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Calvary Church Of Costa Mesa Upgrades With DiGiCo SD8 And SD9 5K before we replaced it, and it was a really nice sounding console. We put in the SD8 and every single one of our engineer’s mouths dropped. We were stunned.”

They were also pleasantly surprised with the depth and breadth of all the features the console offered under the hood. “I was really shocked at how great the effects processors in the console sounded,” Smith confessed. “I held onto a couple of my favorite, go-to effects processors and boxes just in case… I assumed if I had to go to my favorite ‘verb for an event, I would have to set up patch points and insert them, but after I started using the onboard effects, I got rid of all the external effects I used to use and am loving the sound of the built-in effects.”

Celebrating nearly 80 years, the Calvary Church of Costa Mesa is a multi-facility campus with an actively growing membership of over 2500. In the early 2000’s, many of Calvary’s buildings were renovated, and in 2006, the Worship Center underwent a major remodel.

Last year, facilities manager John Jackson began evaluating the audio system in the main worship center, making the decision to upgrade the console - and to make the leap from analog to digital. The DiGiCo digital consoles were high on his list, and Jackson added not only an SD8 and DiGiRack, but also a new SD9, sight-unseen, as well. The flexibility, and interchangeability between the two consoles has proved to be an added boon to the church’s main worship room, and outdoor event audio toolkit.

“We had a full installation, centered around a Yamaha 5K,” Jackson explained.

“Everything was brought out of patch bays, TT bays and outboard equipment, to handle the main sanctuary and recordings for various applications online. Some of the equipment was getting to an age of 5-7 years old where it was time for us to look into newer technology. When we first started exploring new gear, we stiff-armed the concept of digital consoles because we felt it was too new for us.

But with the maturity of the industry, we felt it was time to look into digital… for a multitude of reasons. We wanted to get away from so much analog patching throughout the facility, to be able to enjoy the benefits of digital patching, and to have the use of numerous onboard effects from compressors and gates to EQs.” A research outing to the NAB Show in 2010 offered Jackson and Will Smith, director of the HOW sound department, a glimpse into the myriad digital console fare available. By the time they hooked up with Taidus Vallandi, Technical Sales Manager for Group One, DiGiCo’s US distributor, they knew exactly what they needed in terms of consoles and price.

“We’d spent a couple of days at other booths so by the time we met with Taidus Vallandi, we were armed with a barrage of questions. And every one we threw at him, he had an answer for it. We came away ecstatic and knew what our solution was.”

“Having worked on analog consoles all my life,” added Smith, “one of the considerations and for me as an engineer was that I was used to having a certain amount of visual inputs at a glance. That was a big concern. The SD8’s 15” screen gives me a similar visual input as that of an analog console. And when it got down to the functionality of the console, and the way everything is laid out, the DiGiCo was really a slam-dunk. Taidus was very knowledgeable; he handled every single one of our questions and DiGiCo came out the clear winner.”

In the main worship venue, the SD8 and DiGiRack, in tandem with a newly outfitted d&B audio sound system—consisting of 9 x d12 amps powering a 3-piece line array, LCR, with 2 subs per side—proved to be perfect solution to what had been a traditionally problematic room.

“The room was built in the early ‘70s and was designed so that the pastor would be able to look the parishioners in the eyes and see all the faces,” Jackson explained.

“That was the consideration more than the acoustics. It has a high ceiling in the center and glass along the sides, which only adds to the problem. I’ve been here since 1975, and I’ve seen a lot of PA’s come in and out of here, and this is the only one that’s been able to address the issues. And with the SD8… we’d typically have to spend an hour or three EQing the pulpit mic, which picks up everything all around it… once we got the thing turned on it was literally 5 minutes and we were completely happy with how it sounded. And how transparent it was.”

“I was pleasantly shocked at how warm it sounded,” added Smith. “Being a digital console, I expected it to have a harsh brittle sound that can be synonymous with digital consoles. We had actually done a complete circuit board replacement in our

“One of the other things that was a lifesaver for me,” said Smith, “was that some of our volunteer engineers had a tendency to over-EQ on the analog console. Having that visual representation of what you’re doing in the EQ section on the SD8 has improved the mix quality of all the engineers. It sounds simple, but it really made a big difference going from the analog console to the digital console.”

Spending the extra money on the companion DiGiRack was another lifesaver for the facility. “One of the reasons we went with the bigger DiGiRack,” said Smith, “was that we needed more inputs than the smaller rack could handle and we wanted it to be a permanent install. Typically, we use only about 24 inputs—acoustic piano, vocal on the piano, violin, flute, 8-channel drum kit, bass, electric and acoustic guitars, and 3-4 additional vocals, 2 main pulpit mics and various wireless mics. Every once in a while, we’ll have several full bands come in that need more, sometimes as many as 56 at a time. The DiGiRack is worth every penny as far as we’re concerned.”

Another challenge of the room was the location of FOH, situated above the main sanctuary in a closed-off, glassed-in, soundproofed room. What could’ve posed a problem for getting an accurate mix from an offsite location was solved via remote control… of sorts. “We’ve been mixing this way for 30 years, and it takes some getting used to,” said Jackson. “We purchased two Dell pads and it took just a few minutes for our IT guys to connect them. We can now go literally anywhere in the room and control the mix. The software is identical to what’s running on the console, which means that there’s no learning curve and no need to learn another piece of software.

It’s seamless. I think this was perhaps the single hinge point for us in choosing the DiGiCo.” The console itself feeds a multimedia operation including delay zones, a TV room, and the Internet radio station. “A few years ago, we did a facelift in the church and had a wiring guru install all of our patchbays,” Jackson said. “When we got new consoles, we had to tear it all out because everything was built in - which was huge for us. To be able to simply hook up the coax cable from the stage and have this thing up and running in a matter of hours, as opposed to weeks when we first rewired was incredible.”

With the main console decision behind them, they moved on to seeking out an additional system to place in an adjacent production space. The criteria was small footprint with equally small price tag, and one that would interface well with the SD8. The SD9 fit the bill, sight unseen, and made them one of the very first houses of worship, to purchase the new console.

“We committed to the SD9 90% at the show,” recalled Jackson, “went home and talked to the final decision maker. We were able to seal it sight unseen just knowing what the SD8 was able to do. We bought the MADI card so we could connect the two and do identical mixes - one in stereo for our on-air radio and one PA mix. That was the justification for buying it. Ironically, though, since we purchased it we haven’t even used it on the original scenario. We have a large touring rig with a Midas 4k that we take out in the field. We loved the SD9 so much that we’ve been using it on our Monday night summer concert series, in the sports field outside of main sanctuary!”

“The console came in two days before we had a gig at the pier in Huntington Beach,” added Smith. “And we used it down there also. The amount of time that it saved, running one CAT5 and a couple of power cords, as opposed to the 52-input Midas console and have to patch all the support equipment and effects, cut 2.5 hours out of the setup time… It’s a dream come true for us. In fact, Will and I were talking about moving the SD8 out to do some of the outside gigs and putting the SD9 in its place. The fact that they’re interchangeable has given us incredible flexibility to use whatever console was best suited to what the gig called for. I don’t know who your competitors are at this price point, but for us, having the ability to pull either console out and handle everything for this style of concert, put it in a road case and roll it away offstage, and pull it out again next Monday and be ready to go in a matter of minutes… It’s a dream come true for us. We’re considering of buying another 8 or 9 for tour because they are just so flexible!”

Nine Lives - DiGiCos Red Revolution Embraces The UK

Since its launch in March, DiGiCo’s SD9 console has brought its red revolution to a wide range of users, keen to make the most of the SD9’s remarkable combination of functionality, audio quality and small size - all at a remarkably budget-friendly price. Two audio companies that have taken advantage of these remarkable qualities are Technical Knowhow and Paul Sparrow Sound, who are already enjoying the considerable benefits that the SD9 brings.

The DiGiCo SD7 and SD8 consoles have made a huge impact in the mid and upper reaches of the live music and theatre industries, but, with a vast amount of the global production industry occurring in pubs, clubs, corporate venues, public buildings and smaller theatres, the SD9 has tapped into a vast potential market where clients still demand the highest production values, but at a price suited to the venues capacity .

Proving that the SD9 has already captured the imagination of rental businesses the length and breadth of the UK, Andy Magee of Tyneside-based Technical Knowhow Ltd and Paul Sparrow of Southampton based Paul Sparrow Sound, both invested in the SD9 almost immediately.

Having worked for Newcastle-based technical production company NiteLites for many years before setting up his own company, Technical Knowhow director Andy was already familiar with DiGiCo’s D series consoles. He purchased his SD9 from Stage Electrics, following conversations with the company’s Ed Gamble.

“I used the D series for about four years. They were my desk of preference,” he says. “When I heard about the SD9, I decided to get one straight away. To be honest, when I found out the price I would have been happy to buy one without even seeing it. I knew it would be really good.”

In contrast, Paul was not a previous DiGiCo user, but he knew from the specifications of the SD9 that it would deliver exactly what he needed.

“I was looking for a digital console that used a Cat5 multicore. I needed 32 inputs and plenty of outputs for monitors, Front of House and sound distribution, so the SD9 ticked all the boxes,” he says.

Both companies have already used their SD9s on a wide variety of events, the consoles coping with an array of demanding situations. In Andy’s case, the annual six day Methodist Conference at Portsmouth Guildhall in late June provided plenty of challenges.

“There was a lot going on. We were providing feeds for internal and external broadcast. There was a lot of monitoring - we were using every bus, every physical

in and out, every graphic EQ and every effects engine on the console,” he says.

“Being able to mix mono and stereo channels in with Groups, Auxes, Matrix and Control Groups made things so much easier, and being able to get everything I needed to control, from 44 inputs + internal sources on to 24 faders was great.”

He continues, “The MADI port is also brilliant, being able to take MADI straight off the main stage box to monitors and recording direct to Mac via an RME MADIface is so straightforward.”

Paul, meanwhile, has done an array of music events with his SD9, including events at Norwich cathedral, Southampton Mela, Bath International Music Festival, City of London Festival with the Grand Union Orchestra and Petworth Festival, West Sussex “The Norwich cathedral event was a big production, with a local 100 piece choir and guests Arve Henrikson and Jan Bang. At Petworth Festival the venue is a church with side chapels and rear seating. The various seating areas are run off matrix outputs with separate delay times and EQ,” he says.

“The SD9 has everything you want, there are enough outputs, enough graphics, compressors, gates and effects. The first event I did with it, I was able to leave three multicores and three racks at home. I also really like the touchscreen as well, plus DiGiCo’s technical backup is excellent. I feel I’ve only just started exploring all the available facilities: snapshots, macros and networking are all to come!”

Paul and Andy don’t just reserve their praise for the SD9’s facilities, however. The all-important question of sound quality also gets an unreserved thumbs up.

“It sounds exceptional,” says Andy. “Comparing it to digital consoles by other manufacturers at a similar price point, the DiGiCo’s sound and hardware quality is miles ahead. Having clean preamps is great. Everyone who has seen and used it loves it.”

Paul agrees, saying, “It sounds great. We do a lot of events in churches which, because of their construction and acoustics, need a lot of outputs, delays and EQ to get the audio to every part of the building and for it all to sound great. Having a delay on every output is really useful.”

Andy concludes by saying something which gets right to the heart of the SD9’s ethic and the type of audio company it was designed for, a sentiment which Paul wholeheartedly agrees with.

“We’re a small company that does things properly,” he says. “The SD9 is exactly the same.”

NMR Staging & Events Adds SD8 To Production Inventory

As a longtime advocate of DiGiCo tools and technology, NMR Staging & Events has employed its D5 consoles in corporate meetings, special events, and tradeshows around the country.

With the release of the SD8, the New York-based production provider saw the opportunity to add another DiGiCo large frame console - packed with features at an incredible price point - to its inventory. Having the ability to integrate with its DiGiRack, as well as its Ethersound networking system, was a boon for NMR, and critical for the types of intricate A/V productions where copious routing is often required.

“NMR uses Ethersound in all of our sound systems,” explained Lou Castellucci, FOH Engineer and Director of Audio Services. “Ethersound, being an open thirdparty network, allows us to integrate Ethersound with many of our other audio partners. This is especially important with our partnership with NEXO. All of our NEXO audio systems are equipped with ES4-NXtension cards in our NX242 processors and NX104 cards in our NEXO 4x1 and 4x4 NXAmplifiers. This is also true with our DiGiCo DiGiRacks. Each DiGiRack has an 8x8 Ethersound module, so no matter what size show it might be - whether it’s two speakers on pole mounts for a few dozen people or a full-blown line array system for thousands - the audio snake and drive system is fully digital using the DiGiCo MADI BNC snake system and the Ethersound network to drive the amps and processors over Cat5E. Ethersound also allows us to have monitoring, routing and control of the DiGiCo Ethersound modules and all of the NEXO amps and processors at front of house.”

NMR recently finished two large, and very different, shows utilizing both consoles in different roles. “The Ethersound capability of the DiGiCo consoles was a significant part of each production,” said Castellucci, “and with the simple change of a few cards in the DiGiRack, we were able to handle each of these events seamlessly.”

For the first production, a large, distinguished service award event, Castellucci specified the D5 at FOH paired with a MADIbridge interface and DiGiRack, along with the SD8 at monitor world manned by engineer Eric Dodson. “We paired the D5 with a 56-channel DiGiCo MADI recording computer. Using an RME MADIBridge, we were able to take the MADI split in the shared DigiRack to feed the MADIBridge and then split it to the SD8 and to the recording computer. The Ethersound capability of the DiGiCo consoles became the most important part of the system. With multiple DiGiRacks and multiple Ethersound Cards, we were able to network eight mixes of monitors and eight sends from FOH on the Ethersound network the NEXO amp racks, and we were able to monitor the entire audio system at either FOH or monitors and control and route each send from either console on the network. It was very impressive to have that much control over the

entire network, not to mention how simple the setup was with only having to use CAT5E for the entire drive system. The system worked flawlessly.”

The second show was a national meeting in Las Vegas. For this production, the SD8 served as FOH console. “With the simple change of a few cards in the DiGiRack, we were able to handle multiple AES inputs and outputs for video inputs and recording, as well as the analog and Ethersound channels we had for the monitor system the week before. Again the console performed as well as expected.”

With its newest addition already assimilated into NMR’s busy schedule, Castellucci was nothing short of blown away. “There is no question what sets the SD8 apart from the competition is overall sound quality and streamlined console packaging for the cost. To be able to have a floating point console with this many inputs and mix busses at this price point is outstanding, and the multiband compressors were a nice addition to the SD line, as well. For most productions, the SD8 is all you will ever need. You still have the availability of two full-size DiGiRacks and 60 mono or stereo input channels, and with up to 67 output busses, the SD8 can handle a serious show.”

Another important factor in choosing the SD8 was ease of use. “All of the engineers that used this console found it extremely easy to use and have had no issues moving from an analog console or another digital board to the SD8, or the D5 for that matter - and that is critical that a guest engineer can walk up to the SD8 console and feel comfortable mixing right out the gate. DiGiCo has made scalability and sound quality seamless between all frame sizes of consoles. I can use the same DiGiRacks for my D series consoles as my SD series consoles and can expect the equivalent sound quality between the SD7, 8, or 9. Whereas with other manufacturers you lose pre-amp quality or other major software or hardware differences in the console line, DiGiCo consoles stay the same.”

Castellucci says customers really do hear the DiGiCo difference. “We hear it all the time, how natural the system sounds when DiGiCo’s are on the show instead of other consoles. And as a company, DiGiCo has been unbelievably supportive of their products, which is why we enjoy working with them. No matter how small the question might be they are always there to speak with engineers, and the DiGiCo training seminars are very helpful when we first purchased our consoles. Hopefully in the near future, we will be replacing the smaller consoles we have from other manufacturers with SD9’s - which are perfect for smaller shows that need an even smaller footprint than the SD8.”

DiGiCo SD9 Arrives In Germany For Manowars Death To Infidels World Tour 2010

Since the beginning of May, American heavy metallers MANOWAR, Guinness World Record holders for being the loudest band in the world, have been performing their Death to Infidels World Tour 2010 around the globe. The team from management company Magic Circle Music, with Jeff Hair from Aggressive Sound at Front of House, have been with the band throughout. However, monitor engineer Achim Lanzendorf and his DiGiCo SD9, provided by production company B&R MEDIENTECHNIK, joined them for part of the European leg.

B&R MEDIENTECHNIK has a long-standing association with MANOWAR, having first worked with them on the VIVA Live-TV coverage of Ringfest in Cologne in 2002. Since then, the association has developed, not only between the band and the rental company, but also with Magic Circle Music and God of Thunder Production.

Numerous recordings, festivals, tours and ambitious productions with the band, a 60-strong symphony orchestra, a mixed chorus of four voices and much more have taken place around the whole of Europe. From these shared experiences and their common desire for technical perfection, a close friendship has developed between Joey de Maio, founder, manager and bassist of MANOWAR, and Bernd Kugler, owner and general manager of B&R MEDIENTECHNIK. “Joey is an absolute techie and enthusiast and I am obsessed with the same things,“ says Bernd Kugler. “We can talk shop together for hours and he likes to have a go with any new toys I have. MANOWAR’s idea for 2010 was to perform the Death to Infidels Tour as a world tour, and that was a big and new challenge for us. Set-up times were tight and had to work around the unique backline of the band, especially with the guitarists, Karl Logan and Joey de Maio. A redesign of both MANOWAR’s backline and their stage performance was necessary.“ B&R MEDIENTECHNIK has worked with the band on its recording projects since 2009, with MANOWAR utilising the company’s studio in Kürten. They have also supplied a certain amount of tour support and as a result, in association with engineer Achim Lanzendorf, offered a monitoring concept that would give the best audio quality but from the smallest possible size of equipment.

“Our love of English console manufacturers– B&R is the owner of the only SSL Axiom MT+ Recording Mobile in Europe – made our decision to invest in

the DiGiCo SD9 very easy,“ explains Bernd Kugler. “We have had a very good relationship with atlantic audio and owner Wolfgang Garçon for a long time.

The exceptional speed and flexibility of both the console manufacturer and the German distributor meant that we were able to supply the SD9 in time for the Eastern Europe part of the tour, which included festivals such as Sonisphere in Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey.”

“Joey came to me during the first rehearsal and said, ‘The SD9 is such a small thing and is suppose to have so many skills. I am dying to know how it works’,” adds Achim Lanzendorf. “The user interface of this small DiGiCo desk is certainly different in comparison to the bigger consoles and that results in a different working routine during the show. In practise, everything worked very easily and smoothly – fortunately you don´t have to read a manual to be able to get working quickly.

I’m familiar with the workflow of the bigger DiGiCo consoles – the SD7 and SD8 – so I could easily find my way around the SD9 and could also explain a lot of features to Joey.

“We only took economical equipment with us for this part of the tour - the SD9 and the stage cabling - on the plane. MANOWAR is well known to metal fans as the loudest band of the world. My intention was to take things beyond just intensity of sound on stage and create a perfect acoustic result through my mix. The tour itself went brilliantly and I was very relaxed. All I had to do was plug in the console and kick off – without any sound check. It was totally pain free and everything went like clockwork!”

“Joey’s reaction to our snap decision on the console was: ‘You are totally insane.

But in the very, very best way!’” laughs Bernd Kugler. “It was like jumping in at the deep end, but it was also very cool. When we arrived with the little Red Snapper [DiGiCo’s working title for the SD9], we got jealous looks from the other engineers and it was easy to find a suitable place in the crowded backstage area between four or five other consoles yet still get the ideal view to the stage.

“Up to now, the console has been able to do everything we had expected, including having the MADI port which we can use for recording. We provided the Red Snapper for the Magic Circle Festival at Metalcamp in Tolmin, Slovenia and for the Masters of Rock in Vizovice in the Czech Republic. In September we went to Spain for the Feria de Muestras de Durango, the La Riviera in Madrid and the Sant Jordi Club Barcelona, all as a part of our tour schedule. After that, we shipped the equipment to Columbia. I know that DiGiCo´s director of R&D John Stadius, loves fishing, so I hope that this Red Snapper is also able to swim!”

Welcome To Wales Has Three D5s On The Ryder

Golf ’s prestigious Ryder Cup paid its first visit to Wales this year, the tournament taking place in early October at the Celtic Manor Resort, near Newport.

Beforehand, Cardiff ’s Millennium Stadium hosted Welcome To Wales, a glittering VIP dinner and live concert which showcased the country’s musical talent to the sporting visitors. Three DiGiCo D5 consoles ensured that the Welsh voices came through loud and clear.

different styles of music would have to be accommodated. The D5s were ideal for that and, with the longest permitted changeover between acts being only 110 seconds, they were patched to their 96 channel maximum with everything saved as snapshots.”

The sound reinforcement demands of the event were complex, the Millennium Stadium being divided into two for the dinner and concert elements. Audio company Capital Sound was required to treat both the dinner and concert as separate entities which were effectively competing against one another. Walk-in music was provided to mask the sounds of the dinner from the public filing into the concert seats but, at the same time, a performance by male choir Only Men Aloud in the dining area was masking the sounds of the public from the VIP diners, as the concert was supposed to be a surprise to them. Announcements were also discrete to both areas.

The concert featured an array of Welsh talent, including Katherine Jenkins, Lostprophets, Only Men Aloud, new teen talent Shaheen Jafargholi and students from the Mark Jermin Stage School. It climaxed with Dame Shirley Bassey performing with a full orchestra.

At the same time, however, certain elements needed to be audible to both sides, such as the audio for VT feeds by Ryder Cup sponsors.

“A few days before, I got a call from Charlie asking if I’d like to do Dame Shirley at the Millennium Stadium. I said ‘Why not? Absolutely, great stuff!’” says Dave.

Capital Sound’s solution was to deploy three DiGiCo D5s, one feeding a distributed audio system in the dining area, with two at the traditional FoH and monitor positions in the concert area. The feed for all playback elements, voiceovers, VT sound and stings came via fibre optic link from a television OB truck - parked at the nearby Cardiff Arms Park - to the D5 in the dining area. This was then matrixed to the two consoles on the show side. That way, audio could be routed to any required console, while each could also mix the elements for their ‘own’ areas independently.

Having used a D5 for several years, the prospect of mixing, for the first time, such a high profile event’s headliner left Roden undaunted. With a few hours of technical rehearsal under his belt, he was ready to ensure that the star turn sounded her best.

“We used the D5s because we wanted to keep the quality of the signal chain excellent all the way through, plus the guys working the event were familiar with them. So, for me, the D5 was first choice,” says Capital Sound general manager Paul Timmins.

“The system design for the concert was put together before we knew which artists would be performing, so we dealt with it like a festival rig, knowing that various

Keeping the Welsh connection well and truly alive, Capital project manager Charles Ellery called long-time Stereophonics FoH engineer Dave Roden to see if he was up for a new challenge.

“It was fine, you’ve simply got to take care of the levels and put Shirley on top and that’s it,” he says. “With an orchestra I find less is more. You can’t do too much with them - you’ve just got to set the gain, get a balance on the strings as a section, horns as a section and so on. Little bits of EQ where it counts and then just sit the vocal on top.

“It can’t be too loud but, at the same time, it can’t be too quiet either because nobody likes it if they can’t hear everything. For me the only difficult part was getting the overall level right and you can’t do that until you judge the audience. With Dame Shirley involved, who knows what the reaction is going to be? They could be jumping on their seats, cheering or they could sit there completely wrapped up in her performance, not making a sound. Judging that - and reacting appropriately - was the major challenge.”

A number of the support acts were performing over playback, whereas Dame Shirley’s performance was completely live, so the setup for her set occupied around 40 of the D5’s 96 channels.

“The D5 is a nice sounding desk. Things have moved on a bit now with the SD7, but the D5 is still a great sounding board. The software has all the features that next generation boards have, but it’s still easy to use. You can dial in stuff in no time at all,” says Dave. “DiGiCo are also a great company - Roger Wood is brilliant with his technical support and they have always been really helpful.”

DiGiCo SD8 Enables Vinyl Music Hall To Deliver Stunning Live And Viral Sound Nightly Pensacola Florida’s Vinyl Music Hall literally rose from the gutted rubble of a former 3-story Masonic temple in the heart of downtown, transforming itself in a mere two months into a live music destination for national and regional touring acts of all flavors and fans alike.

Dual SD8s - SD8-36 at FOH and SD8-24 at monitor world - are the heartbeat of the club’s audio core, along with a d&b audiotechnik Q1 PA system and Meyer USM-1P stage wedges. The 40-bit floating-point processor, at the nucleus of DiGiCo console’s stealth processing, enables this cutting-edge music venue to deliver stateof-the-art sound live to a 525-capacity room, but will also enable them to stream archived multitrack performance recordings virally over the web.

“The SD8 has truly made this a multi-functional facility,” mused Brian “Disco” Oden, the club’s production manager and system designer, whose resume includes residencies at New Orleans’ venerated Tipitina’s club, and as tour manager for Crescent City artists from the Continental Drifters to Terence Simien. “Given the flexibility of the console we can push out audio in so many different ways. Anything is possible; the sky’s the limit.”

With a list of requirements for the venue-in-progress - from features to price tag - Oden says they were sold on the console at introduction. And for Oden, a died-inthe-wool analog enthusiast, it would be his first foray into the digital realm.

“There were a lot of things that I was really worried about when thinking about digital consoles: software, night-to-night reliability, sonic quality…. But when we were showed all the capabilities of the console, I put all that to rest. We were sold on the console immediately; I didn’t think there was anything else out there that could give us the features, flexibility and quality at the price that the DiGiCo consoles could. And, the console sounds amazing. It is literally the best-sounding consoles I’ve ever heard in my life” The SD8’s RME MadiFace synchronicity was one of the biggest selling points of the console said Oden. “It is absolutely amazing and offers the capability, with two wires, to capture live audio and stream it back through the channels of the console you’re recording from. Literally the band can be on stage doing soundcheck and with the push of a button the audio is instantly transferred back, channel to channel from my computer, through the console so the band can review it. It gives the engineer

the ability to listen to the individual instrumentation and do his final tweaking, without the band, and saves an enormous amount of time for everyone. It’s not like it used to be where you were struggling to get a soundcheck in a certain amount of time. Or, wishing you could capture a band live, night-to-night, without having to spend loads of cash to bring in a recording truck. At the end of the night, I can hand over a complete multitrack or 2-track recording on a Blue Ray DVD to any band or artist.”

Oden was also surprised at what little or no CPU processing toll the recording processing took on the console. “We’re just using a standard PC, recording at 48 kilobits per second uncompressed for each track. Not only is it at extremely low latency levels, but also, it is extremely accurate.”

Still in its relative infancy as a venue, the Vinyl Music Hall continues to dial in its nightly rave-worthy live shows, while focusing on the future. “We’re looking ahead,” says Oden, “and have the capability and technology in place to be able to broadcast live or pre-recorded materials via streaming Dolby 5.1 digital audio with hi-def video in the near future. The media has been heading in that direction for a long time and we want to be there as well. The DiGiCo SD8 did exactly what we were aiming for, and I’m excited to get my hands on the new Waves bundle soon, to maximize its capability even further… We wanted to be a premiere venue, on top of the map to attract the best artist to route their tour through Pensacola and to be able to offer them a state of the art audio system that sounds fantastic - and I’ve never seen bands happier than they’ve been on these consoles, ever. We’re in the big leagues now.”

DiGiCo SD8 Handles Monitoring Needs With Sonic And Space Saving Benefits For Keith Urban “I have to admit, I’m a big analog fan, and particularly a Midas fan. I wasn’t thrilled with some of the digital consoles out there but knew about the SD7 and had friends using it who were raving about it. But I wanted to go even smaller than that. Clair Brothers told me about the SD8, and after setting it up next to the Heritage and doing a bunch of comparisons—it sounds cliché to say—I was really surprised at the way it sounded; it has a lot of headroom, which is one of the shortcomings with some of the other digital consoles. Also, the functionality of the console was so easy, and it was fast to get around on. I had no problem replicating what I’d done on Heritage with the SD8. I know it sounds like a lot of inputs for a small band, but every player has multiple inputs and those just grew over the years. With the SD8, I’m able to use only the onboard effects to get everything I need for the band.”

Joe Keiser has toured with Keith Urban since 2004 as the group’s FOH system tech, stepping into the role of monitor engineer in 2008. Last summer, the Aussie country rocker’s weekend warrior touring schedule, opening for The Eagles, merited Keiser to scale down his touring kit from two Midas Heritage consoles to a DiGico SD8. Crazy, huh?

“We’ve had to do several fly dates this year, and it made me nervous at first because I’ve had trouble with plugging my USB stick in at a gig and not having all my socket files line up, but I had zero problems with the SD8.”

“I’m really happy with this console. If I was going to design a digital console, it would be very similar to what DiGiCo has done. These consoles were designed by mixers not some guy sitting in a lab somewhere, and I’ve heard that from other engineers.

Next year, we’ll be back to playing arenas, and back into a lot of inputs and even more outputs, so there’s a good chance there’ll be an SD7 sitting in monitor world.”

DiGiCo SD Consoles Make Sound Sense At Dublin’s Brand New Convention Centre Facility Already one of the city’s most iconic buildings, The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD), which opened in September, features a cutting-edge technical specification.

Designed to ensure that the venue is both highly flexible and will stay bang up-todate for many years to come, key components for achieving both aims are four DiGiCo SD series mixing consoles.

Costing €380m, The CCD is Ireland’s first purpose-built convention centre. It features 22 multi-functional spaces and can host up to 8,000 people at a time.

The three biggest single spaces are the 2000-seat Auditorium, a theatre which encompasses the top three floors of the building; The Forum, a 2721m² exhibition hall which can house over 3000 delegates for a conference or up to 2000 for a banquet and The Liffey, a 1650m² space which can hold 1800 conference delegates or 1200 banqueting guests. The latter can be divided into two separate rooms by the lowering of a soundproof wall from the ceiling.

The technical specification was agreed between developers The Convention Centre Dublin and consultant Theatre Projects, with a DiGiCo SD7 and SD8 chosen for the Auditorium and further SD8s for the Forum and the Liffey respectively.

All three spaces feature large d&b Front of House and monitor systems and, with the building’s comprehensive fibre and data distribution network, the DiGiCo consoles allow for exceptionally flexible use of the spaces.

“We are delighted with the Digico desks,” said Lee Forde, Head of Technical, The Convention Centre Dublin. “Not only is it cutting edge technology but the Digico equipment has also been easy to use and incredibly flexible. This makes it a perfect fit for The CCD as we aim to provide our clients with the latest technology to deliver world-class and successful events every time no matter what size or type of event they are hosting.”

“Seamless integration and flexibility was a key factor. Being able to run on MADI over coax cabling and via the fibre infrastructure was a must-have feature,” says Ian Thomas, project engineer for installers LSI Projects of Woking, Surrey.

“In addition, the consoles are extremely compact with great DSP. Not only do they

sound great but, by removing the need for external processing, the mix positions take up even less room.”

The Auditorium’s SD7 is used for FOH duties, with the SD8 able to be used either as a monitor desk or for FOH, when needed. Meanwhile, the SD8s in the Forum and Liffey can be used for any mixing role as required.

The wide range of events staged in all three spaces means that CCD technical staff have had to be able to master all of the desks’ facilities very quickly. Fortunately, the user-friendliness of the systems, coupled with DiGiCo’s high quality backup, has ensured this hasn’t been an issue.

“As with any complex piece of equipment, technical support is a must,” says Ian. “The level of support varies between manufacturers and I’m pleased to say that DiGiCo has given both myself and the guys at the CCD a high standard of service and support.

“The staff has quickly got to grips with the desks, which I believe is a credit to the training days that DiGiCo run.”

The CCD officially opened on 7th September, although it had already hosted a number of high profile events, including auditions for The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and the 175th Anniversary conference for Engineers Ireland during the commissioning and testing phase. With the venue holding its first major concert the Dublin International Gospel Music Festival - on 25th September, it has already secured bookings for 150 events, which the venue’s management says will result in a boost of over €110m in economic benefit to the city.

DiGiCo Consoles Hit The Heights At The Canton Tower Grand Opening The opening ceremony was attended by an array of high profile local VIPs, including Mayor of Guangzhou Wan Qingliang, Governor of Guangdong province Huang Huahua and Zhang Guangning, Secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Committee.

Naturally, audio supplier Rightway Audio Consultants wanted to ensure that the event ran perfectly, and so chose DiGiCo SD8 and SD9 consoles to play a key role.

Soaring 610m above the Chinese city of Guangzhou, the Canton Tower is the world’s third tallest building and has a unique, waisted design that has got architects across the world talking.

Soaring 610m above the Chinese city of Guangzhou, the Canton Tower is the world’s third tallest building and has a unique, waisted design that has got architects across the world talking. Officially inaugurated on 29th September, the tower’s grand opening ceremony featured two DiGiCo mixing consoles.

Variously referred to as Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower, Xiao Man’s Waist and Supermodel, the tower’s design was realised by taking two horizontal, virtual ellipses - one at ground level and one at 450m - joining them by virtual uprights and then twisting the ellipses in opposite directions. The result is a form which tapers inwards from ground level up to the central ‘waist’ and then out again to the 450m roof level. On top of this is another 160m of broadcast antennas.

The tower contains a number of facilities, including television and radio transmission services, restaurants, exhibition spaces, conference rooms, shopping, 4D cinemas, outdoor gardens set within the structure and numerous opportunities for visitors to enjoy the view from different levels, including the very top.

“Although it wasn’t a technically complex production, it was a very important event for Guangzhou, so the reliability and stability of the audio system was the top priority for us,” says the company’s Stanley He. “In order to ensure there were no hitches, we prepared for the event for a long time. The dual redundancy of the SD8 and SD9, plus the unrivalled sound quality of the Super FPGA technology, made them our first choice for the job. The sonic quality of the desks is amazing - it’s smooth, accurate and musical.”

The event was divided into three separate parts. First the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which officially opened the Canton Tower. For the second part, guests took the Tower’s lifts to observation points to enjoy the view across the city. Thirdly, a ceremony was held to officially ‘switch on’ the architectural lighting which will highlight the tower after dark. This was followed by an evening party.

The SD8 was used for the first and third parts, the SD9 for the second. Despite it being a fairly straightforward event, the desk’s EQ, compression and snapshots were very much in use.

“We are very impressed by the snapshot facilities,” says Stanley. “The client was really happy. They told us they had never heard such great audio quality from a mixing console. Thanks to the SD8 and SD9, the Canton Tower’s grand opening was perfect!”

Calvary Church Of Orland Park Illinois Purchase SD9 Console For New Worship Facility

Calvary Church of Orland Park, Illinois is one of the first houses of worship to secure the new DiGiCo SD9 as its main console for a new worship facility currently under construction.

Calvary Church of Orland Park, Illinois is one of the first houses of worship to secure the new DiGiCo SD9 as its main console for a new worship facility currently under construction. In the meantime, the church operates in a temporary worship location at the Marcus Theaters in town. The SD9, along with d&b audiotechnik B2 and T10 loudspeaker components, will eventually be installed permanently in the new facility, slated to open in the summer of 2011. The console was purchased through Audio Logic Systems in Minneapolis, MN, who is also facilitating the design and install in the new church.

When exploring the new SD9, the console allowed Calvary to stay in the digital realm, by offering DiGiCo’s quality and features in a price range that fit their budget.

“In our old worship facility, we had replaced our installed system with a mobile system (anticipating our upcoming move) that included a Yamaha LS9-32,” said Reverend Dave Van Kley. “We went with a digital console because we needed the ability to rapidly change mixes and set-ups between our three different services on a Sunday morning, which range from traditional to contemporary. The capabilities of a digital console served that need really well. For our new facility, we definitely wanted to stay with a digital console, but wanted to upgrade from the LS9. I was very aware of DiGiCo’s reputation and quality, but consoles like the SD8 were out of our price range. Getting DiGiCo quality and features in the price range we were looking for in the SD9 was a wonderful surprise. We absolutely love our SD9! The ease of operation, flexibility and quality of this desk are amazing! We know it will be meeting our needs for many years to come. I am also very glad the great crew at Audio Logic Systems encouraged us to take a look at the new SD9 and that DiGiCo’s timing on introducing it corresponded so nicely with our need to purchase a new console.”

The console’s current configuration in the transitional movie theatre worship space is somewhat modified explained Rev. Van Kley. “Currently we use the SD9 for our traditional and blended worship services (our contemporary service meets in another theater). Inputs include 5 channels of wireless, two stereo keyboards, CD and Video playback, and up to 6 microphones for instruments and ensembles.

Outputs include the main stereo mix, 4 monitor mixes and a recording output.

All I/O’s are through the digital snake except the CD and Video playback and the recording output which are on the SD9’s local I/O’s. Once the console is installed in our new facility, we’ll use it for all of our services and it will handle all the I/O needs

for our contemporary services as well, which will include IEM and multiple feeds to other locations and recordings.”

Some of the preferred features Rev. Van Kley found lay in the console’s outstanding onboard effects, user-friendly touch screen and routing capabilities. Sound engineer, Pete Roeters, had his own favorites list. “I’d say my favorite feature used weekly is the macro button for turning effects on and off and controlling different parameters all with the push of a button. I also like the ability to ‘split’ the console to have instant access to effects, monitors, etc. And the ability to save and recall sessions, scenes and EQ profiles is very beneficial.”

Both Rev. Van Kley and Roeters say that the console’s flexibility has solved some fundamental challenges for the church, especially in training volunteers, and working in their temporary location. “The SD9’s ‘ease of use’ allows us to train sound techs more quickly, offered Roeters. “Having the digital snake makes it much easier to set up and strike the console compared to what a traditional snake would be like. The case for the SD9 really does make setting up and storing each week pretty simple.

Considering the unique facility we are in, the runners or slide skids on one side make it pretty easy to get it back behind the stage.”

But it was the SD9’s sound quality that blew everyone away. “The quality of the SD9’s EQ, effects, and dynamics features is amazing,” raved Rev. Van Kley. “I can’t believe how far it exceeds the quality of the Yamaha console we were using.

Adjustments usually only require about half the boost/cut that were needed on the LS9 to accomplish the same thing. The sonic quality is also very noticeable – the sound is so smooth and true.”

“The SD9 is basically the third system I’ve ever worked with,” added Roeters. “This system has the best sound quality I’ve heard. And the comments are noticeable in the house. I have received numerous unsolicited comments and compliments from congregation members who have all said the sound is awesome.”

Rev. Van Kley concurred, “People have been thrilled with the sound. Worshipers and staff have shared how unbelievable the quality of the sound is. Musicians have also been very pleased with how easy it is to get what they’re looking for and needing both in the house and monitor mixes. They’ve also been amazed at the quality.”

Once situated in their new facility, they both look forward to utilizing more of the consoles features both for recordings and for live productions. “We also look forward to being able to do virtual sound checks and really fine-tuning our mixes without taking up a lot of our musicians’ time,” Rev. Van Kley explained. “And we’re just scratching the surface of options to explore.”

The Smashing Pumpkins Brings Crushing Big Sound To Small US Venues With DiGiCo SD8 And D1 Audio Touring Package

When Christina Aguilera postponed her 2010 Bionic Tour in the spring, engineer Jon Lemon was able to transition his gig - and the DiGiCo SD8 he was using for the tour’s promo leg - onto a Smashing Pumpkins’ run.

When Christina Aguilera postponed her 2010 Bionic Tour in the spring, engineer Jon Lemon was able to transition his gig - and the DiGiCo SD8 he was using for the tour’s promo leg—onto a Smashing Pumpkins’ run.

Having worked extensively on an SD7 over the last few years with artists including Janet Jackson, Lemon wanted to use the few one-off gigs for Aguilera, including a VH1 “Storytellers” taping, to try out the SD7’s sibling.

“I decided to go with the SD8 as I originally didn’t need many inputs for Christina,” Lemon recalled. “Plus, I hadn’t really played around with one… But we ended up using every input and output on the console because the band kept expanding as we went along, adding strings, brass, etc. So when her tour got cancelled, I figured I’d take it out with the Pumpkins because it worked admirably and I’d gotten on really well with it.”

With no rehearsals prior to the first show, The Smashing Pumpkins limited 14date U.S. club tour kicked off July 8th. The intimate shows were a warm-up for a global swing in the Fall, and to promote the band’s new, limited-edition box set, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. It was also the perfect setting to showcase frontman Billy Corgan’s new band, which including bassist Nicole Fiorentino (formerly of Veruca Salt), guitarist Jeff Schroeder and drummer Mike Byrne.

“I was shocked at how refreshing great they sounded, with no rehearsals,” Lemon mused. “This is definitely the best version of the band, and the SD8 lent itself perfectly to the line-up. The SD8 was an easy transition, once you work out accessing everything via one screen it’s very easy to get around. The console is extremely flexible using touch faders and banks to assign screens. Since it’s a 4-piece band, we’re only using 26 inputs. There are two opening acts and because of the space in these clubs, I’m letting them use another 24 inputs, which we put on a file and away they go. As far as outputs, I’m just going out - left and right - into the club system using Dolby Lake System for my outputs. It’s all very simple, but effective.

In addition, Lemon is carrying a local rack for some additional, must-have, outboard gear, as well as two recording rigs to capture all of the shows. “Billy wanted to record and archive all of the shows with backup, so I’ve got my Pro Tools rig and a

Logic rig out, which posed a bit of a challenge. Using an RME MADIbridge, we’ve been able to split it all up so I’m able to use my local rack running the stage rack on MADI and two recording rigs that via the MADIbridge and a MIDI button so I can playback whatever I want and record whatever I want wherever I want. It’s all pretty neat and tidy -which was another consideration for us when we start flying to the Far East. The smaller the better when it comes to airfreight. Having a compact setup, with the SD8 for FOH and D1 for monitors, was ideal.”

The DiGiCo D1 was the first choice for monitor engineer Seth Kendall, who has worked with a range of artists including Megadeth, Korn, Lionel Richie, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood and Lucinda Williams.

“I’ve used a lot of the digital consoles out there and my preference is DiGiCo. I picked the D1 for this tour because of the audio quality and ergonomics of the desk, and because of the desk’s small footprint. The richness of the bottom end and the clarity of the top end is something I haven’t found in other digital consoles. I know the D1 isn’t DiGiCo’s newest technology, but having multiple touch screens in monitor world is a real asset. Monitors tend to have a lot going on at the same time, and being able to do two things at once is great and it’s something that I can do on a DiGiCo that I can’t on the others. I can keep a bank of inputs up on one module and page freely between the other inputs on the second module and have my EQ window popped up and work on another one on the next module… it allows you to multitask. The way that the desk is laid out makes me think that the people who designed it were people who’ve actually mixed live shows. Everything makes sense and feels the way analog consoles feel. The sound quality, the ergonomics, and the ability to multitask are probably what I like best about the desk.”

On this tour, the Pumpkins are all on wedges and sidefills, a bit out of the norm for most touring outfits. “It’s been a while since I’ve mixed a wedge band; it’s been mostly in-ears for the last several years. Billy likes to have pretty significant volume come out of his guitar rig, so it’s loud onstage, and getting the vocal above the guitar and the stage volume is always a challenge, especially in the small venues we’re playing on this leg.”

As the tour continues to rave reviews among fans and critics alike, engineer Jon Lemon still marvels at the diminutive audio package they’ve been able to assemble for a band of such big stature and such big sound. “For this tour, being a 3-band tour and one of them being a considerably large band in terms of status—to have everything in one stage rack and one small console, one FOH package, is fantastic. I think for the price-point, you can’t beat an SD8. And once the sound grid is out, it’ll be a super-competitive package. I’ve very happy with it!”

SD8 Breaks Price And Feature Barrier That Addresses Gand Concert Sound Client Needs

Gand Concert Sound of Glenview, Illinois recently added a DiGiCo SD8 - their first DiGiCo purchase - to their roster of digital consoles. Established in 1977, Gand Concert Sound was created to meet the growing demand for large-scale music performances on a regional level.

Colleges and local festivals provided a jumping off point, and by the early ‘80s, GCS had expanded into facilitating national tours. Under the stewardship of senior engineer Gary Gand - a music industry veteran of 40+ years - GCS is regarded as one of the Midwest’s longest operating sound system providers.

It was GCS Vice President Tim Swan who suggested the SD8 to Gand. “As you know, our industry is rider-centric,” he explained. “The market tells those of us who are willing to listen, what they want. VP Tim Swan has been running the day to day operations at GCS for over 25 years and recommended that I take a look at the SD8. We have a large stable of analog and digital consoles from all the top companies already, but Tim started seeing the DiGiCo SD8 appearing on riders as an acceptable console, as well as a first choice console, and recently, as the only choice console. That tells us that this is a console we should have, as our reputation is based on being the Midwest’s ‘go-to guys’ for the latest technology.”

On top of that, the ‘buzz’ was growing loud from many of their regular touring bands. “Many of the acts that GCS have worked with - who are carrying their own SD8 consoles on the road - have offered strong statements about the console: from ‘best-sounding digital console’ to ‘best sounding console…period!’ We also have a huge Nexo Geo T rig that many acts tour with, and have told us is ‘the bestsounding speaker system’ they’ve worked with. Now, in tandem with the DiGiCo SD8, it’s a great-sounding total audio production package for our clientele.”

“I have been following DiGiCo since they appeared on the scene and have been waiting for a product in the price/feature strata that would work for us,” Gand added. “Up until now, the DiGiCo line has been aimed at only the cream of the tour industry. The SD8 breaks a price and feature barrier that addresses the bell curve of acts today, which is our main focus.”

“The flexibility of the SD8 makes it a money-maker for Gand Concert Sound, as it can go out for FOH, extensive IEM mixing, onstage monitors, broadcast, and rentals to friends in the industry. Its ease of use and virtually flat learning curve make it a great product for an act or industry associate who needs the flexibility and small footprint of a digital console, but may not have the experience needed to operate some of the other popular digital consoles on the market. Its light weight and compact size is a big plus when the client is on a tight schedule and tight budget, especially when the console needs to get air-freighted to a venue.”

GCS lead engineer, Adam Rosenthal, cites his favorite features exclusive to the SD8 as being the dynamic EQ and multiband compression. “These allow me to make specific problem channels sound consistent and pleasing all night. For example, I know that every guitar amp has a ‘sweet spot’ as far as level versus tone goes. But as a player knows, you just have to step on the gas to get over the band or to get that adrenalin flowing for a good connection to your audience. The amp might get nasty at a particular frequency just for that short time. I can smooth that out and make it not only frequency-sensitive but also amplitude-sensitive so I don’t have to sit there and ride the EQ during a solo. The onboard software does it for me. This is also great for vocals as the singer’s getting raspy at the end of the night or long into a tour.”

While the analog sound versus digital flexibility debate still rages on today, Gand is emphatic that diehard analog engineers take notice of this console. “I think that anybody who is an ‘analog guy’ owes it to themselves to sit down with an SD8 for a few minutes for a test drive. Being part of the analog generation, I was knocked out with how musical the EQ and dynamics in the SD8 sound. It is very easy for anyone who can pick up email on their laptop, to get the hang of. Adam ran some old BBC TV soundtrack music through it that featured a big orchestra with a groovy 60’s rock band inside and even some wacky bachelor synth tracks, and I got the best audiofile-style hi-fi sound out of a pair of big old UREI 813s. Made his iPod sound like silky vinyl, and that’s really what we all want, isn’t it? To smother the crispy crunch of the 21st century with gravy and take it back to when we could listen deep into a track and enjoy the sound as well as the music. Try it, you’ll like it!”

Justin Bieber Brings Biebermania To The Masses With Audio Monitor Support From DiGiCo’s SD8-24

The pop-culture teen phenom who is Justin Bieber is in the midst of a whirlwind US tour, playing cities across the continental U.S. and winning the hearts of American teens, tweens and parents alike. The “Biebermania” assault is one of the hottest tours on deck, and is literally sold out through the end of the year -pretty remarkable in the wake of declining ticket sales and mega tours calling it quits before they even commence.

Back in February when tour preparations were in negotiations, monitor engineer Tony Luna staked his claim on a DiGiCo SD8-24, the lil’ sibling of the SD7 that Luna has mixed on with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and the next gen console replacing the D series consoles he had used previously with KISS and Aerosmith. The audio provisions for the tour were handled by production partner Clair Global.

“The budget dictated that we had to use a smaller console and the SD8 had all the features and power that I was used to in the SD7. It was pretty much a no-brainer that that’s what we were going to need on this tour. I had first mixed on one at the NAB convention this April and had a cool experience on it. Plus, the audio quality was excellent.”

For Bieber’s 7-piece band-drummer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, DJ and four singers and four dancers - Luna is utilizing 53 channels overall. During the several weeks worth of rehearsals pre-tour he was able to pre-program the basics of the show. Once the group commenced rehearsals, it made building his mixes that much easier. “Everything was already panned, I’d already assigned my filters, and set up my basic EQ shapes… Being able to build the mix from there saved me a lot of time once we were on site.”

There is virtually no supplemental outboard gear being carried for the Bieber tour. Luna was able to find everything he needed onboard the SD8. “The console sounds so good that that there hasn’t been a whole lot of supplemental stuff that I’ve really needed to use, with the exception of a pair of Lexicon PCM91s, one for Justin’s vocal and one for the drum reverb. Onboard, I’m using all eight of the onboard effects and those are the acoustic guitar reverbs and vocal reverbs for the background singers, and a short verb for the DJ scratch channel to pull it out of your face. I’m also using a little bit of the dynamic EQ on Justin’s vocals and a little bit of the dynamic compression on Justin’s main mix and that’s it out of the dynamic section. Oh, and on this show, because of the screaming girls and all that stuff, I’ve had to compress some things in the ear mixes… Having that functionality has really been great!”

To accommodate the band, Luna set up full IEM mixes for each player, with additional mixes for wedges and side so any of the performers could pick up their cues around the stage. In addition, he’s got a 3-way drumfill for added impact.

“Basically everyone gets a full in-ear mix, while the background vocal guys share one mix at this time. In the future we’re going to break that up into more mixes for them.”

One of the tricks he found handy with the console was making use of the IEM cue bus solo to route all the microphones into one group. “Now, I can hear everything I want in my solo IEM bus, regardless if I’m cuing something up or not. I route all those channels into one group and then take that group and inject it into the solo bus, so no matter what I’ve got on, I can always hear somebody. If someone needs something from me, they can grab a shout mic on the stage and talk to me directly.

This has come in very handy especially if there’s an issue onstage. They can get my attention quickly because when we’re in show-mode, most of the time I’m working with Justin and concentrating on paying attention to him.”

In addition to Bieber, Luna is mixing one of the tour’s three opening acts, R&B singer Sean Kingston, with the techs handling the other two that are basically singers with backing tracks. “Sean’s band is nine members with eight IEM mixes, 2 mixes of wedges downstage, sidefills and drumfill. I’ll set up my console with 8 stereo mixes and where that first IEM is patched, I’m able to ripple across those 8 mixes so that the outputs go into the right channels with the push of one button. This is another thing that makes the DiGiCo so fast; you don’t have to do all those repetitive actions. Having to do that over the course of 48 channels would become a bit outrageous; the amount of time that you’d be spending just to set the console up.

This is a real time saver for me, not to mention it makes things easy for us on the changeovers and the turn-arounds because we can quickly set the console up the way we need, hit ‘store’ and it’s patched the way you last left it. We have 4 artists and everyone’s happy on this tour… no complaints!”

Nathan McBee, Luna’s tech, loves the remote editor that they have sync’d to the console via WiFi. “He is able to perform a complete line check on the stage with his MacBook Pro while I’m finishing up checking my IEM RF,” Luna explained. “It ensures that our soundcheck will be flawless prior to me getting behind the desk!”

Overall, Luna is ecstatic about the console in specific and DiGiCo in general. “I love DiGiCo. It keeps getting me work. Really. It sounds so good and I’m psyched about the work that I’m doing with this console. It gives me the confidence I need to get through the day with a happy smile on my face. I can work with other consoles, and I have, but it’s so much harder to get things done. It’s so much easier on the DiGiCo and that’s why it’s been my #1 choice for consoles for the past 5 years!”

DiGiCo SD7T Impresses Norways Theatre Scene “When we were looking to install a new console, we looked at six and then narrowed it down to the two strongest candidates,” says DNS Head of Sound Bjarte Vage. “We have had a variety of different digital consoles over the past 15 years, so we had a good idea of what kind of features we wanted (and also those we did not).

“We chose the SD7T because it had all the features we were looking for. The theatre version of the software has all the functions that we had been missing for the past 10 years,” he continues.

With its origins dating back to the 1850s, Den Nationale Scene (DNS, or The National Theatre) is Norway’s oldest permanent theatre. Now, however, with the installation of a DiGiCo SD7T mixing console, the venue has become a true 21st century facility.

Located in Bergen, DNS puts on around 20 productions each year across its three stages, which include international and national classics, musicals, contemporary drama and family shows. One of three national theatres in Norway, it has a reputation for high quality productions and also bringing on new talent.

The venue’s biggest space is the 450-capacity Store Scene (Main Stage), where the SD7T was recently installed by Oslo-based Bright A/S. Front of House sound is mixed to a Meyer system, while an Aviom card in the SD7T feeds to the monitor system for production musicians, etc.

“Having two workspaces operating simultaneously, lots of inputs and outputs, theatre-friendly software and a clear, easy metering overview made it the ideal choice. We also really like the speed at which you are able to update scenes and cues.”

Bar a Lexicon reverb, all processing is done using the SD7T’s onboard effects engines, including EQ and delays for the Meyer system. Meanwhile, the auto-update function and availability of the EX-007 extender wing has provided DNS with a mixing solution for both FOH and monitors that is about as flexible and future-proof as the theatre’s technical team could wish for.

Most importantly, despite its complexity, the SD7T is a console that you can get good results from almost instantly.

“The console is very accessible and straightforward to get started with. A user can grasp the basic functions very quickly,” says Bjarte. “As you would expect, it takes a little more learning and familiarity to get to know the more advanced functions, but Truls Birkeland (our local dealer here in Norway) has been extremely helpful and responsive during the installation and training process. That learning process is all part of the luxury of having such an advanced console!”

SK Systems Outfits Summer Doo Wop Concert With Newly Minted SD9 Console SK Systems’ newly purchased DiGiCo SD9 fit the bill for the Richard Nader Memorial Doo Wop Concert XXI at the Izod Center Arena, Rutherford, NJ on June 12. This year’s in-theround event featured 10 artists performing throughout the night, with a grand finale with all artists on stage.

In previous shows for Nader, production partner SK Systems used DiGiCo’s D-series and sister SD-series surfaces for this type of event. As one of the first companies in the world to purchase the newly minted SD9 - a compact, integrated system powered by DiGiCo’s patented Stealth Digital Processing™ SK Systems’ Tom Heinisch felt confident in putting the console front and center for the mega-show.

“Having achieved a comfort level with the new SD9,” offered Tom Heinisch,” we were confident the SD9 could handle this task. For this event, we used all 40 flexi channels, 28 mono, 12 stereo derived from the ‘pit’ back-up band, RF and hardwired mics, as well as the Video and CD playback inputs.

The in-the-round, 360-degree coverage of the arena made use of the matrix section to feed the different speaker zones and house hearing impaired and lobby systems.

The snapshot with recall scoping was key to this multi-act show with afternoon rehearsals then recall during the performances.

The ability to assign the faders to be any input, group, aux, matrix, or control group allowed for creation of custom fader banks leading to comfort when mixing the show without having to ‘page’ through to get to something. Building a few macros

into the equation, gave us all the surface control abilities to allow the sound engineer to create an excellent sounding show with ease.”

“The only down point to the experience,” Heinisch added, “because of the SD9’s small footprint, audience members think you’re the lighting guy!”

DiGiCo SD7 Console At Helm Of Hotest Summer Tours

With the 2010 summer concert season in full swing, many of the most demanding stateside tours, in progress or on the horizon, entrust their audio to none other than DiGiCo’s flagship SD7 console.

Raising the bar for live sound engineering with its Stealth Digital Processing and unique Super FPGA technology, the SD7 has become a familiar sight doing duty at FOH and/or monitors for tours of varying magnitudes and genres - 311, Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Neil Young, Tool and Widespread Panic (with 8th Day Sound); Jay-Z, The Jonas Brothers, Maroon 5, Maxwell/Jill Scott, Nickelback, Rihanna, and U2 (Clair Global); Taylor Swift and Lenny Kravitz (Sound Image); Angels & Airwaves and Morrissey (Rat Sound); Los Tres (3G Productions); The Killers and Foo Fighters (Delicate Productions) - among a mere few!

Undoubtedly, the highest profile outing of the bunch is U2’s ongoing 360° Tour, employing multiple SD7s - one at FOH and two to provide monitor mixes for The Edge and Bono. Long-time FOH mixer Joe O’Herlihy chose the SD7 specifically based on its superior sound and versatile specs for the mega multimedia production.

“The SD7 gives you a multi-matrix with which you can send a signal from any one channel to any one destination, and we have matrices going all the way around,” he explained to Total Production magazine. “For me, the SD7 is a very cleverly thoughtout console - a much smarter version of the D5, which I used on Vertigo. DiGiCo listened hard to many engineers about things that might work better for us, and the operating system that now exists is at such a superior level.”

For Grammy-awarded NeoSoul stylist Maxwell, who made his much-anticipated return to the stage this spring on a co-bill tour with Soul/R&B singer-songwriter Jill Scott, both group’s monitor needs were facilitated by an SD7. Clay Hutson handled the headliner with Jim Roach working with Scott’s needs. “The SD7 was literally the only console that could come close to doing what we needed it to do,” said Hutson, “between the amount of inputs/outputs needed for the two acts. One of the beauties of the console is that anything you want it to do, it will do. The new Stealth processing allows us to load the heck out of the desk with all these dynamics and effects, and it’s a very stable platform… Not to mention, the dynamic headroom is well beyond anything that’s out there and the sound is transparent.”

David Payne has mixed FOH for a host of artists, including Taylor Swift’s latest chart-busting tours. At his fingertips, the DiGiCo SD7 helps unleash his audio vision

in the live arena. “The DiGiCo SD7 is a console that keeps up with what I want to do creatively as an engineer. In the past I found myself wishing I could do certain things without the use of outboard gear. I don’t find that to be an issue with the SD7. There is an amazing amount of power at my fingertips. The control surface is also set up for speed and ease of use. When first learning the surface, there were many times that I thought to myself, ‘Well that’s exactly where that needs to be’.

From the location of EQ controls to how easy it is to access all the parameters of a multi-band compressor, it all makes sense. The sound quality is superb as well. The lack of typical digital artifacts that make you shy away from digging into an equalizer or compressor are gone. I feel at ease really crafting what I can out of every single channel without worrying about negative artifacts the console may be producing.

I have found the onboard effects to be superior as well. The algorithms for the reverbs are seamless, and the delays and pitch shifts are perfect for layering some depth into your mix. I am very satisfied. Thank you DiGiCo for a great product!”

Widespread Panic’s veteran FOH guy, Chris Rabold, has trusted his mixes to the SD7 for several years on non-stop tours, including this summer’s “Dirty Side Down” outing. “The processing power the desk affords you as a mixer is pretty impressive to say the least,” he raved. “My EQ moves were minimal, the dynamics were phenomenal (never thought I’d say that about a digital desk) and the summing busses never had that ‘choked’ sound common on other digital consoles. As much as the SD7 can do with all its available features, it’s the basic sound of the desk that I’d cite as my favorite aspect. It just has a very pure, uncolored sound and ‘analog’ in its characteristics. But more so because of the fact that it does NOT sound like your typical digital desk. There’s no upper-mid harshness or high-end brittleness. The low-mids are strong and defined. I don’t ever think, ‘I wonder if what’s bothering me about this sound is a result of the converters or the individual inputs?’ I seriously used to think that on other consoles. The way the inputs sum is pretty amazing, too.

You don’t lose resolution or depth as you introduce different elements to the mix.

Needless to say, I was totally blown away by the sonic quality of the desk.”

Eighth Day’s Executive VP Jack Boessneck concurred. “The technology in the SD7 is light years ahead of any other product in the marketplace; the processing power is far and above all the competition. With the proven DiGiCo ‘touch’ interface, along with the built-in redundant engines, MADI ports, dynamic EQ and compression on every routing pool of 1392 connections and cool video channel, 64 integrated stereo effects, interface, the SD7 is a world class console in every respect.”

DiGiCo SD8 Ticks All The Boxes For Faithless Archetypal electronica band Faithless has been on tour since early this year, playing in clubs, theatres and on the summer festival scene across Europe.

Such diversity in a schedule requires a mixing console that can adapt to any situation or size of venue and still deliver on functionality and audio quality. For the band’s monitor engineer Ben Milton, there is only one choice – the DiGiCo SD8.

Ben has been using DiGiCo consoles since the company started in 2002, when friend and prolific theatre sound designer Bobby Aitken [We Will Rock You, Mamma Mia, Dirty Dancing, etc] introduced him to the brand.

“I have been specifying DiGiCo consoles when I can ever since,” says Ben. “When I was putting together the monitor spec for Faithless, I wanted to use the best sounding console with the smallest footprint. We were starting the tour in European theatres, some of which have very limited space onstage - the Paradiso in Amsterdam springs to mind - so it was crucial that I kept my footprint small and flexible.”

Ben has seven wedge mixes on stage and eight stereo in-ears, and the SD8’s two solo busses have been invaluable for monitoring both. In addition to this, there are a large set of side-fills, tech mixes and effects.

“I needed a mixing desk that was capable of having at least 60 inputs and 24 output busses and 36 input faders displayed on the surface,” he continues. “There is a large section of the input list that is electronic, so my set-list is very snapshot heavy. As the music never stops during the set the cross-fade function has been invaluable.

The SD8 ticked all the boxes.”

Using the SD8 has meant that Ben’s original equipment list was dramatically reduced.

“I started the rehearsal period with a large rack of outboard FX that I was going to use,” he recalls. “By the time we loaded out, I had a big pile of FX units on the floor and was using the SD8’s onboard FX. “I think the console sounds fantastic. The EQ is especially good. Spill has been an

issue for me on stage; I have the side-fills almost flat-out, but also have 16 condenser mics on a percussion/drum set up, so it has been crucial that the EQ was incredibly fine.”

Ben has also found the Gain Tracking™ feature useful for double picking up inputs, allowing him to have a set of input channels dedicated for in-ears and a set for wedges.

“I find the editing functions within the cue-list quick and flexible for writing monitor changes to where I need them,” he says. “Being able to import and export presets between my two SD8s has been very useful as well and the dynamic EQ has been great for using on backing vocals where the artist might be on and off the mic throughout the show.”

He continues, “Damo Pryor of Britannia Row Productions put together a fantastic system for us, which has been on the road now for six months now, running a dual SD8 system over the last couple of months to cope with the schedule of playing 36 consecutive festivals.

“I always want the technology to be as transparent as possible to the performer.

Touring the same console and equipment not only brings continuity to the live show, it enables the artist to focus on the show musically, especially in the sound-check free environment of the festival. Throughout it all, the SD8 has not missed a beat.”

Crosby Stills Nash ... And DiGiCo to use other consoles on a one-off basis, but I always come back to my favourite because of its excellent sound quality and layout.”

The tour is using a d&b J Line main system, with J-subs and B2s. Kevin sends left, right and sub outputs from the D5, from which sends for in, out and front fills are derived. All processing is done within the D5, except for Manley ELOP electrooptical limiters on vocal inserts and a Manley Variable Mu over the L-R outputs. “I don’t have to use them, but I love them,” Kevin admits.

With venues ranging from theatres to arenas, sheds and open air festivals, the DiGiCo console is easily coping with a wide range of audience sizes. On this tour it’s not having to cope with extremes of temperature, but that is something Kevin has seen the D5 take in its stride, too.

Despite having been through more ups and downs that virtually any band could feasibly cope with, 1960s folk-rock legends Crosby, Stills & Nash are still touring and bringing their unique harmony-infused, mellow protest songs to legions of fans. Helping the band to win over more admirers on every tour is Front of House engineer Kevin Madigan with his DiGiCo D5.

CS&N are currently mid-way through an extensive tour, which has taken in a wide variety of venues and festivals throughout the US and Europe.

“The D5 is my console of choice, I’ve been using DiGiCo for about five years and there’s still no better digital console in my opinion,” says Kevin. “I sometimes have

“I’ve used DiGiCo consoles on a tour leg which took place during a freezing cold winter in Canada,” he says. “I had to wait while the metal control surface warmed up to room temperature, it having just come off the truck after a few nights in temperatures below -15ºC but it worked absolutely fine - and should I ever have an issue, no company provides better technical backup than DiGiCo.” With the shows receiving universally positive reviews, the D5’s audio quality is letting CS&N’s famous vocal harmonies sit perfectly in the mix, giving audiences plenty of shiver-down-the-spine moments.

“It’s great when the audiences appreciate the sound, but the best thing is actually when they say nothing,” says Kevin. “If the FoH sound just becomes part of the music, that’s great.”

The Cranberries On Tour With DiGiCo SD8 Digital Console After re-forming in 2009, Irish rock band The Cranberries has embarked on a 2010 European Summer Tour. Their audio arsenal centres round a DiGiCo SD8 digital mixing console, manned by Oliver Waring at the crucially important monitor position.

After re-forming in 2009, Irish rock band The Cranberries has embarked on a 2010 European Summer Tour. Their audio arsenal centres round a DiGiCo SD8 digital mixing console, manned by Oliver Waring at the crucially important monitor position.

“I’ve been using DiGiCo consoles for a number of years,” says Waring. “I started out teching with a D5 when I was looking after Dave Guerin, monitor engineer for Morrissey. Then I inherited the monitor position and looked after Morrissey for a couple of years on the D5, later upgrading to an SD7.

“I’ve been working with The Cranberries for a couple of months now and I’d inherited a console from another manufacturer that wasn’t my first choice. I changed to the SD8 and at its first soundcheck, after just one song, the band commented how different it sounded: that it was a lot crisper, a lot clearer and they knew straight away that something had changed.”

Waring’s like of DiGiCo products in general is due to the amount of flexibility they afford him.

“There are features they have that, from a monitor engineer’s point of view, I haven’t seen on any other desk,” he smiles. “It’s great to have the ability to move the faders to any bank on the desk. I can have outputs next to inputs and control groups completely customised, all of which means complete flexibility.”

Waring had found the move from a D5 to an SD7 was a big jump in quality and he was interested to know that both sonically and in terms of software, the SD8 was the same as the SD7.

“The transition down a level was very simple, no effort at all!” he recalls. “It’s just like the SD7, but with less horse power.

“I also love the fact that I’ve got auxiliary rotaries on each bank, so regardless of which channel I have selected, I can be dialling in to one mix, whilst dealing with something else. I like to be able to twiddle the knobs and do things like you would on an analogue console, and be able to do more than one thing at once with more than one channel. I was blessed with two hands, so I may as well use them!”

The band is mainly on in ears, with side fills as back up, although drummer Fergal Lawler is not a fan of in ears, so Waring gives him wedges instead.

“This set up means that the SD8’s graphic EQs are ideal,” he says. “I have two graphic EQs on my sidefills and I’ve set up a macro to punch the second one in.

Delores [O’Riordan], our singer, has a habit of running right into the sidefill when she’s dancing, so I’ve got a button on the macro section straight to the second sidefill GEQ for whenever she’s there. I just tap it in and it takes all of those nasty features right out. Perfect!”

DiGiCo SD7T Takes On Starring Role In The Addams Family Musical On Broadway They may be creepy and kooky, but the cast of the Broadway musical adaptation of “The Addams Family” cartoons sounds far from macabre.

With a DiGiCo SD7T in the starring role of a fearsome audio system and sound design from Acme Sound Partners, the new musical—based on the bizarre and beloved family created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams—opened to rave reviews at The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City this April.

Acme’s placement of the state-of-the-art digital console was based on positive experience working with other DiGiCo platforms over the years. Previously, the NYC-based production outfit employed DiGiCo D5T systems on many of their Broadway and touring shows starting with “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” in 2004, and later on Monty Python’s “Spamalot”, “A Chorus Line”, “Legally Blonde”, “Hair”, “Ragtime” and many others. For “Addams”, Acme worked yet again with the rental production team at Masque Sound in Union, NJ. “The SD7T for was our specification for the out-of-town tryouts for the show in Chicago,” explained Nevin Steinberg of Acme. “We had been following the product development, and keeping a close watch on the theater software development in the UK through our friends at Autograph Sound. We were early-adopters of the DiGiCo D5T platform on Broadway, so we were excited about the new console, improvements in the hardware architecture, form factor, redundancy, and the integration of the theater software package right into the guts of the console itself.

The specifics of the ‘T’ software and hardware configuration is suited specifically for use in the theater, and provides us with high levels of resolution, extension and easeof-use in console control we are most concerned with: control groups, delay, input/ output routing, extensive matrixing, etc.”

The production utilizes over 100 inputs, broken down into 25 for wireless microphones, 52 for orchestral reinforcement, 18 for effects, and 12 for auxiliary systems. As for outputs, they’re right at 99, including 53 physical outputs for the distributed house sound system, including center clusters, proscenium speakers, fill speakers, front fills and all delay systems, as well as an additional 46 internal output routing points for mono and stereo bussing and matrix inputs.

Steinberg says his favorite feature sets of SD7T are many-fold and essential in the show’s workflow. “We are addicted to ‘auto-update’ for our cueing. The show has nearly 200 cues in the desk, so we couldn’t imagine tracking through all the changes we make at any given moment. The workflow doesn’t stop; we just grab a knob and keep going. We make a ton of input delay time changes, sometimes even within a scene, and auto-update’s smart handling of various control points allows us an intuitive and transparent use of this feature as well.”

“Another nice tool are the multi-band processing on all the EQ strips,” he adds, “and the SD7’s compressors and gates perform better than their predecessors on the D5T system. Aliases are another big component of our toolset, and we use them extensively for alternative input/output routing or special EQ or dynamics processing tracking (such as wireless EQ for costumes and hats, or dynamics processing on drum mics for traditional vs. pop tunes). The console macros are also very useful—both for big gestures like full console muting, and small ones like choosing alternate inputs for emergency backup microphones. Finally, we make good use of 24 control groups on this show for high-resolution active control of the orchestra mix.”

The SD7T continues in the sonic tradition of its predecessors Steinberg happily reports. “The audio quality of the DiGiCo consoles has been delightfully high. The SD7T continues this tradition; it’s very clean and warm.”

DiGiCo SD7 And SD8 Consoles At Helm Of Full Sail University’s Stunning New Full Sail Live Multi Purpose Performance Venue Four years ago, principles at Full Sail University commenced planning to create a multi-purpose, live performance venue. The award-winning school located in Winter Park Florida was created more than 30 years ago as a private learning hub catering to arts design and entertainment media.

Over the past three decades, Full Sail has flourished to offer a broad spectrum of accredited, degree programs encompassing music and sound, as well as film, design, show production, games, animation, web design, and music business.

After a year-plus of construction, “Full Sail Live” is finalized and slated to be one of the largest, dedicated sound stages for live concert training at an educational facility. Full Sail Live will serve numerous campus-wide events including live musical performances, monthly graduations, open house events, multi-visual presentations, guest lecture appearances, 16-speaker surround movie screenings and live concert student training sessions. The building is flanked by a new audio recording facility and linked by fiber for audio and video interfacing. DiGiCo SD7 and SD8 consoles were selected for installation to serve at FOH and Monitor engineering positions respectively, and round out an impressive arsenal of 50 dedicated live production audio consoles currently used on campus.

“The console purchases were based on many elements,” explained Director of Audio Programs, Dana Roun, who developed Full Sail’s Live Production training curriculum in 1981 while working as a touring engineer before coming onboard full-time in 1988. “We took into consideration superior technology and reliable service, industry acceptance, cost and value, as well as relationship and trust. As an educational facility - and this venue being the largest of six live production facilities on the campus - we have a responsibility to provide our Show Production students the full range of live concert industry tools, including lighting, video and audio. We knew we wanted a flagship console, and we knew its usage would need to cover a very wide range of functionality. The hitch, however, was that in planning our budget for the building four years in advance, the console purchase line item was merely a placeholder; I didn’t want to lock into our console until the last minute to ensure we were getting the most current technology available.”

While researching consoles for the new Full Sail venue, Roun requested a demonstration of the latest DiGiCo console technology. His lengthy experience working with DiGiCo consoles over the years was a big factor in that decision. “We owned a D5 for many years, so we were very familiar with the quality of the DiGiCo consoles and the responsiveness of the technical support staff (very important in a 24/7/365 environment!). I was introduced to the SD7 at a tradeshow years ago and considered it a bit out of our price range at the time. I had been waiting to see how the SD7 consoles would be received, and last year we had grads on the U2 tour that advised us to get a good look at an SD7, which renewed my interest in the console.

Other graduates—and we have many out there on tours and operating in the shops of top rental and production companies—reported having used SD7’s on their tours with great success, and SD8 consoles were seen on corporate and regional shows. Their insight into what consoles are actually moving out on current tours and corporate work is invaluable to us.”

DiGiCo’s Product Specialist Matt Larson set Roun up with a preview of all the DiGiCo models, which kicked the process off to a great start. “Matt and I had done business together over the years, and I was excited to find him now working with DiGiCo. I have wanted to work with [Group One President; US DiGiCo distributor] Jack Kelly for years and I’m happy to say it was worth the wait. Lastly, I have always enjoyed Bob Doyle’s expertise and passion for the industry. Bob has worked with me to supply our students with equipment at Full Sail University for decades; he is the real deal and clearly understands our educational needs. Many of the live production consoles we have here at Full Sail were directly related to Bob’s influence and expertise. Just prior to his move to DiGiCo in 2002, he wouldn’t discuss anything about his future and we needed to obtain the next step in consoles.

(For those able to remember, the emerging digital live console selections at the time were very limited). I decided to wait for a while longer and then it all made sense. I imagine we were the first school in the world to purchase a DiGiCo D5 for training, and looking back, the D5 really helped our students to prepare for working in the touring industry. The console gained industry acceptance quickly and we were once again in the right place at the right time. Over the years our DiGiCo D5 console has been very reliable and I expect no less from the new SD7 and SD8 models.”

Dave Dean, the school’s long-time Department Chair for Live Production (and an active FOH engineer with KC And The Sunshine Band) echoed Roun’s raves. “The D5 console held up remarkably well considering the hundreds of live production students that used it year-round during that 5-year span,” explained Dean. “Our desire was to keep up with the top-level riders in the industry. That, coupled with feedback from friends that had used the SD7 in the field, and our great experience with the D5, we were very excited to get our hands on the new SD7 and SD8.”

“I have used DiGiCo consoles on multiple tours in the past including R. Kelly, Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson and now with Axl Rose and have gotten used to how easy they are to mix on,” added John Sheldon, touring engineer and parttime Advanced Show Production Lab Specialist. “DiGiCo’s ease of use and clean sound made it a easy choice for live sound.”

The all-in-one functionality of both the SD7 and SD8 consoles—and the transparency of sound notwithstanding—have made them highly regarded among all the school’s veteran audio engineers and educators. Ken Robinson, Full Sail’s Advanced Show Production Lab Specialist, summed it up. “The SD7 and SD8 have raised the bar on what can be expected from a digital audio console. From functionality to features to sonic quality, these consoles are leaps and bounds above the competition. It’s no wonder that so many engineers are beginning to move in DiGiCo’s direction.”

“I had been asking around to see what engineers thought of the sound quality of the SD7,” offered Roun. “My friend Buford Jones, who comes from a small group of seasoned engineers I totally trust, had commented about the exceptional sonic qualities of the console, and that he was very happy with music recorded on the SD7. His stamp of approval was another vote of confidence to back up our purchase.”

“While discussing the signal flow of the new building,” elaborated David Arias, Production Manager for the Show Production department, “I realized that the presence of several MADI I/O ports on the consoles would allow us to eliminate the bulky analog snake I/O that we would typically use to interface our video playback sources from the mezzanine production spaces. In the past we have submixed the decks and only sent a stereo pair out to the FOH and Monitor positions.

We can now easily send discrete channels everywhere, easily.”

The revamped SD8 Overdrive software update was among the staffers favorite features on the monitor console, bringing onboard many of the features found on the SD7 including FX, dynamic and graphic EQs and multi-band compression. “The Overdrive option greatly improves an already feature-rich console,” said Dean.

“The effects, increased bussing and frequency dependant dynamics are a very useful upgrade.”

Robinson agreed. “The SD8 definitely takes our industry to a new level as far as sonic quality is concerned. The onboard gates and compressors sound incredible and are extremely intuitive. I have found that as I teach students how to use the SD8, as well as the SD7, I keep saying, ‘This is the first console I’ve ever seen that can...’ over and over again. There are almost too many things to list: dynamic EQ, multi-band compression, LCD meter bridge, back-lit knobs and even the snapshot automation features that let you program every single parameter independently per channel. It’s absolutely incredible! WOW is about all I can say!”

As the venue moves closer to completion and becomes fully functional for both entertainment and education, Roun is excited to get the new students up and running and in rigorous training on the new consoles. “We have been training live production technicians for almost 30 years, and one of the keys to success in this business—besides work ethic and attitude—is the ability to understand the basics and learn to use the tools. The purchase of both the SD8 and SD7 consoles will properly prepare students for success by offering them two comparable yet distinctly different consoles that lend themselves to different applications and production challenges. As long as the team at DiGiCo continues their relentless commitment to the live production industry they will always have a place here with our students.”

George Thorogood And The Destroyers On Tour With Twin DiGiCo SD8-24 Consoles After 35 years and countless recordings showcasing his trademark boogie ‘n’ blues, George Thorogood & The Destroyers are still very much ‘bad to the bone’. The band’s current tour showcases a host of classics, old and new, and traverses venues from Canada to Cape Cod through August.

A pair of DiGiCo SD8-24’s from Clair Global will handle FOH and monitor functions—and live multitrack recordings slated for release next year—with Jeff Pitt at the FOH controls, along with monitor engineer Shawn Berman, systems engineer James Leonti and tech Nick Abrahamson.

At FOH, the SD8-24 controls the main PA (left and right), subs, front fills, out fills, and side hangs, plus 40 inputs for drums, bass, guitars, horns, vocals and effects. All outputs are driving digitally to Dolby Lake Processors.

“The SD8-24 at FOH was chosen in particular because of its sonic quality and small footprint,” said Pitt. “This has allowed us to share smaller FOH spaces with the lighting and video departments, and enabling the promoter to sell more tickets.

After using other digital consoles on the market, there is no comparison. We found that the SD8-24 had better sound quality and surface flexibility than any other option available to us.”

Pitt’s favorite features include the console’s effect return display shortcut for access.

“This is very convenient. Being able to playback the tracks from the night before for system tuning and soundchecks rocks! For both ends of the snake the ripple feature allows for faster patching, and having the ability to take the surface off-line for security is a great option. The onboard local I/O on the surface is also extremely handy negating the need for an additional local rack at FOH.”

RME MADIface soundcard in tandem with Steinberg’s Nuendo software.

“The MADI recording feature allows us to multitrack every night with ease,” Pitt explained. “Also the multi-band compression and dynamic EQs are very helpful for this mix. The quick drop-down menu for channel labeling is much faster and easier than any other system we have tried.”

At monitor world, the smaller footprint was a must for this tour, explained Berman.

“The band is very happy with the way things sound now that we have switched to the SD8-24.”

One of the main goals of the tour is to capture the band nightly, from which a live album will be compiled for release in 2011. Pitt and Berman are making use of the

DiGiCo SD8 Gives Omatali A McKnight To Remember Omatali has been working with Brian McKnight for about three years but, apart from two day’s training at DiGiCo’s Chessington headquarters, it was the first time he had been ‘hands on’ with the SD8.

“I previously used other digital consoles because of the way I work,” he says. “I listen and don’t look at the desk. I prefer to have one screen and all the features accessible on the control surface.

“When I did the sessions at DiGiCo I was immediately impressed by the SD8’s great flexibility. I like the fact that any channel - whether it’s a group, VCA, matrix, or aux master - can be placed anywhere on the surface. The layering feature on the desk is killer and the dynamics processors are superb.”

There is a world of difference between DiGiCo’s Surrey demonstration room and a beach in Mexico, but it’s a tribute to the SD8 that Omatali enjoyed an equally positive experience in both locations.

“The SD8 worked great for me in the festival situation. The temperature was 89F (31C) and I didn’t have a single crash or freeze,” he says. “The learning curve on the SD8 isn’t steep at all. I pre-programmed on the desk the night before and, on the day itself, found that loading the show was effortless. Each engineer was up and running in seconds.”

All these virtues of the SD8 would be worthless if it didn’t sound great - but in that regard, Omatali is unequivocal in his praise.

The end of May saw 16 times Grammy nominated R&B artist Brian McKnight headline the 2010 Riviera Maya Jazz Festival in Mexico. It also brought an introduction to the DiGiCo SD8 for McKnight’s Front of House engineer Omatali Beckett - an experience that he is keen to repeat.

“The depth and warmth of the sound is amazing and the stereo image is as wide as I want it to be. Mixing on the SD8 made me feel like I could touch every instrument and I could still walk further into a corridor of audio bliss! The sound of the console isn’t matched anywhere else in the market,” he says.

“My mantra has always been ‘One Mind Any Desk’ but, since using the SD8, I will be requesting it for all my future work. I want to use it again and again and again!”

DiGiCo Sounds Out Leonas Labyrinth Three and a half years since Leona Lewis won television talent show The X Factor, the summer of 2010 saw her embark on her first headline tour. Themed after the singer’s favourite film, Labyrinth, the tour is a visual feast with set and costume changes a-plenty. With a DiGiCo SD8 at the monitor position, it sounds even better than it looks.

Alongside Lewis, the tour features a four-piece band and two backing vocalists.

Monitor engineer Ant Carr chose the SD8 after a lot of deliberation and it’s a decision which has been richly rewarded.

“I’d used D5s from when they first came out, back when I worked for Skan PA Hire.

I’d gone away from them for a bit as newer consoles hit the market, but when this tour came up I spent a long time evaluating and listening to the SD8 at the tour’s rental company Wigwam with Alex Hadjigeorgiou’s help,” he says.

“Another desk was an option but the SD8 was the right choice because its preamps are such high quality compared to other consoles capable of the same I/O, which was an important consideration. The dynamic EQ and multiband compressors are a welcomed addition. There was no need or benefit in adding any outboard preamps or compressors to the signal path and the SD8, purely on listening tests, was ideal.”

He continues, “It was also a great fit for the budget we had and it’s widely available, which helps for a tour taking in worldwide dates.”

Running two stage racks and Optocore throughout, Ant is using around 72 inputs, virtually all the outputs with a TC Electronic reverb the sole piece of outboard equipment.

“I’m only using the TC reverb because I’m using all of the SD8’s eight effects engines,” he says. “The effects are one of the major improvements in the SD series and I’m looking forward to the Waves tie-in as well.”

Something that few digital console manufacturers seem to have really got to grips with is giving the preamps a wide enough dynamic range but, as Ant says, this is something DiGiCo has cracked with its SD series.

“I feel like I can work the preamps like I would on an analogue board. I can drive them hard for a kick drum and sit them back for a keyboard and they react as you

would expect an analogue board too,” he says.

“On other desks there’s definitely a sweet spot that you have to work everything within, which isn’t necessarily where you want to be, but on the SD8 there’s a great dynamic range.”

Although Ant is heavily reliant on snapshots throughout the show to manage everything from input patch, crossfades and MIDI in addition to using it to control each person’s monitor mix, he’s definitely not become complacent as the tour’s progressed.

“I have never trusted a snapshot set up as much as I do on this. I have a lot going on for a lot of people over about 25 songs, I’ve had to approach it like a theatre show, lots of segues etc” he says, but the SD8 is a great desk to build on. I haven’t just sat on my rehearsal settings and not changed anything. I’ve constantly been working the desk into the show.”

Ant is certain his decision is correct. “It’s the right desk for the job,” he smiles, “and I’m very happy with it, the SD8 is definitely my first choice of desk now. It’s also lovely to be back with DiGiCo. They’re great people and their technical support is superb.”

What Is La Source For Fontaine Is La Source For DiGiCo “Being a new building, the technical specification was designed to be as contemporary and future-proof as possible,” says La Source technical director Gilles Barjot. “(Sales and rental company) Arpège Son Lumiere gave us an excellent demo of the SD8 and we were so impressed that we bought three.”

Opened earlier this year, La Source is a multi-function arts venue in Fontaine, south east France. As a brand new facility, the technical infrastructure was designed to be as high quality as possible. It was with this in mind that three DiGiCo SD8s were specified for its two biggest spaces.

Comprising three spaces, the ‘Big Room’ with a capacity of 400-600, the Ampli (240 standing) and the Auditorium (119 seated), La Source has a tricéphale (or threeheaded) function. The first is educational, with the teaching facilities of the city’s Municipal Music School having moved into the new building. The second function is cultural - involving the local population in a range of events, both as audience and participants, while the third is artistic - providing high quality facilities for a wide range of live music and theatrical performances.

Two of the SD8s, supplied by DiGiCo distributor Apex Audio’s French office, are installed in the ‘Big Room’, at the Front of House and monitor positions, with the third fulfilling both functions in the Ampli. The former is connected to the onstage DiGiRack via MADI, with a Yamaha DME64N routing output signals to L-Acoustics LA8 amplifiers, powering a dV-DOSC line array system. All audio within the system is at 24 bit/48 kHz resolution, providing excellent reproduction quality for audiences. At the monitor position, the second SD8 provides mixes for 12 L-Acoustics 112P active monitors, two-way sidefills and three sets of Shure PSM700 in-ears.

Meanwhile, in The Ampli the SD8 provides audio for another L-Acoustics FoH system and monitors.

“We use the SD8s on all the shows in both rooms and the sound is fantastic,” says Gilles. “We stage a wide variety of shows and they cope with everything superbly well. Visiting engineers are always extremely impressed and, even if they haven’t used a DiGiCo before, the surface is so intuitive that they learn it extremely quickly.

“We are really pleased with the DiGiCo consoles, which are doing a great deal to ensure that the local community is very impressed with every aspect of La Source.”

Disco Biscuits Host Bisco Inferno At Spectacular Red Rocks Amphitheatre With DiGiCo SD8 Desks

For the second year, Philly-based electronica-jammers The Disco Biscuits hosted fans and friends at the spectacular open-air Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. The May 29th ‘Bisco Inferno’ featured The Biscuits headlining a jampacked roster including Pnuma Trio, Aeroplane, Crystal Method, The Glitch Mob, and Booka Shade.

‘Bisco Inferno’ kicked off a 2-week festival tour for The Biscuits, which culminated at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee. Colorado-based Dowlen Sound again handled the Red Rocks show production, adding an additional SD8 at FOH for the guest bands, in tandem with The Biscuits ready-steady pair of SD8s at FOH and monitor world.

“The SD8 was really easy for the visiting engineers to navigate,” explained Dowlen’s Eric Satre. “Some of them had never seen or even worked with the desk before and everyone was able to adapt to it very quickly. I was able to take everyone’s input list before the show to make snapshots and layers so that each band had their own layer of the console. The only band that used anything externally was Booka Shade, who required a couple of outboard compressors, which were inserted into the desk with no problems. Overall, it was a great experience and everyone was happy at the end of the day. Of course, The Disco Biscuits have been very happy with their desks and take them everywhere they go.”

That wasn’t always the case for the band. After struggling for years with audio problems with other digital desks - which came to a head after the 2009 Red Rocks show - long-time Production Manager/FOH Engineer Patrick Hutchinson sought out a better solution. With guidance from Satre, they selected the DiGiCo SD8s over numerous digital offerings available. The pair have been integral mainstays of the band’s audio support system for the past year, and Hutchinson, along with monitor engineer Bryan Holroyd, couldn’t be more pleased with the results.

“In my opinion, the SD8 is the closest analog-sounding digital console available on the market today,” Hutchinson emphasized. I have worked on many digital desks and each of them has some sort of digital signature that is sonically apparent. The SD8, on the other hand, is sonically transparent. But the console’s sonic enhancement is profoundly noticeable - not to mention, that the band is playing better now that they can hear all of the subtle frequencies that they were missing before.”

In general, Hutchinson handles roughly 50 inputs from the stage, ranging from instruments to talkback and audience mics. On any given night he’ll use all of the

analog outputs - mainly set for Left, Right, Sub, Fills, RTA Ref, RTA Mea, and Stereo FX return for the band. Because they play certain venues regularly, he’s created templates for each that he can recall instantly.

“Over the last year, I’ve become really comfortable on the desk,” Hutchinson offered. “The dynamic EQs and multi-band compressors are a must-have for me.

They’re simply great on vocals or any instrument that needs extra attention. I also utilize the virtual soundcheck on a daily basis. And the SD8 isn’t just another soulless digital desk at FOH. It seems that every day somebody comes up to express their enthusiasm on seeing and hearing the SD8… It seems to have taken on a repertoire of its own!”

For Whit Hawkins, Pnuma Trio’s main FOH man, it was his first time extensively mixing on the SD8, although he’d gotten a sneak peek of the desk last year at the Disco Biscuit’s “Camp Bisco” festival. Several things stuck out in his mind from the Red Rocks experience. “First, the intuitive layout of the touch screen allowed for quick access of all standard EQ and processing. Secondly, the one touch ‘screen assign’ buttons that allow quick channel bank to touch screen assignment are more real-time functional than the usual bank scroll buttons. Overall, the quality of the SD8 was above and beyond what I’ve used before in digital consoles. On this gig, the onboard EQs per channel, compressors and gates were essential. I was able, to save my setting on a USB key for future use on any gig where an SD8 is employed. This will definitely decrease soundcheck time!”

Typically, Hawkins records every show via a Digidesign Mbox into ProTools and/ or Ableton Live for archival purposes and future live releases. “For this gig, I was excited to use the SD8’s onboard MADI converter to get a multi-track recording in lieu of my usual recording outs. I am excited to compare the SD8’s recordings, and perhaps release them for free with donations benefiting another worthy charity as we’ve done in the past with previous recordings.”

Hutchinson also records all soundchecks and shows - including the full input list during soundchecks, as well as and groups and miscellaneous mics using the RME Express and either Cubase or Reaper onto his Apple Mac notebook. Those recordings are posted to the band’s downloads page (www.livedownloads.com).

“I’m so glad that Pat and The Disco Biscuits continue to support Dowlen Sound and DiGiCo by keeping the desks out there,” added Satre. “Pat does a good job supporting the console on the road, and talks to everybody about it. I’m also happy to see that the SD8s are showing up more frequently on riders and being accepted by engineers. I’m glad we got into them and were one of the early purchasers. It’s been a great thing since for all of our clients.”

SD7 Performs DiGiCo Conversion An early adopter of digital technology, Scouting For Girls’ Front of House engineer Andy Williamson has been, up until now, a regular user of consoles by other manufacturers.

However, at the start of the band’s recent tour, which finished in Brighton at the end of May, audio rental company Capital Sound’s Paul Timmins presented Andy with an opportunity to use a DiGiCo console that he just could not refuse - and now he is a complete convert.

“As soon as digital came out I jumped on it,” says Andy. “I love analogue, but the digital footprint is fantastic. However, you get used to certain characteristics of different consoles, with the result that I ended up using other manufacturers digital mixers.

“But then Paul offered me the chance to use an SD7. Having done a little research and read through the specs, I knew it was complete overkill for what I needed with regards to inputs and outputs, but the specs were so impressive on paper I decided I’d just jump in at the deep end and give it a go, see if it lived up to it’s reputation!”

And, having used it over 30 dates, has his opinion of the British manufacturer’s products changed?

“I think DiGiCo has a definite idea of how it wants the machine and the surface to work,” he smiles. “ Aesthetically it’s amazing. In operation it’s really tactile and it has a nice blend of the analogue look, so you can see where everything’s happening – a common complaint about digital, as some consoles are more software driven and are like mixing on a computer. The SD7 surface seems designed to do the opposite; to take away the fiddly mouse and trackball and replace it with a good old analogue look and feel.

“I’ve tried all the digital desks now and I really do like this one. It sounds great, having dynamic EQ and dynamic compression is fantastic and the valve drive on the input stage has been great for bass, guitars, Hammond, etc.

“It’s such a blank canvas when you get it. You can do almost anything with it. The effects sound really nice, which means I don’t have to carry any outboard at all… less lifting, more smiles from the Production Manager and the house crew!

“DiGiCo has been great throughout the tour. Any questions or head scratch moments and they were right there to help. The support and backup is top notch. I was very impressed.”

So, despite being dubious at the start, Williamson is now pleased he gave DiGiCo a go. “It was nice of Paul to say ‘take it and learn it’,” he concludes,

In Pursuit Of The New - Jamie Cullum Tours With DiGiCo SD8 Jazz/pop artist Jamie Cullum is currently in the midst of an extensive world tour to promote his latest album The Pursuit.

Jazz/pop artist Jamie Cullum is currently in the midst of an extensive world tour to promote his latest album The Pursuit. At the Front of House position is a DiGiCo SD8 mixing console, which is aiding engineer Danny White own pursuit of the newest mixing technologies.

Combining the touring roles of front of house engineer, tour manager and more, Danny bought the SD8 for his family-run audio and lighting production company Chaps last year. Based in Sutton, Surrey - not far from DiGiCo’s Chessington HQ Chaps is providing both equipment and personnel to the tour, including Danny and his two sons.

“You have to embrace the latest technology because it’s what everyone is doing. It’s the way forward and I saw the SD8 as part of that development,” he says. “To me, mixing is all about the path. If I have a good signal path then I’m happy.

“When I was told that the SD8 has the same signal path as the SD7, I realised that it offers exceptional value. What it does is phenomenal and the quality is fantastic, you can tell just by hearing it. When I saw the price my reaction was ‘OK, where’s the catch?’”

Using a d&b Q series system, the five-piece band has around 30 inputs into the SD8, split between five vocal mics, a dozen or so DIs, instrument mics and a Helpinstill piano sensor.

“It’s like a guitar pickup for the piano strings. It’s quite amazing, the best way of amplifying a piano I’ve heard,” says Danny. “We also mic the piano up, because Jamie slaps it a lot.”

He continues, “I’m quite minimalist. I don’t make it any more complex than it needs to be. As long as I have a good vocal, good piano and the rest is good and clean, I can mix the show almost as they start.

“In terms of effects, I’m only using onboard and then just a bit of gate on the kick drum and a bit of reverb. I don’t use much compression because I have to ride the

faders. The dynamic range of the show is so great, it changes so dramatically that I can’t leave it to compressors.”

Another reason for mixing on the fly is that the band rarely uses a set list, preferring to have the spontaneity of a different show each night and freeing Cullum to spend as much time as he wants interacting with the audience.

“Jamie will introduce a song, or play a bit of the intro and we go ‘Right, it’s that one’.

It’s sort of organised chaos but it really works. The audiences love it,” says Danny.

“I have the same approach to sound - when something works, I don’t mess around too much with it.”

Although the SD8 has presented something of a learning curve, it’s one that Danny and son Tom are rapidly adapting to, with DiGiCo’s technical support always at the end of the phone, if needed.

“Compared to an analogue desk there is so much to learn, relatively speaking, but I’m finding my feet and, as challenges arise, we’re learning the console more and more,” Danny adds.

“We managed to create a problem with the console at the Glasgow show. It was purely operator error, but as we were panicking, literally five minutes before the support band went on, a DiGiCo engineer was on the phone to us and helped to sort it out. I thought that was pretty good.”

The Killers Celebrate Independence Day At The White House With Their Trusty SD7 The group joined Brandi Carlile and Cedric the Entertainer, as official guests of President Barack Obama, to headline the “Salute to the Military” USO Concert on the White House South Lawn on July 4th. Now in its second year, the event honors troops and their families for their service to the country. This performance marks the first time The Killers have been invited to perform at the White House.

The band performed six songs (“Human,” “Somebody Told Me,” “Mr. Brightside,” “A Dustland Fairytale,” “Read My Mind” and “When You Were Young”)… All mixed, of course, on a DiGiCo SD7, by the band’s longtime engineer James Gebhard.

“For a Brit at The White House on July 4th, I’d still have to say it was pretty amazing!” mused Gebhard. “The gig itself was sure challenging, not only because of the venue, but also as FOH was actually 20m [approx 66 ft] stage right! Luckily having used the SD7 for so long with The Killers, doing a challenging show like that was more like flying a chopper with its trim balanced! We had a small tour of the East Wing, through the house and out the ‘backdoor’ exit under the balcony. I personally had a very brief encounter with the big O and a handshake!”

Even though The Killers are officially on hiatus, they can still make time to come together in the name of Liberty.

“Doing shows for the USO (and their British version, CSE) is always a pleasure.

We’ve done several for the CSE, ranging from as far afield as The Falklands to Afghanistan, but the White House gig is up there with the best of them!”

Elvis The Concert Vintage Elvis Paired With Former Bandmates The massive input/output requirements of the show were easily accommodated with the SD7. “Because the capabilities of the SD7 were immense, I took a 1-for-1 split, which was 72 channels coming to the board. In the past I have taken string sub-mixes from FOH because the channel count was so high, but I certainly didn’t need to do that with the SD7. It was great having the full gig at my fingertips.”

As for outputs, Fenton was managing a total of 21 mono and 3 stereo mixes for reverb and sub mixing, plus an additional 6 matrix mixes for spare mixes and PFL routing. The breakdown included 11 wedge mixes, 4 sub mixes to a little mixer for the conductor, a VT mix, 3 stereo hardwire IEM mixes to Shure P6HW beltpacks and 3 shout mixes to FOH, video and his own monitor position.

Apparently, Elvis has not left the building. In fact, thanks in part to the wildly popular production, ‘Elvis: The Concert’, Elvis is very much alive… on stage, that is. The production, spanning a decade-plus, reunites Elvis’ former TCB bandmates with a 16-piece orchestra—against a projected backdrop of Elvis’ finest concert performances on film and video.

Produced by world-class event designer Stig Edgren of SEG Events, in association with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., the show also features Joe Guercio, Elvis’ orchestra conductor for many of his Vegas performances as well as Elvis’ backup singers The Imperials and The Sweet Inspirations.

The recent spate of shows in February and March 2010 that toured venues in the UK and Europe, featured a DiGiCo SD7 for show monitors with engineer Seamus Fenton at the controls. His involvement in the Elvis productions included tours in 2003 and 2005, as well as working with artists including The Fugees, Goldfrapp, Sarah Brightman and the Pet Shop Boys. Although not his first hands-on experience mixing on a DiGiCo system, it was his initial outing on a SD7.

“My first experiences on a DiGiCo would have been on D5’s at various festivals and the like. Then last year we decided to do the whole Pet Shop Boys tour digitally. We chose an SD8 because it did MADI generically. When it came time to do the Elvis tour, I had initially asked for an SD8, but as none were available they offered me an SD7 instead… which I was very keen to have a go on.”

That initial mixing experience on the SD7 was nothing short of brilliant, Fenton recalled, and he found a lot to love about its inherent features. “I loved this console.

It was even more user friendly than the SD8! Having the camera feeds and the Elvis footage right there on the screen on the meter bridge was brilliant. I also love that both my assistant and I could operate the board simultaneously. Seeing the gates and compressors up there on the meter bridge was excellent. Ganging together the graphics as you do the initial wedge EQ’s saves a great deal of time as does ganging sections of the orchestra. I love having loads of channels available for duplicating certain channels for different things and even better having the ability to move them around and put them anywhere you want. Another great feature of the SD7 is the talkback routing and assignment. Most boards overlook this feature as it is normally associated with control rooms for broadcast or recording but with today’s monitor requirements with IEM’s, being able to talk quickly and efficiently to someone or their wedge mix is essential and speeds up soundcheck times. I love it for that!”

“Speaking as a monitor engineer the speed of getting to a graphic is very important.

Both the SD7 and SD8 can get to a graphic quicker than anything else I have ever used. Using the ‘Solo displays insert’ function the GEQ immediately appears on the centre screen and then it is just a matter of touching the one you want and they appear on the faders in front of you… Genius!”

Fenton also found the SD7’s sound quality was hands-down superior that other consoles he’d worked with in the past. “I really like the sound of the DiGiCo boards.

They are very clean and precise sounding. I’m used to using PM1’s and PM5’s and they both lack a hi-fi edge that both the SD7 and SD8 have.”

Crazy Love For DiGiCo SD7 On Michael Buble Tour have an intricate talkback system, click tracks and various other things, which pushes up the count,” says Craig. “With that number, there’s no other console which can even come close.

There’s a lot of (crazy) love in the room at every venue Michael Bublé plays, as he tours the world in support of his album of the same name.

And with the Canadian singer songwriter having recently converted to using in-ear monitors, engineer Craig Brittain’s DiGiCo SD7 console is on the receiving end of much affection too.

Craig has been Bublé’s monitor engineer for five years, a job he freely admits to “loving more now than ever.” Playing its part in the tour’s all-round atmosphere of devotion is Craig’s DiGiCo SD7, which he is touring with for the first time.

“I switched to a DiGiCo D5 at the beginning of our last tour, two and a half years ago. I fell in love with the sound, the versatility and flexibility of it,” he says. “At the time I happened to catch a glimpse of the then-unlaunched SD7 under lock and key in a back room at DiGiCo. So when audio company Solotech suggested purchasing one for me to use on this tour, the decision was a no-brainer.”

The show’s monitor setup is complex, with 90 inputs and close to 60 outputs. “We

“But it’s not just the channel count, I think the SD7 sounds remarkable. Any console sounds great when you have one or two inputs and an in-ear mix, but once you start summing multiple channels and doing 16, 18 or 24 and upwards mixes, numbers are getting crunched and you start to hear the difference between desks. You can A/B any digital console with the SD7 and it’s a clear-cut winner.”

While Bublé’s backing musicians have been using in-ear monitors for some time, the singer was previously resistant to the idea. But, having a change of heart in production rehearsals for this tour, he rapidly became a convert.

“Michael’s using Sennheiser G2 in-ears now. It was quite a sudden decision, so I threw a rough ears mix together for him on the SD7 and it sounded so good straight off that he hasn’t taken them out,” says Craig. “There is a growing period for anyone using IEMs for the first time, but the SD7 has really helped ease that because of the sound quality.”

With the tour underway since March and continuing through to February 2011, Craig is continually discovering more about the SD7’s capabilities.

“I’m still discovering various facets of it on a daily basis,” he says. “I think it’s pretty amazing that there’s no outboard needed any more. The multi-band compressors on each channel and dynamic EQ mean it’s all there for me. The effects engines sound excellent.

“I also like the little video screen. I call it my rear view mirror, so I can see if anyone’s creeping up behind me!”

Peter Gabriel Scratches His Back With The DiGiCo SD7 When Peter Gabriel decided to promote his latest album Scratch My Back via select live shows with a 54-piece orchestra, an immediate concern was how the Front of House mix position would accommodate the exacting audio requirements.

The answer was a DiGiCo SD7, with enough inputs to make Gabriel’s New Blood tour both a reality and a major success.

Gabriel is different things to different people. To some he will always be the ‘proper’ Genesis frontman, to others a leading light in world music, to yet more the face in the Sledgehammer video. One thing he is not, however, is predictable. So recording a covers album and then promoting it via live shows with the New Blood Orchestra was just another innovative plan from a thoroughly progressive artist.

Manned by Richard Sharratt, the DiGiCo SD7 was supplied, along with the rest of the audio rig, by Britannia Row. After rehearsals in Shepperton and a Paris warm-up gig, the tour took in dates at Paris Bercy, the Berlin O2, London O2 Arena, Montreal Bell Centre, New York Radio City Music Hall and finally LA’s Hollywood Bowl.

“The arrangements were so dynamic, from tiny to enormous, that finding room for the vocals on top was a definite challenge,” he says. “The SD7 was great because there were so many inputs, so many groups, auxes and matrixes. I had all the faders I needed with 24 control groups in front of me for each song. It all worked really well.”

With 10 first violins, 10 second violins, eight violas, eight cellos and four basses comprising the string section alone, the channel count was inevitably high.

He continues, “I also used the DiGiTubes on the brass, which really warmed up the sound. I hadn’t experimented with them before and I liked them a lot.”

“All the strings had Schoeps CMC5/MK4 microphones. In addition, the violins and violas had an individual DPA 4060, the cellos and basses also having Schertler Dyn C and Dyn B pickups,” says Richard. “On top of that were mics for the woodwind, brass, piano, percussion, Peter’s vocals and three backing singers. Once added to all the reverb channels, CD playback and stuff I was up to 130 inputs in total, which only the SD7 can handle.

Despite the acoustic challenges of mixing the show, the SD7 handled the situation extremely well, DiGiCo’s renowned clarity of sound also ensuring that the orchestral sound was as uncoloured as possible.

To mix the show, Richard set up snapshots for each song, using them for mutes, pans, aux sends and fader level and also reassigning control groups and changing reverbs (both onboard and externally by midi) but from there he mixed the show on the fly, having to react to the ever-changing dynamics of the orchestra.and Peter Gabriel.

“I think the SD7 sounds great. I thought the D5 sounded great and it’s a continuation of the same line,” says Richard. “From a control point of view it’s everything a D5 could do, but better.

“The colour coding of the controls is a big step forward, for example. People see it and think it looks pretty, but in fact you see a green parameter on the screen and you know to grab a green highlighted knob to go with it. It’s brilliant and it’s all there for a reason. The whole layout is great.”

Billy Idol Rocks The Cradle Of Love With DiGiCo D1 With Sound Image as production partner, engineer Matt LaVoice is handling all of the tour’s monitor requirements with a DiGiCo D1. A diehard analog aficionado, LaVoice converted to digital with DiGiCo several years ago, and has used them exclusively on previous tours with Idol, Lenny Kravitz (SD7) in 2009, and countless others.

“I was a full-on analog guy,” LaVoice confessed. “Prying that 4km out of my hands was a tough one. But frankly, the D1 was the closest thing to an analog console I’d found. It does absolutely everything I need, and has exactly just the right amount of processing on it. The surface is very intuitive and is a joy to mix on. It’s a tiny desk, which is good for a lot of the places we play. And, it’s eliminated all of the outboard gear I used to need for mixing in-ears and wedges—which made my production manager happy… He’s glad that I don’t have a big old analog desk and racks to fit on stage anymore.”

Hard to believe it’s been over three decades since punk band Generation X hit the scene, co-founded and fronted

by Billy Idol. In the years since, the blonde rocker has crafted a wildly successful solo career, studded with Number One hits, best-selling albums and music/video accolades.

This summer, Idol takes to the road playing festivals throughout Europe (including the 44th annual Montreux Festival in Switzerland) and later smaller venues in the States through the fall. Joined by perennial sidekick, guitarist Steve Stevens, along with bassist Stephen McGrath and keyboardist Derek Sherinian, plus new additions Billy Morrison on rhythm guitar and Jeremy Colson on drums, Idol will be showcasing classic hits as well as new compositions.

With an input list consisting of 48—for drums, two guitars, bass, keys and Billy, who also plays acoustic and electric guitar—LaVoice is also managing 5 stereo in-ear outputs, as well as 6 mixes, drum shaker, and sidefills.

“Having all of the onboard processing has allowed my mixes to evolve on stage.

I used to travel around with only two reverbs and that was it. Now I can actually to do a lot more… I use 6 channels of graphics and I can utilize the rest of my effects now and it has really fattened up the ear mixes quite a bit. Also, I used to take that 4km because I liked the onboard EQ for ears, and the D1’s processing channel now handles that. One of my guy’s wears one in-ear and listens to wedges.

With the simple delay, I can delay the in-ear to his wedges, which cleans things up considerably.”

DiGiCo SD7 Makes Light Work At The Lyttleton shows. We couldn’t find any others that had enough channels, or whose software was so theatre friendly.”

The latter is, of course, a key point. DiGiCo has long understood that theatre shows are operated in a very different way to rock’n’roll, a point underlined by the introduction of the D5T console back in 2003 and now the SD7T software suite in 2009.

“We do tend to operate shows in a different way to other live events, so having that inherent theatre-friendliness in the operating system was a major selling point,” says Yvonne.

The Lyttleton Theatre of London’s National Theatre is one of the UK’s most prolific hotbeds of stage creativity, which means its technical team has to cope with changing between very different productions on an almost nightly basis. But with a DiGiCo SD7 recently installed in the South Bank premises, life is now a little easier.

“We have a connection with DiGiCo because we often use a D1 console for outdoor productions in our Theatre Square venue,” says Lyttleton Theatre sound manager Yvonne Gilbert.

“So we had prior knowledge of the user interface, which helped our choice. But the truth is we looked at a lot of digital consoles and none seemed to do the job we wanted as well as the SD7.

“We’re a rep house, we have a different show each night and they are extremely varied. We needed a console that would give us a wide range of possibilities, from mixing front of house on big musicals to just doing playback of sound effects, but would save costs by meaning we didn’t have to hire anything else in for the big

“DiGiCo has a huge theatrical wealth of experience and now that the dedicated SD7T software has been introduced, we will be one of the first customers for it.”

Another key advantage for Yvonne and her team is the SD7’s physical weight - or lack of it.

“We have a limited staff and need to be able to regularly move the console from the usual front of house position in the auditorium, back into the control room and vice versa, depending on the production and if we need to release seats for sale,” Yvonne continues.

“The SD7 is really light, which is perhaps unusual as a buying factor in a digital desk, but was very important to us. We have a fibre optic loop and DiGiCo mini racks installed throughout the building. Giving us the ability to move the console makes the audio system extremely flexible, and with ongoing upgrades to the software, it makes for a long-term investment.”

Used on some of the Lyttleton’s most prestigious shows, including the Olivier Award-winning August: Osage County, Burnt By The Sun and The Pitmen Painters, the DiGiCo SD7 has already made a major contribution to rave reviews by critics and audiences alike.

Billy Elliot Launches Simultaneous US Tours With DiGiCo SD7T And SD8 Consoles

After dazzling audiences on Broadway, and scoring a total of twenty prestigious Tony and Drama Desk Awards, including Best Sound Design, the theatrical adaptation of the popular movie, “Billy Elliot”, about a coal miner’s son who dreams to dance is planned to hit the road on two simultaneous U.S. tours later this year.

Based on the New York production, both touring productions will employ customized DiGiCo SD7T’s at front of house and substage, and SD8’s to mix the band’s monitors, as specified by sound designer Paul Arditti.

Since its original debut in London in 2005, the show has enjoyed continued success over the years with numerous adaptations. For the Broadway production, which launched in 2008. Arditti configured a DiGiCo D5T system from the ground up with help from associates John Owens (UK) and Tony Smolenski (US), and Masque Sound, the US-based theater sound specialist. For the two new touring outfits, Arditti chose the SD7T / SD8 combination with the guidance of Masque Sound as well as DiGiCo’s Product Specialist, Dan Page.

“Once the ‘T’ software for the SD7 was released, which happened at the end of 2009 when Andrew Bruce of Autograph Sound Recording used an SD7T at the National Theatre in London for ‘Mother Courage’, the time was right for making the move,” Arditti explained. “I admit that I am committing to the SD7T earlier than I would normally prefer but I felt confident specifying a console that is at the beginning of its lifespan, enjoys the full attention of DiGiCo’s designers, and is still undergoing software development. These tours might still be running in three years or more, and I would like them to be mixed on a current, rather than legacy, console. In preparing the new console, Masque and DiGiCo, as usual, have been great to us.

Dan Page from DiGiCo flew over and spent a week with us here in Chicago, bringing us all up to speed with the capabilities of the new software, teaching us techniques for good programming, and helping us iron out a few bugs. The SD7T works quite differently from the D5T, so it was not just a simple transfer of the same show from one console to the other; there was something of a learning curve for all of us. At the end of the day, we found the T software on the SD7 to be very elegant and integrated.”

The SD7T offered Arditti greater input and output capacity with which to manage all of the production’s 137 inputs within the one console - comprised of an Orchestra/ Band Rack of 43 channels, an RF Rack of 49 channels for radio mics and other miscellaneous mics, a Local Rack for 11 channels of outboard reverbs and AES, and 34 MADI channels which handle sound effects and music playback. “Some of the 34 channels of sound effects and playback were previously sub-mixed on a DM1000,” he added, “but now we’re able to accommodate these on the SD7T. The only remaining submix is the mix of our 96 tap mics. These are built into the show deck, and arrive as a stereo pair at the SD7T via a DM2000 located substage. We have also cut some outboard reverbs this time round, and I am now also using some of the onboard reverbs and effects on the DiGiCo SD7T, which sound very good. The extensive crosspoint delay matrix within the SD7T has also allowed me to eliminate one of the two DME64s I was using for loudspeaker control. For the production period of Tour 1, we also have a DiGiCo EX-007 Expansion Surface next to the main surface front-of-house, and this allows me to access all parts of the console without disturbing our excellent mixer, Brian Moore. For Tour 2, I am cutting both DME64s from the design, and I will make even more use of the matrix in the SD7T.” Output requirements for the show include 21 matrix, 22 mono aux, 6 stereo aux, and 6 AES outputs to outboard reverbs. In addition, they’re using separate vocal and band systems made up of Meyer Melodies for the vocal systems, divided into

6 large arrays, and Meyer UPQs for the band. All the delays, front fills and side fills handle both band and vocals. The 106 individual loudspeakers for these systems are delayed within a DME64 into three vocal zones and a stereo band system, with Meyer Galileo’s for the system EQ. “All the onstage effects speakers, stage monitoring systems, and surround speakers are balanced, delayed and EQ’d within the SD7T,” Arditti elaborated. “That’s another 66-odd speakers. We’re very pleased not to have to provide extra processing for these speakers; we can do everything we need within the console.”

In addition to the plethora of onboard effects, reverbs, dynamic EQ, and the two onboard engines available within the SD7T, Arditti cited numerous other features that have been a boon to the production process. “We like the big new touch screens, the Digi-TuBe drives, the crosspoint delay matrix, and the new quiet fans in the audio engine… this is theatre after all, not rock and roll! We very much like the integration of the cue editor within the console software as it makes programming much quicker. We like the new macro procedure, which makes it much easier to produce usable macros. We have also been able to dispense with a number of external A/B mic input switches, as we can now switch between a performer’s main wireless mic and the backup from the smart keys. Masque has been particularly helpful with regard to the custom buttons we have installed on the surfaces. We have a set of four buttons drilled into the SD7T surface near the control groups, which cue sound effects. Another set of four buttons provide backup to the MD’s control in the orchestra pit for music playback. Both sets of buttons are duplicated on the expander surface. There is also a big red button for DME mute. I’m glad to say that there is just about enough space on the SD7T’s metalwork for all these custom additions, and the people at Masque are peerless at this kind of problem solving. They understand the ergonomics of operating a complex show reliably, and their custom work is always well-thought-out, and professionally executed.”

Arditti has been extremely pleased, too, with the overall sound of the mic inputs, both on the voices and the instruments, as well as the overall transparency of the console—even with 100 or more channels live at once. “This is a very difficult show for vocal clarity,” he added, “because of the small voices of the children, the unfamiliar ‘Geordie’ English accents, and the brassy arrangements. Providing the actors and musicians give us a good quality input, the SD7T has no problem in reproducing all the audio to high volume levels with crystal clarity.”

But perhaps the biggest impact the console has had on the production’s ‘bottom line’ has been its efficiently compact footprint. “Every seat of space taken up by the sound console can represent hundreds of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of a show,” he emphasized. “The SD7T is an incredibly compact package, and therefore, we have been able to reduce our front-of house footprint by about 30% by cutting outboard equipment.”

In addition, the use of the SD8 in the band pit, has allowed Arditti to eliminate mic splits, and the gain tracking between the SD7T and SD8 also helped to speed up building their front of house and band monitoring balances.

The particulars for each of the simultaneous tours are shaping up, but Arditti says that Tour 1, which opened in Chicago in April, is likely to stay there for a year and then move to Toronto in 2011, with subsequent shows to include San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston in the following years. As far as Tour 2, dates are in the process of being confirmed. “We expect both tours to play most of the venues currently served by ‘Phantom Of The Opera’ and ‘Wicked’ over several years,” he offers. “Tour 1 will typically have a couple of weeks to move from city to city, but Tour 2 has to close on a Sunday and perform the following Wednesday in another city. Tour 2 will necessarily have a more streamlined equipment list, but we are not compromising on the quality or capacity of our mixing consoles.”

Massive Overhaul at David H Koch Theartre Includes Revamp Of Main Audio System From Analogue to Digital SD8

The David H. Koch Theater, part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, has been home to the finest ballet and opera performances since opening in 1964.

Formerly the New York State Theatre, the historic structure was originally built as part of New York State’s cultural participation in the 1964-1965 World’s Fair.

During a multi-million dollar renovation that began in 2008, funded by billionaire philanthropist David H. Koch, the massive overhaul encompassed structural and architectural improvements, and eventually included a revamp of the theatre’s main audio system from analog to digital. Abe Jacob, a world-renowned audio mixer/sound designer and the theatre’s Sound Supervisor worked in tandem with Lew Mead, Director of Autograph A2D, and Group One Ltd, both U.S. DiGiCo distributors, to spec in an SD8 console. Both decided that the SD8 was the perfect fit, in terms of size and onboard features, for the theatre’s numerous requirements.

Through his work at the theatre, Jacob had enjoyed a long relationship with Autograph, and in fact, employed one of the first DiGiCo D5T’s in the city on the production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” in the spring of 2004.

For the majority of his lengthy career, Jacob has been instrumental in moving the profile of theatre sound to the forefront, in part due to his extensive background working in the rock and roll arena mixing for iconic bands such as The Mamas & Papas and Jimi Hendrix. On the suggestion of Hendrix manager, Mike Jeffries, he moved to New York City in 1971, taking over the management of the guitar legend’s Electric Lady Studios. At the same time, Jacob was extensively involved in designing theatrical events, eventually transitioning into theatre full-time.

“My goal early on was to approach theatre sound like that of a concert,” he muses, “not in volume or in the extensiveness of it, but merely that the operator should be in the same room as the audience to hear what was going on. Up until that time, the theatre soundman was usually the assistant electrician who usually just turned on and off the power from a simplified power mixer from backstage. I think what I brought to the theatre was involving the sound operator as part of the production.”

When an extensive renovation of the Koch Theatre began in 2008, it was an opportunity for Jacob to wield his influence on the sound component of the theatre, even though the audio equipment was never part of the initial revamp discussion.

“Two years ago, the first part of the renovation was in essence to increase the size of the orchestra pit and to allow for a better stage for the performers,” explains Jacob, who is also the audio consultant for City Opera. “At the same time, the stage was put on a lift so it could be raised or lowered to various heights, and the electrical infrastructure for the lighting, sound, communications and video was replaced. As the renovation got more detailed, the work included architectural renovation to the theatre sidewalls and removal of the carpet to make it more acoustically friendly for the onstage vocals, which has always been a major problem since the theatre was originally designed for dance.

“A section of the original continental seating was removed to include two side aisles, which did improve the acoustical response, but still nothing in respect to the sound had been discussed. As we got more involved, bringing the theatre up to code for ADA accessibility requirements, an epaulet in the new area had to be installed. The only place to do so was the area of the existing sound booth. What was small to

begin with, was literally cut in half in overall size. I was able to use that as a pressure to replace the existing analog console, which would’ve been too large for the new space, with the DiGiCo SD8.”

The desk proved to be the right product for the theatre. Not only did it physically meet the requirements for the space, but also could also handle the sound enhancement and reinforcement required by the City Opera and the New York City Ballet, who are the two main constituents of the theatre. “Even though I’m from the old world of the theatre,” Jacob laughed, “I was adamant that we had to go digital.

It was the thing to do, even though I was scared to death of what could happen between layer one and two. But the SD8 has proven that, without difficulty, I could sit down and make sound out of it. And if I can do it, anyone can!”

The primary function of the SD8 is to provide 14 channels or so of orchestral microphones that feed the onstage monitors for the dancers and singers, and another 6-8 area mics depending on the show or the opera, to feed backstage program, listening-impaired system, and various program needs throughout the building. “We are using internal effects in the desk for some reverbs, a lot of the audio delay and EQ functions,” Jacob details, “but some of the other internal effects haven’t gotten a lot of use—not to say that that we’re not going to use them in the future, but we’ve got no absolute requirements for them at this point.”

In addition, the SD8 is used for the stereo direct-to-disc archival recordings of each of the first performances. “The Ballet records on DVD and the Opera records directly to audio,” adds Jacob, “and so we have a simple stereo mix out of the desk to those audio capturing devices. Also, in the renovation, both companies desired to have a complete high definition audio/video capture suite included so they can do their Webcasts, TV broadcasts and archival recording for both DVD and 5.1 audio, so we do a stereo feed back and forth to them, but they’re recording to multichannel audio capture that is totally separate to our usage of the SD8.”

Since its installation last year, the SD8 has proved a great fit for both the theatre and for Autograph. “For us,” says Mead, “it was so important to develop the relationship with DiGiCo, A2D and Abe, and it proved to work out well. We loaned desks for a while, did a few productions and made sure the desk worked well work for them, and then we were there for them when it came time to purchase.”

“I have a great deal of respect and trust in the personnel behind DiGiCo’s manufacturing, and in my lengthy relationship with Autograph’s Lew Mead and Andrew Bruce. With the quality of sound that we were able to achieve previously with the D5T, it seemed that the SD8 would be the natural progression. We’ve had it in operation since last November and it has proven over and over again to be exactly what we wanted. The sound has become a vital part of the theatre; I think it’s now the fourth design element—aside from costume, scenery and lighting—and in some instances, is as important as anything else. It allows producers to do productions with the benefit of a sophisticated sound reinforcement system.”

To wit, the Koch Theatre hosts the New York City Opera with revival of the French comic opera, L’ Étoile du Nord, as well as Puccini’s Madame Butterfly and Handel’s Partenope. At the end of April, the City Ballet begins its spring season with a festival of 7 ballet premieres, 5 of which are world-premieres from the orchestra.

DiGiCo SD7 Helps The Who Perform Quadrophenia In Quadraphonic At TCT Benefit Making life very interesting for both the audience and crew was the fact that the speech and effects from the video sequences that punctuate Quadrophenia were output in quadraphonic, T10s, configured as small line arrays, being used for the rear surround hangs.

“Providing quadraphonic sound in a circular room did provide certain challenges, the lack of corners being one,” smiles Entec technical manager Liam Halpin. “As with all our jobs the audio was fed digitally from the console to the system processors and, for the rear hangs, we used the in-house OB tie lines. It involved a bit of black magic, but it sounded great. It was a fantastic show.”

At the SD7, Paul was mixing the live parts of the show to a standard left/right mix, which was then split to the different zones to ensure every part of this notoriously difficult venue enjoyed excellent audio quality.

For the tenth year of the Teenage Cancer Trust’s Royal Albert Hall concerts, patron Roger Daltrey and a supporting cast of hundreds laid on something very special.

Ten shows, all featuring very high profile artists, which concluded with The Who playing their legendary Quadrophenia album… in quadraphonic.

The March series of shows featured artists as diverse as Noel Gallagher, The Specials, the reformed Suede, JLS, Arctic Monkeys, Lemar, Diana Vickers, comedians Jimmy Carr, Rhod Gilbert, Noel Fielding and a host of support acts. The Who’s performance was a fitting climax, with the band’s Front of House engineer Paul Ramsay manning his preferred DiGiCo SD7 console, while a pair of D5s handled monitors.

With 88 stage inputs, effects returns and feeds for VT and recording, the SD7’s high specification meant that Paul could comfortably accommodate the audio production for Quadrophenia.

Supplied by Entec Light & Sound, the PA was a large d&b system, comprising stereo main hangs of J8 line array, a central cluster of J-SUBs and mono outer hangs of Q1s and B2 subs beneath the stage. The choir stalls were covered by Q7s and Q10s, with more Q10s, Q-SUBs and Q7s taking care of nearfield, and a single C4 flown to cover the extremities of the circle.

In addition, the SD7 was also handling the VT feeds, a straight stereo recording of the show, a submix and a 112 channel multitrack recording, via MADI and two MADI RME cards to a Steinberg Nuendo system.

“The SD7 sounds fantastic and I love the control surface, it’s very easy to use and get around,” says Paul. “The fact that I can do this number of ins and outs, but still have plenty of facilities left for anything else I need to add, is superb.

“The multi-band compressors, the quality of the internal effects, the fantastic backup from DiGiCo, the MADI recording facilities - there’s a whole mass of reasons why I love the console.”

Using the SD7’s internal effects engines for multi-band compression, reverb, harmonising and delays, Paul was very happy with the sound of the show. And, given that The Who hadn’t played live for some time before this show, the console certainly gave Paul a head start.

“We hadn’t done any shows for nearly a year and it was great to go into rehearsals and listen to the Nuendo recordings from the last tour,” he says. “I turned the SD7 on, stuck in my Nuendo show and it reminded me how great the console sounds.

The high end is very clean and crisp, the low and is solid and smooth and the separation between channels is great - as a whole mix it all sounds phenomenal.

“I’ve A/B’d it to pretty much every other console and to me, sonically, it’s the best sounding. I think it sounds absolutely stunning.”

DiGiCo SD8 Adds Colombia To Its Ever Growing Itinerary Festival of Classic Music, held annually in Cartagena, in the north of the country. This was the fourth year that C Vilar had worked on the festival, with Mauricio deploying the console on an outdoor concert by the City of London Symphony Orchestra, where expectations were high but soundcheck time minimal “The audience was approximately 700 strong and every single one of them wanted to hear CD quality sound, despite us having very little soundcheck time,” says Mauricio.

“With a rock band where you have three guys on drums, bass and keyboards, people spend two or more hours soundchecking. With a 60-piece orchestra, we get five or ten minutes if we’re lucky!” he adds, with a rueful grin. 50 inputs from the orchestra microphones, plus an MC, were mixed on the SD8 and output to an Adamson Y10 line array system using XTA processing.

When Colombian rental company C Vilar worked with a DiGiCo SD8 on a tour by Grammy-winning singer Carlos Vives, so impressed were the staff by its performance that it wasn’t long before the company purchased one for its own inventory, adding another country to the console’s world itinerary…

Vives’ Front of House engineer Rob ‘Cubby’ Colby is a keen DiGiCo user and C Vilar proprietor Mauricio Vilar Martinez felt the SD8 would be the ideal product for the company.

“The audio quality, dynamics and frequency response are all excellent and I really like being able to connect the remote snake via MADI,” says Mauricio.

“When it came off the plane from the UK, we started using it right away, without even reading the manual. It worked really well from the start.”

One of the more challenging events the SD8 has already been used on is at the

“The biggest challenge was mixing 50 channels of very sensitive microphones, just one block away from the beach. There was a lot of breeze, which can end up bleeding through the mics,” says Mauricio. “So we had to use a lot of high-pass filtering.”

With the console’s onboard processing also used to good effect with soft compression, graphic EQ for the PA and four different types of reverb, Mauricio was very pleased with the results.

“The SD8 did a great job,” he says. “Its preamp stage is very clean, which means a better signal path and signal to noise ratio, providing a better sound at the output stage.”

Lack of rehearsal and soundcheck time meant that the C Vilar staff mixed the concert on the fly and they also did a straight mix for Colombian television.

“The impression our clients have is that every year it gets better and better. So that makes us happy. We are very pleased with the SD8’s performance,” Mauricio concludes.

DiGiCo SD7 Helps Sound By Design Raise The Corporate Bar

When it comes to corporate events, London doesn’t see many much bigger than the five-day event which was hosted by multi-level selling business Forever Living Products at Wembley Arena in March.

Featuring a mix of live entertainment and presentations that lasted for up to eight hours each day, the company’s annual European Rally required an audio production capable of handling literally anything - and ensuring every delegate heard every nuance.

Provided by Sound By Design, which has been servicing the event for 11 years, the system for this year’s rally consisted of a large Meyer Sound MILO system, with front of house mixing on a DiGiCo SD7 console and EX007 extender wing. A second SD7 took care of things at the monitor position.

“Although the levels and output of the show are quite rock ’n’ roll, it is a corporate audience, so we have to hit the highest standards of corporate requirements within that environment,” says monitor engineer Chris Beddall.

“It varies from parts of the show where it’s fully entertainment driven through to a three hour corporate business meeting on the second day, where everyone at the back of the arena has to hear every word,” adds system tech Dave Shepherd. “You have to keep people listening and attentive for the full three hours, so the speech intelligibility has to be very high.”

The audio production for this year’s event was made up of four main components spoken word, live music, VT feeds and recorded music. Together this required 138 inputs at front of house, making the DiGiCo SD7 the ideal console.

“I had been doing this on D5s for the last three years, but this year the channel count had grown to more than the 112 that the D5 can handle,” says FOH engineer Andy Pennington. “I had 50 channels of Shure radio microphones, handheld mics, lectern mics and several live acts. Playback operator Steve Roberts had about 12 inputs, plus VT feeds, that he had to control. He was using a lot of reverbs on the console, so the extender wing was really useful.”

He continues, “It’s quite a fluid show. Last year I had to use snapshots because of the channel count to get the channels in and out at key times. Timings are very critical and we end up cutting things, adding things, extending things, moving things left, right and centre. Snapshots are great for this kind of show, but with the SD7 this year they weren’t necessary. I had everything on the surface.”

The Meyer system totalled 140 boxes, which included a main PA system comprising 15 MILO per side and two delay hangs of eight MILO each. Monitors comprised 12 MJF-212A wedges, UM and CQ series monitors, plus a number of compact MM-4s, which were mounted in telephone boxes for localised cueing.

“There were a lot of stage entrances and cues coming out of the telephone boxes and it was critical that someone who doesn’t necessarily speak English could hear their name called very clearly,” says Chris.

System networking and management was by Meyer’s Galileo and RMS software.

“Galileo is great, its flexibility and usability on site is fantastic,” Chris continues. “It has full matrixing of inputs and outputs plus level control, not just routing. We had three running that were all networked together, so we could copy and EQ across

them all. With a wireless router, we could walk around the venue and have full access to the PA. It’s the only way to work now.”

With the first two days concentrating on the spoken word, it was essential that, whoever was speaking, crystal clarity was maintained throughout the venue.

“Unsurprisingly, we found that the presenters got quite tired. By the second day they were quite hoarse. Having the dynamic EQ on the SD7 really helped to keep them clean, even when their voices were changing,” says Andy.

Further challenges came in the final two days, where live entertainment was very much the focus. Performances ranged from dance act Flawless, electric string trio String Diva and West End singers, to contemporary Scottish pipers the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and the Grenadier Guards.

“Another great advantage with the FOH system was that two acts came straight on into the show without a soundcheck,” adds Andy. “One of these was the Grenadier Guards, who needed 30 mics that we had to get on as they went on stage, festival style. With the extender, Steve was able to pick up some of the channels and we could dial in much quicker, because he could see anything on my board.”

As well as the Meyer Sound monitors, Chris had 12 sets of Shure PSM700 in-ears to manage. In total he had 44 aux busses set up, around 30 being monitor mixes and another eight reverb sends.

“The output buss count was very high, over 60 by the time you took the stereo auxes into account, plus nine matrixes in use for the integrated comms system, which used 30 wired and 12 wireless units,” he says. “Yet with the SD7 I still had spare outputs and busses - if someone asked for another five mixes, I could generate them.

“I could also get to everything very fast and build mixes very quickly. Although the show is scripted, it could go off script at any time and then literally anything could happen.”

With such an intense and high pressure event, technical support is absolutely critical for the crew. This is another reason why Sound By Design have been happy to maintain long-term relationships with Meyer Sound and DiGiCo. “Roger Harpum, Luke Jenks and the tech guys are always there for us from the Meyer side of things. As a company we’ve been Meyer-based for years and they are always available when we need them,” says Dave.

“Similarly, the support that we’ve had from DiGiCo has been second to none. The SD7 and EX007 have given us the ability to push what we do and make this show better than ever before. They were working behind the scenes to help with the infrastructure and programming of it all and are always available at any time.”

Neal Schon Hits The Road On Solo Journey With DiGiCo SD8

Multi-platinum recording artist and guitarist Neal Schon hit the road this March on a mini-tour before heading to the studio with Journey for the band’s forthcoming release.

The Neal Schon Band made its debut at the 2010 NAMM Show and took to the highway on a brief swing through clubs in and around the West Coast, including a live recording for a future DVD at the historic San Francisco Fillmore Auditorium.

Working primarily with in-house production staff and gear, the crew carried a mic package, cables, stands, stage boxes and a splitter box all owned by Journey.

Additionally, engineer James McCullagh, arranged a DiGiCo SD8 to accompany him at FOH on the tour, after extensive experience mixing on international tours on DiGiCo consoles with Lucinda Williams and others.

Over the course of the 10-day rehearsal in Journey’s Bay Area warehouse, McCullagh set the SD8 up in a separate room outfitted with a set of studio monitors. In that time, he was able to lay out the console for the tour—which comprised 40 inputs excluding doubled channels), plus 8 outputs for Left, Right, Subs, Fills, Smart, Talkback and Record L&R—and to experiment with mic selection and onboard effects/compression.

“I’d been wanting to try this console out in a live setting,” he explains, “and once we got on the road, I found it was perfect for what we needed. Going from a D5/ D1 to the SD8 was a little different, but nothing major. The basic structure for all DiGiCo consoles is the same, so it took me about a day to adjust. Working in small clubs as opposed to larger venues does require a slightly different approach, but in terms of how I use the console, it’s still the same. I still double my snare channel and heavily compress one of them, and I still route the whole kit to a drum bus, heavily compress them and bring that back on a channel. I guess the only difference is I just use less of it in the PA.”

Citing perhaps his favorite feature about the SD8, and DiGiCo consoles in general, is the sound. “I just like the way they sound,” he offers. “And over the years, I’ve mixed on quite a few. This and its small footprint was the fundamental reason I asked for the console… but I’m also big fan of the multi-band compression.” The increased challenge of playing in clubs was lessened considerably with the inclusion of the SD8. “Even though this gig is a simple, straight-up Blues/Rock tour, playing in clubs is always a challenge. But merely having a console with the flexibility of the SD8 helps solve most of these challenges, and the SD8 rocks it so well.”

DiGiCo SD7T Is A Sound Choice For Buehne Baden Theatre

“The fact that you have no external DSP racks, but get double power supplies, double DSPs and double computers inside a console just 1.5 m wide speaks for itself. And on top of all that, it’s very cool!”

Supplied by DiGiCo’s Austrian distributor, TON Eichinger Professional Sound Systems, it was a straightforward matter to configure the console with the Theatre’s existing PA, all speakers being run via the SD7’s on-board matrix.

Located in the Austrian spa town of Baden, the Buehne Baden Theatre hosts a wide array of productions, from plays, operas and musicals to symphony concerts, big bands and rock concerts.

“Never before have we had a delay on every matrix nodal point. Now speaker setup is much quicker, while we can be more creative. Indeed, we have found that we can achieve better sound using less EQ than with our previous analogue desk,” says Joerg. “We even have a session report on-board, which can be emailed or printed.”

Accommodating such a variety of shows is a challenge for the theatre’s sound department, but one which has been significantly eased with the delivery of a DiGiCo SD7T console.

The SD7T’s ease of use meant that it only took a few hours of training from TON Eichinger’s Othmar Eichinger before Joerg and Andreas got straight to work on a show.

A feature of this historic, 1700-seat theatre is its excellent acoustics, so any new Front of House console had to match the purity of sound. The SD7T does just that and, with its significant processing power and ease of use, has brought many other advantages.

“Most functions are self-explanatory and the overview is excellent - perfect labelling and the changing colours of controls make everything easier,” Joerg continues.

“The onboard effects are also very useful for music and theatre work. The reverbs integrate extremely well with any direct signal, allowing us to put sounds in the right perspective and distance.”

“We specified the SD7T for its flexibility and good sound, while the enormously powerful cue list, combined with the aliases, is just what we need for theatre productions and musicals,” says Joerg Humer, one of the theatre’s two chief sound engineers.

“We needed a powerful desk with a small footprint and SD7T proved to be just the right tool,” adds Joerg’s fellow chief sound engineer Andreas Ivancsics. “Compared to other consoles, you get a lot more for your money with the SD7T. In fact, for me no other product offers comparable processing power, channel and auxiliary count.

Andreas adds: “I really like the fact that all the necessary controls are on the surface.

We don’t get lost on parameter pages or deep menu structures. And there are always several ways to complete a task.

“Smaller shows can be easily handled by a single engineer, while on bigger productions one engineer mixes vocals while the other mixes the instruments and effects. This is only possible because of the SD7T’s independent input surfaces, two independent solo busses and the custom fader banks.

“It’s the ideal solution for the huge variety of productions we stage.”

Eagle Brook Church Expands Audio Infrastructure With The Addidtion of Muliple DiGiCo SD8s Minnesota’s Eagle Brook Church is a thriving, dynamic house of worship, growing from 300 people to over 11,000 parishioners in its 60-year history. The church has grown in physical size as well, expanding from one to four locations, with a fifth slotted for the near future.

Because of that growth, the technical infrastructure required a retooling. Last year, Eagle Brook’s primary main campus console, which was handling FOH, monitors and video broadcast production, was replaced with three independent DiGiCo SD8 consoles. Jason Kartak of Audio Logic Systems was the Senior Designer on the project—working in tandem with Eagle Brook’s Director of Technical Arts, Bill Berger.

“As a client, Eagle Brook came to us when they needed to upgrade and get better functionality out of the system for their main campus,” explained Kartak. “This improvement was in conjunction with two other building projects they were doing, and to better improve the video audio which is broadcasted live to their other 2 campuses. I had had previous experience working on an SD8—our production department owns one—and I fell in love with mixing on it. The availability to have dynamic EQ and multiband compression will help them define their mixes and take them to another level. Along with the SD8’s impressive sound FX onboard, its sonic quality and feature set for the cost was outstanding.”

“After doing some research on what our options were, we decided to demo the DiGiCo SD8,” Berger recalled. “Having seen the console in action, I decided that the SD8 would take Eagle Brook into the future. The SD8 has a much warmer sound than our previous console, but perhaps the best feature I appreciate is the ability to link all three consoles together. We used to have a lot of issues with the A-to-D and D-to-A conversion, whether that was for our recording process or in our broadcast suite. Now with a frame (surface) dropped into our master control room, having the ability to access both frames and grab inputs from either makes for a very powerful tool.”

The ability to record via the SD8’s RME PCI Express and MADI Bridge converter has been a great success, as well. “We have done two different types of recordings in the past, a Live Concert and Weekend worship, which I’m sure we will be doing more of and the possibility of a Live DVD, all thanks to the ease of this setup.”

The pairing of the SD8s with d&b audiotechnik’s Q-Series loudspeakers has been noticeable to staff and parishioners alike. “The client is very happy with the desk,” said Kartak. “The overall improvement from FOH, monitors and broadcast was heard, not only at their main campus but also at the satellites, which streams the live sound.”

“Everyone loves it,” Berger added, “and the sound is incredible.”

Once the additional campus location is built with the addition of another SD8, Kartak says that having similar consoles will help keep consistency between the locations, and allow the technicians to bounce between the two largest campuses with ease.

DiGiCo SD8 Recruited For Navy Thank You Show Aboard The USS Stennis Aircraft Carrier “We ended up having to use the wedges primarily because there was so much electronics running on the ship,” explained Steve McNeil of Mambo Sound.

“Running power off the nukes, the ship was in ultra high security mode; there was a lot of scanning going on, which took out the UHF frequency. Because of the console’s MADI connection, we were able to run two co-axial cables up 30’ to the deck to run the wedges… This also made for a very fast breakdown when the show was over as the ship had to be out of port in two hours.”

For Derrick McDonald, Bowling For Soup’s FOH engineer, this was his maiden voyage on a DiGiCo of any kind. With minimal hands-on time prior to the actual concert, McDonald was up and running on the console quickly and with ease.

Perhaps one of the more unusual venues a DiGiCo console has been recruited into was aboard The USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier this past March.

Pop-punk band, Bowling for Soup, were also enlisted by Navy Entertainment to play the ‘thank you’ concert for more than 2500 crew members at the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. Mambo Sound of Long Beach provided the backline including a DiGiCo SD8 for FOH, with a D.A.S. line array PA system supplied by DBS Sound & Lighting of Irwindale.

One of the ship’s plane elevators was dropped to create the stage, which loomed some 30 feet above the pier. All the gear was craned onto the ship with power provided by some of the onboard nuclear power systems, which made for a challenge when it came to powering the band’s wireless electronics and in-ear monitors. Ultimately, they ended up using the D.A.S. wedges, “which rocked!” said Ruben Silva of DBS.

“We flew in late the night before to Los Angeles and then drove 2 hours to San Diego,” McDonald recalled. “After 4 hours of sleep, the crew got up and drove to the massive ship harbored nearby. At FOH, I walked up to the DiGiCo and after staring at it for a couple of minutes and pushing buttons, I felt comfortable enough on it to begin building a mix. This was all before I even talked to Steve McNeil! After helping with the wiring and setup, Steve and I met back at FOH for a crash course on the console. Within no time, I was EQ’ing, applying dynamics, assigning effects, without Steve having to watch over my back or answer endless questions. By far, this console is the warmest-sounding digital console I’ve ever used! It’s completely intuitive, and even in the sun in the middle of the day, I could still see the screen (even though I didn’t need it). This show was a true first for me and I can’t wait until July when we head to Italy to do two more Navy shows in Naples and Sicily… hopefully on a DiGiCo console!”

JSPs Rat Pack of SD8s Proves A Thriller For European Audiences

Based in Stockton-on-Tees, John Saunders Productions ( JSP) has carved a reputation for supplying cutting-edge audio systems to some of the highest-grossing ‘nostalgia’ live productions.

With no less than five DiGiCo SD8 consoles recently added to the company’s inventory, the shows that the company services may be nostalgic in nature, but in reality are very much the real 21st century deal.

Whether it is the Solid Silver 60s Show, Magic of the Musicals, What A Feeling, Glen Campbell, 10cc, Swan Lake on Ice or an array of other shows that have brought the classic music of the 1960s through to the 90s back to three-dimensional life, JSP knows that audiences love to relive their youth – and it is even better if they can relive it with all the advantages of cutting-edge quality.

This is a point highlighted by Variety magazine, which described the West End production of Thriller Live as “…a tribute concert played out with remarkably high production values, including studio-quality live music...”

“In the past, I have made purchasing decisions based on who could offer me the best deal,” admits JSP owner, John Saunders. “But sound designers have very definite ideas about what they want and they tend to stick to that, so it’s hard to compete if you don’t carry the kit they want to work with. It’s all about quality.”

The advent of the DiGiCo SD8 gave John the opportunity to achieve the previously impossible - providing stellar quality and flexibility to shows, but at a price that meant he could invest in no less than five of the groundbreaking consoles, which also means that JSP now has the UK’s largest single SD8 inventory.

Working in tandem with d&b loudspeakers, Sennheiser in-ear monitors and Shure microphones, all shows the company services are guaranteed to sound as good, if not far better, than the originals they are based on.

Running since 2006, Thriller Live provides Michael Jackson’s vast European fan base with an authentic recreation of many of Jackson’s career high points. Its two hours of hit songs and classic dance routines ensure that the demand for tickets is still huge. The show currently is running as two simultaneous productions, one at London’s Lyric Theatre and a European tour.

The latter’s schedule is relentless, with multiple night runs in venues interspersed with one-off shows in others - and a great deal of travelling. Days off are few and far between.

Sound designer Chris Whybrow made the decision to use the SD8 when the previous touring production outgrew its original desk.

“We’d got to the point where we couldn’t expand that console any more,” he says. “It was the SD8’s expandability and the fact that it does so much more than the one I was using before that appealed to me. We can still expand the SD8 if we need to as it’s nowhere near full and, because we were going to be doing a variety of different venues – theatres, arenas, concert halls – that was extremely important.

It has proved the perfect choice.”

Thriller Live features two SD8s, one at FOH and one at monitors. One has also recently been put in to the West End production of The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas.

“I’m using all the snapshots and all the global scope, so each scene can recall a completely different sound if we need it to. And, the new Overdrive software makes it an even more valuable tool,” says Chris. “The onboard effects are great and I’m using AES direct to the amps, which has really improved the sound. The system sounds a lot cleaner and crisper, when compared to the show’s original design.”

The JSP team is also using the RME Madiface to make multitrack recordings during rehearsals and shows, allowing them to use the playback to immediately make any adjustments, if necessary, without the musicians needing to be present.

“We have an ‘electric’ band who are all on Sennheiser in-ears, so when we use the recordings, it’s as if the band really is there because we don’t get any spill from the stage,” says Chris.

Most importantly, the SD8 is a very straightforward console to learn. Chris was using all the advanced facilities very quickly, a great benefit with typically short technical rehearsal times.

“We don’t have a lot of time with the band, so the ability to do multitrack recording allows us to do a hell of a lot more,” he notes.

The tour’s front of house engineer is Robin Conway, who adds, “The SD8 is a great console. The layout of the control surface is excellent and it’s very intuitive to use.

“We’re playing venues that range from around 1700 to 4000 capacity and when we change venues I can get the desk broken down and set up again in literally seconds.

It’s light, so the crew like it, promoters are happy because it’s so compact and the multitrack recording works with just one button push.”

He adds, “I’ve just done the Overdrive software upgrade, which gives me even more processing power. It’s unparalleled value for the money - I want one for myself!”

With the SD8 proving such a success on Thriller Live – which is also about to embark on a tour of Asia, taking in Japan, China and Australia - and The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas, JSP is also looking forward to the benefits the five newly purchased consoles will bring to other productions that the company is involved with.

“The SD8 is a great desk,” concludes John. “It’s working flawlessly with the productions we’re using it on now, bringing previously unavailable flexibility and quality to those shows. In fact, I will probably be purchasing at least one more console to help cover the US tour later in the year and a further two to replace existing consoles, which will mean we should have eight SD8s by the end of the summer. We are very much looking forward to bringing their substantial benefits to other productions in the future.”

The Killers Get Six Of The Best It’s not unknown for the word ‘gruelling’ to be used with regard to tours, but one of the most ambitious feats yet must be The Killers concluding a year of live dates by playing shows on three separate continents in just five days. In order to achieve it, no less than six DiGiCo consoles were required.

After playing many dates across Europe, Australia, the USA and South America throughout 2009, The Killers finished the tour by playing shows in South Africa on December 6th, the United Arab Emirates on the 8th and the USA on the 11th. This was a huge logistical exercise and meant no less than three separate audio rigs were required for the shows.

Capital Sound Hire provides the band’s sound equipment in the UK, Europe and Africa, while Delicate provides systems for them in the Americas and Australia.

With the main (‘A’) touring system, provided by Capital, being used for shows in Johannesburg on 3rd / 4th December and then the final Cape Town gig, logistics meant that the company had to provide an identical ‘B’ system for the UAE show in Abu Dhabi.

Freighting either system to the far side of the planet and having it ready for action in a couple of days was an impossibility, the rig that Delicate had provided for The Killers’ South American tour was used as a third, ‘C’, rig for the US show in San Francisco.

With Front of House engineer James Gebhard using a DiGiCo SD7 console and monitor man Harm Schopman a D5, this meant that six DiGiCo mixing desks were involved.

“There’s a lot going on with The Killers. People think of them as a straightforward rock band, but there are something like 90 inputs,” says Capital Sound project manager Paul Timmins. “There are two or three different guitar amps for each of the guys, so James takes separate inputs for pretty well everything.”

Both the SD7 and D5 at each show ran with two fully loaded stage racks. Capital ran two of the company’s 48 way splitters, which effectively covered the required channel count. In the early stages, James was carrying some outboard equipment, but for the latter part of the tour both he and Harm were using the consoles onboard processing almost exclusively.

Using three different systems for the three shows could have been very difficult for the band’s technical crew. But having formed a very close working relationship with Capital Sound, it all went very smoothly.

“The band and crew have always been precise in the way that they want everything packaged, to enable them to carry everything for festival shows - the majority of which they’ve been headlining for the last two years,” says Paul. “Their schedule has always been gruesome, to the point that they don’t get to some venues until early evening - so the packaging has been crucial in allowing them to fit their gear in whilst other acts have been going on. And with no sound check...

“We’ve been working with them long enough that we’re at a point that we can create what they need without any of their guys coming in. They send us a file of information and that’s good enough to build it right the way through. We shared that information with Delicate and, without any equipment moving from one company to the other, they duplicated the package.”

“The A and B systems were air freighted out to South Africa and Abu Dhabi respectively, without any prep from the touring Killers crew, and both systems worked perfectly,” says Harm. “And Delicate’s C system had been prepped by me and BJ before start of the US tour in October.”

As well as the DiGiCo consoles, the touring packages featured d&b M2 monitor wedges, Sennheiser in-ear systems, wireless tablets for PA tuning and ASL communications packs, whilst the main PA was supplied locally. With Capital system tech BJ Hemmingsen and Delicate tech Fumi Okazaki on the case, the transition between systems at the Cape Town, Abu Dhabi and San Francisco shows was completely seamless.

“The Abu Dhabi show began within two or three hours of the band turning up.

We were obviously a bit nervous, so to get the mails coming back saying ‘It all went fantastically well, thank you’ was very good,” says Paul. “Delicate also did a fantastic job and everyone was happy. We have a very good all-round relationship with them.”

DiGiCo SD8 Mixing Console Is The Perfect Match For Austrian Parliament Screening Award-winning Austrian film Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon) proved such a major hit at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival that Michael Haneke, the film’s director, was invited to give a special showing by no less than the country’s parliamentary president, Barbara Prammer.

And with a DiGiCo SD8 console, supplied by DiGiCo’s local distributor Ton Eichinger, ensuring that the cinematic sound was as good as possible for the assembled politicians and other VIPs, the one-off screening was a complete success.

Having won Cannes most prestigious prize, the Palme d’Or, along with a special mention by the Ecumenical Jury, then the FIPRESCI Grand Prix at the San Sebastian Film Festival and Film of the Year 2009 at the Sinema Greece Festival, Das Weisse Band has put Austrian film-making firmly on the map. In recognition of this, the Austrian parliamentary president requested a one-off showing of the film in a unique setting - the historic plenum of the Austrian Parliament building - to an audience of 700 VIPs. Such a unique occasion demanded the best for all concerned, so the original digital cinema version was to be shown, with projectors located in sound-proof enclosures. Maximising the audio experience, special platforms were erected to allow optimal placement of the surround sound system within the historical venue.

The DiGiCo SD8 was synchronised to the digital cinema server, with six audio channels sent from the server via MADI. The console’s integral matrix was utilised for aligning the system to digital cinema standards, so outboard processing could be dispensed with.

The event also included a number of speeches, which utilised two radio mics plus a spare connected to the SD8’s built-in I/O, which meant that not even an external DiGiRack was needed. The console’s superior sound quality and ease of use meant that sound designer Othmar Eichinger and the film’s director Michael Haneke quickly and easily achieved the audio excellence they needed for such a high-profile screening. “When a country’s president requests a screening, you know you have to deliver the very best,” says Othmar. “Das Weisse Band has been a cultural highlight for Austria and we all are very happy that the SD8 could help provide the ultimate in audio quality for such a special event.”

SIRIUS Showequipment Generates PURe Sound With Two DiGiCo SD7s

German band PUR’s new album Wünsche (Wishes) was released in September and gave its name to their November/December arena tour.

PUR front man, Hartmut Engler, and his band performed their latest songs, as well as old favourites such as Abenteuerland, Funkelperlenaugen und Irgendwo in dieser Welt, in 12 large venues, with capacities ranging from 10,000 to 20,000. SIRIUS Showequipment, based in Niederdorfelden near Frankfurt, was the technical event service partner for rigging, sound and lighting, with PA and system engineer Frank Müller responsible for local project management. Patrick Eckerlin and Dirk Happel used DiGiCo SD7 consoles to provide the perfect mix for both front of house and monitors.

For more than 25 years, PUR have been well known for their live performances and place complete trust in the comprehensive planning and production service that SIRIUS provides for their tours. For the Wünsche tour, PA and system engineers Frank Müller and Klaus ‘Bob’ Bolender worked with the stage designers’ ultramodern concept, positioning the system to the right and left of the rigging to ensure wide coverage without impeding audience site lines. Müller developed the audio design for the tour alongside Happel and Eckerlin, the latter having worked with the SD7 since the console’s launch.

“The SD7 was the linchpin for everything and was an essential component for PUR’s system,” says Eckerlin. ”Dirk and I used two stage racks with 56 inputs each, with all relevant inputs for the band patched on the first stage rack. We recorded every show with Concert Online, which was the reason I sent a MADI stream of all the important ‘hand-made’ stage signals and all dry and effect sum signals from my SD7 to an outside broadcast vehicle. The live recording that was made was immediately available for sale to PUR’s fans on a USB stick at the end of the show.

“Additional channels such as clicks, talkback, remote replay to the pyro technics, etc, were patched on the second stage rack. I connected further remote re-players like my Mac, cd player or AV by cable directly to the internal inputs and outputs of the SD7. In total, I could handle approximately 80 input channels.”

Dirk Happel adds: “DiGiCo´s decision to use MADI is brilliant. There is a lot of hardware, which works as standard, and intercom systems can be included easily.“ “For PUR, I have applied the E-guitars and the backing vocals twice to give more depth to the sound,” Eckerlin continues. “As a result, I had nine backing vocal channels instead of just three! These were built in a panorama to a very wide stereo figure. I used the fourfold to apply guitar channels for the solo parts and could slightly retard the double patched channels with the input delay. For some channels, such as guitars, bass and organ, I provided tube simulation, which isn’t a standard option on the majority of digital consoles.

“Internally, I use 12 of the SD7’s internal effects, which I augmented with four Lexicon 960Ls. I digitally integrated the last one with an AES/EBU interface into the console. As PUR performs arrangements that have a lot of delays in miscellaneous piano parts, I could program all these effects with my SD7 and send them over the internal communication system.”

“I used Patrick´s current delays for the musicians’ in ears, so that the artists on stage could play with the programmed effects,” says Happel. “An option, which vastly improved the gain structure for keyboard player and composer Ingo Reidl, because he could also enjoy the luxury of hearing the delays on stage.“ “My SD7 had approximately 110 input channels in total. The functions “assign” and “unassign” fader are features for the management and arrangement of so many channels that I couldn’t do without them now. They are one of my favourite features,“ Patrick smiles.

From a monitoring perspective, Dirk Happel finds that mixing on the SD7 is easy because of the intuitive program operation: “You can place all channels on the user interface exactly where you need them for the work-flow, it does not matter which ones – inputs, outputs, effects, DCA. Once installed, channels stay the same, even if they are removed from the worksurface, which is simply fantastic. A further plus factor is the extraordinary sound of the console. Inevitably, one can´t help but compare to another English manufacturer…

“For me, the multiband compressors are an important characteristic of the SD7, as are the dynamic EQs and the tube simulation in every channel, IN and OUT. Together with 31 bands of EQ, they obviate the need for external equipment. I like the option to build so-called macros. You can activate or change every function of the console, or every combination of functions, with a simple key-press. A very helpful feature for monitoring is the option to put the input ports on the master fader. They remain in the channel level, even when you switch the rest of the console into an AUX level. The practical advantage of this is that I can provide atmosphere-microphones in mixes without calling these mixes, or without necessarily changing the channel level.”

Dirk Happel was in control of the system’s Gain Tracking, with the FOH and monitor consoles connected via a fibre optic loop. Patrick Eckerlin´s SD7 was linked to a mini rack for local play via MADI, which he used to run six outputs for the sound matrix and to provide diverse inputs and outputs for any kind of sums: mono- and stereo sums for EB and TV teams; recording sums for the video department; mono sums for listen to wiretap special final inspections; for example lighting; pyro technics, etc. The mini rack also contained eight channels of AES/EBU for the Lexicon 960L. Eckerlin sent a signal over a defined AUX channel as a further ‘special’ to the LED team, who used this input as a trigger signal for the LED stage floor to ensure that the graphics on the floor corresponded exactly to a bass drum or the single snare beat.

Frank Müller, SIRIUS project manager, is already planning the PUR’s next project.

“The band will tour again in summer 2010, topping off their ‘Wishes’ year by playing in locations of different sizes and in locations that PUR hasn’t been to for a long time. The tour will end with a performance in Schalke Stadium on 4th September where the band is planning an exciting update to their legendary PUR & Friends show.”

“We are already working on the technical details of the rigging, lighting and sound equipment for the open air events that are scheduled and we will once again be relying on the all round excellence of the DiGiCo SD7.”

Trans Siberian Orchestra’s Musical Alchemy Blossoms Sonically On Stage With DiGiCo As one of the top-grossing tours in 2009, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra fuse elements of progressive rock, symphonic heavy metal, and classical music into a unique blend, and are known for their dazzling live performances, complete with full light show and synchronized pyrotechnics.

In 2000, TSO created two separate touring groups - TSO East and TSO West - to allow the band to cover more ground, and they’ve maintained that format ever since. Last year, as the band was clearly maxing out their monitor board, the conversation got the ball rolling to implement DiGiCo SD7s for both touring outfits. They previously toured with D5’s on monitors and the change to SD7s gave the production what they needed. It quickly became an integral part of TSO’s live sound.

“I prompted the discussion early on last year for the SD7 primarily because the biggest handicap for us was the amount of outputs our show was using… we were running out of outputs,” recalled monitor engineer Antonio Luna, who has toured with TSO East for over 7 years, and previously with KISS and Aerosmith.

“We needed a console that was flexible to our growing needs, especially for in-ear monitors. Because of our familiarity with the D5 at monitors with TSO, and my past experience with using DiGiCo on other tours, it was a no-brainer. Production, management and Clair Global were all on board and a part of the decision to get the SD7s. The quality of audio is outstanding, and it’s an evolutionary step up from the D5. Now we have a platform that is able to expand as we expand, and DiGiCo is an important part of our sound.”

The monitor rigs for East and West are somewhat identical. Both implement the SD7s and similar in-ear set-ups, although TSO West, under the production guidance of engineer Chris Hoffman, has more RF than East. For TSO East, Luna manages 60 inputs and 48 outputs - including 16 in-ear mixes, 9 outs for wedges/subs, myriad FX - for TSO’s live production, (which includes electronic drum kit with mic’d cymbals), 2 guitarists, a bassist, 2 keyboard positions, a lead violinist, a narrator, a 9-piece choir, an 8-piece orchestra and 6 lead singers. His rig is comprised of 14 Sennheiser IEM G3 and 2 IEM G2 wireless monitor systems, 12 Crown Macro-Tech 36x12 amps, 16 Firehouse F15 monitors, 4 EV 118 subs and a Clair iO processor.

Once implemented, Luna found that the DiGiCo’s biggest advantage was its

workflow and ease of use in managing the hefty number of monitor mixes required by the band live. “When you’ve got 24 people on stage and 16 stereo in-ear mixes, you better be able to get stuff done quickly. I had my show programmed into 32 snapshots in a little under 2 days time for a 2-1/2-hour show. I was amazed that it went that quickly. Affecting change is quick and easy on the SD7, and I rely on it heavily. It has a finished quality that is important in keeping my workflow quick and easy, and makes the artist happy.”

Additionally, the overabundance of onboard features the SD7 offered was also a big advantage, and he cited the tube emulation among his favorite tools. “I love it! The saturation sounds good in the ears and really makes the vocals stick, if you know what I mean. It sounds great on everything. I’m even using it on the FX returns…

Literally, I have it on everything. The dynamic compression has been a big thing for me as well. I love being able to affect a certain bandwidth instead of the whole source. It’s really tightened things up on the IEM outputs. The 50 available Macros are a feature we have been using to turn on or off certain console functions like fader assigns channel or performing the save function on a macro key. The way the talkback section works is awesome for a monitor guy. Any console input can be injected into either solo bus, which makes communicating with the band while handling multiple IEM mixes a breeze.”

Perhaps most critical to any touring engineer is the end-user support from a manufacturer for when the inevitable technical questions that arise. Luna says the few times he’s had to reach out, DiGiCo’s technical support was exemplary. “Our desk has been operating flawlessly, but whenever we’ve had a question about something in particular, DiGiCo was there. Their support for this tour has been stellar and they have a great team of guys. A big thanks to TSO Tour Director Elliot Saltzman, Clair Global’s Todd Johnson, and Group One/DiGiCo’s Matt Larson for making it all happen.”

DiGiCo Hits The Road With Dubology

A new mobile facility is now available in Australia that has put the benefits of DiGiCo digital recording and ease of use into an extremely compact, mobile package.

Sydney-based Dubology Studios has recently unveiled the DubMobile, a mobile facility featuring a 128 channel DiGiCo DS-00 digital console with two EX-00 fader expansion modules, DiGiRack and MiNi-DiGiRack, with up to 288 tracks of multitrack recording on to ProTools HD, Steinberg Nuendo and MOTU Digital Performer.

Developed in conjunction with Sony Australia, Dubology owner Ivan Ordenes has created a comprehensive facility in a vehicle measuring just 5.8m long by 2.8m high, making it suitable to work in the most restricted of spaces.

With 15 years experience of touring the world and studio recording, working with bands including Metallica and Oasis, and currently mixing the broadcast or monitor mix for high profile guests on the daily live morning shows for the Australian Seven television network, Ivan knows exactly what makes the ideal console for broadcast, stage and studio work. “The DubMobile was the culmination of a long term plan to create a multi-purpose mobile control room and recording rig,” he says. “We chose the DS-00 for its power and performance to handle complicated audio situations.

“Another advantage is that DiGiCo consoles have a very straightforward user interface. We have taken engineers who have never used DiGiCo before, given them a five minute user course and from there they have gone straight on air or to sound check.”

He concludes, “DiGiCo also has fantastic technical support in Australia. They respond to any queries or emergencies in the minimum time. We are really happy with the DS-00 and any future expansion or upgrade will definitely be with a DiGiCo desk.”

Thievery Corporation Break Musical Boundries With DiGiCo

A defining element of Thievery Corporation’s sound has always been the broad stylistic and cultural musical blend as evidenced on its recordings, including 2008’s “Radio Retaliation.”

Blending elements of dub, acid jazz, reggae, Indian classical, Middle Eastern, and Brazilian elements with a lounge aesthetic, the Washington, D.C.-based duo comprising core members, Rob Garza and Eric Hilton—are joined by a host of supporting artists on stage and in the studio. Particularly known for their dazzling live shows, playing sold out venues and festivals worldwide, the band is as meticulous with their sound as they are with their productions which is why monitor engineer Gavin Pearce began seeking out a new audio solution when he signed on last year.

Previous experience working with DiGiCo consoles while on staff at the acclaimed Wolf Trap venue, on tour with 3 Mo’ Tenors, and mixing FOH on D5s and D1s with James Brown until his untimely death led him to a DiGiCo SD8.

“My friend Philippe Arseneault works for DiGiCo’s Canadian distributor, Gerr Audio, covering the Montreal area, and we met up while we were playing at the Metropolis concert hall last year,” Pearce explained. “We talked for a while about the SD8 and he left me with a brochure, but as we only had three dates before heading back to the U.S., it wasn’t practical at that point to even consider switching to anything new. When we got back, he helped me get in touch with the U.S. rep to arrange an SD8 for monitors, which I’ve been using ever since. Also, when we came through Metropolis this year, Philippe brought us out an additional SD8 at a moment’s notice for our FOH guy, Chris Garrett, who had spec’d another digital console (that will remain nameless), but that we had issues with. Within an hour, we had unpacked our 100-meter BNC digital snake runs and patched another control surface in at FOH. I loaded my file from monitors and we were up and running pretty quickly after that. Philippe and our FOH guy Chris Garrett tweaked and turned until my monitor file was a proper FOH mix. We were really happy with how that day turned out, and needless to say, we have a new console at the top of our rider now!”

Pearce says the SD8’s feature set, including tape delay, macros, the graphic EQ preset library, RME MADIFace input for multitracking, and the ability to gang EQs is mighty beneficial, but hands-down, it’s the console’s sonic quality that sets it apart from the competition. “Taidus [Vallandi] and Matt [Larson] [from DiGiCo’s US distributor, Group One] started to explain the whole floating point versus fixed point processor to me, and although I’m still a little confused of how they do it, I can hear a difference and that is all that matters for an engineer. Years ago, when I first mixed on a DiGiCo D5, I decided that DiGiCo was to digital what another British company was to analog. The first guy that I ever heard use one was Hugh Johnson at Wolf Trap, who was Vince Gill’s FOH guy for at least 20 years and I think is still with him. Hugh is a damn good mixer and I was in a position to hear lots of big name guys when I worked there. His was one of the only mixes that season that I would not have changed a single thing on. I’m always amazed at what people will settle for sound quality-wise.

“I believe that same season Mark Knopfler came through and his FOH guy also Clapton’s guy mixed one hell of a show and I think he was also using a D5. It seems like guys who had really musical mixes, that had life and depth and soul, were using DiGiCo’s. There are others that have been and still are great tools, but the sound of the DiGiCo is in a different class. It just sounds better; there’s no comparison to anything else out there. Without talking trash, it’s what I’d prefer to be mixing on,

for size, features and sound quality. There’s no other board that touches it.”

Typically when Thievery Corporation tours, Pearce is managing approximately 40 inputs for instruments, percussion, horns, vocals, audience mics and reverb/delay; and around 20 outputs for miscellaneous feeds and in-ear monitors. “My job is to make the band happy, and although we do not carry any wedges at this time, we do have 11 speaker mixes on stage, plus 6-8 vocalists, that are different at every show. Bringing this console out has definitely set the bar higher now. It gives me a benchmark to start from, and with the quality of the sound going in and out of the console; it’s a much better place for me to start from. The band was happier this last run than any other time in the last year. I’m just glad that the shows keep getting better. It’s nice to see the comfort level high and the band being happy and playing off each other. That’s one thing I want to stress: Thievery is very much a live band!

Our posters are still just of the two original guys, but it has come so far, morphing into this organic being, which I think is pretty cool for a band that has firm roots in electronica.”

Along with Gianmaria Conti, who is the band’s deck audio guy and also works in the Thievery studio, the band records and archives the show nightly using the RME MADIFace feature with a companion laptop.

Another significant boon for Pearce has been DiGiCo’s unwavering technical (and emotional) support. “Philippe Arsenault at Gerr Audio, Jack Kelly, Matt Larson and Taidus Vallandi at Group One, and Tom Heinisch and the guys at SK Systems, have all been stellar! I did my first day cold with about an hour-and-a-half to go from tipping the console to soundcheck and started with a blank slate. Matt spent about an hour getting it all tightened up with me and then I called Taidus with a boneheaded question later in the day. I had never started from scratch before; I had always had my show saved or someone to help. But I just dove in and it all worked out. The ability to mix a show and walk away at the end with the files saved on a USB stick is a feature that I hope more engineers can experience.”

Down the road, Pearce says he’s looking forward to having an even smaller footprint with the new SD8-24 because square footage on a stage with Thievery Corporation can be very tight some nights. Gavin states “They’ll kick off the 2010 run with dual SD8s for FOH/Mons for the upcoming five-night run in late January at the famous 9:30 Club in Washington, DC”.

DiGiCo And Apex Acoustics Party On The Pillars When the High School of Dundee marked the 175th anniversary of its iconic building, a major showcase of the school’s talent was the only appropriate way to celebrate.

Playing an integral part in the events was local sound specialist Apex Acoustics, complete with its DiGiCo D1 Live console.

The High School of Dundee is one of Scotland’s leading independent schools and is among the oldest in the United Kingdom. The impressive Doric main building has been a local landmark since1834, when it was constructed to accommodate three schools; the Dundee Grammar School, the English School, and Dundee Academy.

To celebrate the anniversary, the school organised Party On The Pillars - a major outdoor concert held in front of the building’s famous pillared main entrance, featuring the talents of both staff and pupils and enjoyed by an audience of over 2000. The celebrations culminated in a spectacular fireworks display.

With a wide range of entertainment being staged, including rock bands, pipe bands, choirs and dance acts. Apex Acoustics met the challenge head on by supplying a major live rig, including the 56 channel DiGiCo D1 Live.

“We have been involved with the school since 1988, providing sound equipment for many events including Remembrance Day, royal visits, sports days and annual theatre productions,” says Apex’s Paul Smith.

“We took the precaution of housing the console and main mix position in one of our vans, which paid off as - typically - it poured with rain for most of the event, but we had absolutely no problems with the equipment!”

Inputs came from a range of direct inputs and instrument microphones, whilst outputs from the console - manned by Matthew Ferrie of Apex who mixed the entire event - went to a large Meyer front of house system.

“It was a fairly standard mix set-up, but we did save snapshots of all the different acts during the afternoon rehearsals,” says Paul.

“For the show, Matthew was able to recall the snapshots for each performance and it worked a treat. It was an incredibly efficient way of doing a one-day event. All we need next time are some heaters for the van!”

Columbia College Chicago Installs DiGiCo SD8 System In Main Lab With more than 120 academic programs and nearly 12,500 students, Columbia College Chicago is the largest and most diverse private arts and media college in the nation.

The school’s Director of the Live Sound Program and Associate Professor in the Department of Audio Arts & Acoustics, Jack Alexander—a veteran audio industry professional—had been exploring options to swap out an existing analog console in the school’s main lab/classroom to a digital system. An analog diehard, he was unmoved to pull the trigger on a digital console until the release of DiGiCo’s SD8.

Once installed, Alexander found that the SD8’s sound quality, the infinite processing, the “Overdrive” software update functionality, and the price point, were designed “with engineers in mind, rather than computer geeks… making it more intuitive, in use, than the competition.”

“It is no secret that I have had reservations about digital consoles from the beginning,” he states, “ principally the issues of sound quality and the clunky, excessively layered interfaces featured in first and second generation digital desks.

I was at the launch of the original DiGiCo D5 at AES in 2004 and was blown away at the sound and accessibility. It was out of our price range, which left certain other options more financially approachable, but compromised with the two problems noted above. The SD8 provided the known DiGiCo advantages at a price that fit our budget—and it’s still the real deal.”

Alexander says other key personnel, including Audio Arts and Acoustics Chairman, Dr. Pantelis Vassilakis and Operations Manager, Ron Elling, were instrumental in the decision, along with DiGiCo’s Matt Larson. “They did the heavy lifting on the deal and were its enablers. I got everyone talking and they took it from there.”

The SD8 rests on an EZ-tilt sited on a riser in room LL11, a 1400 sq.ft. lab/ classroom located in the lower level of one of the CCC’s campus buildings.

The classroom features a state of the art, high output 7.3 multichannel live/ playback system, multiple 100” projection screens, and a large collection of sound reinforcement paraphernalia, including analog and digital processors and loudspeaker management (the speakers are controlled via a network of nine XTA units), as well as a fully stocked microphone cabinet.

During the same class period, the curriculum might jump from mixing a live band with 20+ inputs, to playback of a concert Blu-ray disc in 7.3, followed by an SACD rendered in two-channel analog.

“Live bands are hitting the control surface through mics/DI’s and Red Book CD/ SACD/hard drive-sourced music files/Blu-ray/standard DVD are all used at various times for classes. The SD8’s stage box greatly simplifies these adjustments, but it is

the number of ins and outs provided in the SD8 and the storage and recall capability of the desk that have changed the world for us,” Alexander says. “Outputs are used in various configurations, from mono up through 7.3, and we also use the desk for stage monitor classes. The flexibility of the output busses is a major feature for us.

At first, I viewed the 1/3-octave equalizers provided in the software package as hardly more than toys. They are now the only 1/3-rds I use in class and our Klark Tekniks have been relegated to storage—which do not compare in sound quality or headroom and are not part of the integrated software/hardware package the SD8 provides. The integration and data storage options are a major improvement over our previous analog situation. The layout, unlike some of the SD8’s competition, enables rather than impedes the work of the operator.”

“Along with everything previously noted,” Alexander continues, “the big Kahuna, as they say, is the fact that we can grab the video output of the touch screen and put it up real-time on projection. In the past, we’ve had people huddled around consoles or 1/3rds, trying to make associations between what they were seeing (barely) and what was happening aurally with the sound system. Now as many as 60 students can watch the adjustments real-time as they happen. This is an enormous change that wasn’t even factored into the purchase decision. I would encourage any institution involved in the teaching of audio to consider this enormous advantage when making console purchase decisions.”

Needless to say, the analog-diehard is now unabashedly a digital convert, thanks to his “DiGiCo conversion”. “ As an analog Midas guy, I view(ed) anything else as thin in comparison, including that company’s digital offerings,” he confesses. “I have adapted to the new sound, and now view the ‘thickness’ one so loved about those desks as a form of (musical) distortion. Having heard the original D5 at its launch, there was never any doubt that this company was at the cutting edge of ‘new’ sound quality. For me it was just a question of DiGiCo doing a desk that regular folks could afford.”

DiGiCo SD8 The Best Decision We Could Have Made Say Concept Solutions Recently the company needed to expand its mixing console inventory and, requiring

Vienna-based Concept Solutions is a major system provider in the Austrian market, servicing everything from small to large live music events, club gigs and corporate functions.

Recently the company needed to expand its mixing console inventory and, requiring the ideal combination of versatility, high quality and cost-effectiveness, chose the DiGiCo SD8.

“I had heard a lot about the great sound of DiGiCo consoles, so I decided to try them out,” says Raphael Rupprecht, Concept Solutions technical director. “I tried the D1 and was amazed at the quality of the preamps, the EQs and the dynamics.

Even my reference CDs sounded better over the PA when routed via the D1 - I could hear details I had never heard before.”

The next DiGiCo console Raphael tried was the SD8, and this immediately became the ‘gold standard’ for Concept Solutions.

And the company hasn’t stopped there. It has already upgraded the MaDiRack with LK37 connectors for Linkcore use, integrated colour coded patch cables, an additional patchbay and two AES/EBU output cards, to drive all of its d&b D12 amplifiers digitally.

“I contacted local distributor TON Eichinger and got an SD8 for evaluation. We tested the desk in all kinds of situations and the performance convinced us to become the first rental-company in Austria to offer the SD8. It turned out to be the best decision we could have made!” Raphael continues.

“We maintain the whole dynamic range the SD8 offers. Our signal chain from desk to power amps is completely digital, using a lightweight MADI multicore,” Raphael notes.

“What impressed us even more was the Overdrive upgrade we received after purchase, adding dynamic EQs, multiband compressors, 24 graphic EQs, more FX and a bigger Matrix. You really won’t find anything similar at the price.”

“We also use the remote software on a tablet PC via WLAN to set up and equalize the PA system components. And with a MADI card in a laptop I am able to improve the workflow and the sound. DiGiCo has made the virtual soundcheck perfect. It’s just one button press to listen back to the recordings. So easy to use!”

Just two months after purchasing the SD8, the company had already used it on 20 events with 10 different freelance engineers.

“They were all extremely happy with it,” says Raphael. “They all had just 10 minutes introduction to the world of the SD8 and mixed their bands with no problems whatsoever.”

The SD8 has, Raphael concludes, given Concept Solutions business a genuine boost.

Indeed, such has been its impact that the company is already thinking about their next DiGiCo purchase.

The Sun Always Shines on DiGiCo

“I

Promoting Foot Of The Mountain - their first album in four years - Norwegian pop superstars A-Ha have spent the autumn touring venues throughout Europe and Japan with a DiGiCo SD7 at Front of House and an SD8 on monitors.

Manning the SD7 was vastly experienced FOH engineer Sherif El Barbari, reacquainting himself with the console he first used 18 months ago when manning the faders for South African singer Howard Carpendale.

“For me, using either a DiGiCo D5 or SD7 feels like meeting up with an old friend,” says Sherif. “Given the flexibility and the sonic quality of both consoles, it is a ‘comfort factor’ that definitely makes life much easier.

“I specified the SD7 for this tour because of that and for the complete confidence it instils that I can deliver a great show time after time.”

As well as the three members of the band itself, A-Ha was touring with three extra musicians, so Sherif had the SD7 set up with 84 mix channels, 12 stereo groups, 12 mono groups, 12 stereo aux sends, 12 mono aux sends, 16 matrix inputs, 12 matrix outputs and 24 control groups.

“It wasn’t strictly necessary to use all of that, but with the SD7 you can really go large without having to worry about compromising on the DSP,” he says.

“Having it set up like that meant that I was prepared to do all sorts of things which might occur as the tour progressed.”

He continues, ”I was using the dynamic EQ on backing vocals to deal with proximity effect, which allowed me to have a good response when they were not ‘swallowing’ the mic. But when really close up to the capsule, the dynamic EQ really cleaned up the massive boost in low and low-mids.

was also using multiband compression on the synth bass to keep the rumble in problematic rooms under control.”

Sherif was taking advantage of the SD7’s virtual soundcheck capability, recording via an RME Madiface on to Steinberg Nuendo, using a Macbook Pro and an external Avastor Firewire hard drive.

“Basically this is my setup for virtual soundcheck but, a little way into the tour, the band asked me to record every show for a video shoot in Oslo and they thought it would be handy if they have some tracks spare,” he says.

Sadly for fans, the Foot Of The Mountain tour marked A-Ha’s penultimate series of live shows. A 2010 farewell tour is planned - climaxing in their home city of Oslo in a year’s time - before the band calls time on its 25-year career.

And for any fans unable to get to that final tour, use of the SD7 on this year’s tour ensured that the sun will always shine on their memories of A-Ha on stage.

Ordway Gets A Digital Audio Facelift With DiGiCo

Minnesota’s leading arts facility, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, is home to a wide variety of performances, encompassing the finest in American musical theatre, world music, dance, jazz, opera, orchestral music and vocal artists.

In addition to its in-house productions, Ordway also hosts theatrical road shows, and have three major arts partners, the Schubert Club, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Minnesota Opera. In 2006, the Ordway was awarded a $7.5-million in bonding funds from the state of Minnesota, of which they began a multi-tiered renovation process that included a major overhaul of its performance audio and video systems in the 1,900-seat main hall, theatrical lighting system, rigging, stage floor and lobby event space, as well as security and HVAC systems.

Anthony Nittoli and Sam Brandt of Akustiks, LLC provided AV systems design services for the project, including room acoustics, sound isolation and noise control consultation during the renovation project for any issues impacting the acoustics of the space. The upgrades to the performance AV systems were handled by Project Manager Steve Parrott, Project Engineer Brendan Dillon, and Site Supervisor Jon Wehr of Cleveland’s SoundCom Systems, and consisted of a new Meyer PA system plus a Clear-Com digital communication system, new infrastructure to support a DiGiCo CS-D5 console at FOH, as well as a new broadcast booth complete with voice-over room to house a DiGiCo DS-00 plus expander, that also included complete Dynamic Automation for use in post-production mixing.

“Part of the grant’s purpose was a multi-faceted overhaul of sound and lighting,” explained Production Manager, Randy Ingram, who was hired a year ago when the program was already in process, “but the overhaul also included renovation of our broadcast booth, replacing all of the equipment there because the arts partners in particular are normally broadcast over Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), which is also based in downtown St. Paul. Additionally, we updated our HVAC system to not only make us more efficient, but more green and compliant, and to better enable us to control the a/c, heat and humidity throughout the building. Anthony Nittoli of Akustiks was key to the acoustic improvements of the room, and the guiding light of the upgrade—certainly to the sound system.”

“We started the design process in early 2008 and needed to be completed and bid before summer ’08,” explained Nittoli. “We provided construction administration services and commissioned and tuned the systems in September through October 2009. The contractors involved all did an incredible job of meeting an extremely ambitious work schedule in installing all of the systems over the summer break in schedule and had everything up and running for the first performance. The overall time allowed for the renovation project work was approximately 8 weeks. It has been a long time since we had a project go so smoothly with such a clean install.”

Long-time Head Sound Engineer Wendell Bell was thrilled with the upgrades. By moving to an all-digital setup—from the Midas Heritage 3000 FOH to the DiGiCo CS-D5—has not only increased his input/output routing capabilities and networking capabilities between the consoles, but also streamlined the setup & changeover process overall.

“This digital upgrade has vastly improved our situation here,” Bell recalled. “For starters, we now have twice the input capabilities and twice the output routing capabilities with room to grow by adding additional I/O boxes. The old analog was a great console but it was limited in its capacity. With the DiGiCo console—which I’d been familiar with seeing it in action on various productions in and out of the theatre—our setup time is greatly reduced having a system in place that doesn’t need to be tugged in and out. We don’t have to patch everything to the back of

the console and we don’t have the whole rigmarole of using external outboard processing gear… that’s minimized to pretty much nothing. And the space-savings go without saying. The CS-D5 is a complete and compact package that allows us to offer a total sound system to handle the needs of the client—which can cover everything from a mic on a stick, up to a 100-plus input setups.”

Another added advantage of the DiGiCo was having the ability to create and program templates for the theatre’s annual repeat productions. “As a performing arts theatre, we have various shows that come in and out regularly. I really like the fact that years from now I’ll have all of my show templates programmed and I can just simply load a show file and recall them without the timely configuration and setup of an analog desk, assigning groups, dialing up faders and knobs…it is timesaving in that capacity to no end because the setup & routing is already there.”

The CS-D5 has interfaced effortlessly with the Meyer PA, says Bell. “We have all the outputs routed through matrixes and groups for the multiple zones that we need to cover—a dozen or more locations that include left/right, center cluster, front fills, box fills, under-balcony delays, onstage foldback (monitors), and speakers for effects. By the time you add all that up, you’re talking quite an extensive routing situation, and if you have an orchestra, supplying orchestra monitor mixes in the pit for individuals from the FOH position, the system can be quite extensive.”

Additionally, they purchased a DiGiCo DS-00 to handle broadcast and recording capabilities in the Ordway’s new isolated broadcast booth. Located in the balcony directly above the CS-D5 on the mezzanine level, the console serves as the theatre’s in-house recording center, handling promo or voice-over recordings for TV/ radio advertising and broadcast for MPR. The system features a MADI interface throughout via a RME MADI Bridge fed from two 56-input DiGi racks with 40 outputs. They also added the RME MADIFace system, which Bell explains, “allows us to multitrack record and have live playback within a moment’s notice. It is a powerful tool to allow us to really dial in a mix with or without the performers.”

The Ordway’s revamped system was in place just in time for the start of the new season in beginning of September. “We opened our season with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for two weeks, followed by the Minnesota Opera and then the “Little House on the Prairie” touring road show and our own self-produced production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”. “Quite often, these shows will bring their own ACME or PRG sound packages, and can tie into our system effortlessly.

But for engineers who have toured on a DiGiCo in their show, they can easily come in and drop a file into the console and be good to go.”

Both Ingram and Bell say they’re extremely pleased with the acquisition of the DiGiCo consoles and peripheral gear purchased. “From a visual standpoint,” offers Ingram, “the complexity of the scope of what the CS-D5 can accomplish for a multipurpose hall is a tremendous thing. The digital interface, remote access with the laptop, programming with guest sound designers is fantastic. Having the system gives us a great advantage as we produce our season”.

“The ease of use and networkability between the systems is invaluable,” adds Bell.

“The DiGiCo tech support from Taidus Vallandi and Matt Larson has been great, as well, not that we’ve really needed it. Matt, being local, has been very proactive in coming in and wanting to be a part of the transition, and I appreciate that. It’s been a seamless transition all the way.”

DiGiCo D5 Helps 250 Thousand Dancers To Enjoy The Bestt Sound At Navratri Mahotsav Claimed to be the world’s longest cultural festival, India’s Navratri Mahotsav lasts for nine days and nights and is a colourful celebration of music, dance and worship.

With up to 250,000 dancers at any one time, the production values for the nightly live performances have to be high, which is why pro audio supplier Bestt Sound System used their DiGiCo D5-112EX console at the event.

Taking place in late September, Navratri Mahotsav brings the Gujarati people together to honour the Divine Shakti, which supports the entire universe and is personified as the Mother Goddess, who protects her worshippers, destroys evil and grants boons to her children.

After the inaugural day, which features choreographed dance sequences, for the rest of the festival thousands of people dressed in traditional clothing dance from dusk until midnight. Each night features a major live performance, the 2009 festival including performances by renowned Indian artists including Shree Abhesinh Rathod, Shree Shyamal-Somil Munshi, Arati Munshi, Nayan Pancholi, Aisharya Majmudar, Soli and Nisha Kapadia, Sanjay Oiha and the Golden Cheers orchestra with Praful Dave.

Ahmedabad-based Bestt Sound System was one of the first professional audio companies in India to embrace a no compromise digital audio technology and purchased the DiGiCo D5 in 2007, along with a D-TuBe remote digital tube mic preamp module.

Since then the company’s DiGiCo equipment has been used on a huge variety of events, including some of the country’s leading college festivals, events for famous Bollywood musical director duo Sajid-Wajid (“who refuse to perform with any other sound system but ours,” smiles Amiel) and an event in honour of Her Excellency the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil.

Used to both provide front of house and monitor mixes, the D5 used around 50 inputs, with the D-TuBe preamp used for vocals and tabla. As well as the main system outputs, seven auxes were used for wedge monitors, with two for sidefills, four for

effects “Navratri Mahotsav provided the biggest audience at any one venue where we have used the D5. 250,000 people dancing to the music is no mean achievement, but the D5’s clarity, sonic purity and reproduction of the quality of the natural textures of the male and female vocalists were extraordinary,” says Amiel Best, owner of Bestt Sound System. “The tap delay and awesome reverb also added to the beauty of the performance.”

But the advantages of using the D5 are perhaps best summed up by the story of a different event.

“At most of the events we service, until the fibre optic multicore is securely laid, we use an ordinary analogue board to line check and sometimes play tracks for rehearsal sessions,” says Amiel.

“One evening the lighting designer, choreographer and performers had a dinner break between a vigorous practice session and the final rehearsal. While they were at dinner, our team had finished laying the fibre optic multicore and the analogue console was swapped out for the D5.

“When final practice began and the first notes of the track rang out, the lighting designer jumped up and exclaimed ‘My goodness! What have you done to the sound?

The track sounds incredible, I can’t believe its the same one!’”

Sound Stylists Invest In Second D5 Live And Make Joburg Day A Success Since South African audio specialists Sound Stylists invested in their second DiGiCo D5 Live digital mixing consoles, bought in for the R Kelly Concerts earlier this year, the company has found both an increasing acceptance and demand for the console from the local market.

The latest project for the Sound Stylist team and its D5 was providing full audio support at the annual Jo’burg Day, held in October at Riversands Farm, just outside Johannesburg.

Jo’burg Day is a family orientated concert and hosts only local South African talent, with artists such as Johnny Clegg, Prime Circle, Zebra and Giraffe and Flash Republic performing to a capacity crowd.

“We had the luxury of soundchecks with each of the bands the day before the concerts and are therefore able to build scenes for each of them,” says Sound Stylists’ Nardus De Lange. “In addition to this, audio for the MCs as well as all the background music and sound for the ads shown on the LED screens were run from a separate deck. This meant that the FOH and monitor desks could be reconfigured between band changes to suit each of the band’s engineers.”

As the number of channels totalled over 60, the decision was made to run a D5 at both FOH and monitors. The FOH outputs were run into an XTA DP448, which in turn acted as the master output for the whole system including delays, outfills and stage fills. A 01V was run into the other two inputs of the DP448 to handle the MC and background music elements.

“The other advantage of this format was the ability to control each of the PAs with a wireless tablet using XTA’s AudioCore 8.60 software,” adds Nardus. “Setting a delay or level was then easy, as the system tech could literally walk the field.”

In total, around 20 different engineers worked on the D5s during the day and, says Nardus, everyone was over the moon with the layout, the ease of operation and the power of the desks: “With the soundcheck day and having the additional time at our disposal, the engineers made the effort to plan the layout of their bands on the desk and a lot more use was made of the effects and control groups.”

The D5s were run via a MADI connection, with FOH being 65m from stage. FOH was set up as the master and Gain Tracking was run on the monitor console, which used two fully loaded stage racks, with FOH making use of one local mini rack.

All Sound Stylists stage racks are now also fitted with Ethersound cards, which enables them to run digitally straight into their Nexo NX242ES controllers.

“All in all a great day,” smiles Nardus. “We had a couple more DiGiCo converts and another successful concert!”

Juanes Delivers a Message To 1.2 Million At Cuban Peace Without Borders Concert

Colombian singer and peace activist Juanes delivered a message of musical diplomacy to a massive crowd of 1.2 million Cubans in a day filled with a lineup of 17 global artists—from Olga Tañón of Puerto Rico and Miguel Bosé of Spain. Revelers all dressed in white filled Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución on September 20th, braving sweltering heat to experience the free “Peace without Borders” concert. Although the event drew criticism from Cuban exiles, music was the message and the concert was incident-free.

The overall production came together from a variety of global sources. Eighth Day Sound provided main PA (with pieces culled from recently ended Madonna and Lil Wayne tours), which included two 15-deep hangs of L-Acoustic V-DOSC line array, with three dV-DOSC enclosures underneath for the main hangs, two 9-deep sub hangs with d&b audiotechnik J-Subs, and another cluster of two 15 V-DOSC and three dV-DOSC boxes for side hangs. On the ground were 20 d&b B2 subs per side.

In addition, four delay towers included eight d&b J8’s each, complimented by six more delay tower positions with equipment supplemented by a local Cuban sound company. This local company brought in a Meyer MILO system comprised of 48 loudspeakers and 24 MILO HP subs onsite.

Madrid-based Fluge Sonido Profesional, who had worked with Juanes’ previously on the Spain portion of his “Mi Sangre” tour in 2005, brought in all the supplemental monitors, mics/stands/splitters, and control systems including three DiGiCo consoles—a SD7 for FOH plus two D5’s to handle monitors and the broadcast/ recording feeds.

Planet Events, another Madrid-based promoter that had worked closely with Juanes on previous tours throughout Spain, handled the local production and backline.

Considering the complexity of the production, it all came off without a hitch, recalled long-time audio wiz and Juanes FOH engineer, Rob “Cubby” Colby.

“Planning for the one-day event began last May with Juanes and (manager) Fernan Martinez flying to Washington and meeting with the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton to help arrange the visas. We all worked hard to get the licensing, and I, personally spent two days working with the U.S. licensing department—who didn’t understand that the snakes we were bringing in weren’t actually ‘live’! They finally understood what we were actually bringing in!”

All the gear from 8th Day Sound congregated in Miami and was cross-loaded into containers that were shipped into Cuba. Simultaneously, Colby headed to Madrid to do rehearsals with the all-star band, comprised of members of Juanes’ and Miguel Bosé bands, and then flew together with the entourage on a chartered plane with the entourage into Cuba a few days prior to the concert for setup. This was Colby’s first outing with the DiGiCo SD7, though he’d had extensive experience working on a D5 on tours ranging from Shakira to Stevie Wonder.

“We did it really right,” Colby adds. “Before the rehearsals, I got the SD7 offline editor and had Jason Kirschnick from 8th Day help me get started, and working with Miguel’s monitor engineer Herman Cools and his FOH engineer Wilfried Lasbleiz, we assembled our whole input list, which was well over 100, before we even saw each other. I sent my show file to Fluge to be loaded into the console.”

From a production standpoint, the show came together flawlessly over a two week period preceding the concert. “This was an optimistic adventure that went off without a hitch,” mused Colby. “It couldn’t have gone smoother, considering it was in a place that was so close to the U.S.—only 55 minutes from Miami by plane—yet so far away in terms of the politics and infrastructure. But we took our time and built the site incrementally. 8th Day system engineer Mark Brnich, fresh from Madonna’s “Sticky & Sweet” tour, flew in Monday night (staying in the National Hotel where ‘The Godfather’ was filmed), positioning the generators and marking the scaffolding locations on Tues. Wednesday, all the scaffolding was built and erected in one day. Thursday, all the gear arrived in Cuba, offloaded and built into the site. I arrived on Thursday, and walked the site, which was perfect—from drawing to reality. Friday, I made sure everything was where it needed to be, tuned the system and delays, and working closely with Mark to align the PA. Saturday was spent soundchecking every band—from noon until 2:30 am—to everyone’s delight as they didn’t expect this to happen. We came back at noon on Sunday to the Plaza lot with 500,000 people and that was just the beginning! By the time the event

ended and the next morning rolled around, you’d never have known that a millionplus people had been there.”

“We were very impressed with the production staff that Colby assembled,” adds Matt Larson, Pro Audio National Sales Manager for DiGiCo. “These were world-class guys from around the globe, who made certain that this very important event would go on without a hitch. And it did. Having 17 acts perform in the span of 5-1/2 hours with rapid changeovers, the longest being about 90 seconds, was remarkable.”

The transition from mixing in the Madrid rehearsals on nearfield monitors to the stadium system was seamless, emphasized Colby. “Most of my changes came in the area of gains and dynamics and hardly any of the EQs. I really think that’s a really good sign of the accuracy and quality and the sound of the desk. I don’t personally spend a whole lot of time EQing CD music when I know I’m just going to end up with the system flat; I like the system to be as dynamic as possible, which is extremely helpful with this type of music—from salsa all the way to rock and acoustic stuff. The low-end control and the top-end was smoother and tighter and I found the system overall sounded really clean and very powerful.”

For Colby, jumping from his trusty D5 to the SD7, gave him an increased palette of features to work with. “It was fantastic working on the console. The SD7 is very much like the D5, but with more bells and whistles. Having the mirrored image is great; saving on both engines gives you peace of mind. It was a really clean layout.

The fact that I can move things around quickly and gang channels—all the things you can do on a D5 but a little more straightforward. I also love mixing on VCAs and the big helpful deal for me, especially with this big of a show, was having 36 VCA’s and using 24 of them! It just made it absolutely super easy not to have to worry about layers of stuff. Also, the multiband compression and onboard effects were fantastic!

I was using the high- and low-pass filters and multiband compression on some of the instrument inputs, which allowed me to leave those inputs flat. I like having the second function button to expose other types of input EQs and the Mach 2 upgrade also gives you more onboard effects options, dynamic EQ and multiband EQ and the DiGi-TuBe. There are probably way more things about the SD7 that are not as visible, but that are there at your disposal.”

Other event feeds encompassed 11 outputs for left/right to video, left/right to TV audio, and the rest were all PA feeds including left/right main, outfill, 2 sub auxes and delays, and Cuban delays. “These were all handled by a Dolby Lake Processor,” said Colby. “I gave Mark my left and right from the matrix and he split it to all the various places it had to go. I always put graphics on my L/R on the console in case I have to grab something quickly, but I never touched it. Also, I have graphics on the subs and do my own little ‘Colby’ contour in the bottom 30 and 100hz to create my own sub-base, low-end contour.”

Fluge’s Marc Llopis, a savvy tech with extensive experience working on DiGiCo D1s and D5s, assisted Colby and was also impressed with the power and possibilities under the SD7’s proverbial hood. “There are a lot of things that I love about the SD7 including all the options available in the channels and busses. It’s amazing that there’s no rival to that part of the console. The routing is easy as is the setup of FX in the output of busses; the multiband EQ on each channel is a very powerful tool; the ripple function saves a lot of time in routing and in the setup of a session; the scope for snapshots is very complete; and I love the automatic ‘socket file’. Also using the video screens as meters gives clean information every time. But one thing that I was amazed with on this gig was that the major part of the channels were flat in the EQ. Cubby was using almost only high-pass and dynamic filters, and while that doesn’t seems very impressive, I think that gave us two good factors: the PA was properly equalized because Cubby kept almost everything from the rehearsals, and the preamp and the processing of the SD7 worked really well and sounded great

because there wasn’t any “strange EQs”. The most remarkable detail in the mix was the use of the multiband compressor in the acoustic guitars. It was very accurate in th quiet as well as higher frequency levels.

“I wanted to spend more time trying out the dynamic EQ,” he continues. “The soundchecks were very short and there was no time for details, but I’m expecting to have the SD8 in my hands that I recently bought to experiment with, and to use for mixing monitors on a tour with Quique Gonzalez that is starting in a month. The PA mixer, Angel Medina, also bought another one, and I think this will be a great year with good sensations in our mix thanks to DiGiCo!” On monitors was Herman Cools, who had worked with Miguel Bosé for 10 years.

Handling approximately 100 stage inputs he mixed monitor feeds for the majority of the acts, with the exception of Olga Tañon and Los Van Van, who brought in their own crew.

“I used the D5 in total recall mode,” Cools explained, “everything from gains to routing was recalled each time another artist showed up on stage. This way I could handle more input channels without having them routed all the time to the mixing channels of the desk, as it only had 96 mixing channels with all processors and effects activated. Working on the D5 is like mixing on an analogue desk with all the advantages of a digital desk. DiGiCo’s are the most logical digital desks I know. I’ve been using Midas for a long time, but in the last 5 years I’ve done all my tours—Alejandro Sanz, Ana Toroja, and Miguel Bosé—with the D5. The fact that everything is built into the desk makes it such a nicer tool than its analogue brothers.

The sound is a bit different on the D5 than on a H3000, but you have all these compressors, gates and effects in the desk, and a total recall of all functions in a split

second. Imagine doing this kind of event again on an analogue desk! Writing down all settings on a piece of paper! With the D5, and all the newer consoles in the family, DiGiCo again pushes quality and functionality to the limit. They’re simply amazing sounding tools and easy to operate.”

“I’d like to thank many of the people who were involved,” said Llopez. “Matt Larson (from Digico US), Fernando Delgado (from DiGiCo Spain) and Mark Brnich (from 8th Day), for their help and support of this show. It was a historic moment, the first time that Cuba opened its border for a show like this, and to an outside production company for the purpose of the festival that was in essence a peace party. It was amazing to look in every direction and see a million Cubans dancing and singing.”

“These people have never experienced that kind of technology in Cuba,” concurred Colby. “It was 100 degrees at the console for 3 days in a row, 12 hours a day, and I loved every minute of it! The success of this event was not about Juanes, but about the Cuban people—1.2 million of them—coming together peacefully in a plaza. I have to say, it has been a great journey with Juanes, and I really appreciate his and Fernan’s efforts. These guys are very hands on and really care about audio. For them to recognize that, and to bring in a touring PA rather than taking the easy way out and find whomever, whatever was closest by… that means a lot to me.”

Post-event Colby retired to his home studio and another SD7 to remix the 112 Nuendo tracks that included the music and the audience capture for archiving and a possible future DVD.

DiGiCo Versatility Chosen For Italian Pop Legend Eros Ramazzotti Italian pop star and Sony BMG recording artist Eros Ramazzotti recently embarked on the first European leg of his ”Ali e Radici” (Wings and Roots) world tour, an impressive 10-truck production trekking around 23 European nations’ indoor arenas before South American dates, a series of European open-air summer shows, then off to the US and Australia.

Audio and lighting on the show’s huge AV set-up was supplied by top Italian rental firm Agorà, and included three of the L’Aquila-based company’s large stock of DiGiCo consoles: two SD7s and a D5.

Produced by Trident Management in collaboration with Live Nation Italia, the show features a production design by Lemon and Pepper, the creative and technical team that has worked with many of the world’s top stars, as well as on previous shows by the Rome-born singer.

The system is set up so that from the analogue splitters on stage, the audio signals are fed to two DiGiRacks for FOH and two more for the monitors, so each has a completely independent signal path. As well as the nine-piece band, additional signals for sequences, click tracks and SMPTE for video sync bring the input channel total to around 70.

Lemon has a very long-standing relationship with DiGiCo and had one of the very first SD7s out, as he explains, “It was set up alongside a D5 with Smashing Pumpkins at the beginning of 2008 and was supposed to be just a road test, but I finished up using it on the show. It was very basic, but sounded great. After Smashing Pumpkins, I went right on to Janet Jackson, and didn’t have much time for band rehearsals, so decided to just stick with D5 for that.”

Under the huge stage, Stevan Martinovic and Umberto Polidori man two DiGiCo monitor consoles. Polidori uses a D5 for the band and Martinovic an SD7, entirely dedicated to the artist’s impressive monitor set-up, which is a combination of IEM, large side hangs, subs under a stage-centre grill and four wedges out front.

Lemon praises the SD7’s sound quality: “It’s great and a lot more extended, particularly on the high end, but the low end as well. This is obviously thanks to the processing power, which is so great on these consoles.”

Polidori has worked with other digital consoles in the past, but found the D5 the most versatile, after using it on events such as the huge show by top Italian band Negramaro at Milan’s San Siro soccer stadium. He explains, “I have quite a simple set-up on this show, as the band members all use in ear monitors and the drummer and keyboard player each have a subwoofer for added punch at the bottom end.

They are all highly experienced musicians, which also makes my job a lot easier.”

On the subject of multi-brand compressors, he considers them great, “We’d been using them for years and DiGiCo decided to build them into the system, which is great – I’m using a couple and, once you’ve settled into the show, you can then decide where there are problems and that’s when they become handy. As well as them, I also appreciate a lot of other features and I’m actually using a considerable amount of onboard effects on this show, such as delays and reverbs - they’ve really improved the whole reverb thing.”

Martinovic had already had the opportunity of making in-depth use of the SD7, putting it through its paces on some high profile events, such as the 2008 Verona Arena shows by Ligabue and a symphony orchestra, and a huge live show televised from Rimini, on which he had 168 channels to handle.

Lemon also appreciates the possibility of being able to personalize the worksurface layout, moving things around as he gets to know a show, in order to be in the right place at the right time.

Regarding the SD7, he enthused: “It is a great console – fast and practical, an ideal desk for monitor work and it seems to me to have a lot more dynamics, thanks to the system’s processors. I make wide use of features such as the multi-band compressors. This software version - the Mach 2 - has a lot of other features and great potential, which I’m studying to put to good use on future projects.”

At the DiGiCo SD7 out front, 2009 Sound Engineer of the Year Jon Lemon explained that, as always, he’s in regular touch with DiGiCo, particularly the software team, giving them his feedback. ”These guys are very proactive and always looking to improve their products,” he says.

“It’s comfortable to use and the screens are great,” he says, “but I also love being able to run the console off my laptop and sit at the desk during production rehearsals doing a lot of other things, rather than just working on the touch screens – the networking is really solid.”

Regarding the new software, Lemon concludes: “We were all waiting for the Mach 2 suite, which made it even more of a useable console all round. With the two engines, everything works so seamlessly. I’ve not had the slightest problem, even running it 10 hours a day at production rehearsals!”

Bethel Korean Church Gives Praise For New DiGiCo SD8 Console show us, and I was very impressed with its warm-sounding pre-amps, mic pres and EQ. And it’s very easy to operate.” Kim suggested moving the Yamaha over to BKC’s gymnasium for use by its Youth ministry, and with all the money they saved on the new SD8 console, they were able to put that surplus towards upgrading other areas.

After searching for an affordable audio solution to handle its worship services and recording for broadcast, Bethel Korean Church made the move to a DiGiCo SD8.

The 2000-seat sanctuary catering to the Korean community in Irvine California, needed to replace its existing digital console, and one that would offer great features, sonics and that could handle the worship services and recording for broadcast.

Technical Director/system designer, Jaeho Kim - of Laservision World, a Pro AV/ Lighting consulting firm based in LA - helped BKC make the transition.

“BKC had used a Yamaha O1V for over 7 years with an additional optical preamp (x16CH),” Kim recalled. While our company pushed the Yamaha digital console, I was not satisfied with the preamp and dynamics. I had been looking for other manufacturers to come out with a reasonably priced console with good sonic quality.

Mac West’s Steve McNeil brought a DiGiCo SD8 to Laservision last December to

“The price of the SD8 was a very good attraction for me,” said Kim. “It also only required us to use two RG6 cables to enable 56 channels, which saved the church money. I was able to put that towards upgrading their console furniture and workstation, including a customized console desk from KK Audio. I designed it to put both the DiGiCo SD8 and a Jands Vista T2 lighting console side-by-side with enough rack spaces to accommodate any outboard gear. Since the SD8 has so many features, I ended up putting drawers and a blank rack panel to cover up those unused rack spaces!”

The church is also recording and mixing all 48 tracks for broadcasting on its website (www.bkc.org), as well as on KCMUSA (www.kcmusa.org). With the DiGiCo SD8, they’re using an RME HDSP MadiFace card with a PC, and the .wav files are then transferred and mixed in their Pro Tools system. “Mainly these recordings are used for a broadcasting mix, and feature a good mix between the pastor’s sermon and the congregation live. These quick mixes are sent to their web team, KCMUSA, as well as four Korean Christian TV stations.”

Overall, everyone has been happy with the audio quality and ease of use, including BKE’s AV director and audio operator. “Mac West did super support on the project,” Kim added. “Both BKC and I are very happy with the console and the support from DiGiCo.”

DiGiCo SD Consoles At Heart Of Italian Touring System Helming the SD8 on-stage, monitor engineer Paolo Zanier was on his first outing with a DiGiCo console. “I must say they’ve designed a top quality system,” he enthuses. “The preamplifiers and A/D and D/A converters in the DiGiRack at the heart of the system do their job excellently, enabling engineers to obtain a great sound timbre and body without having to resort to excessive EQ.”

To mix the sound on Italian singer/songwriter Gianluca Grignani’s latest tour, rental firm Idea Musica Service of Latina in central Italy fielded a DiGiCo system conceived by AudioProgetti, a company with its HQ in Cavenago Brianza (Milan) specializing in the design, supply and installation of pro audio systems.

Grignani began his successful career in 1994 and achieved national acclaim with his hit “Destinazione Paradiso” at the 1995 Sanremo song contest. His debut album, entitled after the single, was also a hit in South America and chalked up two million sales worldwide. That same year, he won an award as new artist of the year and has continued to surprise public and critics alike with his truly eclectic talent, passing from pop to almost experimental rock and soul-searching intimate songs. Never one to follow market trends, as well as topping the pop charts, he has shown his skills as a producer (an entire NY-recorded album), written for film soundtracks and won numerous awards, including one for the literary value of his lyrics and has exacting standards when it comes to audio production.

AudioProgetti’s technical manager Gabel Guagliumi explains how the system came about: “Idea Musica’s brief was to put together a complete touring control system with 56 input channels and 24 outputs, a single core for audio input\conversion (avoiding the additional cost and space required for splitters) and digital signal transport.

“We opted for a DiGiCo SD8 and DiGiRack setup because it enables us to have control of 60 input channels in the three sections of the console worksurface, the same excellent preamps as the DiGiCo SD7 and D5, a modular stage rack that can be customized in groups of eight channels – in this specific case there are seven groups – and signal transport via MADI. Since monitor consoles normally have more gain-related problems, such as feedback, it was decided that it should be the set-up’s ‘master’ desk and the FOH console the ‘slave’.”

Zanier and FOH engineer Alessandro Catrucci use the system’s Gain Tracking feature, so that when the former changes an analogue gain control on the his desk, the FOH console reflects the changes and the digital trim control compensates for them by moving by the same amount in the opposite direction.

Among the other features Zanier found extremely useful was the possibility of working on the monitor signals of the artist and his band (with the send levels assigned to the channel faders in the console’s Solo functions) and being able to call up the function extremely rapidly. He was also pleased with the worksurface’s layout and features, which enabled him to work on any channel of any bank while keeping a specific, important channel in one of the other sections constantly under control – such as the artist’s main vocal channel. He also found the system’s software rapid and intuitive. “It’s as if it had been conceived precisely for my customary modus operandi,” he smiles.

Another SD8 facility greatly appreciated by Zanier was the possibility of adjusting several channels simultaneously. “Pressing and holding the Option/All button in the centre control section, the parameters adjusted on one channel are adjusted in the same way on all the other channels in the same bank,” he says. “This is really useful when using a set of identical mics for a chorus, for example.”

As well as feedback related issues, Zanier cited two more reasons for having decided to use the monitor desk as the master console.

“Firstly, all the Line outs are used for the monitors and, since the distribution of the in and out signals is via MADI, a coax cable is necessary to send the signals to the FOH desk and the other kept as a spare,” he explains. “We use 18 of the 24 Line outs for the actual monitor system, which features a combination of speakers and IEM, plus a premix of the two click tracks fed to the drummer.”

Although the band has a reasonably standard line-up, with drums, bass, two sets of keyboards and lead guitar, the artist also plays guitar, which is fed into two amps, each with its own cabinet, thus using either of the sounds or a combination of both.

There are also fourteen sequence channels (percussion, pad and other material).

So there are 52 input channels, plus six more used only on stage, including two click tracks and other split channels.

Zanier concludes: “We’re pushing the desk hard and it hasn’t given the slightest problem, so I’d like to be able to use it again in the future, as it has allowed us to carry out our work with excellent results and great interaction.”

DiGiCo SD8 Rides Into Jodhpur different one, but Rivera International were very persistent,” smiles Rajan Amplifiers owner Rajan Panwar.

“We purchase all our high-end gear from them and have always been completely happy with their equipment suggestions. Their advice was to try the SD8 and so we agreed to give it a shot.”

Having fully investigated the SD8, it wasn’t long before Mr Panwar was fully convinced that the DiGiCo console was absolutely the right choice.

Famed for its sunny weather, indigo-tinged houses and tourist attractions including palaces, temples and the Mehrangarh Fort, the Indian city of Jodhpur now has another claim to fame - it is home to the first DiGiCo SD8 digital mixing console in the country.

Sold by DiGiCo’s Indian distributor, Mumbai-based Rivera International to local production company Rajan Amplifiers, the SD8 is part of a system which includes a large JBL and DAS loudspeaker system, with Crown and Lab.gruppen amplifiers.

“We had looked at a number of digital consoles and we were keen to go with a

“It is simply a mind blowing console,” he says. “The sound quality is excellent, it’s simple to hook up, has superb headroom, smart features … it was a totally new way for us to work, but at the same time it has a real ‘analogue feel’, which is unlike any other digital board.”

He continues, “It also has great effects. There is an extremely precise and effective compressor/limiter on board, while the floating point effects are simply awesome!”

Another bonus for Rajan Amplifier has been how easy the SD8 is to learn.

“The SD8 is very user friendly and quick to navigate,” Mr Panwar adds. “Rivera’s engineer Allwyn Ferns came in to train us on the console and it took barely two days of training for us to be up to speed. We have found it very easy to handle.”

Illinois St Matthews UMC Church Upgrades From Analog Console to DiGiCo SD8 During the past 50+ years, membership and community outreach at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Belleville, IL has continued to grow, with its current congregation standing at over 1,200 members.

Several years ago, they decided to do a major renovation of its technology systems—from the floor pockets to the speakers—including sound, video presentation, tech booth and platform. St. Matthews’ Audio Engineer Brian Caringer worked closely with church media consultant Phil Mahder of the international teaching ministry Training Resources, who was brought onboard to help facilitate the change. Together they spent three years researching the options, including replacing the analog mixer with an upgraded digital console. The revamped house of worship now features a DiGiCo SD8 at its center, featuring the latest “Overdrive” software upgrade suite incorporating many of the features of its big brother, the SD7.

“St. Matthew’s UMC brought me on to look for a solution to their sound system as no one was pleased with the existing sound system,” said Mahder. “It is a difficult space and it took us over two years of discussion, research and testing to determine a solution. We went with Renkus Heinz IC Live for the speakers. Then we had to walk through the difficult decision of moving the sound booth to the main floor from the balcony. We also determined that the platform infrastructure needed to be upgraded significantly. Moving the booth and rewiring the platform opened up the discussion of replacing the analog mixer with a digital console that incorporated a digital snake. When a new service was added to the Sunday morning regimen, requiring a complete change of the platform between services, the large number of microphone input connections (130) on the upgraded platform the need for a quick change from service to service while still keeping the operation fairly simple for volunteer operators, led us to the DiGiCo SD8. Also, they needed a large number of I/Os with the ability to then split the signals. Some solutions have lots of I/Os, some can split, but few can do both.”

“DiGiCo rep, Ben Shipman of AVA, did a great job of presenting the DiGiCo solution,” Mahder continues. “Ben brought in Matt Larson National Sales Manager from Group One for a demo/training session for the volunteers and that gave us the opportunity to carefully examine all the requirements of our needs and found that the SD8 was a powerful solution to our needs. We also got great support from the dealer, Danny Watson of Ozark Pro Audio Video.”

“Previously, we were using a Soundcraft Spirit 8 with 40 channels,” added Caringer. ”We hired Chris Baron, a contemporary worship leader, with the intention of starting a contemporary service in the morning. When this happened we realized that the analog board would not be an option since we would only have about 20-minutes in between services for changeover. So we started looking at options that would fit within the budget. The first proposal was a Roland M-400. For me I knew this would not work solely because of the input limitations. I had also proposed we look at a Midas Pro 6 and a Digidesign Profile. I had previous experience on the Profile and knew the capabilities that it had. We ruled out the Pro 6 due to budget. Then it was recommended that we look at the SD8. When it came for a demo we were also lined up that day to go to another church to look at a Profile. After hearing the sonic quality and seeing the features and the cost

difference, I told the worship leader that there was no need to look at the Profile.

The SD8 gave us all the aux options and digital flexibility that we needed.”

Once Caringer got a chance to spend more time mixing on the SD8 in the sanctuary, he was blown away with its feature set and sonics. “The flexibility of the digital system is great. I was sold with the SD8’s 12 VCA’s, 24 Stereo Busses—plus Left/ Right or LCR—and a 12x12 Matrix (now 16x12). I also really like having a board that has internal bus routing. But the sonic quality I thought was the best. I work at another church as an engineer on a Profile, and right off the bat, the SD8 had better sonic quality. And in comparison to the Spirit 8… the SD8 blows it out of the water! Just switching the console and keeping the system the same, the improvement in sonic quality was phenomenal. In comparison to other boards that I have heard, it’s the ‘best’!” But for most houses of worship that rely on a volunteer staff to handle many of the tech functions, the console had to be accessible for the most inexperienced of users. “Most of the volunteers have had very little to no experience with parametric EQ or dynamics, so they are still learning these functions and getting used to how they work,” elaborated Caringer. And the file saving and loading ability is what we needed. They love that they can save and access their shows and sessions easily. They are also using the off-line editor as a control for an aux-for-video send. It has proven to be absolutely user-friendly.”

A custom tech booth was built to house the SD8, which created a seamless integration into the space. “We hired an excellent carpenter to build a booth that looks like it has always been there,” said Mahder. “It was a perfect fit in the Sanctuary. We also asked him to give us a custom counter top for the SD8.” A/V recording is where St. Matthews UMC is growing. They have been on local cable for many years, and the SD8 is helping facilitate those recordings. “We currently have a software program called Reaper installed on a MacPro with an RME MADIface interface that is connected to the board that we use for virtual sounchecking—which has proved to be a tremendous help not only in the capability to record it, but also the ease of doing it,” explains Caringer. “DiGiCo couldn’t have made it simpler on their end of things, two BNC cables, one button hit, and I’m switched over from the live band to running 56 tracks off the computer. I am hoping to get Cubase on there soon, and hopefully in the future, we will get some material that is acceptable for a live CD.”

Rain Age Powers The Sound Of Mando Diaos Give me Fire Tour 2009 Swedish garage rock band Mando Diao’s fifth and most successful album, Give Me Fire, also gives its name to the band’s current - and equally successful – European tour.

Mando Diao has taken the decision not to follow the current trend for visual overload; music is what their shows are all about and, as a result, the sound system is one of the most important components for their performance. So Landsberg-based event production company, Rain Age, with Martin Heining as head of sound, supplied an extensive audio system that had a DiGiCo SD7 at its FOH position during the German leg of the tour, and now has the additional benefit of an SD8 at monitors for the remainder.

Dispensing with extensive light installations and special effects, Mando Diao concentrates on the business of simply making music in venues across the country with capacities from 5,000 to 10,000 seats. The passion and perfection to their two-hour show injects a sense of the dramatic and, while the first part of the show is quick, familiar sounding songs with typical crashing guitar riffs, front men Björn Dixgård and Gustaf Norén change the mood and pace in the second half, performing a four-song duet on a small B stage on the other side of the auditoriums.

Dirk Schulz manned the FOH position and was using an SD7 for the first time.

“A lot of top artists are demanding an SD7 in their technical rider,” he says. “That brought the console to my attention. From there, I did extensive research and also took the time to get some training before the start of the tour. Even though this is the first time I’ve worked on an SD7, it didn’t present me with any problems. Far

from it! It was also a great pleasure for me to work with Roger Wagener, who is the tour’s system engineer. He is able to use an SD7 blindfolded and gave me lots of tips.

“The SD7 is very easy to use, absolutely reliable and has an amazing sound quality.

Whether the band is performing full on rock, or their quieter numbers, the SD7 reproduces their sound quality perfectly.”

Mando Diao’s tour continues into the winter, playing larger venues in Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Munich, Frankfurt, Dortmund, Hanover, Berlin, Hamburg and Duesseldorf.

Miranda Lamberts US Tour Showcases All Digital Production with Double DiGiCo SD8s Flash-forward to 2009, and Lambert’s third album, Revolution, hits streets in late

Miranda Lambert first exploded onto the scene as a finalist in the 2003 season of the “Nashville Star” TV series. Her Columbia Nashville debut, “Kerosene”, landed at Number One on the country charts and earned the budding country songbird critical acclaim in addition to numerous Country music award nominations and a Grammy nod, to boot.

Flash-forward to 2009, and Lambert’s third album, Revolution, hits streets in late September and she’s taking her show on the road to cities across America. Taking into consideration tour production costs, the need for a console with a small footprint, and a desire to go ‘all digital’, FOH engineer Jason Macalik and Production Manager/Monitor Engineer Chris Newsom - both of whom have worked with Lambert for several years - researched the options. Ultimately, they chose dual DiGiCo SD8s as the desks fully fit the tour’s criteria.

Macalik had spent time previously on a DiGiCo D5 on tours with Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts and had always been impressed with the sonics of DiGiCo’s consoles.

But for Newsom, this was his first foray into digital. “For the most part, I have been on analog desks with Miranda,” he said. “The decision to go completely digital this year was mainly because of our spot on Kenny Chesney’s ‘Sun City Carnival Tour’.

We knew that we had to get set up and torn down quickly, and having a small footprint would be advantageous on this tour. Jason and I looked at a few different desks and thought that the SD8 would be the better fit for us.”

“We needed a smaller footprint on both ends of the snake,” added Macalik, “and while production cost was a big issue for us, we did not want to give up audio quality. DiGiCo has always had great reliability and audio quality, and when the SD8 was available, it was a great choice for us. Sonic quality is great, it has exceeded everything that I hoped it could be.”

The input configuration at FOH is 44 to accommodate everything from drums to guitars. The monitor count is slightly higher at 48 to account for additional clicks, talkbacks, and a couple of audience mics. As for outputs, Newsom is currently running 6 stereo mixes for monitors, plus a cue out, and a drum sub on stage.

Macalik has maxed out at FOH. “Being that we are only carrying board groups, I have to be ready for any PA configuration,” he explained. “I run digital outputs (left, right, subs, front fill, outfills, and delay) into a Dolby Lake Processor.”

Both engineers find the SD8’s compact footprint and fully featured built-in processing and effects to be immeasurable—and invaluable. “The space saving aspect of the SD8 is huge, especially out at FOH,” said Newsom. “When we are playing amphitheatres rather than stadiums, the available space is usually pretty small after three FOH desks, lighting, and video all get set up. The SD8 fits in beautifully.

Also, the fact that the console is small enough that only two people are needed to flip it is a big timesaver on both the load-ins and outs!”

The SD8’s veritable onboard palette of features has not only kept the group’s audio footprint small, but has increased both engineer’s efficiency in their daily/nightly workload. “Having everything internal is great,” Macalik stated. “I really never have to take my eyes off the stage for more than a few seconds at a time. Plus, the onboard snapshots helps me keep up with all the instrument changes during our show.”

“My favorite feature is the faders following the mix I am soloed on,” added Newsom, “plus the ability to assign the rotary knobs on the input banks to whatever I want them to be. I stay cued on Miranda’s mix for the majority of the night and have the three rows of rotaries assigned to three of the other musicians that require a little bit more of my attention. I have four mixes ready to be adjusted at any given moment on the SD8 without having to select a mix and/or channel. It cuts out an extra two or three steps per adjustment I need to make, which I think most monitor engineers can appreciate when making the jump from analog to digital!”

And those engineers have certainly noticed, and heard, the difference. “The great comments that I’ve had have come from other engineers on any given bill or at any venue,” said Macalik. “I’m constantly hearing how well it sounded.”

“The band has also commented that it is easier to distinguish the instruments on the SD8 over the previous analog desks we have carried,” Newsom offers. Having EQs on the outputs plus assignable graphic EQs on monitors has been very helpful in customizing what each musician hears.”

As far as recording at this point, Macalik is only making nightly multitrack recordings for soundchecking purposes. “But I can tell you that the SD8 makes great board tapes! I use the board tapes to make my mix better, and they go to the band to help make them better, too!”

DiGiCo SD8s Handle FOH And Monitoring Needs With Sonic And Space Saving Benefits For Disco Biscuits

Seeing his group struggle with audio problems from poor sonic quality and limited input channels prompted the Disco Biscuits long-time Production Manager/FOH Engineer Patrick Hutchinson to seek a better solution.

Investigating all the digital options - with help and guidance from Eric Satre of the Colorado-based Dowlen Sound - led him to his first DiGiCo experience, and specifically to a pair of SD8s to handle the Philadelphia-based electronica-jam band’s FOH and monitoring requirements. Time saving, space saving, sonic quality and the feature set available with the SD8s made Hutchinson’s choice a sound one, not only from a technical perspective, but also from a creative one, to boot.

“I did a show with the band at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in May,” Satre explains, “and Pat said they were unhappy with their current setup and were looking to go in a new direction. Pat’s pretty specific about what he wants, so I arranged an SD8 demo for them in New York and they were very happy with it. I bought two consoles for them that very day. Since then, every time I talk to him - which isn’t very often because he’s a pretty self-contained unit - he’s got nothing but good things to say, and thinks it’s one of the best sounding digital consoles he’s ever heard. It does sonically sound far better than any other digital desk out there.”

“For the past 2 years we have toured with digital consoles at both FOH and monitors,” Hutchinson recalled. “Granted, both of these consoles sounded good, but when we compared the consoles to the SD8, the sonic enhancement was profoundly noticeable - not to mention, that the band is playing better now that they can hear all of the subtle frequencies that they were missing before. I have worked on many digital desks and each of them has some sort of digital signature that is sonically apparent. The SD8, on the other hand has a digital signature, which is sonically transparent. In my opinion, it is the closest analog sounding digital console available on the market today.”

At FOH, the band is currently running 43 channels, (18 channels from the drums, 3 channels from the bass, 2 channels from the guitar, 12 channels from keys, and 5 channels of vocals, as well as a couple audience/room mics for recording and a few auxiliary backup channels.

The SD8’s output flexibility proved beneficial for the band’s ever-changing touring requirements. “Each venue that we have played at on this tour has had its own set of challenges,” Hutchinson recounts. “Some venues have front fills while others have front fills, center fills, in fills, out fills, and don’t forget the balcony fills. Some nights I will use AES and some nights I will use the analog outputs. As you can tell, each night there is a different setup for FOH outputs. But, for the most part, I have a stereo left and right, an auxiliary setup for sub output, a stereo/mono front fill matrix and a stereo recording matrix. The SD8 handles any room challenge presented.”

Having EQ and dynamics on all channels is one of Hutchinson’s favorite onboard benefits, but the main feature that he uses on a daily basis is the “listen to recorded audio” feature. “On some occasions the band does not want to soundcheck and when they don’t, it’s very easy for me to load up a previous soundcheck and play it back on all the channels as if the band were onstage. This allows me ample time to EQ the room and figure out any room or PA oddities before they arise.”

Ultimately, the consoles’ small footprint, portability and onboard features have proven enormously beneficial, not just in the physical space-saving aspect, but as a timesaving one, as well. “At FOH, I used to roll out a console with a FOH rack and maybe a drive rack or recording rack. With the SD8, all I roll out to FOH now is just the console. Not only has the FOH footprint decreased but, as an added benefit,

the truck pack has also decreased. It has also helped solve a couple of other things.

For example, time is money, and when I can set up and break down FOH within 5 minutes, that leaves extra time for me to handle other situations in my role as production manager. Also, load-ins and outs have become more efficient by having to handle less road cases.”

For engineer Bryan Holroyd, onboard with the band for the last 3 years, monitor world has stayed essentially the same, in terms of the footprint, although the SD8 has allowed him to lose the analog split and share the head pre’s. “The biggest difference I’ve noticed has been in recognizing some of the nuances of the other gear we are using inline,” he says. “We’re hearing more subtleties in our keyboards and the drums are a bit crisper. The extended range in the high-end has allowed for a finer tuning of various inputs, cutting down on extraneous information in the monitor sends that our in-ear transmitters have some difficulty in reproducing... it’s a step up in the console marketplace, but it provides enough of a boost in transparency that I could easily put it up against some of the large market digitals.”

Having more inputs and flexibility at monitor world was also a bonus for Holroyd, who is handling 56 from stage, with another dozen or so coming from the MADI interface. “I’m using some 15 stereo sends for everything from the band to onstage crew, effects sends and some artist-controlled boost channels. We also use 4 mono sends for 2 wedges, a TB mix to FOH, and a thumper for our drummer. I’ve found the range on the high and low passes is very useful, as is the side-chain frequency in the gates. The band loves to play close together and having such a tight stage has made gate control an ongoing battle. Using the MADI interface allowed us to set up, in a compact package, a series of aux sends, inserts and direct outs to be processed in Logic and then returned into the console at various points. Each musician has the ability to control via MIDI certain aspects of their personal mixes, and all that processing is done in the computer. I’m also using MIDI control within the console to give me direct access to certain channel functions and talkback controls.”

Holroyd says recording is an option at monitor world, and could be implemented with a simple click. “At the moment, though, the MADI interface is being used for insert loops and some extra mixing. I run my cue through Logic via inserts and add some talkback channels before returning it to the console so I can hear band chatter even if I’m soloing a single input.”

Hutchinson, however, is taking advantage of the console’s recording capabilities at FOH, capturing nightly performances for future use on special CD/DVD projects, in addition to being made available for download at livedownloads.com. His Apple MacBook Pro, running v10.5.8, connects to an RME Express MADIface converter to record to an external hard disk using Cubase 5. “Each day, I capture the full input list during soundcheck and during the show I capture my groups, FX, matrixes, mains and audience mics.”

The nature of touring can be nerve-wracking, with all the moving around and loading in and out. Hutchinson has been overly pleased with the technical support offered

by DiGiCo. “It has been first-class all the way,” he offers. “If any problems arise I can usually have one of the techs contact me within 15 minutes - which is amazing.”

Twice The SD8 Power for Peru’s Premier Rental Company The global success of DiGiCo’s SD8 console shows no signs of abating, with rental companies enjoying great success with them in almost every continent. In fact, they have proved such a hit that many SD8 users are now returning to buy second consoles.

Red Power in Peru is one such recent investor.

Being one of the country’s most prestigious audio rental companies, Red Power’s client list reads like a Who’s Who of the Peruvian event and international touring industries. And with an extremely busy schedule to service, the company bought a second SD8 mere months after purchasing its first.

“We bought our first console in July this year and were really impressed with its great sound and its price point,” says Red Power owner Andrés Cuadros. “We have other digital consoles in our inventory, but the SD8 has a lot of advantages - its sound quality, versatility and ease of operation make it a favourite console with all the engineers who have used it here.”

Deployed on a remarkable variety of events - from shows by Faith No More and Kansas to Placido Domingo, Il Divo and Sarah Brightman, not to mention some of Peru’s highest profile festivals - the SD8 quickly established itself as an invaluable part of Red Power’s offering.

“The console has proved an incredible success for us and we have so much work that it was a straightforward decision to buy a second SD8,” says Andrés.

“Everyone that has used our SD8s is extremely happy with them and I’ve had very positive comments from high profile engineers such as Jerry Eade (Placido Domingo) and Chris Pyne (Il Divo).

“Both consoles are in use almost continuously and, with DiGiCo’s unsurpassed reliability and support, they are a vital part of our inventory and have already proved the wisdom of our additional investment.”

DiGiCo SD8 Enjoys Successful Cyprus Debut “There was a clear market demand for us to offer DiGiCo consoles to our clients, so this was the ideal time for us to buy our first one,” he says. “The SD8 is also way ahead of any other digital console within its price range,” The SD8 made its debut this Autumn, as monitor board at a show by massively popular Cypriot singer and pin-up Michalis Hatzigiannis, at the 23,000-capacity GSP Stadium in Nicosia.

Established two decades ago, AGC Ehitiki has grown to be the largest production rental company in Cyprus. And what better way was there for the company to celebrate it’s 20th anniversary, than by the acquisition of a DiGiCo SD8 console?

Based at large premises in Kaimakli, close to the centre of the island’s capital Nicosia, the company was founded by Loris Demetriades who still takes a very hands-on role in the day-to-day running of the business. Loris is keen for the company to offer the very best production technologies available and the success of the SD8 since its launch in 2008 hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“It is a measure of our confidence in the SD8 that we were more than happy to give it its debut on such a massive show,” smiles Loris. “Michalis is a huge star in Cyprus, it was the final show of his summer tour and so we had to be absolutely certain that everything would run smoothly.”

As you would expect, Michalis’ monitor engineer, George Panolaskos, was more than happy to work with the SD8 and the show was a complete success.

“The SD8 is a very easy to use, very flexible desk,” says Loris. “Sonically it’s excellent, with plenty of headroom, and the effects are brilliant. Personally I don’t see any reason for patching outboard units.

“It’s fully booked for all the future shows we have coming up and I haven’t had a single ‘no’ or complaint from sound engineers I have recommended it to.”

Rentall Takes DiGiCo SD Consoles On Tour With Guus Meeuwis sized venues across Holland, where engineers Michiel Lukassen (monitors) and John van Heertum (FOH) are finding the DiGiCo duo the perfect solution.

“Meeuwis crew used to be committed analogue guys,” says Jaap Pronk of TM Audio, DiGiCo’s distributor in The Netherlands who sold the consoles to Rent-All. “His recent switch to digital was the result of Lukassen and van Heertum’s experience with DiGiCo during Meeuwis stadium concerts in 2008 and 2009.

“They found that the SD7 is the only digital desk which can easily handle 96+ inputs and still be pleasant to mix on and were also very happy with the new Overdrive software option on the SD8 at FOH. The Dynamic EQs and multiband dynamics are very useful, combined with the eight floating point FX that were previously only found in the SD7.”

One of The Netherlands’ most successful production companies, Rent-All, is on tour with one of the country’s most successful artists, Guus Meeuwis. The consoles of choice are a DiGiCo SD8 and SD7 Front of House and monitor combination.

In a departure from his recent stadium tours, Meeuwis’s current appearances to promote his NW8 CD, recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios, are in theatre-

Rent-All owner, Theo van Workum, visited the DiGiCo stand at last month’s PLASA show and commented: “We have one of Europe’s largest L’Acoustic stocks and a warehouse full of modern lighting equipment. With the DiGiCo SD consoles we are now also leading the field in the digital domain.”

“This is a major change in Rent-All’s inventory,” concludes Pronk. “The commitment of a company this size, that works across Europe, is yet another testament to the fact that DiGiCo continue to get things right.”

China’s Spectacular 60th Anniversary Celebrations Have EAD Sound With DiGiCo 1st October saw China stage a spectacular 60th anniversary National Day Parade in the capital Beijing.

As a country with a great history and a great tradition for both producing and using the latest technology, three of DiGiCo’s latest generation consoles were a fitting choice to mix the audio for this most important event.

Eastern Acoustic Development Ltd (EAD) worked with the client to support this event by providing one SD7 and two SD8 consoles. “This was a vast and hugely important event - both nationally and internationally, so excellent sound quality, flexible, fast operation and guaranteed stability were key requirements,“ says Only Wang, EAD technical manager.

“More than anything, the event was so high profile that complete reliability was essential - nothing could be allowed to go wrong, so we had full redundancy to cover for any potential problems.”

The two SD8s were used for main system mixing, monitoring and audio for various video and lighting sections in the city’s Tiananmen Square. Incoming signals were split and both feeds went to both consoles, which were used in mirror mode, the second SD8 providing full redundancy for the main one.

“The chief sound engineer, Mr LI Anzhen, was amazed by the flexibility of the SD8, especially working with the tablet PC, remote control software. With each speaker hang located a considerable distance from each of the others, he was able to use a tablet to walk around the large area that the system was covering, applying delay and EQ as necessary to get the perfect sound for both the live event and the televised coverage,” Only continues.

“We had two hours in which to set up the system and, without the wireless control, that would not have been anywhere near enough time.”

Meanwhile, the SD7 was used for mixing microphone inputs and pre-recorded music for feeds to further video and lighting installations and the national flag guards in the southern part of Chang An Street. Located in the eastern part of Tiananmen Square, the console used its own, onboard redundancy to ensure total reliability for the event.

As with the SD8, here audio engineer Mr. LI Ran controlled the SD7 via WiFi when setting up the system.

“Mr LI really likes the SD7’s macro key, because it meant he could customise functions and make the console quicker to use,” Only continues. “As with the SD8, being able to control the console wirelessly meant that setting up of the system was very fast.”

Because of the way the Chinese authorities were running the event, security considerations meant that the audio teams could only stay in their assigned areas.

This had serious potential consequences for the audio staff, because using wireless communication during the event itself was impossible due to the huge number of frequencies in use.

But the DiGiCo consoles came to the rescue - communications were very straightforward via the fibre optics of the audio lines and the built-in communications facilities of the SD7 and SD8, enhancing the working efficiency of the systems even further.

“The 60th Anniversary National Day Parade was a huge marketing opportunity for both the consoles and the overall DiGiCo brand in the Chinese market,” says Only.

“The SD7 and SD8 performed flawlessly, which was great as the event received global coverage. We are looking forward to using them on many more shows, with even greater confidence about the quality and reliability of DiGiCo!”

DiGiCo SD8 Brings Audio Luxury to Luxembourg “While DiGiCo was always our first choice – we still have a Soundtracs MX32 that we use for small covers bands - our company isn’t really big enough to buy a D5 or SD7, so the SD8 is absolutely right for us.”

George took the SD8 out on tour with French singer Julien Arpetti just a fortnight after taking delivery of it and was already more than up to speed on the console’s operation.

“The SD8 is very easy to handle. After just three hours I had the first soundcheck on it - and was doing it alone. No problem!” he smiles.

For the past 14 years MusiRent-Lux has built a reputation of having the very highest quality equipment in its inventory.

Recently having taken delivery of the first DiGiCo SD8 mixing console in Luxembourg, the company is assured of its place at the cutting edge of the industry.

“We had been looking at digital consoles for some time and tried many others, but the SD8 proved to be the ideal combination of facilities, quality and costeffectiveness,” says Musirent owner Georg Feltes.

“We did the month-long Julien Arpetti tour and everything we needed was there on the desk. We also used the RME-Madi-Converter and Logic Pro on a Macintosh laptop for recording, so straight away we were doing virtual soundchecks with it.

And, of course, it sounded fantastic!”

The SD8 already has a number of additional shows under its belt, including a range of open-air events. And, while it may be the first in Luxembourg, it is highly unlikely to be the last.

“We are very excited about the new Overdrive software package and the SD8-24 console,” say George. “We are seriously looking at buying a second SD8 as a monitor console and a SD8-24 for the smaller events we do.”

When in Rome.... SD7 And D5 On Unique Show In The Eternal City Five different mixes were fed out by the SD7 to the huge house sound rig designed

by Daniele Tramontani, divided into vocals, music and speech. As well as the main L/R system for the music, there were five separately controllable delay lines and a series of front fill enclosures. Fiorello therefore made his frequent forays into the audience without any feedback risks.

It was Tempesta’s first outing with the SD7, but he has been a DiGiCo convert since the first models hit the market.

Fiorello, one of Italy’s most popular showmen, hit the headlines this year with a unique live and TV entertainment project.

Three nights a week, he hosted a show in a 2,500-seat marquee in the centre of Rome, recorded and edited down to a 30-minute package and beamed out in prime time by Sky Italia Satellite channel the following evening, with highlights transmitted every Sunday.

An up-tempo combination of his talents as a singer, comedian and imitator, the show alternated solo sketches with interaction between the artist, his guests and members of the audience, with a great deal of improvisation.

Fiorello’s FOH engineer Hugo Tempesta used a DiGiCo SD7 console to mix live and broadcast sound, as well as recording every show. “With a ten-piece band and bandleader/pianist, mics for guests and spare mics, I’d no less than 156 input channels,” he says. “Quite a number were doubled up on the console since, as well as the house sound reinforcement, I also mixed the music for broadcast, which requires different settings.”

As well as 10 channels just for the band’s drummer, there was also a twin percussion set-up, brass section, second keyboard player with six keyboards and various other sounds, plus electric, classical and acoustic guitars, bass and double bass.

Monitor engineer Enrico Belli also had his hands full, as he explains: “I had absolutely no free channels on my DiGiCo D5 Live desk and we also created an incredible number of snapshots as over a hundred songs were rehearsed but, thanks to the D-16c A-Net card for use with DiGiCo consoles, I was able to distribute audio via Cat-5e cable directly from the D5 to the 10 Aviom A-1611 personal mixers used by the band.”

Tempesta sent the OB truck a L/R mixdown of the music in real time. “I had the duplicated channels under the same VCA, so the basic balance was set in the mix,” he says. “But if I needed to raise an instrument during the show, the VCA raised the broadcast level too.”

“I’ve always enjoyed working on these consoles and, after my first opportunity of hands-on use of the SD7, I must say it’s a world unto itself - with the possibilities it offers for controlling all the channels in a really intuitive manner and their total interchangeability on the work surface,” smiles Tempesta. “It was like having all the channels - named as I required – in a ‘filing cabinet’ and being able to pull them out and put them precisely where I wanted – changing them with others, changing their names and colours. This is extremely useful when you get last-minute requests, as it only takes a moment to add whatever’s required exactly where it’s needed.”

As well as finding the desk intuitive and reliable, Tempesta also says he found just how good it sounded during 10 days’ production rehearsals in one of Rome’s top studios – Forum Music Village - where he was able to set up the SD7 in a control room with studio monitors.

“There, staffers are accustomed to top quality sounds and were surprised with the quality of the sound from a digital board - they thought I was working in analogue,” he recalls. “It has a fantastic bottom end – really full-bodied – DiGiGo desks have always struck me for this feature – that’s where the difference can be heard.”

The engineer also appreciated the console’s software, which provided multiband dynamics everywhere. “I hate traditional compressors, as compressing everything is senseless…,” continues Tempesta. “I prefer multiband facilities to eliminate just what’s necessary from the signals. This and the dynamic EQ are the two features I appreciated most on the show, where we had a lot of speech, as it enables very precise control of the voice.”

Tempesta also enthused about having all the channels displayed with their names at the centre of the desk and, by just clicking on whichever he required, calling it up immediately, no matter which layer it was on.

“So much for complaints by reluctant digital users about passing from one layer to another when working,” he says. “They are often the same folk who complained they didn’t have enough channels at their disposal when using old analogue desks!

“Having a display with a video program at my disposal – for example showing the steadicam following Fiorello when he came off stage – was also a godsend, as it enabled me to follow certain aspects I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. This desk is really ahead of its time.”

DiGiCo SD7 Rocks Russia Established over a decade ago, S-Service Pro provides production services to many of Moscow’s highest profile live events, including outdoor festivals, arena and theatre productions, fashion shows, corporate events, exhibitions, trade shows and parties.

The SD7 was handed over by DiGiCo’s Russian distributor, Aris Pro, at the beginning of August and was immediately put to work by S-Service on a festival headlined by Madness.

“S-Service chose the SD7 because it is the future!” says Katerina Pogodina of Aris Pro. “Company founder Oleg Syadrysty is young and forward-looking, he invests in products which he knows are both state-of-the-art and going to be able give him a very long-term return.

“The DiGiCo D5 is extremely popular with both artists and rental companies in Russia. DiGiCo consoles are very highly regarded and, with the SD7’s twin digital engines and high redundancy, it has a great future in the Russian concert industry.”

After its first outing at the festival, the SD7 went on to further shows, the feedback received by Aris Pro being extremely positive.

The global success of DiGiCo’s SD7 mixing console continues unabated, with one of the latest sales being to a high profile rental company in Moscow, Russia.

“S-Service is very happy,” says Katerina. “The sound quality of the SD7 is unsurpassed, the control is excellent and the offline software version is extremely convenient. It is already proving a great success.”

Anastacia Tours With DiGiCo D5 Double “The show was her usual pop style, where the songs vary in colour and intensity,” he recalls. “Most programmers work at home, so the ‘pro tool’ playback elements can often be level perfect, but not sonically right for the mix in a live environment.

However, it’s easy to address such issues within peoples programs with the digital trim on the console.

I use a template session to start a tour that drives external effects and sometimes cue system. The board is such a great tool that you quickly forget how many issues it has already solved!”

Pop diva Anastacia’s four month tour of the UK and Europe’s theatres and arenas finished in style in the middle of September - with what was commonly considered its best sounding date in Kiev, Russia. DiGiCo D5s sat at both Front of House and monitor positions throughout, in the safe hands of Tony Blanc and Becky Pell.

Tony is no stranger to working with Anastacia, having performed FOH duties for her on and off since her first single broke some eight years ago. He is also no stranger to DiGiCo and was happy to be able to specify a D5 for her latest tour.

As the tour didn’t carry a full PA system, Tony utilized 56 of the D5’s inputs and fed the varying systems with five sends: main PA, front fills, subs and delays as required.

Tony also multi-tracked every show using an RME MADIFace and Nuendo software which, he says, worked extremely well.

“I’ve had a great time with the D5 on monitors for Anastacia,” adds Becky. “It sounds warm and natural, and the fact that it is so intuitive to get around means that I can keep my eyes on Anastacia and the band, and not have to look down too much.

“There’s quite a big dynamic range between her songs, from gentle piano-based ballads to full-on rock, and so the thing that really stood out for me was the snapshots - they’re so versatile and user-friendly, I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s a fantastic desk, and I really enjoy using it!”

Whilst Tony takes his D5 on to pastures new, Becky will work with Anastacia once again, but this time on a DiGiCo SD8 for the forthcoming Here Come The Girls tour in November, which also features pop legends Lulu and Chaka Khan.

World First For DiGiCo As SD8 Goes Mobile Featuring a 96 input/output ProTools HD3 system for recording, the truck uses SSL MadiDelta Link and Lynx Aurora interfaces, with system clocking by a Rosendahl NanosyncHD. The system is configured to provide both 5.1 and stereo masters simultaneously.

“The routings and all the features are very transparent, I like the fact that you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to learn how to set up the system,” smiles Tomi. “It is a really flexible and easy to use console. The potentiometers are arranged just the way I like, so when I need to change EQ or compressor settings I immediately find the right knob. That’s a really important thing when you have to work fast.”

In late 2008 and early 2009, Finnish band Eppu Normaali enjoyed its hugely successful Klubiotteella tour with a pair of DiGiCo SD8 consoles supplied by Akun Tehdas, the audio production company owned by the band and directed by drummer Aku Syrja.

In recent times, the benefits of digital recording technology have made it increasingly common for bands to record their concerts and have those recordings available for fans to buy straight after the show. This autumn Tomi and Location Factory will be fulfilling that role for a number of Finnish bands, as well as a range of other recordings. http://www.digico.biz/public/images/news_img/Anastacia_Mons_ Becky_Pell.jpg “In the past I have done more pop/rock recordings, both live and in the studio, but with the new facility I’ll experiment with more classical concerts,” he says. “So far I have made a few classical recordings and the results were absolutely stunning. It’s easy to take the truck nearly anywhere and it takes only a few minutes to set up once I’m on location.”

So successful was the tour that TomFloor Production, an associate company run by producer and engineer Tomi Pietila, has since purchased its own console for Location Factory - the world’s first SD8-equipped mobile recording facility.

He continues, “For every piece of live or location work I’ve done with the SD8, it has been very reliable. I don’t remember ever having to restart the console after setup.

“When it came to choosing a console, there were a few options which I considered, but very soon it became obvious that the SD8 had more preamps, more power, more… everything… compared with other brands,” says Tomi of his new acquisition.

“I’m really happy with it. It completely satisfies my requirements, whatever kind of recording I’m doing.”

“Most importantly I knew the sound quality of the preamps. Having used the SD8 to make live recordings of the Eppu Normaali tour, I already knew that the preamps sound so good that it feels like having an old British analogue desk, not a brand new one. And from a digital one as well!

“With Akun Tehdas already owning DiGiCo consoles, it is also easy to build expanded systems, if needed.”

Phish Reunite for Summer Tour And Go Fishing For New Live Sound Midsteam With a DiGiCo SD7 The following week the SD7 came into play. “I was up at Eighth Day Sound for 4 days to work on prepping the FOH control for the second leg. They had an SD7 there for me to try, with the option of carrying it on tour along with the current console.

On my first day, the current tour console was not available, so I spent the whole day playing with the SD7. The only problem was, on listening back to the multi-tracks through the SD7, they sounded great. Remember, I had just spent the previous week listening to the tracks on one particular show, so I had become very familiar with how they sounded, but through the SD7, they sounded way different, with no EQ, HPF or LPF, the tracks sounded open, crystal clear, with a nice tight defined low-end—and I hadn’t even started doing anything.

After a five-year hiatus, the long-running quartet Phish reformed earlier this year, culminating in a new release (“Joy”) and subsequent 27-date national tour including headline spots at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and a four-night run at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver.

They’ve also announced a 3-day Halloween weekend festival at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California. Billed as “Festival 8,” the band will revive two of its most storied traditions: blending a weekend-long campout with its once-regular Halloween gig.

During the first leg of the tour, FOH engineer, Garry Brown made the decision to switch mid-stream to a DiGiCo SD7. And after a laborious, and exhaustive A/B comparison—in a mere 3 days—of his current console and the SD7, the decision was made. Aside from a brief outing with the band Third Day in 2004 on a DiGiCo D5, this was Brown’s first extensive hands-on experience with a DiGiCo console.

“During the first leg of the tour, we had been using another digital console, which in the context of the live sound of the shows had not been an issue. We came to realize that the board tapes that were released for downloads every night after the show were sounding small—there was no depth in the sound field—which completely stumped us as the shows had been sounding great! To try and figure what was going on, I spent a week with the console and the multi-tracks from the shows, basically starting afresh, but we ended up with the same issue!”

On the second day, Brown had both digital desks hooked up to a d&b J series system with multi-tracks hooked up with the same session, on the same song, so they were going into the consoles digital, plus coming out of both on AES into a Dolby Lake for switch purposes. “No AD/DA conversions done by the consoles. On playback of the tracks, the difference was surprising! The previous touring console, had a great sounding mix going on, but it didn’t have the openness on top end or the clarity and definition of the low end that the SD7 had, plus to do a real comparison, I bypassed everything that was happening, both consoles, no EQ, HPF, LPF. Same result again, but a greater difference. This time the other console was basically missing any clarity in high-end, with a muddy undefined low-end. The testing was done, and my decision was made: I was switching consoles to the SD7!”

Day three, just to confirm the change, Brown had the Production Manager come into Eighth Day Sound for a comparison of the two consoles, both as before, with no EQ, LPF, HPF, on the same song, 5-10 seconds of comparison on each. “Basically the PM’s response was, ‘That’s a no brainer, we’re changing consoles then?’”

On the Phish tour, Brown is working with 2 stage racks boasting the 112-capacity, but are only been utilizing 68 inputs. “Phish is basically a 4-piece band, with a decent about of inputs, plus the options of special guests, which could be another drum kit! We have to be ready for anything with this band, and the DiGiCo system allows us that flexibility to expand or contract according to the special requirements of whatever.”

Utilizing an RME MADI bridge in conjunction with two SSL XLogic Delta-Links into a Digidesign Pro Tools HD 3 system, Brown multitracked nightly for archival purposes and possible future releases.

Ultimately, the band was extremely pleased with the audio upgrade he says. “They know there was a change, and plus they’ve heard great things from people in the audience… so they’ve been happy with what changes we made.”

Ton Eichinger Wins Austrian Lottery With DiGiCo SD7 And SD8 Studio 44 is an extremely well equipped event location based in the headquarters of the Austrian Lotteries in Vienna.

Although originally intended solely for internal use, during the last 10 years it has become a successful commercial venture, with clients such as Ford Motor Company, Coca Cola, BP and Google to its name. The latest additions to its high quality equipment inventory are a DiGiCo SD7 and two SD8s.

“This is the first venue in Austria to have an SD7 plus two SD8s all with Optocore,” says Thomas Kappner, technical director of the complex. “We are happy that DiGiCo and distributor TON Eichinger performed the installation and training smoothly.”

“Being accustomed to the fixed architecture of analogue consoles and their quick access, we were extremely skeptical about digital console bank switching and menu structures,” adds chief sound engineer, Dietmar Krenn. “After initial demos, we wanted a particular desk for its simple structure.

Even on our analogue desk I had to use much more EQ for a decent sound. With the SD7 I did my first complete band sound check in 10 minutes, including monitoring.”

“Working on the DiGiCo SD7 showed us that it sounded much better from the start, achieving perfect results with less EQ. And with EQ and dynamics on all outputs, as well as lots of excellent reverbs and effects onboard, we can use more of these and try out new things.”

“Studio 44 hosts a big variety of productions, such as press conferences, live concerts, corporate events, panel discussions and live TV broadcasts,” concludes Kappner. “The SD7 is our FOH console, the first SD8 sits in the control room of our HD video facilities with a lot of sources and recorders, the second SD8 can be inserted in the Optocore loop at any of eight positions and is used flexibly for monitoring, in the foyer or for external jobs.

“The deep menu structures of other consoles are not suitable for our work, but with the SD7 all important controls and functions are right there on the surface,” says Krenn. “The EQ of the SD7 is ultra precise, which means quicker sound checks.

“With the DiGiCo Optocore, we can access all sources quickly without additional equipment. This system gives us the flexibility our clients demand every day.”

The Producers Musical Showcases DiGiCos SD8

Thirty-plus years after the release of Mel Brooks’ celluloid comedy “The Producers”, the zany musical has enjoyed a renaissance, thanks in part to a wildly successful Broadway adaptation in 2001 and subsequent film version in 2005.

The original show—starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick—ran for over 2500 performances, won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards, and also spawned a plethora of international tours and productions. In July, the New Bedford Festival Theatre staged a two-week run of the musical at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, featuring original costumes and sets from the Broadway performance.

Jason Choquette, on vacation from his main gig as touring sound engineer for the “Phantom of the Opera”, designed the production’s sound system with a DiGiCo SD8 at its core following a chance meeting with DiGiCo’s U.S. Sales Manager, Matt Larson.

Choquette met Larson during the Minneapolis ‘Phantom’ run in June, and was telling him about designing the audio system for an upcoming production of “The Producers” at the Massachusetts theatre where he’d gotten his start. “The next thing I knew,” Choquette laughed, “I was going to a demo at a local sound shop to check out the SD8 console! Matt wanted some feedback for a new theatre software revision, but the only way I’d be able to do that was to use it in a real application like a show. I gave him the dates of ‘The Producers’, and within a few weeks, I had a demo console for feedback.”

As was typical in theatre productions, Choquette had previously mixed on analog Cadac J-Type consoles on productions including “Phantom,” as well as “Annie” and “Les Miserables.” But more recently, he’d been noticing more digital desks—in particular DiGiCo D5T’s—popping up on tours and in theatres such as the one used on the Tony-awarded “Billy Elliot”. “I actually worked on a D5T once,” he recalled, “but since I was only the mixer, everything was already done for me. I just came in and threw faders. In this situation for “Producers,” I was able to actually dig in and program the console from the beginning. My first impression was that it looked like a typical digital console, but once I started working with it, learning all of its bells and whistles, it worked—and sounded—like an analog console.”

It took Choquette a little over two weeks to select mics and configure the console, which included a total of 68 inputs—32 instrument clip-on mics in the pit for the 13-piece orchestra, and 22 for vocal mics for the cast. Due to the space constraints in the theatre, he put a DiGiCo 48-input rack in the pit, with digital snakes leading back to the console.

“Once I got the full orchestra in for the initial soundcheck, I had the console up and running in 15 minutes,” he said. “We then threw in the cast for a complete run-through and I had the console pretty much dialed in after the second group song—with a couple tweaks here and there to compensate for the actors who put on hats during the course of the show. Having a digital desk for this kind of thing was invaluable. I was able to store EQs for those actors in those scenes, so when

the lead character puts on a hat, you can have that EQ stored on that channel to compensate. The versatility of being able to program your EQs and dynamics, scene to scene, was amazing.”

He found the built-in effects to be amazing, as well. “I used three onboard ‘channels’ of reverbs, two for vocals and one for the band. The band reverb doesn’t change at all; the vocals do depending on the scene you’re in. You don’t usually find that clean of an effect built-in on a digital desk. The speed of the console with the processor is amazing! There’s like no load time whatsoever. The compressor and the gates on the console, which every channel has, are amazing. I didn’t use any of the inserts or the graphic EQs; I felt that the parametric EQs on each channel were enough. And the ability to edit the parameters on the effects, and the depth you can actually go into it, was incredible.”

Even though he was using the console in a relatively basic configuration, Choquette was blown away by all that it had to offer. “The basic power of the console is amazing, and you don’t have to go that far in-depth to do what you needed to do.

I was using the console pretty much in its basic configuration, but as each week progressed, I added some more reverbs and such in, and started playing around with that. I also noticed that the processors were very clean. A lot of times on digital consoles you’ll hear a little ‘hiss’ and there is nothing like that on the SD8.”

Taking advantage of DiGiCo’s MADI format, and using an RME MADIface interface, he was able to multitrack the show for archival purposes, but also found those recordings useful for fine-tuning his mixes. “With the flip of a button, you have the recording in front of you on the same channels that they were rerecorded on. I was able to fine-tune some of the show at that point, having all those tracks in front of me.”

Reflecting back after the show’s final curtain call on July 19th, Choquette said the audience, and especially the producers, were extremely pleased with the sound— even though they were a bit skeptical about the ‘demo console’ initially. “But also,” he laughed, “it’s no wonder producers love the console… it takes up so little space at FOH that it allows them to actually sell more seats!”

Looking ahead, Choquette says he would definitely use DiGiCo again on a theatrical performance given the opportunity, although he thinks the SD7 would accommodate a typical, Broadway-type of production. And he very well might get the chance to switch over as he moves into the position of Head Of Audio for Phantom’s touring division.

SK Systems Rounds Out Its Full Line Of DiGiCo Offerings With SD8 New York-based SK Systems has become one of the region’s top sound reinforcement and production service houses, by providing its broad clientele with reliable, state-of-the-art technology and exemplary customer service.

In part, that reputation has been cemented by offering a complete line of DiGiCo system configurations for applications both large and small. SK Systems’ owner, Tom Heinisch, made the decision to round out his complete DiGiCo arsenal—comprised of two D1s, D5, and SD7—with the newest SD8, based on his extensive experience with DiGiCo, and the stellar sonic superiority, workhorse reliability and exceptional support in the field that he and his customers have grown to know and love. A few of his happy customers include the Plain White Tees, They Might Be Giants and Donna Summer.

“In our area we have been getting known as a DiGiCo house with our D1s and CS-D5,” Heinisch explained. “Early on we saw an opportunity to deploy an SD7 for a project, and with the faith and proven technology that we had experienced for the past 3 years with the D-series console, we knew that the SD7 was going to be the next requested surface as it seemed to be light years ahead of other digital console offerings. This is proven in both its flexibility and superior audio quality. With the downturn in the economy, some of our clients cannot afford the deployment of such a high dollar piece of equipment, which led us to our latest addition of the SD8 surface. Without sacrificing audio quality, the ‘cost effective’ DiGiCo package had arrived in the release of the SD8.”

The decision to add the newest digital offering, the SD8, was made strategically, and in light of the recent downturn in economy. “We feel that our clients are all quality artists that deserve to have the correct tools to get the job done while still keeping an eye on their dollar. Other surfaces require old, antiquated, heavy, and problematic copper snakes and splitters. The SD8 became a much more attractive solution. As with all DiGiCo products, it is fully compatible with existing DiGiCo products, I/O racks and interfacing gain tracking. It became another no-brainer to add this surface to the inventory as it could be deployed immediately for bands-inthe-bus-with-trailer tours. Also, locally, on many one-off projects, it replaces a big heavy analogue console with lots of outboard gear and patching interfacing.”

In particular, Heinisch felt that the sonic quality and reliability that he and his clients have experienced with all of the DiGiCo products has been taken to another level with the SD7. “The SD7 is the ultimate Swiss army knife of a digital work surface!

It’s feature-heavy with lots of buttons, lights, and switches, along with the dual redundant powerful mix engines under the hood. Taking a lead from their D-series in this area, DiGiCo has kept the human interface extremely intuitive and simple for an operator to get around. The footprint of all DiGiCo consoles has always been a leader for us, both in a venue and in the truck.”

Heinisch says the new stealth digital processor incorporated into both the SD7 and SD8 brings a sound eminence that not only exceeds, but also surpasses other digital console offerings. “Hands-down, the sonic quality of both the SD7 and SD8 is superior to the more popular and abundant offerings by other digital console

manufacturers. Its’ interfacing, with the current existing DiGiCo I/O preamps, show the difference! The stealth digital processor takes your audio up a notch over the existing, already-excellent, D-series surfaces, and we still deploy combinations of SD and D-series surfaces together on our projects.”

And the feedback from SK’s clientele has been stellar. “Dan Housel, the engineer for iDiNA Menzel, was particularly pleased with the performance and operation. Having been a Clair/Soundworks guy from the West Coast, he said that they had to pry an XL-4 or Heritage out of his hands to go to the digital platform. Aside from the superior audio quality in the SD7, he found its surface extremely intuitive despite the console’s sophistication. I gave him the offline editor and manual, and left us with his session, saying that he’ll now be putting the SD7 console on his riders in the future.”

Heinisch also sent out an SD7 on a few Donna Summer runs this year. “This allowed for me to leave behind all outboard gear with the exception of the CD burner and CD player! The MACH 2 package has unleashed a whole new world of effects and dynamics. The dynamic EQs and multiband compressors per each channel and output add a whole new dimension to the mixes you can achieve in the live environment. Also, with the console’s video capabilities, I can now keep an eye on the audio levels going to the archival video camera that records all of the Donna Summer shows for critique. It’s always been a ‘set-and-forget’ sort of thing, where they set the camera up, plug in the feed and run away to do their gig during the show. Now I know that on playback, the audio levels are good, not overdriven or out of balance because the level on the camera got bumped, not to mention that the bass response from the PA has not rotated the camera on its tripod. A handy feature indeed.”

Aside from local one off projects, SK’s first tour with the SD8 was with the Plain White Tees this past spring. Sound engineer Adam Robinson, a long time fan of the D-series surfaces, was amazed at the packaging and results that he was able to achieve from the new DiGiCo offering. Using an RME MADIFace interface easily allowed for multitrack recording and playback with the use of his laptop computer.

“Adam and a lot of other engineers are finding this feature extremely useful. In the past, it was always a battle to get a production company to supply the D-Series surfaces for their projects. Now with the ever-growing popularity of the SD8, they are more readily available and are deployed on more projects.”

Burlesque Benefit Bares All For Charity With The Support From A DiGiCo SD7 Some of the hottest dancers in show business came together at New York’s world-famous Roseland Ballroom in June for “Broadway Bares”, a one-night sold-out extravaganza, which married the naughtiness of burlesque with the dazzle of Broadway.

Originally conceived by Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, the event has raised over 5.5 million dollars for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS—the nation’s leading non-profit AIDS fundraising organization— since its inception in 1992. This year’s benefit was no exception, raising over $800,000 dollars. The event’s long-time production ally, Acme Sound Partners, secured the SD7 from Lew Mead of Autograph A2D, who donated the console for the event.

“We were early-adopters of the D5T,” said Nevin Steinberg of Acme Sound Partners. “After having a few introductory demonstrations of the SD7 hardware over the past year, we had been looking for an opportunity to use the new console in a show situation. Since we’ve been doing ‘Broadway Bares’

for about 10 years, we thought it would be a great chance to introduce some exciting new technology to our regular system.”

The console’s maiden voyage for Steinberg proved nothing short of excellent. “The desk performed very well.

Setup was a breeze, operation was intuitive, and the sound was—as expected—excellent. We particularly liked the snapshot auto-update feature, and the extensive onboard dynamics processing—especially the multi-band compression.

We also test-drove the onboard effects and were pleased by the sound of the delay and reverb presets. All in all, we had a great first pass at using the console, and are looking forward to other opportunities to include the SD7 on our events and upcoming shows.”

Tejas Trio ZZ Top Team up With Aerosmith on Huge US Tour With Dual SD8s

After a month-long solo trek through Europe early in 2009, ZZ Top teamed with fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Aerosmith for a massive North American tour, currently steamrolling through cities across the nation into late September.

For the Tejas trio, this is a warm-up of sorts, as next year marks the band’s 40th anniversary as well as the release and subsequent tour to promote their first studio recording in five years (produced by Rick Rubin).

Tour sound for both bands was entirely in the hands of DiGiCo - from FOH to monitors. Aerosmith is carrying an SD7 for FOH, in addition to a CS-D5 for frontman Steven Tyler’s monitors, with a D5 for the rest of the group’s monitors; ZZ Top has dual SD8’s in use by FOH engineer Toby Francis and monitor man Jake Mann. Tour production is provided by PRG (Aerosmith) and Clair Global (ZZ Top).

Long-time FOH navigator Toby Francis has worked with ZZ for the last decade, as well as recently with the Smashing Pumpkins, Mars Volta, Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Velvet Revolver. Before embarking on the tour, Francis decided to upgrade from a Digidesign D-Show Profile to a DiGiCo SD8 (which he eventually purchased). In hindsight, he regrets not having done so sooner.

“The philosophy I take is I have the equipment I’m comfortable with using but I’m always looking at new things. If something really stands out, then I’ll make the change.

I went down and spent a day with [DiGiCo’s technical sales guru] Taidus Vallandi, mixing off of Pro Tools on an SD7 and SD8. I found that the 7 has more features than I would require, especially with ZZ and most of the acts that I mix, which are pretty straightforward rock bands. The overall sound that I heard in that one demo convinced me to make the change. I was happy where I was at, but the dynamic range was noticeably more extended with this console then anything I’ve used previously - and I’ve used them all. I’ve had the best result so far with the DiGiCo SD8. It’s effortless and actually a joy to mix on. The new stealth digital processor has a noticeably different sound; it has a much more analog sound to it than the other digital consoles I’ve used. And it really translated the first show - even our lighting director asked me what was different. He noticed a much fatter, thicker sound. The guitars are much thicker, the drums sound much more natural… and that was just after the first night! After two shows, I was totally and completely convinced. I plan on staying with the SD8 and using it as my standard console from here on out. Any engineer that tries this console is going to switch, either to the SD7 or the SD8.

Sonically, it’s the best sounding digital console I’ve heard yet.”

Prior to the first performance, Francis built everything for the show using the DiGiCo RCE (Remote Control Editor) offline software, loaded it in the first day, and was good to go. “All I had left to do was a little bit of EQing. Within 5 minutes, we were up and running, and by the second half of the second show, I was as comfortable with this console as I’d been on what I’d used previously on over 1000 shows. The only mistake I made was not driving the preamps hard enough right out of the gate.

It still sounded better, but once I got the gain structure right, I was stunned. And I heard things live that I hadn’t heard before! ZZ has a few ‘80s songs with synth-based tracks, and there’s some pitch bends and stuff that I hadn’t been hearing. I’ve heard it when I mixed it in the studio for broadcasts and such, but live, those subtleties used to get lost—and I’m hearing them now… again. I’m using no outboard gear; this is all internal everything, and I have more than enough tools to build a better mix than I had before.”

Similarly, Clair Global’s monitor engineer Jake Mann, in his 4th year working with the band, came to the same conclusion. Handling about 30 inputs for the band in total— Dusty and drummer Frank Beard are on in-ears and Billy Gibbons on wedges—Mann says he found the sounds he wanted right in the console. “The thing I like about this console is it doesn’t take a lot of plug-ins to make it sound good. Plug-ins are nice and I’m not taking away from them, but in some cases, I found that I had to use plugins to make it work. I find I’m using a lot less just to get the same thing, which is very cool. There is a noticeable difference in the sound; the midrange seems to be more present and the high end is smoother. In fact, I find that I’m hardly doing any EQing at all. If I high-pass and low-pass my inputs a little bit, that’s pretty much it. Overall, I use the console in a pretty straightforward way. The SD8 has a lot of bells and whistles that we can’t implement in this setting because it truly is a 3-piece rock band. They’ve been doing this for 40 years and they’re pretty set in their ways of doing things. So, we just continue in those ways with newer and better gear!”

Making the transition from the Profile to the SD8, Mann had about two days between the end of the band’s European tour and the start of the Aerosmith phase. “There’s always a little bit of stress when you do this stuff, especially on the time schedule we were on. We literally got home from Europe, had two days to play with the consoles, mix it and make it all work, and put it on the truck. We took the time to track my ear mixes from the Profile on Pro Tools so it allowed me time to remix the show, if you will, on the DiGiCo. That gave me a reference back to what I’d been sending off the Digidesign so I could get really close without having to tap the band’s time. When I did finally get them for 15 minutes it made it easy to make the changeover. They commented on this and that and I spent about 15 minutes building the gain structure from there—which you really can’t do until you have them play. And away we went.

I would say within the first half of the first show I’d settled in, and we’re just cruising from here on out. It was that easy. We were hoping we would get a soundcheck but we weren’t even sure we were going to get that. We did and that really made it nice.”

Next year is ZZ Top’s 40th anniversary and they’re doing their first studio record in five years with Rick Rubin. “So next year, we’ll have a new record, a new tour, and now, a new sound,” adds Francis.

Cranger Kirmes Festival Utilises A DiGiCo SD8 Every year on the first Friday of August, more than 500 funfair operators bring shooting galleries, beer gardens, carrousels, ghost trains and a variety of innovative, high-tech amusement rides to the 111,000m2 site.

In the festival’s Steinmeister pavillon, audio suppliers Schallmeister utilised a DiGiCo SD8 digital mixing console for covers band SE7EN CENT. Schallmeister purchased its first DiGiCo console from German distributor atlantic audio immediately after the launch of the SD8 in 2008 for its rental and dry hire business.

Since then, the console has proved very popular amongst Schallmeister’s clients and impressed the organizers in Crange with its outstanding performance. This is why owners Marcus Ugljanin and Tim Jansen have ordered a second SD8 enabling them to have an SD8 FOH and monitor combination.

With almost four and a half million visitors, the festival of Cranger Kirmes is one of the biggest and most popular German folk festivals.

While waiting for delivery, atlantic audio’s sales manager Christian Eberlein temporarily satisfied Schallmeister’s SD8 appetite with a traditional Crange gingerbread heart, bearing the message, ‘I love SD8’’.

Touhill Performing Arts Center Upgrades to DiGiCo SD8 Showcasing theater, musicals, opera, classical music, dance, popular entertainers from Jazz to World music, as well as University arts, music and dance events, it is the only performance space of its size in St. Louis.

During the final phase of construction for the 72-million dollar facility—designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the architectural firm of world-renowned architect I. M. Pei—the remaining funding provisions only allowed for a minimum to outfit the audio production gear. Not uncommonly, it was a few years before the funds were allocated to replace an ageing analog console and at that time, Director of Audio/ Video Services, James Campbell, did extensive homework. Once he honed in on DiGiCo, he test-drove several systems with the help of AVA Reps’ Ben Shipman, before choosing the SD8.

The Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center is located within the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis and houses the 1,625-seat Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall.

“We checked out everything that was out there, digital-wise,” Campbell recalls.

“We steered away from other consoles, mostly because they either offered older repackaged technology, or had no compatibility between competitive products.

The SD8 uses MADI so we were able to use the console with a variety of vendors–hardware and software. The console offered a smooth workflow because the worksurface is laid out for an engineer, plus we were able to handle multiple consoles (with the built in DiGiCo digital splitter). Overall, the SD8 offered a better price point, exceedingly rich features, and a fantastic interface, and with the new FPGA processing chip and all the onboard features, you’ve got a great, all-in-one, product that’s got an unbelievable bang for the buck. It’s all that we could ever need.”

Jeff Griswold, audio lead and stage supervisor for the theatre concurs. “I had not used any DiGiCo consoles previously, and as a matter of fact, had pretty limited experience with digital desks in general. But I love the way the SD8 is laid out.

Everything is tightly packaged and it’s easy to get around on with the touch screen.

It’s very versatile and also very easy to teach. We have a lot of people who come through and are using the desk who have a relatively small knowledge of audio, and have found it pretty easy and straightforward. Also, the sound is very good and crisp overall.”

As far as recording, James says they’re taking advantage of the console’s MADI capabilities to multitrack many of the performances using the RME MADI face and Nuendo. “We’ve got a variety of mic pre’s all running on MADI, and using the RME MADIface, we are merging all of our signals from the other theaters to the MADI matrix mixer and into our recording rig. All of that is backed up on an 18 terabyte server and it’s worked very well for us.”

Tool Summer Tour Toolbox Incorporated DiGiCo SD8 For Monitors Tool announced dates for a summer tour that will take the Grammy-award winning band through cities in the U.S. and Canada—including headlining appearances at All Points West and Lollapalooza festivals.

8th Day Sound staff engineer, Stephen Curtain, has worked with the band since 2006’s “10,000 Days” tour, first as a systems tech and later as their monitor engineer. Although he’s worked with numerous DiGiCo desks previously, this is his first outing with a DiGiCo SD8.

“The first time I saw an SD8 was at 8th Day Sound,” he recalled. “We had one in for a demo with a few of the guys from DiGiCo. The biggest thing to me was how little EQ I actually needed to use as compared to other mixing boards—digital or analog.”

Back in 2006, when he took the Tool gig over from another engineer, Curtain had been mixing on a Yamaha PM5D. “I knew I wanted to make the switch to a DiGiCo, and now just happened to be that time. I have been around just about every digital console out there over the past few years, and I always seem to gravitate towards the DiGiCo’s. In short, the SD8 fit the tour’s budget and my requirements for what my monitor desk needed to do.”

On this tour, there are approximately 40 inputs for drums, bass, guitar, vocals and a few FX returns from stage. Curtain’s also got two in-ear mixes for vocalist Maynard James Keenan (the band is all on wedges) and a tech mix. Plus, he’s using two internal reverbs and one external chorus for a total of 7 mono mixes and 3 stereo mixes. “I typically stick to using the parametric EQ on both inputs and outputs, but when I do need to use the graphic EQ faders, it makes things go a bit quicker

having the detent. It also gives you peace of mind knowing that you’re back at zero without having to watch some little numbers.”

Overall, Curtain says the feature he’s most impressed with is the sound. “I’m actually using less EQ on everything. The dynamics are clean and react the way they should. A few of the band members are really into the technology and get excited about what I’m using. For the most part though, they are just happy with a good, consistent sound and I think we’ve achieved that for this band and this tour.”

SSE Audio Group Invests in DiGiCo SD7 Managing director, John Penn, explains the decision: “Since we invested in DiGiCo D5s in 2004, they have been consistently in demand and very reliable. The low cost of ownership, coupled with these factors, has made the consoles produce a great return on what we initially perceived as a high investment cost.

“We have kept an eye on the SD7 since the prototype was launched in 2007.We decided it was the right time to add it to our extensive digital console stock and get ourselves trained up in its operation and maintenance ready for the busy autumn touring schedule.”

“We are very pleased that SSE has purchased the SD7, which was out working for them before they even took delivery of it via a sub-rental contract for the Montreux Jazz Festival in July,” adds DiGiCo managing director, James Gordon. “We feel that SSE’s commitment opens up the console to a different and wider market. We hope this will be the first of many such purchases and see it as an excellent way of DiGiCo strengthening its relationship with John and the SSE team.”

Leading European rental company, SSE Audio Group, has invested in a DiGiCo SD7 to add to its extensive stock of high-end sound equipment.

“With the addition of the SD7, we probably offer the largest choice of digital consoles of any European rental company,” concludes John. “It is a great marriage with our new L’Acoustics K1 system and is in line with our policy of providing our customers with the widest selection of tools enabling them to choose the product that best suits the way they want to work and get the job done.”

311s Year Of Change Includes New Live Sound With FOH DiGiCo SD7 On Summer Unity Tour 2009 has been a year of change for 311. Not only has the group returned from a lengthy hiatus with a new sound on the Bob Rock-produced release, Uplifter - their first in nearly 5 years - but they’ve lso returned with a new live sound.

For the first time ever, the band’s long-time FOH engineer and production manager, John Markovich decided to make the move from his Midas XL4 to a DiGiCo SD7 for FOH, starting with a month-long headlining tour in April, and later on their 25-city Unity Tour -with Ziggy Marley and The Expendables - from June to late July.

“We were kind of leery about changing,” Markovich confessed, “but the change was inevitable, because the future of the live sound business is digital. Even though the band didn’t really want to make a change, we figured that now was the time to move on to the next level of sound. We had a lot of conversations about which way we should go, talking to other engineers who had used digital consoles extensively.

I went to see the console with Taidus [Vallandi, DiGiCo technical sales] and I fell in love with it. I didn’t know what it was going to sound like on tour because we were at his house, but I had two months to play with it in clubs and festival situations before we did the Unity Tour. That ‘warm up’ tour, we didn’t carry any PA, just the console and a D5 for monitors. Now at the end of the tour, I’d say it seems to have worked out well.”

Assistant tech Justin Quade couldn’t agree more. “From my perspective, it’s been great. There are no inserts to patch every day, which is great for a tech. The console comes up every day exactly how it was at the end of the last show. This is my first tour with the SD7, although I’ve used the D5 quite a bit working with 8th Day Sound. This desk is amazing - and it doesn’t just look great, but sounds great as well.

And people in the audience are noticing, too. Even the average guy, who doesn’t know much about technical stuff, sees this desk and is impressed. It’s a great-looking desk.”

Beyond the look and feel, the console offers up everything the band needs under its hood. Managing 52 inputs - including 23 for Chad Sexton’s massive drum kit, and the rest divvied up between guitar, bass, a DJ, and a few Pro Tools samples supplements minimal outboard gear with addition of two DiGiCo mini-racks (one AES, one analog). “It’s a pretty basic setup,” he explains, “not saying that this is a basic console, but it’s got everything we need inside. I am, however, using some outboard pieces now for certain things, and maybe someday I’ll move it all into the console.”

Among some of the selling points initially for Markovich were the SD7’s large screens. “I like being able to see lots of things on the screen; on most consoles you only see one channel at a time. The 3-band compression/EQ section, and the way it’s set up, works great for us. Also, the processing is noticeably different from other

consoles. There are a lot of great features that I haven’t even gotten to, and even now at the end of the tour, we’re still finding out and trying new things on it.”

One of the tour mainstays for 311 was a DiGiCo D5 at monitors, manned by Dave Belis - and Ziggy Marley’s production manager/monitor engineer, Fabian Cook. This tour was Belis’ first full season with 311, who covered most of last summer for their tech, Brian Speiser, who was off doing the Indigo Girls on a DiGiCo SD8.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on this surface, on D1s and D5s since 2005, working with The Girls, as well as Lost Prophets and Donna Summer for a bit,” he explained. “It’s got multiple windows into my world which is the given, so it’s one of the only digital platforms I’ll use. On this tour, we’re using much more automation than I have in the past. I’m using snapshots for cueing certain sections of songs, dropping things in and out of people’s mixes. And instead of trying to do it all at once, flying around the desk, you just do it once, save it and its good. The console’s dynamics are brilliant, too; totally transparent. There’s a lot of compression going on. But as far as external processing, everything is onboard. All of the band is on in-ears, but they’re still using a drum fill, which we’ve managed to get rid of on some gigs. They have a bit of history with the drum fills, so the drum fills stay…. for now.”

Looking forward, Belis hopes to log some time on an SD8. “I visited Brian with The Girls at the Bowery Ballroom in New York and the show sounded brilliant. I’m looking forward to getting on the platform and getting some surface time with it, and seeing what it’s all about.”

“I’ve used a DiGiCo D5 since 2006 for Ziggy,” added Cook, “It’s definitely my favorite sounding console. You don’t have to be into digital consoles to be into it, it’s laid out like a studio console…. With a sound you can’t beat.”

SD8 Converts Quadrophenia Sound Designer of its expandability and its physically small size, as it needed to fit into front of house positions in a wide range of venue sizes - from Bath Theatre Royal at one extreme to the Liverpool Empire at the other.”

Supplied by Stage Sound Services of Cardiff, onstage feeds come courtesy of a DiGiRack and comprise 20 channels of radio mics, 33 channels of band instrumentation and an analogue Aviom system for monitoring. At the FOH position, the SD8 is handling 60 channel inputs (a mixture of stereo and mono), 13 Aux sends to the Aviom system, foldback and external effects units, 12 Groups and a 12 x 12 Matrix. Also present is a MiNi-DiGiRack for playback, and external effects.

Using a combination of external units and the SD8’s onboard dynamics processors, the show is fully programmed with snapshots, which also trigger patch changes in the external effects units and the show’s playback elements using Qlab software.

“I had never used a DiGiCo console before, so had no idea how the layout worked.

In addition, we didn’t actually get the desk until we had to prep it for rehearsals,” says Jason. “But it was really straightforward to set up the show using the offline editor and I self-taught myself the console with absolutely no problems.”

Following the February 2007 stage production of The Who’s Quadrophenia by students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the show was developed into a full touring production, playing in 20 different towns and cities throughout England and Scotland between May and November 2009.

Although this is the first production on which the show’s sound designer Jason Barnes has used a DiGiCo console, with an SD8 at Front of House, he already admits that he’s a convert.

“It’s a busy show, the story all being told with music and lyrics. There’s no narration, so every night is like a complex rock’n’roll gig,” says Jason.

“Previously I’ve used other digital consoles, but they were not going to be big enough for this job. I also wanted to try a new product, so I chose the SD8 because

Although Jason has only been hands-on with the SD8 for less than three months, he is already thoroughly impressed by its qualities.

“For the price and size it is a fantastic desk,” he says. “It sounds good, is very user friendly and very easy to learn from scratch. It is great to be able to mirror the desk and wirelessly adjust foldback and matrix sends from onstage or in the auditorium, rather than running back to the desk all the time. And it can all happen whilst my operator is working on the console, running the soundcheck or the tech rehearsal.

“DiGiCo’s technical support has also been excellent. The show is continually having minor adjustments made to it and the SD8 makes the whole thing very smooth and stress-free.

“In addition, I will be doing a recording of the show and am looking to use the MADI interface, to be able to take a straight copy of the multi-channel audio into Apple Logic Studio, so it can be mixed down separately. All-in-all we’re a very happy sound team.”

DiGiCo D5 Revs Up London Symphony Orchestra For over 40 years, the Daytona Beach International Festival (DBIF) has served as the official U.S. home to the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO).

This year’s LSO Pops Concert, “A Celebration of Speed,” featured a fast-paced multimedia musical program set to a 90-minute high-def film, and paid tribute to Daytona as the ‘Birthplace of Speed’ and to Bill France, Jr., NASCAR’s late visionary.

Syntonic Design Group, contracted for the audio production portion of the concert, provided a DiGiCo D5 for FOH. Syntonic’s staff engineer, Donnie Smith, chose the D5 based on his previous experience—and success—using it on other symphonic events, and the console’s ability to handle the large input requirements and dynamic musical range. “The features of the D5, including compression, EQ, effects, made the workload really easy to manage,” he said. “Everything is right there should you need it, and I took full advantage of that.”

One of the biggest challenges for Smith and system tech Jim Hutchinson was managing the multitude of inputs—72 from the stage including strings, woodwinds, brass, bass, piano, harp, various percussion, emcee mics, and video tape playback and announcements. “Getting that amount of microphone inputs into a manageable situation easily and quietly was the major task,” he recalled. “Having the ability to put multiple stage racks on and around the stage and then have on a fiber loop helps made that task easy. Not having to worry about running copper away from power/ lights gave us the flexibility to locate items where needed easily and directly.”

The D5 also drove a stereo PA and all output processing (comprised of L-ACOUSTICS dV-DOSC, JBL VerTech 4889, Meyer Sound 700-HP, and Mackie SRM-150 components). Not surprisingly, the revved-up sonics did not go unnoticed.

“The concert management applauded the audio as being the best they have ever had,” said Smith. “The LSO management commented on how the orchestra sounded like an orchestra and NOT an orchestra in an arena. The sonic quality was consistent through the dynamics of the music. Generally, classical music is meant to be listened to. So, when things are quiet you want things to be as transparent as they are when things are louder. The D5 platform delivered that quality effortlessly.”

DiGiCo Consoles Jazz It Up At Montreux 2009 saw the introduction of DiGiCo as a sponsor, with 10 of the company’s consoles used in the festival’s main venues. SD7s were located at Front of House and monitors in both Auditorium Stravinski and the Miles Davis Hall; while SD8s were in use in the MDH Club, Le Petit Palais, Jazz Hub and B4, Montreux Jazz Café and the outdoor Parc Vernex. DiGiCo also supplied an SD8 for engineer training and programming purposes.

“Because of the variety of performers over the 16 days of the festival, it is very important that we choose equipment that the majority of audio engineers want,” says Patrick Vogelsang, the festival’s head of audio.

“We had to find a new supplier of consoles for the festival this year, there were two or three brands that we thought about and we felt that DiGiCo was one of the best. Claude Nobs, the festival’s founder, wants the best products. He wants the best sound quality and the best performance for the artists. So choosing DiGiCo was a straightforward decision.”

Although the audio setup is straightforward in each venue, the biggest challenge was the sheer variety of performers. This was compounded by the relentless schedule meaning that there was no time for full soundchecks between acts.

Since 1967, the annual Montreux Jazz Festival has embraced a highly varied range of performers, from the loosest of freeform jazz through to contemporary stars of rock, pop, rap and RnB.

“We need consoles which can easily handle many styles of music and also be readily set up how different engineers like to work,” says Benoit Saillet, who was looking after Front of House in the Miles Davis Hall.

“It’s the first time I’ve used DiGiCo. We had one day of training, but the SD7 was very easy to work with. The user interface is really clear and is excellent for the people who don’t necessarily like digital desks. They found it has exactly the same feeling as analogue and had absolutely no problems with using it.”

Renowned Juilliard Arts Conservatory Chooses DiGiCo D5T The Juilliard School is an internationally renowned performing arts conservatory located at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

In 2008, the school identified a number of areas to be built or renovated as part of a redevelopment project. One of those newly created spaces included the Rosemary and Meredith Willson Theater, a multi-use performance and event space. A DiGiCo D5T will serve as the central hub of the control room, connecting the theater with the Music Technology Program’s new recording room.

Juilliard’s Chief Audio Engineer and veteran audio professional, Marc Waithe, specified a DiGiCo D5T system for the theatre. In his 17-year tenure at the school, Waithe designed all of the main performance audio systems, as well as systems for The Museum of Modern Art and The School of American Ballet as a freelance consultant. Altel Systems, a professional audio and video contractor based in New York State, engineered the electroacoustic systems for the new spaces at Juilliard, and installed all the equipment including the D5T. JaffeHolden Acoustics provided the wiring infrastructure and acoustic design. “The DiGiCo D5T package is a significant part of the owner-specified equipment that we are installing,” says Altel’s project engineer Tom Young, “which also includes a large number of speakers, microphones, processing, portable racks, personal mixing systems, portable cabling and miscellaneous hardware.”

During the planning stages, Waithe and Young had a meeting with Jack Kelly and Zac Jac Duax of Group One, Ltd. [the U.S. DiGiCo distributor]. “They were very instrumental in making sure we had the right board for what we wanted to do,” recalled Waithe. “Zac even helped inventory check the equipment during delivery, and will return once the install is completed in early July to give us 2 days-worth of training. I had also e-mailed [DiGiCo’s] Tim Shaxson. He was very helpful answering my questions about the D5T.” The wiring infrastructure (audio/intercom/video/Ethernet/fiber, patching systems and technical power) and supplemental production audio/paging and intercom systems, as well as base construction of the space, were completed in February 2009. “When Altel Systems became involved in interfacing the DiGiCo D5T system into the completed system of wiring, connection and patch panels in the Willson

Theatre,” adds Young, “both Jack and Zac were extremely helpful in providing us with the necessary technical information needed to interface the D5T system with the installed fiber optic system. With Zac’s hands-on help, we set up the entire D5T system at our shop in Brewster NY, including the Aviom cards, and conducted complete testing prior to delivering the console to Juilliard. Jack and the folks at DiGiCo were also wonderful as far as meeting the fairly short lead time that was required in building and delivering the D5T console system.”

Some of the factors that specifically led Waithe to the DiGiCo D5T were its small footprint and large channel count, plus its inherent features and its superb sound quality. “At the time the D5T was talked about, which was 2006, it was the only digital console offering both a redundant power supply and a redundant engine,” recalled Waithe. “With permanent connections to the Music Tech recording room and a channel count of over 100 inputs with 16 channels of personal monitoring for our concerts, the D5T will fit in nicely. The output matrix capabilities and the Aviom card make the D5T a powerful and sleek mixing platform. The large number of inputs available and the snapshot capabilities will hopefully greatly reduce changeover time between the many concerts and shows scheduled in this new space. Also, the D5T is still the only console that offers a fully functioning, standalone remote.

Due to space, budget, time and personnel constraints, having a second mixer or moving the main mixer was impossible. This was a vital factor in picking this console.

The presence of the D5T on many Broadway shows helped me realize it would be a stable and flexible platform for what we wanted to do.”

Eighth Day Deploys Four DiGiCo SD8 Consoles To Main Stages Of Bonnaroo Arts And Music Festival

The 2009 festival season is in full swing, which means back-to-back production responsibilities for global sound reinforcement provider, Eighth Day Sound. In mid-June, they did double-duty on two major events, the Hot 97 Summer Jam at Giants Stadium in New York, and then moving south to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee.

For hip-hop fans, the annual Hot 97 Summer Jam offered hip-hop fans a taste of some of the biggest and brightest stars. 8th Day handled all the acts including Mary J. Blige, Jadakiss, T-Pain, Young Jeezy and Elephant Man. At Bonnaroo, neither rain, nor mud, nor dust, nor double-digit temperatures could sway hundreds of thousands from the four-day, multi-stage landmark camping festival—revered by music fans and media alike. Bonnaroo’s ‘village’ brought together some of the best performers in every genre imaginable, on stage and in tents showcasing movies, comedy, and theatre - as it has since the festival’s inception in 2002. 8th Day handled the main music stage (in addition to a handful of the secondary stages), mixing sound for a diverse lineup that included Erikah Badu, Wailing Souls, Snoop Dogg, Galactic, The Itals, and Rodrigo Y Gabriella.

In addition to a d&b audiotechnik J-Series PA, 8th Day’s Director of Touring Operations, Owen Orzack specified two sets of DiGiCo SD8 consoles—two at FOH and two on monitors—to upgrade the quality of the audio package they provided.

“Budgets and specs for these festivals were calling for another console,” explained Orzack. “We wanted to offer a console that would fit the same budget, but would also provide a sonic upgrade. The SD8 specifically offered features that lent themselves to this kind of event: great sonics, reliability, ease of use for the guest engineers who might not be familiar with DiGiCo console—these were the hallmarks of what were trying to achieve. Also, real estate is at a premium at these kinds of festivals, and the SD8 offered a small footprint in an all-in-one digital AES signal out, into a Dolby digital link EQ, all the way down to the amplifiers.”

8th Day was able to do some standard input pre-programming prior to the events, enabling the ‘guest’ engineers to have a head start before their set. Also, having both consoles in tandem onsite allowed for one act to perform downstage using one SD8, while the subsequent band line-checked on the other. At Hot 97, the input list typically ranged from 12-20 for the hip-hop headliners (with the exception of Mary J. Blige, who used 48 channels of the 120 inputs available with the SD8). Bonnaroo’s full-band roster averaged between 24-36 inputs Having two sets of DiGiCo consoles made for an easy day, Orzack recalled, “even when things changed, which is inevitable on these kinds of events. At Hot 97, they changed the schedule at the last minute, and we were able to very easily transfer the data on a USB plug from the ‘red’ console to the ‘green’ console without any problem or wasted time.”

For 8th Day staffer and event FOH engineer, Chris Berry, the SD8’s shear sonic transparency sets it apart from other digital offerings. “It’s amazing. I can hear

every instrument on stage in the mix. There is no need to EQ out the sound of the preamp, which has headroom for days - even when living in clip you hear no distortion. But for these kinds of events, perhaps one of my favorite features is the macro section. Not only are you able to manipulate the screen, but you can also change console options. I found that being able to turn the touch sense fader on and off invaluable and can even assign this to a macro for ease of use. The ability to lock the rotary encoders on a per-bank basis - being able to lock a specific aux send in place so that the drum bank had the drum verb send, the vocal bank had the vocal verb locked in - was a new find for me. And being able to lock the gain to the top encoder on the mix faders, made the ‘throw-and-go’ acts easier to set up. With a very clean input section, dynamically large mix window, and flexible functionality, this console makes it difficult to go back to anything else.”

What also impressed Berry was witnessing engineers—who had never worked on a DiGiCo, let alone an SD series—walk up and with very little instruction run through their show with very little stress. “There is always the occasional question here and there, but for the most part, they just got down to work, and were happy with the result.”

“Working on the SD8 was a great experience,” said Kyle T. Hamilton, FOH engineer with Mary J Blige, “since I had never worked on the console before. I’ve used the D5, so my knowledge of that desk helped me get around. Since it was a festival, I really did not get to stretch out on the console, i.e. use the FX package, or internal comps, I just used what were in the FX racks… I will say that the console sounds great!”

“We polled everyone who stood behind the desk,” Orzack adds, “and the thing that they all said was how much better it sounded than your standard festival-fare console. It was evident that the acts mixed on the SD8 sounded better than those who carried in their own production packages. We heard that from more than one set of folks.”

Managing all the monitor duties for both events was 8th Day’s Ed Ehrbar, who found the ‘select all’ functionality on the desk more than handy. “It’s a great thing to be able to set all of your compressors, EQ, high-pass filters, whatever, on one fader bank just by touching one thing on the screen. That saves a lot of time, especially when you’re doing drums. It’s laid out very well and sounds incredible—as is the SD7—with tons of headroom. When I’m not doing these events, I mostly mix monitors for Tom Jones. For the next tour, I’m looking forward to moving over to an SD8. His entire band is on in-ears, but I have to run some in mono and some in stereo because we don’t have enough outputs on our current console for everyone to be stereo. But with the DiGiCo, because it gets 24 stereo outputs, it will be a refreshing change.”

Coming up on the festival agenda for 8th Day is the Lollapalooza Music Fest in Chicago in early August, on the heels of the All Points West Music & Arts Festival in New Jersey at the end of July. In October, it’s the Austin City Music Festival in Texas.

DS DreamSound AG Invests In DiGiCo SD8 Swiss technical services company, DS DreamSound AG, took delivery of a DiGiCo SD8 in May 2009.

As well as the planning and production of small to medium sized events for up to 2,500 people, the company also operates a PA rental service, produces CDs, CDRs and DVDs and has its own recording studio which is amongst the most up-to-date recording studios in Switzerland and being one of the first 5.1 audio surround studios complying to the ITU775 standard in Europe. The team plans to increase its live sound activities with the help of SD8, taking advantage of the fact that Switzerland holds claim to having the most open-air events in the world.

Markus Zehnder, DreamSound business manager, is very happy with the new acquisition. “We have had a Soundtracs DPC2 in our studio for almost 10 years,” he says. “The application software is consistent to a greater or lesser extent and that’s half the battle. Our old MADI 19” I/O racks are still compatible with the SD8 and can be used if absolutely necessary. The compact form of the console and its technical configuration are a good fit for our range of equipment. This is why we were completely confident in DiGiCo’s new development when it came to the decision to buy a live console.

“DiGiCo is now able to go head to head with the manufacturers that are at the lower end of the price range and the SD8 has taken over as our favourite digital console for live applications. We needed a digital console that is reliable for rock´n roll and folk productions and is also applicable for musicals, theatre and live recording. So, the ‘GO’ button for the SD8 was quickly pressed once we’d had a chance to assess both the SD8 and the offer from atlantic audio, DiGiCo´s German distributor. ”The user interface of the SD8 differs from our previously used live consoles. But after a short period of on-the-job training, our engineers were enthusiastic about

the sound quality – at last we have found a digital console that sounds like an analogue console!”

What has helped DreamSound to make its final decision? “Because of the SD8’s second MADI interface we can connect our Pyramix Mass Core MADI hard disc recording system directly to the console and can record up to 56 tracks. Our recording system is absolutely compatible - it doesn’t matter if we do it in the studio on the DPC2 or during a live recording on the SD8. Also, the price/performance ratio is unique in the market. We love the versatility, the robustness, the sound quality, the innovative ideas, especially the snapshots and the large touchscreen display. The fact that the digital multicore is included is of particular importance.

A further advantage is the optical characteristic. And the gold frame of the SD8 is unmistakeable. The cool design makes it stand out from other consoles and appear both valuable and significant. This is an often-underestimated selection critera for bands, engineers and other customers we work with. None of them have seen a console like this before and they think it has a high price tag. But the difference with DiGiCo is quality – and that has helped it to get a high degree of acceptance in the market.”

DreamSound first used its SD8 for the Schindellegi Dorffest (Schindellegi is a Swiss village that has an annual festival ) in May. The event lasts several days with a wide range of music from rock´n roll to brass bands to pop to folk interspersed with speeches. Famous Swiss band Tempesta, also well-known by Switzerland’s neighbouring countries, made a successful appearance. May and June saw the SD8 working hard, with more than 10 events already under its belt and Markus Zehnder expects a profitable future for this investment.

No Clowning Around For DiGiCo On Take That Circus Tour Steve Lutley at the monitor position and then a further D5 for support band monitors.

“The show started with the boys out on the B stage,” explains Colville. “Steve felt too cut off 50 metres away in his bunker so he decided to remotely control his D5 from the FOH mix tower for that section of the show.”

“An RC unit was networked to Steve’s D5 and everything was mirrored,” adds Woods. There were 56 separate inputs and a mini rack for each console, split passively. Gary used most of the internal effects on the console and kept things simple, which is his trademark.

Culminating in four nights at Wembley Stadium at the beginning of July, Take That’s Circus tour was the biggest the UK and Ireland had ever seen, with over a million people attending 20 stadium concerts. And it proved a triumph in every way.

Now that it is over, Ian Colville, Technical Director of the tour’s audio provider, Capital Sound, is happy to report that the DiGiCo, XTA, Martin Audio combination they have been using since they started working with the band, has once again worked superbly.

“No one wanted to tempt fate by saying it while the tour was in progress, but everything worked perfectly,” smiles Colville. “Al and Gary set exceptionally high standards and, as far as I know, they didn’t get a single sound complaint. It was fantastic.”

The design for the audio system was a collaborative effort between Colville, Front of House engineer Gary Bradshaw and system technician Al woods.

“My primary role at Capital is to work with system techs and engineers and make sure they get exactly what they want - and that it works,” says Colville. “The basic sound system wasn’t that different from the band’s last stadium tour. It comprises four large hangs of PA on the stage and up to a maximum of four delay towers deployed on the stadium pitches, which is a fairly standard size package for this type of tour.”

Three DiGiCo D5s were utilised, one for Bradshaw at FOH, one for

“Once again, DiGiCo were fantastic to deal with,” confirms Martin Connolly, Project Manager for Capital. “The support we received was second to none.”

“We always use XTA for processing on this system,” Colville continues. “We tried the 4 Series for this tour and used them exclusively as crossovers for the delay towers and they worked exceptionally well, performing faultlessly.”

The PA comprised main hangs of Martin Audio Longbow, 56 in total, with 56 W8LC as delays.

“We decided to use a 12 cell horizontal sub bass array each side of the stage and electronically ‘bend’ it to produce the required dispersion,” recalls Colville. “This is something we haven’t done on this scale before and it worked very well. We used XTA DP226s to progressively delay the feed to the subs from the centre to the outside of the arrays. Considering we only had 24 subs on the stage, they produced tight, even coverage. Gary and Al were both very happy with the design and, for me, that’s good enough.”

A total of 16 XTA units were used. Four DP448s with 12 DP226s making up the full compliment, all networked via XTA’s proprietary AudioCore software.

“Using the Martin rig, with the versatility of the way Martin drives its system, you have a lot of control over zoning and it worked well,” says Woods. “We didn’t have production rehearsals and, although the system was all prepped beautifully, it came together in dribs and drabs and it was only in Sunderland [the first date of the tour] that we married everything up for the first time.

That can bring to light connectivity problems. Any data runs over long cables can be susceptible to interference, however it proved not to be a problem.

“It was very challenging dealing with the amount of audience noise and reflections in the venues, but it all worked well and the feedback we got, including from the people running the venues, was very positive. In fact, during the four nights there, and with feedback from the customers, Wembley Stadium had no official audio complaints. The first time in it’s history!”

Rock Hall Of Famers Aerosmith Are Back In The Saddle With Three DiGiCo Consoles The bad boys of Aerosmith are back in the saddle again, pulling out many of their ‘toys from the attic’, literally, for a massive North American tour, which will include classic songs old and new—plus a performance of their 1975 album “Toys in the Attic” in its entirety.

As one of the undisputed icons of American rock and roll, the band has racked up an impressive list of chart-topping albums and singles, music/video awards and accolades, and a global die-hard following in their 28-year history. With Tejas trio ZZ Top opening, both Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will hit cities across the nation through mid-September.

The tour sound is entirely in the hands of DiGiCo—from FOH to monitors—with Jim Ebdon on a SD7 for Aerosmith’s FOH and Steven’s in-ear mix handled by Brad Johnson on his own CS-D5 and another D5 in the hands of Tony Luna for the band.

Tour production was provided by PRG (Aerosmith).

This was Ebdon’s first outing on the DiGiCo SD7, having previously mixed extensively on a D5 on global tours with Sting, Annie Lennox and Maroon 5. He’s worked on and off with Aerosmith since 2002. “The D5 has served me really well for 6-7 years and I still think it’s a great console, but DiGiCo have taken a huge leap with the design of the SD7. Digital consoles tend to give me ear fatigue after a while, but the SD7 is a pleasure to listen to for long periods. At last, a digital console that’s easy on the ears!”

During rehearsals, he had a few days to get comfortable with the SD7, seeing what the console would do, getting the desk laid out, and was totally blown away. “The band really didn’t rehearse; they only played 5 songs in 3 days and they were songs they hadn’t played for a long time, so I really didn’t get much of a chance to build any snapshots at that time. I actually built all of my snapshots during the first show, which was so easy, and I was able to fine-tune them during the following day with my direct multitrack recording via MADI. Come the second show, I was off and running.”

Using the console’s local stage rack—56-inputs overall for bass, drums, guitar keys, vocals, acoustic guitar, a dedicated line for Steven’s harmonica, plus a small Pro Tools system for percussion and backing vocal/string tracks—completely minimized his FOH footprint. And with DiGiCo’s new MACH2 software, literally installed a day prior to their first show, Ebdon says the sound and features were, simply put, ‘flawless’. “The console’s processing and flexibility is fantastic. I can’t say enough good things about it. The onboard effects sound really nice and I’m spoiled for choice with plenty to play with. I’ve got an 8 stereo/6 mono aux send setup and I’m using a MacBook Pro with a RME MADIFace for some specific plug-in effects for Steven’s voice, and the only external processing I’m using is a Focusrite ISA 430 and a dbx 160x, which I use on the bass DI. Beyond that, everything else is in the console.”

“I’m a big fan of “less is more” in a live situation,” he adds. “I don’t try to make it anything that it’s not, if you get my drift… It’s easy to over-EQ and to add plug-ins galore, but I mix with my ears and not my eyes. I think with any band I mix, I just try to make everything as natural as possible. Believe it or not, it’s very easy to screw up guitar, bass, drums and piano! I like to get the source sounds right first, then microphone choice, then a good-sounding console and PA system. I’ll then use some reverb and compression to separate and add depth to certain things. The big challenge at that point is to get the vocal on top; I like to hear what the singer is actually singing so it’s important to me to get a good balance of band and vocal. The SD7 is the perfect tool for my job.”

The dynamic EQ and multi-band compression has proven to be quite handy, as well. “I’m using a lot on vocals and it’s brilliant. Steven has a lot of 2k in his voice, especially when he cups the microphone, and I can compress that and single it out, and the vocal has become incredibly smoother. I also use the dynamic compression on bass as well. It’s little things like that that can make so much difference.”

Ebdon also raved about the SD7’s tube emulator. “They are fantastic. For the first couple of shows, I didn’t have a chance to try it on all my inputs, but I went to some obvious ones, like guitar and kick drum, and it worked great. The guitars sound amazing; I’ve not had such a great guitar sound with Aerosmith before. It’s so clear and warm and big. And I’m thinking these tubes are definitely adding to it. And not surprisingly, bloggers are now saying that this is the best Aerosmith have ever sounded. Go figure!”

And that sonic clarity wasn’t lost on the band either, including guitarist Joe Perry.

During an interview with Bethlehem, PA’s Morning Call, Perry commented after their first show, “Being a tech freak, [with] the PA, I could hear every word, I could hear every guitar lick, and it sounded like a stereo, except that it sounded like a live band.”

In addition to the MacBook he uses for Tyler’s vocal effects, Ebdon employs a second to multitrack the show using either Pro Tools or Logic Pro for archiving and to provide detailed mixes to the band. Ebdon also records CD’s, which include a Royer SF24 ambient mic straight to CD, and a mix CD, which is the console delayed to a Royer SF24 mic at FOH for a better representation of what’s going on in the house.

For the band’s 65-input monitor setup, Brad Johnson is the lead and handles in-ear mixes specifically for Tyler on his own CS-D5. “With Aerosmith one of the most important factors is the flexibility and implementation of the snapshot feature,” Johnson imparts. “I have over 60 snapshots for a 90-minute show. For my position, I am using every trick in the book, and the D5 has quite a few in its arsenal. I have built a completely customized rig around the exact needs of my client, and because I actually own it, I can guarantee that it will always be exactly the same. Back in the analog, full-frame console days, it would’ve been difficult for an engineer to own and maintain a system this complex. (Also, being a very small fish in the world of audio rental companies, DiGiCo’s support has been outstanding, and was the deciding factor in which digital console I ended up buying.) With my system, I can record and playback multitracks of the show so I can make changes to my snapshots in real time, but not with an actual band on stage (using the RME MADIface). By firing a single snapshot, I can change presets on every external device in my system for a song, a solo or whatever is needed. The D5 sounds overall superior to many other digital consoles I have toured with over the years and is an awesome tool that is limited mostly by the imagination of the engineer.”

Antonio Luna mixes specifically for Joe Perry and the rest of the band on an additional D5 and was familiar with the format having toured with one for the past year with KISS and on tours with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2006 and 2008.

“On this particular tour, the band has a file that they have been using for the last few tours, so I’ve come into my current position with the keys to the car, so to speak, but I would’ve asked for a D5 regardless of the circumstances. It’s my favorite console, having used others from Yamaha and Digidesign. On a D5, my mixes come out finished. I don’t need to add a bunch of color to correct things I don’t like.

That’s one of the beautiful things about DiGiCo products: the desk sounds the way I think a desk should sound right off the bat. It has an air to it that I find very pleasing.

The dynamics are transparent too. I’ll use the gates and comps when needed and I don’t have to worry about how they will affect the color of the mix. I’ve even used the buss output limiters and they sound good as well. I’m old-school when it comes to mixing and subscribe to the ‘less is more’ theory of sound.”

What is an imperative tool for Luna is having two solo bus outputs available, used to monitor in-ear and wedge mixes. “I know of some people have custom switches to do this, but I like things that are simple yet elegant. The 2-bus option on the D5 is the only way to go for me. I want to use less hardware and software to get the job done. It has to be repeatable and bullet-proof. I also like that I can move channels around and arrange the layout of the console.”

R. Kelly Covers New Ground On Threes Tour InCompany Africa With DiGiCo D5ISE For DiGiCo SD8 At

Renowned engineer Rob “Cubby” Colby is no stranger to the DiGiCo D5. Colby has worked extensively for many years on major musical tours with Prince, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Genesis, Shakira, and most recently used the DiGiCo D5 with Latin rock sensation Juanes (on a 18-month-long world tour in 2008-09), and global oneoffs with American icon Stevie Wonder in 2009.

When he signed on for a multi-city tour with R. Kelly earlier this year, there was never any doubt what console would handle the urban R&B singer-songwriter/ producer’s multi-dimensional sounds on his first-ever appearance in Africa. Kelly’s performance closed out the inaugural ARISE Africa Fashion Week June 20th in Johannesburg, and continued in cities throughout South Africa and Nigeria, culminating on a headlining performance at London’s Wembley Arena on July 8th.

Once the production and budget were sorted out, Colby knew that [production house] Gearhouse South Africa would be able to provide his console of choice for FOH and monitors. “For me, I’m very familiar with layout of D5 and structure and I think the sound is excellent,” Colby reflects. “It has been extremely reliable for the tours I’ve chosen to have it on, and it’s what I wanted for this one as well.”

Colby was able to layout the D5 using the DiGiCo RCE (Remote Control Editor) offline prior to the tour rehearsals in Sun City South Africa. Comprising 56 inputs for the full band, those included 2 keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and 3 background singers, plus Kelly. Additionally, there were 5 stereo stems of sound effects and video clips to accompany the show. “It’s a very straightforward, live show,” Colby explains. “I like the R&B/funk attitude of the music and it’s always been something I’ve enjoyed to mix. Robert [R. Kelly] is very involved in the production from the programming to the producing; it’s very clean-sounding audio and the band is extraordinarily good. Using the offline D5 editor, I was able to build all of my VCA, effects, label all my inputs, and essentially turn everything on, before I got there.

That way, you’re off to a more comfortable start, at least for me. I’m more prepared and I know where everything is. It doesn’t take 2-3 days of production rehearsals to figure out the how you would want to setup the layer/banks of the console because I’ve already done it, prior to arriving for rehearsals.”

Overall programmability was a huge asset for Colby, including recording the shows for subsequent show soundchecks, as well as for archival purposes, using the MADI format from the D5 stage racks. ”That’s what I do with everybody I work with. I had

one all the time from 8th Day Sound on Juanes tour and it was a simple, accurate and dependable setup. It’s such a great tool to have. All you have to do is spend the time labelling. No fuss, no muss, you just come off your mic pres. To be able to play back from the show the night before, using the same drum set, the same PA, is invaluable, although most of the time, the artist will still come in and soundcheck every day. That time is mainly an issue for the artist and the monitor engineer to get familiar with the room.”

On monitors is John ‘Elmo’ Sheldon, whose familiarity with the DiGiCo D5 extends to tours with Marilyn Manson in 2004, as well as the Smashing Pumpkins in late 2008. He’s expanded his understanding of its functionality and sonic qualities teaching students on it as an instructor in Full Sail University’s Show Production department.

“I have used these consoles on multiple tours in the past and have really gotten used to how easy it is to mix for multiple artists on stage using in-ears,” Sheldon recalls. “I do a lot of channel splitting for ears and wedges, and the ease of use and the clean sound that this console brings makes it a easy choice for doing a large band with in-ears.”

Sheldon is managing approximately 60 inputs on this tour and finds the onboard functionality of no compare. “I really think the EQ section is the most accurate of any console I have used before. I know when I pull 3db of a given frequency, it is just 3db. I absolutely love the processor channels; I like using these across the ear mixes to give me quick, complete control of their overall sound. I also enjoy having as many control groups (VCA) as I can get a hold of. When running a lot of inputs through the console, being able to not page through banks to get at channels is a great thing, in my opinion. Also, having 2 cue buses when using wedges in combination with in-ears makes it extremely easy to hear as close as possible to what is really happening on stage and what the artist is hearing.”

At the close of this tour, Colby says he’ll be taking a much needed break for the summer, gearing up for what lay ahead in the fall, which most likely will include another major outing with Juanes to promote a forthcoming album. He’s looking forward to taking out an SD7 this year for the first time, as well, after getting a chance to delve into a loaner in his home studio prior to the Kelly tour. “It’s an unbelievably beautiful sounding console and I’ll definitely be using it on the next tour that I do, not just the one-offs. I feel that it’s probably one of the best sounding digital consoles out there. I think all the digital consoles sound very good; it’s just a matter of how well do you like the way this works for you. For me, I’ve become very friendly with the DiGiCo consoles, and they just happen to be what’s userfriendly for Cubby.”

Twin DiGiCo CSD5s Provide Living Stream Of Sound At Dutch House Of Worship

Located close to the major conurbations of Amsterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag, Rotterdam and Leiden, the Levenstroom (Livingstream) church is a large format house of worship with a dedicated congregation.

to accommodate a performance or feel we are always fighting for the number of channels. That’s really nice.”

In addition to the channel count, the church has found that the CSD5’s audio quality and functionality massively surpasses what they have been used to.

The church’s recent move to a brand new building has seen it embrace the latest in audio visual technology to produce an all-inclusive experience for its worshippers and to spread its message via the internet, radio, television, DVDs and CDs - all of which are fully produced in house.

“The desk’s sound quality is inherently better, but making just as big a difference is the greatly enhanced control that the CSD5 has given us,” Rob continues. “The high quality compressors, gain and dynamics have made a massive difference to how we can control the sound.”

To achieve this, the church needed to undertake a major upgrade of its audio system, which has seen a pair of DiGiCo CSD5 consoles installed, one at front of house, the other in its integrated studio facilities.

Andre agrees, adding “For example when I’m singing and playing keyboard, after I’ve sung a line I tend to hum a little bit, but now I don’t hear the humming in the monitors - the noise gates are really good. And there are so many options for what we can do.”

“We had been using a 36 channel analogue console since 1992, but had issues with not having enough channels and were looking for a long-term solution, one which would be enough to take us through the next ten years,” says Levenstroom music pastor Andre Zijlstra.

The church has nine volunteers whose role is as sound engineers, so there has been something of a learning curve, but the CSD5’s functionality has eased this.

“At first we hadn’t really thought about going digital, we were just thinking of expanding the existing system,” adds the church’s main sound engineer and system tech Rob Gips.

“We tried to stay below 48 channels at first, but whichever way we looked at it, we ended up with wanting more than 48 because we have such a wide variety of praise nights. We often work with a choir or an extended brass section and re-miking and re-patching was causing so many headaches.

“We would also often have situations where we had a number of musicians available to play, but we couldn’t accommodate them all. We wanted a set up that would provide a solution for situations like that.

“We inevitably started thinking about digital and so made a list of the number of channels we would need. The count got ever-higher and we realised fairly quickly that the CSD5 was the ideal solution.”

The church already had a relationship with Utrecht-based TM Audio, DiGiCo’s Dutch distributor, so it was a seamless process to discuss their requirements with the company’s Jaap Pronk.

Installed by Jonathan van Klaveren of JVK Sound Control, TM Audio supplied the two CSD5s, plus two MADI stage racks, two local racks, an RME MADI bridge, two RME MADI PCI cards, an Apogee Big Ben master AV clock and a comprehensive Aviom personal monitoring system.

Providing 112 mic/line inputs and 16 line outputs, the new system interfaces seamlessly with the church’s existing Renkus Heinz loudspeaker system and has enough flexibility to take the church many years into the future.

“We have only been using the CSD5 for a couple of months, but there are so many options I am already using,” says Rob. “Now we can use an extra keyboard, percussion and other instruments which we had to stop doing before because we simply didn’t have enough channels. We no longer have to find imaginative ways

“It has required a new way of thinking - for example the simple things like remembering to save settings are new to our volunteers. But we are producing our own documentation which is helping everyone”, adds Andre.

Rob continues, “The memory stick facility is really useful for that. I can take a setup from the board, put it on a memory stick, load it on the offline software, take screen shots, then put them into a Word document and effectively make an illustrated manual for the people who are at rehearsals.

“There are so many possibilities and options to get to know, so it really helps.”

The second CSD5 is located in the church’s recording studio. With the same channels allocated to the same banks and faders as the FOH console, it’s very simple for the volunteers to transfer between the two consoles.

The Aux outputs of the stage racks are routed to the recording studio, where the RME MADI bridge splits the incoming audio feeds to the studio console and a Nuendo recording system.

“We record every service in the studio, the audio is mixed and goes directly to the video section as a basic stereo mix,” says Rob. “For a lot of situations that’s sufficient, but we can also produce a multi-track mix, which is really useful for being fed back to the consoles, allowing our volunteers to practise mixing our worship sessions without musicians having to be present.”

“The system is so flexible,” adds Andre. “We can handle the large services with multiple orchestras or choirs and broadcast our services to the highest international standards. The sound of services, both in the church and on recorded media, is great.”

Rob concludes, “It wasn’t just a step forward, it was a massive leap. It has been a big change for us, but I’m really happy that we did it.”

British Indie Band Doves Soar Sonically On Global Tour With DiGiCo SD7 And SD8

British indie rockers Doves have flown the coop, currently headlining their first worldwide tour in four years in support of their latest and fourth outing, Kingdom of Rust.

FOH engineer and diehard DiGiCo devotee, Paul Ramsay, specified an SD7 for the UK/Ireland bigger venue shows and an SD8 for the smaller club tour in the US. Monitor engineer Ian Barton has been using an SD8 for the entire tour run.

As a result of the band’s streamlined transportation accommodations for the U.S. leg of the tour (band bus plus gear trailer), plus the moderate venue sizes (1000 to 3000 capacity), and a scaled-down production budget, the group needed compact consoles to handle FOH and monitor necessities, with a small footprint that could handle the varying venue sizes with ease. “Size was definitely a big issue for this tour,” Ramsay reflects. “The gear trailer needed to fit everything—from the band’s backline equipment, my FOH console and outboard gear, monitor console and inear systems, snakes, mic stands, sub boxes, and also a projector, lighting desk, back drops, etc. Basically, it’s our entire production in a trailer. The FOH and monitor consoles fit the space with room to spare at the back.”

Ramsay, who has been mixing on DiGiCo consoles since the start of 2003 - first on a D5 and later an SD7 - has always been quick to rave about the consoles’ acrossthe-board stellar sound quality first and foremost, not to mention their ease of use.

Working on an SD7 initially on tour with The Who in ‘08, he was impressed with its user-friendly look and control surface right out of the gate. But it was its overall functionality that completely won him over. “I think it is stunning! I love all the functions, the color-coding, and it has a very analog feel to it. The dynamic EQ and multiband compressor were a huge bonus, not to mention the I/O counts. After hearing it, it does sound slightly different than the D5; the high-end sounds sweeter and the low-end tighter.”

When he eventually migrated to the SD8 for the first time, he was somewhat unprepared for what to expect. “At that point, I hadn’t actually mixed on one, but what blew me away about the SD8 was when I was pre-programming the show on my laptop using the RCE (Remote Control Editor). I didn’t think its technology would be so much like the SD7, especially being so much less expensive. But in fact, the sound quality is equally as good. OK, so it doesn’t have the multi-band or dynamic EQ, or the dual engine redundancy, but with only one screen it’s still really quick to get around. I had to ring DiGiCo to confirm the cost (U.S. list $53K)! I would have still been impressed if it had been double the money. I have now had the chance to mix the same band on first the SD7 and then the SD8, and I felt quite comfortable moving from one to the other, and the sound quality was equally as good.”

As for inputs, the tour requirement is approximately 60 inputs total—from the stage, for various stereo feeds and effects. “We are running 42 inputs from the stage and I have some VT playback at FOH for the intro, which is a stereo feed. I’m running three internal and five external stereo effects, with an iPod and mic at FOH, which brings up to around 60 inputs total. As we are using house PA generally, it adds just a left and right to this and maybe an infill or delay, so that’s maybe an additional 4 outputs, and I also have sub setup on a mono aux if required. In addition, I’ve got 8 stereo effects sends, a couple of sub groups for kick and snare, which I compress at FOH on internal compressors, and that’s it. It’s pretty simple and straightforward.”

In order to keep his packaging small, Ramsay is using all the internal EQ as well as delays when necessary on inputs and outputs. In addition, he’s using snapshots for each song, which changes faders, dynamics, mutes, pans, and internal/external effects fired via MIDI. So at the start of each song, he’s already ready for it with adjustments made and programming set, and can just concentrate on listening and tweaking the mix.

Virtual soundchecking has literally removed the need for nightly sound checks, and Ramsay also uses this tool on an Apple MacBook Pro in tandem with a RME MADIface, to archive shows nightly. “I record broadcast wave files straight into the laptop with great results,” he explains. “I’m archiving every show for potential use as a future B-side or a live album, because for the cost of hard drive space, we can literally record every show on the whole tour. In fact, I’m so impressed with the MADIface, I’m buying one for myself!”

On side-stage monitors is engineer Ian Barton (Chemical Brothers, The Charlatans, Air), who is handling 41 inputs and 21 outputs from an SD8—which includes mixes for floor wedges, in-ear monitors, a subwoofer and drum seat ‘thumper’. Apart from a handful of one-offs on a D5 in the past, this was his first experience using a DiGiCo console for a lengthy tour. In both instances, he was very pleased with the user-friendly feel and the flexible technology. “I had used a D5 years ago and found it to be very friendly compared to other digital consoles I had used. With the SD8, I like being able to update snapshot groups or single snapshots with ease, whilst still having my eye on the artist and show. Also this console has enough outputs in a single layer to not have to switch constantly between layers during shows— which has been an issue when so much is happening on the stage… knowing what position your board is in needs to be instantaneous! The ability to run two solo outputs for in-ears and wedges independently and simultaneously is easy to do with the SD8. Overall, it sounds great. Having used wedges everyday in the harsh land of U.S. club/theatre touring, this was a dream: Trailer, backline, two SD8s, tour bus… ‘Let’s go!’”

DiGiCo SD8 Relights Fires On Never Forget Tour desk and is working very well in the theatre environment. It does everything that I want.”

For Never Forget, Richard is utilising 54 inputs, via a stage DiGiRack,10 matrix outs, 10 aux outs and a further 16 outs from an Aviom card for band monitoring. The system also uses a local 16 input mini rack and a few of the ins and outs on the desk itself.

All audio is via MADI and, with the exception of one Lexicon vocal reverb, all dynamics and effects utilise the SD8’s onboard processing.

After a highly successful initial UK tour and equally triumphant run in London’s West End, Take That ‘tribute’ musical Never Forget is currently on a further, far more extensive, tour of UK venues.

From Belfast to Brighton, Newcastle to Nottingham, audiences are relighting their fires and singing a million love songs with the benefit of a DiGiCo SD8 console at Front of House.

This is the first theatre production on which sound designer Richard Brooker has used an SD8, which he chose because it immediately addressed a range of the challenges that provincial tours inevitably throw up.

“As a sound designer, I have been quite faithful to established analogue theatre consoles like Cadac,” he says. “But, as associate sound designer on Mamma Mia!, I was looking after a DiGiCo D5T and was very impressed by it.

“I also designed a production of Jesus Christ Superstar in Spain last year which used a D5T12. I got on fine with it and was very happy with the results, so when I heard about the SD8, I thought it sounded very interesting. At the same time, I was looking at ways to make the Never Forget tour cost effective, flexible and easy to move.”

Richard paid a visit to DiGiCo’s Surrey premises to get acquainted with the console and had the opportunity to take one on tour as Front of House engineer for singer Elaine Paige, famed for her own roles in musicals.

“I loved it,” Richard continues. “Sonically the results were great and it convinced me that here was the solution for Never Forget. The only issue was making a console designed for live music work from a theatrical point of view. But it’s a very flexible

“I have been absolutely blown away by the sound quality,” says Richard. “We’re using an Opus PA system which is very critical. It’s very unforgiving and I would have heard any problems with the sound quality, but there are none. The sound of the console is fantastic. It’s that of a very high end desk. For that alone the SD8 is unbelievable value for money.”

Rather than using the SD8’s scenes, Richard’s preferred choice is to use Cadac Show Control to move the console’s settings on throughout the show via MIDI messages from an external computer. This again highlights the SD8’s flexibility as it is absolutely seamless, allowing sound designers and operators to work in the way they prefer, not in a way that the equipment dictates.

“Operationally it’s extremely good,” he says. “As a theatre sound designer I have been waiting for a console that was right to take me from the analogue to the digital domain and the SD8 has achieved that.

“It’s incredibly flexible, producers love it because we’re removing half the seats for the Front of House position that we would with an analogue console and, on a provincial tour with regular changes of venue, the ability to switch the desk on, load the show file and be ready is superb.

“There are also the facilities that I haven’t used yet - for example recording the MADI inputs for virtual sound checking - which I will definitely be investigating. The future potential it offers is terrific - and all of this at an incredibly cost-effective price.

I really believe that DiGiCo has blown away the competition on all fronts with this console.

“From a sound design point of view I’m proud that I was the first to spec the SD8 for a proper theatre show. And, as well as the ongoing UK tour, I’m hoping that the Spanish and Dutch tours of Mamma Mia! this summer will also take out SD8s.

Watch this space!”

Finland Rocks With The DiGiCo SD8 The impact of DiGiCo’s entry level SD8 console is being felt right across the globe. One area that has been quick to enjoy the many benefits of the SD8 is Scandinavia.

Formed 33 years ago, Eppu Normaali is one of Finland’s most famous rock bands.

With their stock of PA equipment improving and expanding over the years, drummer Aku Syrjä set up sound hire company Akun Tehdas as a subsidiary of the band, to rent out the equipment when the band was not on tour.

The company has become a major player in the Finnish sound rental market and, already owning a DiGiCo D5 Live console, saw the SD8 as the logical next step for its inventory, which is taking pride of place at the front of house position on Eppu Normaali’s current European tour.

“The price quality ratio of the SD8 was just right for us, as well as the console’s compact size,” says Antti Salminen, Akun Tehdas / Eppu Normaali system tech and monitor engineer. “Currently we also have one on hire, but this summer it’s likely that we will purchase a second one.”

Eppu Normaali’s brand of stripped back rock’n’roll (they have been called the Finnish Dire Straits) means that the band only requires18 inputs. However, four ambient mics are also used because the SD8’s recording facility is used at every show, the recordings being made available for sale soon afterwards via the band’s website.

Using a MacBook Pro, Steinberg Nuendo software and an RME HDSPe MADIface interface, band front of house engineer Reijo Hammar can record up to 56 simultaneous channels.

“It is a very efficient way of recording the shows and being able to purchase a high quality recording within a few days of it happening is proving very popular with fans,” says Antti.

“We have also tried the virtual soundchecks feature, which works very well, but the band likes to be there for soundchecks, so we haven’t had to use it on tour yet.”

As for the show itself, Eppu Normaali’s length of time in the industry manifests itself in the way that it is mixed in a very ‘hands on’ way. However, the advantages of the high quality onboard effects have been fully embraced.

“There are many little tweaks in mixing the show, but the onboard effects are so good that we don’t need any outboard processing,” says Antti.

“Overall Reijo and I both really like the fact that the SD8 is compact and the dynamics are very good. It’s an excellent console.”

Another top Finnish band served by Akun Tehdas is Children of Bodom, an act with a somewhat darker and heavier sound than Eppu Normaali.

“The first time we took an SD8 out, I had done just one festival with a D5 so I had very little experience with DiGiCo’s consoles,” says band front of house engineer Pietsu ‘Chiddy’ Pietikäinen. “But I found the SD8 very easy to learn. I played with it for a couple of hours in the warehouse and found it very straightforward to use.”

Children of Bodom use 28 stage inputs, with all the console’s local inputs also used for sample and iPod playback, plus outboard.

“The effects in the console are really natural, almost too natural, which is why I use some outboard effects for drum plates and certain special effects,” says Chiddy. “So I have a tc electronic M3000 for drums, a Yamaha SPX2000 for vocal special effects and a Lexicon MPX550 for vocal doubling.

“Apart from that, I am using the onboard effects for everything else - vocal and guitar reverbs, delays etc.”

Chiddy is recording all the Children of Bodom shows at FOH, again with a MacBook Pro plus RME MADIface, but using Reaper software for recording.

later, but its main function is using the multitrack playback for soundcheck and tuning the PA,” he says. “It’s a really helpful function.”

He continues, “As a live console, I really like it. All the necessary channels are visible and the metering is good. To be honest I’m a habitual analogue engineer and I really like having most of my ‘main’ channels in VCAs, so I like the amount of DCAs on the SD8 and the way they act like analogue VCAs. “It’s also a ‘loud’ board - the headroom and output levels are high. That’s very important for me, because if you have to hit the board inputs too hard to get the proper output, it sounds awful.

“The AD/DA converters and mic preamps sound very natural, channel layering is really easy to use and the compressors and gates work well, which in my opinion are usually rubbish on digital consoles.”

The current Children of Bodom tour has certainly proven the SD8’s reliability - and DiGiCo’s technical support given a thorough test, with a couple of unfortunate liquid-based incidents.

“Yes, it’s been a real road test for the console,” says Chiddy with a rueful smile.

“In Leipzig a pint of beer ended up in the master fader module during the interval change over. We re-patched a couple things and managed to get through.

“Then, a couple of gigs later, when we had received a new master section from DiGiCo, our lead singer / guitar player threw a water bottle, which crowd surfed its way to the console - with its contents ending up across the control surface. The result was that he killed two of his own guitar channels and vocal reverb, which we felt was an interesting development in ‘artist remote self muting technology’!

“Luckily it happened during the last encore, so after the gig we took out the module, dried it and everything worked absolutely fine the next day.”

“We have a couple of audience mics going to tracks, so we can use the material

Audio Logic Systems Enhances Its Rental & Production Stock With The Addition Of DiGiCo SD8 In today’s highly competitive, audio production business, keeping on the cutting edge of technology and providing the best possible equipment is critical.

For 18 years, Bloomington, Minnesota’s Audio Logic Systems has done just that, by offering integrated audio, video and lighting services—including event production support, system and overall product consultation. When the need arose to add an additional digital console to its production stock—to do double duty as both a rental and production tool—ALS looked no further than the DiGiCo SD8 as a great complement to their d&b audiotechnik inventory.

“We’re both a production company as well as an installation and retail company, and have worked very hard to do both with a higher quality than any of our respective competitors,” said ALS Production Manager, Ed Coutu. “We have always purchased the most compact, lightest, most powerful, and highest quality equipment on the market. There isn’t a digital console on the market that fits that description better than the SD8…. The SD8 gives us a world-class console with a digital snake splitter for the high quality events we do in venues of all sizes. Also, as a systems integrator, it is critical that we are using the cutting edge technologies in our live shows.

This allows us to be the leader in the House of Worship and Theatre installation market.”

Several of the factors that led Coutu to the newest DiGiCo desk were its integrated digital features, along with its compact footprint. “I first saw the console at LDI,” Coutu recalled. “Once I realized it could be integrated with any of the DiGiCo racks including the DiGiRack, and allowed for a true digital split with gain tracking, it really became an attractive console. We wanted a console with an integrated digital snake and digital split; we weren’t interested in carrying an analog split, or a third party digital snake. Also, keeping the console to a small footprint was desirable for us, and the SD8 and the DiGiRack allowed us to replace a lower quality digital console with an analog split snake, and use LESS truck space. The integration of a larger screen was also a bonus, and allowing any of the 60 input channels to be mono or stereo (that’s 120 live XLR inputs!) was a smart use of their new Stealth Digital Processing.

Top it off with the 66 output busses, and it becomes a huge system.”

Within days of taking delivery of the SD8, ALS has the desk booked on a series of small-to-mid-sized events over the course of the next few months, with its first

large, main-stage event, “Lifest 2009”, scheduled for early July. “The more I use the SD8, and the more I get into configuring it for the way I want to mix, the more I like the console,” said Coutu. “Previous to the SD8, we’ve used Yamaha digital consoles, but as of right now, we don’t feel that there’s another console on the market than can compare to the SD8 in terms of flexibility, sonic quality, size, and price point.

The SD8 is definitely an upgrade from all other digital consoles.”

Ultimately, though, Coutu says by utilizing the most transparent—both sonically and visibly—equipment, it allows the message on stage to be the highlight of any show or production. ALS has been successful in this by staying current and relevant in the technology arena.

“We try very hard not to become stagnant. We don’t do things because ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’; new and better ideas are always welcome. After spending time on the console, I can say that the SD8 is definitely newer and better than other digital consoles. Plus, the technical sales support from DiGiCo is second to none. DiGiCo has always had a reputation for great sounding audio consoles, and its product support is equally great. Even just a simple question on setting up the console is answered immediately. It’s nice to know that there is a network of committed professionals that truly understand the world of live production, and that are just a phone call away.”

DiGiCo D1 At The Helm Of Lord Of The Rings Screening

Two evenings in April saw the Royal Albert Hall play host to a screening of the film of Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, accompanied by a live performance of Howard Shore’s original score.

“We have about 88 inputs to the D1 and six outputs to the Galileo for the flown left right, ground left right, subs and delays, of which there is one in every section of the gallery as we have 200 standing patrons there,” Wright continues. “Galileo is doing all that work, so Paul is able to mix to stereo from the D1.”

Conducted by Ludwig Wicki, it not only brought the film’s soundtrack spectacularly to life, but also brought together its original performers, the London Philharmonic, London Voices and the London Oratory School Schola boys chorus.

“I don’t get to use DiGiCos as often as I would like,” smiles Bevan. “But some of the most successful and best sounding shows I have ever done in my life have been on them.

For this unusual event, production manager Jeff Markowitz called on the considerable experience of Paul Bevan to handle front of house duties, with Sound

By Design providing audio requirements, the main elements of which were a DiGiCo D1 at front of house and a predominantly Meyer Sound loudspeaker system.

“In fact, the first show I ever did with Lord Of The Rings was at Wolf Trap, just outside of Washington DC. I believe it was the first show ever with an SD7 in the States. It was so new that they had only taken delivery of it a couple of days before and the engineer at the venue had had about a day on it, just to kind of find his way around. We were all learning as we were going. But we got an unbelievable write up in the Washington Post, partly for the value of the production, but mainly for how great it sounded.

“Jeff and I have worked together on several corporate shows and special events and he also knew of my background in the orchestral world,” says Bevan, who has an enviable list of artists on his engineering CV, both from his time in the UK and from his 15 years in New York, not least of which is Nina Simone’s last performance at the RAH. “I’ve done a lot of orchestral, including the Boston Pops”, he adds, “so Jeff knew that I was used to working with an orchestra in an amplified situation. It’s been a few years since I’ve worked at the RAH and it’s a thrill to be back. It’s such a great hall.

It’s got a beautiful sound if you don’t fight it. This is an ideal show to be here, as it’s mainly acoustic - we’re amplifying a few things, and then kind of boosting solos, but it’s meant to sound as absolutely natural as possible.”

The main PA comprises a left/right Meyer Sound M’elodie system, with 11 boxes per hang, run from a Galileo 616 processor with Compass software on a wireless network to enable Sound By Design’s Phil Wright to EQ the system remotely.

“UPAs and UPMs act as front fill, with 700HPs providing the bottom end. There are a couple of monitor feeds on stage - all very low level stuff – with a couple of EM Acoustics M12 wedges for the hobbit band and solo singer, and a hotspot for the conductor to follow the dialogue, all of which are driven from the D1,” says Wright.

“Our D1s are enhanced with an extra Sharc card, which means we basically have the same engine as the D5, allowing us to run 112 inputs and still keep all the effects processing power.”

Wright has also employed a few unusual products such as the Symphotec Microphone System, which has been specially developed for classical orchestras.

“It’s a really cool product and very discreet,” says Wright. “You can have a system with little five channel mixer pre-amps, so up to five sets of strings can end up on one line. This means you can very easily get a symphony orchestra into 56 lines.”

On the microphone front, Wright utilised a mixture of AKG 414s, Audio-Technica 4050s and B&K 4007s for the big percussion instruments. He has also made a useful discovery in the Audix MB1245 choir mic, which, he says, is absolutely stunning as well as being small and discreet.

“It shows just how intuitive DiGiCo consoles are. For this kind of show, the detail is incredible and it’s beautifully warm sounding - a DiGiCo would always be my first choice.”

Looking at the D1’s set up, Bevan has groups of instruments such as strings, woodwind, etc on separate banks to allow quick and easy access to sections and individual instruments alike, as well as employing a number of VCAs to allow him a certain amount of gross balance.

“As with many shows with a large number of inputs, laying out the console in a logical manner is key,” he explains. “I spend a lot of time riding sections of choirs, instruments, dialogue and sound FX from the soundtrack and it’s essential that things are grouped well, so that I can get to them without switching banks too often.”

Bevan mixes the show on the fly, enhancing its ‘live’ nature by being able to react to the performance as it unfolds. The assistant conductor, Erik Ochsner, is positioned next to the console, providing Bevan with various cues throughout the duration of the film.

“It’s such a complicated score that you can’t possibly remember everything,” says Bevan. “So Erik will tell me things that are coming up, so I don’t have to leave all the mics open all the time and the whole thing doesn’t just turn into a mush. When you are mixing an orchestra like this, mics pick up not just the instrument they are in front of, but everything else as well, so you’re actually mixing spill as much as you are the instruments.”

Bevan relishes the challenge of working on such a remarkable production. He is also extremely happy with both supplier and equipment for his two day return to the RAH. “Sound By Design is a preferred supplier for the Hall,” he smiles. “And they know exactly what to provide, what will sound good. I could have vetoed things I guess, but why would I when everything they suggested was exactly the right tool for the job…”

Mixing With Ones And Zeros - Hatfield Church Goes Digital With DiGiCo Following almost a year of assessing digital mixing consoles, Hatfield Christian Church in Pretoria took delivery of four DiGiCo SD8s at the beginning March 2009.

Tadco, DiGiCo’s South African distributor, was approached early in 2008 to quote on the console requirements for Hatfield Christian Church, and during the first discussions it was apparent that the church has some unique requirements.

In addition to its normal Sunday services, it also has a radio and television broadcast arm, Impact Christian Media. The Sunday services are broadcast live via radio to Pretoria and are then packaged for worldwide television broadcast to a potential 42 countries.

A further complication is that three to four times a year large events are held in the church which use up to 70 channels of mixing at FOH. The norm would be 40 to 45 channels.

As a result, three consoles were required - FOH, monitors and broadcast - all with identical channel layouts to make it easier for the operators to switch between positions.

The initial idea was to supply large format DiGiCo consoles for all three positions to cater for the bigger events. However, this solution took the complete package outside the church’s budget parameters and serious thought was given to a phased approach but, due to Hatfield’s unique situation, this was not feasible as all three mixing positions had to change over at the same time.

For a while, the project stalled and it looked as though it might have to be postponed for another year or two, that is until DiGiCo produced the solution with the release of the SD8 console.

Tadco’s Philip Kruger, who had been working on the Hatfield project from the beginning, spotted the perfect solution – four SD8 consoles: one console each for FOH, monitors and broadcast, with an additional console that could be used for the bigger events and in between could act as standby for any of the other three consoles. This also gave the church a digital console to be used for the many outreach events it holds during the year.

The DiGiCo SD8 is a fixed frame digital mixing console with 60 input channels and 24 mix busses plus all the standard DiGiCo features – onboard effects, graphics, compressors and limiters on every channel and unsurpassed sonic quality using the highly innovative Stealth Digital Processing™. Based on a single Super FPGA with floating-point processing, combined with Analogue Devices Tiger SHARCS, it provides unrivalled audio quality, precision and processing power.

In Hatfield Christian Church’s case a single 48 input MaDiRack on stage distributes the input signals to FOH, monitors and broadcast via an RME MADIBridge on RG59 coaxial cable – no expensive microphone splitters required. The MaDiRack for the SD8 system is supplied with eight outputs as standard, but for Hatfield Christian Church an additional two eight channel output cards were added giving the system 24 outputs.

During the large format events, the fourth SD8 will be put at FOH with its MaDiRack on stage and connected via the installed RG-59 cables. This console’s outputs will be linked to the main FOH console via MADI and will be used to submix the additional inputs.

As part of the install, Tadco also supplied CAMCO amplifiers to replace the existing line array amplifiers – five CAMCO Vortex 6 amplifiers now drive the low and mid frequencies and the high end is driven by three CAMCO Vortex 2.6 amplifiers.

With two NEXO S2 sub-bass loudspeakers at each side, driven by two CAMCO Vortex 6 amplifiers via a NEXO NX-242 Digital Loudspeaker Controller, the installation is complete..

Andi Rodgers, Tadco’s Technical Director, supervised the technical aspects of the installation. Art of Noise took care of the hard work and, apart from some fancy MADI routing, it all went smoothly and according to plan.

“The DiGiCo SD8’s are very easy to operate,” said Adrian White, Hatfield Christian Church’s head of Sound. “This is very important to us as we rely heavily on volunteer operators and even with minimal training they grasp the basics very quickly.

“

We have had a lot of comments on the huge improvement in sonic quality of the system... the sound is cleaner, crisper with none of the muddiness of other systems

”

“We have had a lot of comments on the huge improvement in sonic quality of the system and I find that I have a lot more headroom to play with. Even the broadcast guys have found that the sound is cleaner, crisper with none of the muddiness they are used to with other systems they’ve used. The after sales service from Tadco and DiGiCo has been excellent; any issues we had were addressed immediately and resolved.”

Heroic Productions Adds First DiGiCo Desk To Its Audio Arsenal the console held forth, front and center, at an NFL Draft Party for the Minnesota Vikings.

“This is our first DiGiCo product,” confessed Kirk Schutrop, Heroic’s Audio Department Manager. “We were looking into investing in a new digital console, and after doing a lot of research on different brands, I came across the SD8 online. At the same time, I had heard that Matt Larson, who was local here in Minnesota, was working with DiGiCo. I gave him a call and within a few days, we had an SD8 here for a demo. We were very impressed with the level of service we received from Matt, and from DiGiCo’s US distributor, Jack Kelly at Group One. Once we received the demo, and eventually the console itself, we loved all that it offered.”

On the Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft Party in late April, they had 22 inputs including wireless mics, video playback channels, computer/iPod inputs, a satellite feed, plus a Dugan Automixer inserted across the wireless channels. Additionally, there were seven outputs driving the main PA, subs, onstage monitors, video record, a mixminus feed to the host radio station, and a feed to the VIP area.

What started as a behind-the-scenes solution for staging and lighting needs for the Temporary Heroes Orchestra 15 years ago, Heroic Productions has evolved into one of the Twin Cities’ largest and most well-respected audio, lighting, and video production houses.

In keeping with the commitment to provide top-of-the-line technicians and state-ofthe art equipment, Heroic recently added a DiGiCo SD8 to its production arsenal.

Since the acquisition, they’ve placed the SD8 on a slew of gigs, ranging from musical concerts and multi-act festivals, to high-end corporate conferences. Most recently,

“All of the features on this console are excellent,” Schutrop raved. “The EQ’s are fantastic, the dynamics are seamless, and I’m amazed at how much processing this desk has. Having everything in the console eliminates the need for extra stuff that takes up truck space and physical space at FOH, where space is a premium. Also, the coax snake that is included with this system is great for us. Not having to haul around copper everyday is a huge plus!”

Schutrop says of all the digital consoles they’ve used, the SD8 is one of the best sounding. “This desk is the most transparent and by far sounds the most natural.

And others have noticed, as well. We’ve had several comments made to us by the engineers of artists we’ve worked with. They are very excited to actually use the SD8 after hearing about it or seeing it in a demo… Many have said they plan to spec one for their next tour.”

Treehouse Benefit Gets Support From DiGiCo Consoles

TreeHouse, a non-profit organization offering support to at-risk teens and their families, celebrated its 25th anniversary with the “TreeHouse Legacy of Hope Gala” at The Depot in Minneapolis, MN. The April charity event featured NFL Super Bowl champion coach Tony Dungee and a performance from Grammy award-winning singer Carrie Underwood. Paul Smith of Visual Horizon Communications was the event’s system engineer and FOH mixer for the corporate portion, and worked with DiGiCo’s Matt Larson to bring in a pair of DiGiCo consoles to handle audio production. Smith used an SD8 to handle the myriad emcee, headset/handset vocal inputs, plus peripheral audio/video feeds for the production, with Clair Global’s Rob Rankin working on an SD7 at FOH for Underwood’s performance. For Smith, it was his first-ever outing working with a DiGiCo desk, and his curiosity led from investigation to implementation—with positive results all around.

“We had two desks at FOH in the space they had allowed for the single analog desk,” Smith recalled. “Having inputs and outputs at both the FOH and stage is much more of a necessity than a convenience for me. Working specifically with the SD8, I found that, with the engine(s) and processing built within the work surface, it was loaded with features—and provided enough I/O locally without me having to dig for TRS adaptors. But the best thing about the SD8 for me was its configurability.

As I mostly do corporate events that sometimes include more outputs than inputs, I like to lay out the desk how I want it every time, despite the fact that every show is completely different from the next. I do not want to be paging through layers; I want to simply mix the show. That means all handles available to me at all times. In this particular case, I mixed the entire show from the right hand side of the desk with all of my outputs on the left. Ultimately, everyone was very happy with the audio on the event. Voices were clear, the band sounded great, and the technical director was extremely pleased.”

For the general audio production, Smith worked with a modest amount of inputs on the SD8, which included four RF mics (two handhelds and a headset), a lectern with a dual element mic, and four stereo feeds from video via the stage. There were also five inputs at the FOH location—stereo CD, stereo computer playback and an announce mic—for a grand total of fifteen inputs. Smith sent four outputs from both the SD7 and the SD8 to a matrix mixer—left/right main, front fill (Matrix) and subs (Aux). Out of the matrix mixer he had left/right main, left/right delay 1, left/right delay 2, front fill and subs. Smith also used additional outputs on the SD8 to provide a stereo record feed (Matrix), a backstage monitor feed (Aux) and a feed to an overflow room (Matrix). The main PA and Delay were DV-Dosc, the Front fill were L-Acoustic P108’s, SB218’s for subs.

In preparation for the gala’s main attraction—the performance by country superstar, Carrie Underwood—Larson worked with Rankin pre-event in Minneapolis at Profile Music’s rehearsal facility to set up the console and a laptop-based multi-track recording system to allow instantaneous, one button press, playback of the recorded tracks. Rankin configured 48 inputs for the live show: nine inputs for drums, two for bass, eleven for keyboards, five for electric guitars, three acoustic guitars, a fiddle, a mandolin, a lap steel, a pedal steel, dobro, banjo, and five inputs for tracks including strings, drum loops, and percussion.

“I was very interested to check out the SD7 because I had used the D5 several years ago and had been pleased with the results. There was a small room adjacent to the rehearsal space large enough to set up the SD7 and be isolated from the direct sound from the instrument amplifiers, drums, monitor floor wedges and drum sub.

I used a pair of L-Acoustic 108P’s as near-field monitors. After line check, the band began to work on their in-ear mixes, which gave me the opportunity to set up my gain structure and to start learning my way around the console. As they worked their way through the songs, we ‘rolled tape’ and captured the inputs as a multitrack session. I stayed a while after the band was finished, and using the “Listen to copied audio” function, tweaked my mix.”

Having the time the day before with the band and the “Listen to copied audio” button, proved to be a huge time saver on show day for Rankin. “I am happy to report that this console was just as intuitive, and analog-sounding as the D5. Line check happened around two in the afternoon, and the band came in and only needed to run through a song or two because of the preparation we did. Having the ability to arrange inputs in layer groups I think was my favourite feature. Also, the fact that there are high quality comps and gates and excellent sounding reverbs builtin, helps to save space at FOH, allowing more seats to be sold.”

DiGiCo SD7 Console Goes Lenny’s Way with Sound Image

Touring Europe in support of the 20th anniversary deluxe reissue of his debut album Let Love Rule, guitarist and vocalist Lenny Kravitz demands nothing but the best audio quality for his fans, his fellow musicians and himself.

Having already used DiGiCo consoles for several years, the current tour sees rental company Sound Image invest in a pair of DiGiCo’s flagship SD7s, which are now established at the monitor and front of house positions.

“The dynamic EQs are also really happening. If I ever go back to analogue I’m going to have a lot more racks, now that I know how great the DiGiCo dynamic EQs sound on pretty much everything!”

Monitor engineer Kevin Glendinning has worked with Kravitz since the beginning of 2008, inheriting the job from previous incumbent Brian Henry.

FOH engineer Laurie Quigley has worked with Kravitz for around six years.

“We started using D5s on the 2005 tour,” he says. “I’d used them for years with Aerosmith, Kiss and other bands I’d worked for. I brought them over to Lenny Kravitz because of the simplicity, the sound of the board and the amount of channels we use. We’re running up to 112 channels now.”

“Brian was nice enough to loan me his DiGiCo D5,” says Kevin. “It was my first time on the desk, I adapted to it very well and I enjoyed it. The feel of it is analogue and you can drive the console without really worrying about any limitations of digital audio.

Indeed, Laurie felt that the SD7’s advances over a console he was already more than happy with made it more than worthwhile to make the switch.

“We did an entire year on the D5 and, while Lenny was off the road, FOH engineer Laurie Quigley and I discussed going with the SD7. We’d both heard great things about it and I was completely sold on the DiGiCo sound. “Once I saw the SD7 I thought they had really nailed it and made a board - an entire system actually - that was a lot more conducive to monitor mixing.”

“I see the SD7 as basically an upgrade of the D5, which was an incredible sounding board with a good stable format,” he says. “But for me the SD7’s banks of 12 are better, the screens are obviously bigger and better, the speed of the board is better, the dynamic EQ is really good.

Kravitz is touring with a seven-piece band and has a large monitor rig, so the SD7’s high channel count on both in and outputs has proved very important.

“I find the frequency dependent limiters are incredibly useful for certain things like vocals and acoustic guitars for getting rid of stuff you really don’t want.

“We have pretty much everything - lots of side fills, lots of wedges, lots of in-ears - so it’s nice to have a large amount of inputs and outputs. I’m constantly making up new channels that are pertinent to just ears, just side fills or just wedges,” says Kevin, who is also making good use of the SD7’s Alt Input, a function common on broadcast consoles, but not often seen in the live market.

“I have four channels set aside just for Lenny’s vocal: one has extreme compression measures that he insists on hearing in his ears; another very flat and unaltered that feeds effects; one that is sent to band’s and tech’s ears; and another for all wedges and fills.

“On top of everything else, I’m very impressed with the audio quality of the SD7.

I’ve tried all the other digital boards on the market and, as far as I’m concerned this one is leaps and bounds ahead. If it doesn’t sound good then Lenny wouldn’t have it on his tour and I wouldn’t have it out here either!”

“Instead of making eight out of that, I use the Alt Input function so I can keep his effects and vocal channels within one bank. If we need to go to a spare microphone, or we lose a line, instead of burning out more channels, we use Alt Input and the spare channel will instantly do everything that original channel was doing before I lost it - all the EQ and the compression that’s sent to everyone’s ears, wedges and sidefills is the same. I’m just effectively picking a new line. That’s been a tremendous benefit.”

Another advantage for Kevin is the way the output equalisation is formatted, allowing him to spend as much time watching the artist as possible, without having to be looking at the control surface.

“They’ve even put the ability to ‘feel’ where zero is without looking in the graphic EQs,” he says. “It’s really nice because I can keep my eyes on Lenny but still have my hands at the desk and know exactly what I’m moving. That is a huge benefit.

“I would recommend this board to just about everybody,” adds Kevin. “It’s produced some of the best sounding work I’ve done. I have a lot of engineering friends and colleagues who are bored or disappointed with the shortcomings of some of the other desks out there. I’ve really put my name on the line with this one and have got some very stubborn people to have a look, listen and are now really getting into the SD7.”

“I get pretty upset that sometimes monitors is regarded as an afterthought, but DiGiCo have really thought about the monitor engineer with the SD7 and I think that’s been long overdue. I can’t say enough great things about both the board and the support we get from the guys at DiGiCo. Webby [David Webster, marketing director], Taidus [Vallandi from DiGiCo’s US distributor, Group One], Tony [Crockett, technical support manager] and Pete [Johnston, technical support] have been great; it’s a real anytime anywhere sort of outfit!

“DiGiCo really has something here. I’m really enjoying using the SD7 and I look forward to continuing to use it!”

Boca Festival - Syntonic Design Provides D5 For FOH with Concert Systems Showcasing SD8 For Monitors Farmingdale, NY (April 15, 2009) — For the third consecutive year, Boca Raton, Florida’s Festival of the Arts presented a musical menu of the finest in classical music, jazz and literature this past March 5-15 th.

One of this year’s event highlights was a career celebration of violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman on the 50 th anniversary of his U.S. debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. Over the course of four evening concerts, Perlman performed in a variety of settings: as violin soloist with the Russian National Orchestra; with his students from the Perlman Music Program; in a reprise of the best-selling album, tour and popular PBS Show celebrating Klezmer music, “In the Fiddler’s House”; and conducting the Russian National Orchestra, Master Chorale of South Florida, and renowned vocal soloists in Beethoven’s magisterial Ninth Symphony.

For the technical portion of the festival, several production companies combined their efforts, with ACME Sound Partners and Syntonic Design Group providing the DiGiCo D5 for Front of House input/outputs, and Concert Systems Production Group showcasing its new SD8 for onstage monitors.

“The overall show ran at about 110 inputs,” explained Syntonic’s Donnie Smith, the A2 engineer on the event . “ We had a series of flown microphone arrays for the orchestra, and also close-mic’d the string, woodwinds and brass sections. We ran an L/R system with stereo front fills and subs on an aux, and also had several stereo outputs feeding an overhead ambient system to provide a ‘hall’ effect in the tented outdoor venue. All outputs were ultimately driven from the Matrix and processed externally. The D5’s routing and soft-patching ability made everything really easy. The orchestra would change configuration from night to night, and bounce around during rehearsals. The need for recalling routing changes via snapshots was critical. Not to

mention, it sounded great. Because of the subtle nature of the mix for this type of event, the ability to hear the dynamics of music without coloration and with a high signal to noise ratio is necessary.”

For onstage monitors, Thomas “Randy” Frierson, owner/operator of Concert Systems Production Group, chose to showcase his new SD8 console. “ We selected the SD8 for its sonic quality and straightforward approach to mixing monitors. We also thought since the primary audio vendor Syntonic was using a DiGiCo, it would be cool for us to bring in one as well. As the house production company, we supported them by providing the SD8 and monitor racks with Ashly PE3000 processed specifically for our EV XW12A wedges. Everything went great and everybody was happy with both the FOH sound and monitors. It was indeed a successful collaboration.”

Top Prague Club Opts For New DiGiCo SD8 Console Lucerna Music Bar is one of Prague’s most prestigious clubs and every well-known Czech artist has played there. Two years ago, the club decided to improve its sound equipment and installed a new L-Acoustics loudspeaker system.

These were a great success, and since then they’ve not had to hire third-party PA equipment. However, there was still a vital element missing - a top-class console, which is where DiGiCo and distributor PRO MUSIC came in.

For Lucerna Music Bar, ease of use, reliability and rider-friendliness were all of paramount importance, but so was budget, so they decided to go for the best overall solution: the DiGiCo SD8.

“We decided to change our existing analog console because it was not acceptable any more,” explains the venue’s manager, Kamil Sir. “We had to hire in consoles for all the prestigious events in our club, which increased our expenses. A digital console appeared to be the solution for the future. My experience with DiGiCo, the most popular professional digital console in the Czech Republic, and the support of the DiGiCo distributor, PRO MUSIC, whenever we needed them, were sound reasons to go for a DiGiCo SD8.”

first month of the installation, more than a handful of foreign bands have been here, including Richard Bona and Front 242, and none of their sound engineers had problems with SD8,” says Petr. “In fact the opposite is true. They were really interested in the console’s feature set and what new options are available.”

The SD8 was installed roughly two months ago. “The team of house engineers has learned the console very quickly,” says Lucerna’s chief sound engineer, Petr Pelisek.

“Most Czech sound guys already have some level of experience with DiGiCo mixing consoles and the changeover to the SD8 is very easy and intuitive. My own opinion is that that DiGiCo SD8 is a very nice package, both for club use and for touring.”

Petr obviously considers the SD8 a good choice. “Absolutely!” he confirms. “First, this investment is reducing our direct expenses on hiring equipment. Secondly, the DiGiCo console can be connected to our installed system without any modifications and the recording of any concert has never been so easy.

The club hosts concerts roughly four times a week, so visiting engineers often use the console. They’ve also been impressed with the new set-up. “Within the

“DiGiCo is a brand I have great respect for. Personally, I won’t go on a tour without a DiGiCo D5 or D1 – and now I can use the SD8, which I really enjoy.”

D5 - Simply Perfect stereo matrices: one to an XTA448 for EQ and zoning, a spare, one for CDR and one to a distribution amp for media.

“We’ve been using a variety of different speaker systems and I save a show session file for each manufacturer, as there are slight, but crucial input EQ differences from system to system. I have a snapshot for each song, although only faders, cuts, FX, midi and aux sends are automated. A good number of inputs are completely ‘safe’. The snapshots give me a basic DCA shape and any FX changes for the start of each tune and after that, I just mix.

When Chris ‘Privet’ Hedge set out on the current world tour as Front of House engineer with Simply Red, there was one piece of equipment he would not have left home without: a DiGiCo D5 console.

This year, the tour has taken in Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and the USA before heading for Europe, starting in Glasgow, at the end of March. That is a lot of different environments. Why did Privet choose the D5 and how has it performed?

“I’ve used the D5 for three years now, with KT Tunstall, Mika, Alicia Keys and now Simply Red,” he says. “It has a very natural sound and all the artists I’ve used it with are primarily organic, live acts. I find the console very easy to lay out and operate intuitively; it’s very much a mixer’s console.

“I’m using one of Brit Row’s Version 4 D5s and I use it very simply. On the current tour we have 48 mic inputs and, as well as the onboard FX, I have four engines of TC6000 and an SPX990 plumbed into it. The only external inserts are an Avalon 737 on the lead vocal and a Waves MaxxBCL. I use one stereo Toms group and four

“The current tour is in three sections. The first, now completed, was the world leg, where we played every type of show imaginable, although they were mostly big outdoor gigs. We carried control and used local racks and stacks. Currently, we’re playing arenas using a Brit Row V-Dosc system, and later in the year it’s back to outdoor shows and festivals. Of course, the footprint is a consideration – even at large shows – every seat that’s taken out to accommodate control is money wasted.

“The way I use the system has roughly stayed the same throughout the time I’ve been using it. All I needed to learn with setting up digital boards, after years of using XL4s, was to think in advance what I wanted from it in each application and lay it out accordingly at the start.

“I use the D5’s internal effects throughout the show. I have a huge ’80s snare reverb, a few delays, and some gentle chorusing ‘wobbles’ on the brass. The majority of the FX are on the TC6000 though. I’m only using the IPCs on this show to delay the matrix feeds to media.

“For me, though, the best thing about this D5 has been its reliability on the world tour. No amount of chucking it on and off airplanes, lorries and forklifts has caused a blip in its operation. Naturally, as with any equipment on such a hard tour, a little regular tightening up and re-seating goes a long way. And threatening it with a hammer…”

Crews Get Cold Feet But DiGiCo Warms The Heart At Canada’s East Coast Music Awards Celebrating its 21st year, the 2009 East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference saw many leading artists and industry figures come together in Corner Brook, Newfoundland & Labrador, for a four day conference and celebration of Canada’s East Coast music scene.

Taking place on the evening of 1st March, the highlight of the event was the annual East Coast Music Awards ceremony, which saw live performances and video clips interspersing the presentation of awards in 31 categories - ranging from DVD of the Year through to Aboriginal Recording Of The Year.

With a complex, two stage production to mix the sound for, DiGiCo consoles were chosen to ensure that everything ran seamlessly on the night. Supplied by Nova Scotia-based Tour Tech East, a D1 was used at monitors, while front of house engineer David W. Hillier manned an SD7.

The event comprised no less than 17 live performances, interspersed with video clips and the presentations of the awards from a separate podium.

“Of the two stages, the first featured bands while the second had a house band and primarily featured singer-songwriters with guest musicians,” says David.

me was caused by it taking place in an ice arena - as we were standing on boards covering the ice rink, the only problem I had was keeping my feet warm!”

“We had 64 inputs, with 32 from each stage split between FOH, monitors and the recording truck. The podium mics, host mics and video playback went to a separate FOH mixer and operator, although we ran them to the SD7 as well for backup. We also sent the recording truck mix to the other FOH console and the SD7 mix went to the recording truck so that we would have alternate backup mixes.”

Counteracting the problem of chilly feet, the SD7’s onboard processing certainly warmed the hearts of the sound crew.

Despite the complexity of the show, not to mention it being David’s first serious use of the SD7, his experience and the console’s intuitive user interface means that he was able to take the whole thing very much in his stride.

“Everything was great sounding, especially the compressors - which can often sound bad when you drive them hard on digital consoles.

“I spent a couple of hours at our local supplier, Tour Tech East, studying the SD7’s features and then I was pretty comfortable to go into soundchecks and rehearsals in the venue,” he says.

“I used the eraser end of a pencil so that I could tap and move quickly on the touch screens during the show and I had a sequential playlist of the performances, so it took seconds to reset between acts.

“Honestly, with a great digital recall system and a great onstage audio crew, the show was extremely straightforward to operate. The only major challenge for

“I only used the console’s onboard processing for the three reverbs, one delay and two graphic EQs I needed,” says David.

“For my reference only, I also recorded some sound checks into ProTools using an M-Audio 1814 FireWire interface to my MacBook Pro. I used a matrix out of the SD7 which mirrored my main L-R mix and it worked extremely well.”

David also made use of the SD7’s built-in video camera and monitor, a unique facility that isn’t often commented on.

“I was very pleased to find this facility as I like to watch the rehearsals and show for reference,” he says. “Along with the console’s many other virtues, it’s good to find such an added bonus.”

DiGiCo SD7 Gives Lionel Richie The Feel Good Factor All Night Long them the very best sound, and Lars’ choice is strictly down to his confidence in it delivering exceptional audio.

“I think it is a wonderful console. For me the EQ is a big step forward,” he says.

“It’s a great EQ for live work because the slope is steeper than it was before and providing 24dB of cut or boost per octave is a real advantage.

“The effects are also fantastic. It’s all there and the Stealth technology makes a big difference to the sound of the console, delivering crisp, clean highs and definitely more oomph in the low end.”

When king of croon Lionel Richie embarked on an extensive European arena tour to promote his latest studio album, Just Go, front of house engineer Lars Brogaard was in no doubt which console was going to be there mixing the house sound - a DiGiCo SD7.

Lars’s relationship with DiGiCo is a long one - he was the first engineer to take a D5 console on tour and was involved from the early days of the SD7’s development, helping with BETA testing of the new console to ensure it delivered everything that leading live sound engineers need.

“I’m also Lionel’s production manager and my sound company, Major Tom, was awarded the contract to provide sound for the tour,” says Lars. “We needed to buy a console for this tour and so the SD7 was the obvious choice. Having been involved in helping to road test the console, I felt it was about time I actually owned one!”

Of course, no matter what their history, no sound engineer worth his salt would make a major investment in a console like the SD7 unless they thought it would give

Although he uses snapshots as a starting point in each venue, Lars prefers to mix the shows by riding the SD7’s faders, ensuring that the uniqueness of each gig is accurately captured.

“I use snapshots to provide a basis for each night,” he says. “With this band there is no real need to be over-sophisticated and I like to let the show build organically as it goes along each night, rather than stepping through presets.

“When you’re touring, the performances naturally change and evolve as the dates go by. I don’t believe in just trying to recreate the production rehearsals every night.

It’s great that I can have that basis, but also the flexibility to actively mix every show.

The band can really play and Lionel can really sing, so they are hugely enjoyable gigs to mix.

“It’s the best looking console on the market at the moment. It has a real feel good factor. So when you sit down to work each night, you’re already feeling that it’s going to be a great show.”

DiGiCo’s Got The X Factor!

Over three months of Saturday night television saw primetime UK talent show The X Factor crown its latest winner in time to get the coveted Christmas Number 1 chart slot. February and March 2009 gave many of the finalists and their newly found fans a chance to get up close and personal as the X Factor Live tour played multiple shows at the UK and Ireland’s main arenas.

With a live backing band and the various different performers singing individually before all coming together for the finale, it is a complex show to mix. But with sales and rental company Wigwam Acoustics supplying a DiGiCo SD7 and D5 on monitors and at Front of House respectively, the show is able to maintain its pace.

On stage, monitor engineer Sean Horsman has a combination of in-ears, wedges and sidefills, with 56 input channels and 12 mono and 12 stereo outputs on his SD7.

“As each artist comes on, I recall a snapshot for their mix as well as the band mix for that number, the latter of which is probably the more important aspect because it has a greater dynamic range,” says Sean.

“There was a lot to get to grips with, but after the first few gigs, I had it nailed. I keep certain parameters within the snapshots recall safe and adjust them on a daily basis, depending on the venue. The SD7 gives you that kind of flexibility, which is great.”

Another facility that Sean has been making great use of is the SD7’s dynamic EQ, which helps to overcome the high noise levels coming from the predominantly young audience.

“The dynamic EQ is brilliant – I didn’t discover it until Alex [Hadjigeorgiou from Wigwam] mentioned it - and the compressors are really smooth,” he says. “This is a really loud show with kids screaming in the audience. Being able to control the low mids, but still have that musical weight is great. And when they do shout it out, I can just let the dynamic EQ on the vocal channel sort it out.

“It’s a lovely soft sounding desk and it responds beautifully. With many other digital consoles I’ve used, you would have perhaps one channel you could work on at a time. But with the SD7 you can see 24 at a time. To need any more than that in front of you, you would have to be an octopus. It’s more than enough to give you the feel of an analogue console. I’m absolutely in love with it!”

Meanwhile, at front of house, Nigel ‘Foggy’ Fogg is enjoying his first tour with a DiGiCo D5.

“I spent a couple of days in the warehouse with it and then it was straight into production rehearsals,” he says. “Alex at Wigwam was really helpful to both me and Sean, giving us tips to find our way round the consoles quickly. It didn’t take long to learn because it’s logically laid out.

“Patching-wise it’s really easy. Being able to move channels round as blocks or individuals makes programming very straightforward.”

Nigel is also using snapshots extensively which, as with the monitor position, makes moving from segment to segment in such a fast-moving show much more seamless.

“The recall is really good on the D5,” he says. “I have snapshots for each artist and each song, with most of the band channels recall safe. I put them all to DCAs for when I want the keys a bit louder in some numbers, or the guitars a bit narrower in others.

“The control interface and facilities are really good. You touch something, it works and you can hear what it’s doing. In terms of its responsiveness, it’s a positive console.”

“This is a very demanding production,” adds Hadjigeorgiou. “As well as the high pressure of the continually changing segments of the show, there are a wide variety of different performers and music styles. All of these will very quickly show up the smallest deficiency in a console. The SD7/D5 combination meant we could be sure that wouldn’t happen.”

Indeed, the exemplary performance of the SD7 and D5 on the tour have proved that, beyond doubt, both have the X factor…

When the professional audio world first set eyes on the DiGiCo D5 Live there was a collective sharp intake of breath. Here was the digital mixing console that gave you the best of analogue working practices and audio finesse with all the versatility and feature richness that the digital environment could offer.

Several years on, the D Series remains the standard setter and its fast, engineer friendly user interface has yet to be beaten. And to many engineers it continues to offer the optimum sonic combination of analogue smoothness and digital clarity.

But expectations continue to rise. In a world as competitive for engineers as it is for console owners, you want the best tools you can lay your hands on. You also want a console as well thought out for every major application as it is designed for the art and science of sound engineering.

Above all, you want to do more. Meet the DiGiCo SD7, the next generation plus one of digital sound engineering and it’s (not so) baby brother, the SD8 and now in 2010 the entry level SD9.

What Makes the SD Series different from the D series and other digital consoles?

The SD Series gives you more. More power, more flexibility and more creativity, wrapped in frames which are more serviceable, more compact and more user-friendly than ever.

Selected features include: • All Audio processing on one chip Stealth Digital Processing™ • From input to output all the audio processing on an SD Series console is carried out on one chip using Super FPGA technology with floating-point processing resulting in enhanced clarity, unique sound characteristics and a smaller console footprint.

• Enhanced Power An SD Series console is effectively 8 x more powerful than a D Series.

• Slicker Interface With 15 inch touch screen LCD TFT technology and user defined RGB back lit LCD scribble strips delivering uninterrupted user feedback.

• Advanced Software UI Building on the fine qualities of almost 20 years of digital development, our engineers have delivered a user experience that’s even faster, easier and more productive than ever.

After the briefest introduction it is clear the DiGiCo range was designed for audio engineers by audio engineers.

Concert Sound

Permanent Install

Houses of Worship

Musical Theatre

U2 360° Tour

Wolftrap Arts Centre

Eagle Brook Church

Mother Courage

Unit 10, Silverglade Business Park, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2QL Tel: +44 (0) 1372 845600 Fax: +44 (0) 1372 845656 Email: info@digiconsoles.com Web: www.digico.org