Middle Atlantic’s extensive selection of cable ladders and accessories includes standard widths of up to 24″, and now features a range of custom widths and rung spacing for installations with special requirements.

Compatible with most popular cable ladder brands and accessories, the new line is ideal for both new and retrofit installations. The cable ladders feature heavy-duty, fully welded construction with a highly durable double black powder coat finish that is exceptionally scratch-resistant.

Ladder sections are individually boxed with handles for greater ease of transport.

For technical specifications and in-depth information about Middle Atlantic Products, please click to www.middleatlantic.com or call 1.800.266.7225.

Ideally suited to live sound, AV and Worship applications, the Solo Performance System weighs less than 25 lbs and provides a versatile all-in-one portable P.A. solution with a combination of clear projection, expanded coverage, versatility and portability.

The Solo Performance System is based on a compact line array speaker design that provides wide horizontal dispersion and deeper sound penetration than traditional point source systems and amplifiers. With this system, solo performers can project their presentations with a full, wide sound (150º horizontal, 40º vertical dispersion) so that listeners in front don’t get overpowered, while those in the back can hear every word.

Starting with a fully digital (Class D) power amp capable of producing 220 watts (115dB SPL Max @ 1 meter), the system features six 4” ultra-high excursion drivers, a 1” soft dome neodymium tweeter, and servo power amp implementation that eliminate the need for subwoofers. The system’s wide-ranging frequency response of 80Hz - 20kHz makes it ideal for any type of presentation or event.

Designed to be carried in one hand and provide instant set up, the Solo Performance System features two XLR and ¼” input channels with 3-band EQ, phantom power and high-quality preamps that accept a wide range of input sources—from acoustic instruments to microphones and line level sources. Each channel also offers independent reverb level, effect loop, mp3 inputs, and phase and notch filters to fight feedback.

Other useful features include four digital reverb effects; Monitor Input/Output for onstage ensemble monitoring, an Auxiliary stereo input with level control; Balanced XLR D.I. outputs for both channels, plus main mix; a set-break Mute button and universal voltage for worldwide operation.

Weighing only 25 lbs without stand, the Solo Performance System ships complete with a padded carry bag and stand.

For more information about the Solo Performance System, please call 978.988.9199, or visit www.fishman.com.

When Production Hire realized the amount of summer festival work and autumn dance events that were available if the company could provide adequate PA coverage, proprietor Mark Neal decided it was time to invest in a potent line array system. And the move paid instant dividends.

After evaluating a couple of leading systems, Neal purchased 24 Martin Audio W8L Longbow line array enclosures and gave them a critical first initiation at the RockNess Music Festival near Inverness this month, where Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Dizzee Rascal and Flaming Lips were among the headliners.

He ran 12 W8L hangs a side, with W8LD Downfills on the front corners providing the necessary infill, while Martin Audio’s predictive 3D Display software made sure the coverage was fully optimized.

It didn’t take long for Neal to realize he’d made the right decision. “The system definitely throws and there must have been 25,000 in front of it when Prodigy appeared on stage,” he reports.

“We always knew Longbow would handle live shows but we first tried it out at a dance music event —and it was sensational.” But the clincher was the power of the low-mids. “We really like that because it’s 1” instead of 1.4”. This leads to a very sparkly system which goes all the way up and down the frequency range, which a lot of line arrays don’t do.”

Neal also noted that because the system is horn-loaded the sound tends not to flap around in the wind. “Again, this is a problem with many other systems I have experienced,” he adds.

Mark Neal’s marketing rationale also appears to have been right on the money. Whereas last year he had only been able to cover Stage 2 at RockNess for production company Loud Sound Events (using the seven-a-side W8LC rig), this year he could handle both, adding W3’s for infill support on the second stage.

“Aside from the additional festivals we can now do this summer, we have a series of autumn dance events lined up, and Longbow will be perfect for that.”

For more about Martin Audio, please call 519.747.5853, email infona@martinaudio.com, or click to www.martin-audio.com.

To celebrate the arrival of the API 1608 all discrete analog mixing console, API and Eastern Acoustics have also arranged special pricing on selected gear. One lucky participant in each city will also walk away with an R24 two-channel, four-band equalizer from API’s Arsenal Audio brand.

“I’ve always needed a good reason to bring an API 1608 to South Africa,” says Akbar “Aki” Khan of Eastern Acoustics. “It’s amazing to now have purchased one and actually have it under the African skies. I think it’s going to be a landmark.”

Khan and Sound Sessions ‘09 co-organizer Matt Allison of Cape Town’s Ashton Audio have for some time been making a concerted effort to overcome South Africa’s years of isolation at the southernmost tip of the continent, Khan reports, visiting AES conventions, the Frankfurt Musikmesse and Tape Op magazine’s affiliated Potluck Conference to forge relationships with manufacturers and engineers. Allison, who is also an engineer, has also worked with both Powell and Dupont on various projects. The pair hopes to grow Sound Sessions into the premier annual pro audio event in South Africa, uniting the local audio community, while also attracting overseas visitors.

Vance Powell, who will be presenting the workshop on day one, won the 2008 Grammy for Best Engineered Album-Non Classical for his work with the Raconteurs. Powell is chief engineer at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio, which houses two API Legacy Plus and several 1608 consoles, and has also worked with Jars of Clay, Keb’ Mo’, Buddy Guy, and the White Stripes. His workshop will focus on the art of tracking a live band, from set-up to break down, in a real-time environment and will cover topics like mic techniques, the creative use of effects and processing, and much more.

“My workshop will present the American rock sensibility and recording techniques to the South African market,” comments Powell. “A band will set up on the stage in the broadcast studio, which has an elevated seating area and is where they typically do choral recording.” Rather than utilizing the facility’s control room, the recording equipment will be set up near the stage area: “The API 1608 will be the centerpiece,” says Powell.

Fabrice Dupont, on day two, will share tips and techniques from his Mixology workshop series, including the ergonomics of a mix room, trimming the fat (getting rid of gear you don’t use), mixing in the box versus outside the box, summing and gain staging, and patch bays. Dupont has worked with Bon Jovi, Jennifer Lopez, Toots & the Maytals, and Queen Latifah, among others.

Registration for Sound Sessions ‘09 is available on a first come, first served basis and seating is limited. For further details please visit www.easternacoustics.co.za

ABOUT API Automated Processes, Inc. remains the leader in analog recording gear, with the Vision, Legacy Series and 1608 Recording Consoles, as well as the classic line of modular signal processing equipment.

www.apiaudio.com

PHOTO CAPTION Akbar “Aki” Khan of Eastern Acoustics (left) and Matt Allison of Ashton Audio install the new API 1608 console in time for the July 13-14 workshop, with Blackbird’s Vance Powell handling the first day of demonstrations.

“As long as I’ve been touring, George Strait’s was the tour to be on,” says Broussard. “I saw him in 1994 in Lafayette, Louisiana and I was looking at the band thinking, I want to do that so badly. And now, here we are hanging out with them!”

Broussard has long used a full complement of Sennheiser evolution series microphones on his drums. Performing behind Blake Shelton - a multi-platinum selling country artist who has racked up five number one singles - Broussard has brought a couple more Sennheiser mics into the mix to cover his expanded setup.

“I have a unique setup for country music,” he explains. “I have a 16 x 16 floor tom turned on its side that I’m using as a ‘jungle’ kick drum. That’s used for a couple of songs Blake has that have drum loops on them. I’m using an e 902 on that. The idea is for it to sound distinctly different than the primary kick drum, so it gives kind of a round [Roland TR] 808 [drum machine] tone.”

For a long time, he continues, he has used an evolution e 602 on the outside of his regular kick drum. “That mic alone just sounds incredible. It’s always sounded great on every kick drum I’ve played. Then we incorporated the e 901 inside,” he says. “Having the 901 and the 602 filled in all the gaps - if there were any that I didn’t know of - and just totally spoiled me.” In combination with the 22 x 20 mahogany kick drum on his new Pearl Reference kit, he says, “There’s an amazing sound that comes out of this drum. It just floors me every night.”

An e 905 captures all the nuances of Broussard’s various snare drums. “I’ll never forget the first night I played the kit with that 905. It made all the difference in the world,” he recalls. Whether he’s using a 14 x 5-inch aluminum or a 14 x 6.5-inch brass snare drum, he says, “The e 905 really brings out the characteristics of each snare drum I use.”

A 12 x 7 auxiliary snare drum that is also brought into play for the loop-based songs is miked with an e 604, which is more typically a tom mic. “We might be using the mics in different applications but they’re really coming through,” he says.

Initially, Broussard used e 604s on his rack and two floor toms, he says. At the suggestion of Tim Moore, Sennheiser’s artist relations manager, he switched up. “We started using e 602s with the larger diaphragm on the floor toms. The low-end I’m getting with those on these new maple/mahogany mix floor toms with the combination of Aquarian drumheads is just killer.”

The hi-hat and ride mics are e 614s and the overheads are e 914s. “We started using the ride cymbal mic about a year ago and it really cleared up my mix. I didn’t have to have my right overhead predominantly over the ride cymbal and lose my last crash,” explains Broussard. “Plus,” he adds, “I have a tambourine mounted underneath my ride cymbal, and having the 614 right under there, that comes out, too.”

Broussard is thrilled with the consistency that the Sennheiser mics bring night after night, regardless of the drum kit he is using. But, he stresses, “I can’t say enough about these mics being roadworthy. First of all, you need the durability. Secondly, you need the product support. I can’t remember the last time we had to swap something out because it wasn’t working or whatever. But if it does happen, the product support is great.”

To pass the time on the road, Broussard has set up a website for drummers (www.roaddawgonline.com) where he posts interviews and roundtable discussions, equipment reviews and photos. “We’ll talk about festivals, catering, drums, port-a-potties, whatever. It’s gotten me back into drums again. I was getting a little jaded. Now I’m checking out other guy’s kits, and through these interviews I’m learning their stories. Plus, it’s bringing the drumming community closer together - especially in Nashville.”

He concludes, “It’s been very rewarding. It’s taken my mind off being on the road and given me something productive to do. And for the first time in my life I’m combining my passion, which is drumming, with my degree in public relations.”

ABOUT SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC CORPORATION Sennheiser is a world-leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. Established in 1945 in Wedemark, Germany, Sennheiser is now a global brand represented in 60 countries around the world with U.S. headquarters in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Sennheiser’s pioneering excellence in technology has rewarded the company with numerous awards and accolades including an Emmy, a Grammy, and the Scientific and Engineering Award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

For more information, please visit www.sennheiserusa.com

PHOTO CAPTION Sennheiser drummer/endorser, Tracy Broussard, went from playing in small Nashville clubs to being on the road with Blake Shelton with a drum kit full of Sennheiser evolution microphones.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 30, 2009) — The Recording Academy® Texas Chapter and the Producers & Engineers Wing presented “In the Studio” with three-time GRAMMY®-winning engineer Joe Chiccarelli at Luminous Sound in Dallas, Texas, on June 27. Chiccarelli discussed his work through the years with various artists such as Café Tacuba, the Raconteurs, and the White Stripes. The Q&A was moderated by Todd Pipes, producer/engineer and band member of Deep Blue Something.

MELVILLE, NY, June 30, 2009 — Korg USA has announced a new rebate promotion. From July 1st through September 30th, 2009, anyone who purchases a new Pa500 or Pa588 from an authorized Korg dealer in the USA is eligible for a rebate of $300 on the Pa500, and $400 on the Pa588. Promotion details and a downloadable rebate coupon can be found at www.korg.com/promo.

Korg’s Pa Series instruments benefit songwriters and performers of all levels by offering valuable, interactive tools for creating professionally arranged songs and performances. The Pa500 and Pa588 share the same sounds and features; the Pa588 features a full 88-note piano action keyboard and an upgraded piano sound taken from Korg’s flagship C-720 Concert Piano. More product information is available at www.korg.com.

MELVILLE, NY, July 1, 2009 — The MG15FXMS Micro Stack is the latest addition to the popular MG4 Series of Marshall amplifiers. The three-piece micro stack includes a 15-Watt compact head plus two matching speaker cabinets – one angled, one straight. Each cabinet is loaded with a full-range 10″ speaker. In addition to being highly transportable, the MG15FXMS also allows many entry level and budget conscious players to enjoy the look, feel and classic tone of the iconic Marshall Stack. (more…)

MELVILLE, NY, July 1, 2009 — Marshall Amplification has added the portable MG2FX to its popular MG4 line of guitar amps. It offers a user-friendly interface consisting of four dual-function knobs (augmented by a Tap/Shift button and a single-character LED display) to provide instant access to ten distinct gain stage settings, five digital effects, a two-band EQ and a tuner. For the ultimate in mobility, the MG2FX can run on battery power (via six “C” cells), and also includes an AC adapter for use in the home or any place power is available. (more…)

NATICK, MA, July 1, 2009 — Music Mix Mobile, a full-service remote facilities company combining the talents of award-winning production professionals and state-of-the-art audio solutions, is a collective consisting of industry veterans Joel Singer, John Harris, Jay Vicari and Mitch Maketansky. Recently, Music Mix Mobile was charged with capturing the audio for the live performances at Nashville’s CMA Music Fest 2009, held at LP Field, June 11-14, the highlights of which are being compiled into a three-hour network television special airing on ABC-TV, August 31st. In the company’s M3 truck, Music Mixer John Harris and Engineer-in-Charge (EIC) Joel Singer were on site to ensure the audio would be of the highest quality. In doing so, they chose Genelec 8250A Bi-Amplified Active DSP Monitors as their reference speakers along with a 7260A subwoofer to handle the bass management. (more…)