Among the vast array of programming available to NAB Show attendees is one area of specific interest to “Audio Technology Update” readers: the Pro Audio Pit. Located in Booth C159 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the pit will offer free sessions open to all attendees on a wide variety of audio topics. It will also offer hands-on training areas where attendees can use real audio gear in a performance environment. Here are some of the highlights of the sessions being offered:
Monday, April 11
11:30 a.m.: “Taming TV Audio Loudness”
Martin Winsemius, sustaining engineering manager at Wohler Technologies, explains the concept of loudness, the CALM Act will be examined and options for loudness control.
11:30 a.m.: “Live Mixing Tip and Tricks”
Legendary live sound engineer and Avid product specialist Robert Scovill presents the fundamentals of live mixing, including gain structure, EQ, compression and effects, with a specific focus on how to apply these principles in a variety of mixing environments.
3:30 p.m.: “Audio for Web Streaming”
This session focuses on retaining optimal audio quality in the face of the compression required for Web distribution, presented by Marcus Singleton of Audio Ethics.
4:45 p.m.: “How to Properly Mic Instruments for Live Performance”
David Missall of Sennheiser explains the art of miking for accurate reproduction and maximum isolation in capturing live musical performances.
Tuesday, April 12
9:30 a.m.: “Interconnecting Your Audio System for Broadcast Applications:
Dan Stark of Stark Raving Solutions discusses signal flow scenarios for live and recorded productions in the context of audio distribution over various channels.
11:30 a.m.: “Troubleshooting Your Audio System”
Donnie Haulk and Jerry Temple of Audio Ethics provide a bag of tricks to help minimize the potential for disaster in live mixing, helping the sound engineer to achieve the goal of remaining unnoticed throughout a production.
1:30 p.m.: “Wireless Mics: Knowing the Facts and Future Proofing Your Systems”
Karl Winkler of Lectrosonics discusses the massive changes in the wireless microphone landscape and outlines how to best prepare for the future of this critical aspect of live performance and broadcasting.
3:30 p.m.: “Radio on the Move: How to Stream Audio Broadcast to Mobile Devices”
Marcus Singleton of Audio Ethics teaches attendees how to make content available in the correct format for consumption on mobile devices, including necessary signal chain links to make this possible.
4:45 p.m.: “Audio Capture for Remote Video Shoots”
A presentation of the basic techniques for capturing quality audio on location video shoots, with an emphasis on voice, will be given by Jeff Jones of Stark Raving Solutions.
Wednesday, April 13
9:30 a.m.: “Digital Audio Network Primer”
Jeff Lange of Sonic Art discusses how digital audio behaves differently from analog and how that affects the engineer. Topics include various protocols, how they manipulate audio and how to make the most of your mix by better understanding digital audio networks.
11:30 a.m.: “Advanced Miking Techniques for Live Performance and Broadcast”
Applications engineer Tim Vear of Shure presents practical microphone techniques for capturing both music and spoken word, specifically addressing the different constraints of live sound vs. broadcast and how to optimize for both through mic selection and placement.
1:30 p.m.: “Lowering Your Stage Volume”
Jeff Lange of Sonic Art discusses the advantages of reduced stage volume being achieved through technologies like in-ear monitoring and how to implement them effectively for maximum benefit to both performer and sound engineer.
