ProAudio Review - March 2008 - (Page 30)

FROM THE ROAD by Tom Young Do Engineers Have Mix Rights? As we know, almost all digital consoles onsidering the increasingly common use of digital con- incorporate a means of storing data, using soles on major tours, a ques- either a memory card or directly connecting tion comes to my mind about to a computer to run manufacturer-providthe intellectual property of an ed software to create a show file. Engineers engineer’s mix once they like me — those who use mostly regional either leave the tour after its completion or sound companies — can specify his console involuntarily during the tour. I have entertained some conversations over the past couple of months on the topic of sound companies maintaining a database of tour engineers’ console mix settings after a tour ends. So again, a question arises: when the tour is scheduled to resume with another front-of-house or monitor engineer, does a sound company ethically have a right to offer previous shows’ settings to other engineers? Looking on Wikipedia.com under “digital consoles,” the following paragraph appears: “A digital mixer can offset the Young has all the digital console information he needs right the palm of his hand lack of sound operator expertise because it remembers what a person who knew what of choice, have it supplied locally, and great- independent engineer’s settings from the they were doing, told it to do. For example: ly reduce the cost of traveling with a console show or previous tour? I would hope that A knowledgeable person can adjust all of on the tour. I personally have my show this does not become a viable option for the the microphone settings, monitors, etc., for a stored on Yamaha PM1D, PM5D-RH, future of live sound mixing. I would like to given event. After everything is properly DiGiCo D5, and Digidesign D-show con- believe that sound companies will always adjusted, that setup is assigned a name and soles. Also, when storing my show I have try to generate their business by relationstored in the memory. Afterwards, a less notes to denote the type of speaker system ships with live independent sound engiknowledgeable operator can simply look on used during that show file, i.e. Meyer neers and production managers first and not the computer screen or touch screen to recall Sound, d&b, JBL, NEXO, etc., with the date try to entice the business by cutting out the independent engineer role for tour accountthat setting. Then, like some invisible man and location. The advantages are obvious in that if you ants to win the show bid. was operating the system, all of the controls move to their proper positions. Likewise, use the same type of microphones every Tom Young is the live sound engineer for setups for any other events can be stored night and have stored settings of the room equalization, you can return to that venue Tony Bennett. and instantly recalled.” with the same act and recall your show. The work put forth in equalizing the sound system and setting your show mix is back to a great starting point at the touch of a button. I have done some shows where a local sound company or venue will ask me if it is okay for them to keep my settings for the room equalization or they are having a similar jazz-type show in the venue next week and would like to use my settings on the piano. My answer is always unequivocally “yes” if it helps them out. If my settings help a show they are mixing, I am glad to lend my efforts. As more and more companies bid on shows in the competitive live sound market, is it ethical for them to offer a show or tour with engineers included and supply an 30 | ProAudio Review | March 2008 Subscribe to the Digital Edition of Pro Audio Review http://www.proaudioreview.com/subscribe www.proaudioreview.com http://Wikipedia.com http://www.proaudioreview.com http://www.proaudioreview.com/subscribe

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - March 2008

ProAudio Review - March 2008 Contents Publisher's Page Studio News and New Products Sennheiser MKH 8040 Microphone Digidesign Mbox 2 Micro Studio Spotlight Upsampler X/Audio Live News and New Products Touring Gear From the Road Broadcast News and New Products ION Audio Tape2PC Cassette Archiving System Brauner VMA Large-Diaphragm Microphone Audio Ltd. RMS 2040 Series Post News and New Products First Look NAB Showcase Buyers Guide Single Slice

ProAudio Review - March 2008

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