Chicago, IL––On Stage Audio (OSA) recently put Martin Audio’s MLA (Multicellular Loudspeaker Array) system to good use for “Oprah’s Surprise Spectacular,� a live Oprah Winfrey farewell show taped at Chicago’s United Center for 13,000 fans and national TV broadcast a week later.

OSA partnered with MLA launch customer SES (Special Event Services) to provide the most expansive system yet assembled in the U.S. The array included 99 MLA, 11 MLD downfill enclosures, and 26 MLX subs for front and side fill, center hall and back hall arrays, with 12 subs flown and 14 ground-stacked under the stage.

Under the direction of Harpo Studio’s audio production team, the show featured a number of talented artists such as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Patti Labelle, Jamie Foxx, Alicia Keys, Josh Groban and Rascal Flatts.

OSA’s multifaceted challenge was achieving absolutely even and balanced coverage for the “surprise� guest more

Mark Harrier with his Lectrosonics equipment.

San Antonio, TX – July 2011… As any broadcast professional knows all too well; dirt, dust, and moisture can be the kiss of death for electronic equipment. Toss in what many would simply refer to as physical abuse of the product, complicate matters further by requiring the gear to perform over an extended range, and you begin to grasp the challenges of outfitting the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) performers with wireless microphone technology. Make no mistake: this is a dirty job, and it’s a challenge routinely encountered by audio engineer Mark Harrier and his crew as they outfit not only the bull riders, but the bull fighters—the guys who keep the bull from killing the rider once he is thrown to the ground. So what kind of wireless equipment endures this type of handling? You guessed it—Lectrosonics. more

Midtown facility forms Verbatim Voice Casting to serve ad agencies

New York’s Verbatim Sound Studios, located in Midtown, has announced the formation of an official casting division, Verbatim Casting. Already one of the city’s top recording studios for radio, Verbatim’s new focus on casting talent for voiceovers is an evolution of its successful partnership with creative agency Oink Ink, with whom Verbatim has already cast projects for scores of major clients across the country.

“A lot of our clients seem to want a one-studio solution,� said Jessica Rondash, Verbatim’s studio manager. “Providing the best casting service in New York is just another way we can create top-shelf, award-winning radio for our clients from start to finish.�

Verbatim has recently been entrusted to cast projects for AT&T (via BBDO/NY), Citibank (Publicis) and National Jewish Health (Digo). The studio also frequently provides casting services to Oink Ink Radio for more

The first product to be introduced from the new “Larry’s Garage� series, the Blackstack passive soundhole pickup allows acoustic musicians to be heard on stage with electric instruments without feedback. Fishman refers to the tone of the pickup as a “vintage roadhouse sound.�

Blackstack offers the cutting vintage sound of a double-stacked humbucking magnetic pickup in a modern, battery-free design. It features adjustable pole-pieces that enable perfect string balance adjustment and help compensate for varying string heights between instruments.

A premium TA4 mini-XLR connector is integrated into the housing for easy installation, removal and connection to the included 5 ft. cable so users can create their own custom endpin mounting solution.

List price: $384.54
Street Price: $249.95

For more about Fishman, call 978.988.9199 or click to www.fishman.com.