee Terry
NEW JERSEY: Mike Ferguson, Frank Pallone, Jr.
NEW MEXICO: Heather Wilson
NEW YORK: Eliot L. Engel, Vito Fossella, Edolphus Towns
OREGON: Greg Walden
PENNSYLVANIA: Mike Doyle
TENNESSEE: Bart Gordon
TEXAS: Joe Barton, Charles A. Gonzalez, Gene Green
VIRGINIA: Rick Boucher
WASHINGTON: Jay Inslee
WYOMING: Barbara Cubin
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Check ‘em out at www.jenpet.com.
ONCE UPON A TIME, WAY BACK IN THE 1970s, I was part of the independent filmmaker’s scene. I used to live, breathe and exist for the whole concept of the filmic art, working on my films, crewing on other people’s productions and (at least partially) supporting myself teaching at local schools. At the time, the availability of low-cost 16mm and Super-8 cameras allowed anyone with a vision and a modest budget to cinematically express their feelings. Suddenly, short art films were the rage and campus screenings, film festivals and local cinema societies all offered at least some outlets for independent filmmakers.
Compared to the bulky, low-res video equipment available at the time, film offered a means of generating broadcast quality color images—even using a simple spring-wound 16mm Bolex camera. Meanwhile, better gear, such as Arriflex and Eclair cameras, were available at affordable rental rates in the major markets and many a budget producer did weekend shoots, where a complete camera package could be picked up on Friday night and returned Monday morning—all for a one-day “Saturday” rental fee. The main drawback was that sync sound was a complex process, requiring a team approach—or at least a second person to run the Nagra and hold the fishpole boom.
After the shoot, the independent then had to weave a tangled web of lab work—ordering edit workprints from the original film, resolving the 1/4-inch location audio tapes to sprocketed mag film, editing the separate picture and sound rolls, preparing multiple rolls of mag for the audio mix and finally conforming the original picture footage into checkerboarded A/B (or A/B/C…) reels for release printing. The process wasn’t exactly easy—on the sound or picture side. Compared to those Neolithic days, DAW-based audio post-production is a breeze–you still need talent, but the process is whole lot easier now.
Today, low-cost HD format DV camcorders provide better than broadcast quality video and digital audio recording in easy-to-use, compact packages. Combined with desktop Mac/PC editing software digital video production has transformed the independent video scene in the same way that ADATs and DA-88s revolutionized digital audio 15 years ago.
DV offers a high degree of instant gratification—where a simple point-and-shoot approach can yield a remarkable image. That’s not to say that everything’s easy: Just because an image shows up without lighting doesn’t mean a shot is well-lit and just because sound is picked up doesn’t mean you’ll get a useable track from an on-camera mic that picks up LOTS of room tone. But for those who are willing to take the extra step of learning some of the basics (yeah, I know, that’s the boring part), the DV medium can yield remarkable results–you just have to work at it a little. And if you actually know something about audio, so much the better.
The tools are cheap and plentiful. For a ridiculously small investment, you could have all the tools required to create great looking/sounding projects—shorts or features. You do need a great script, and the world is filled with great stories to tell. Is the revolution really limited to YouTube clips of people riding bicycles into swimming pools or cats that play the piano? Not that there’s anything wrong with funny little snips, but where’s the revolution? Sure, there are people taking advantage of the technology to do serious work, but with all this technology available, the movement should be pandemonium and not a trickle.
BRING ON THE REVOLUTION!
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Check ‘em out at www.jenpet.com.
