PHOTO : THAT GOOD GRAPHIC - JUSTIN ALEXIS PHOTO : THAT GOOD GRAPHIC - JUSTIN ALEXIS
MELVIN GODFREY ON AN AVID VENUE S6L FOR MONITORS
timing becomes an issue when introducing a PA system and FM broadcast . With sound propagating at a slower rate than the FM transmission , it was going to be a nightmare if we used only one FM frequency . Instead , we opted to use three different frequencies , each delayed to a “ zone ” within the parking lot . On the front-end of the
FM transmitters , we employed a pair of Electro-Voice DC-One digital processors that handled the EQ , delay , and limiting of the program feed before distributing it to the three transmitters . In the event that we couldn ’ t run the PA for the show , we could zero out all of the delay and run the FM systems as one .
Nineteen85 , who has the unique role of producer in the studio and FOH engineer on tour , actually drove his car right up to FOH so he could listen to the broadcast mix on a car stereo as well as the PA . I thought this was clever because a PA system and a car stereo are vastly dissimilar . The goal is to have the mix sound like the record but with a band accompaniment and I think this was achieved every single night .
My preferred console for any live sound scenario is pretty much always going to be the Avid S6L . There is a long list of reasons why I prefer this desk . In this case , for starters , I was mixing monitors and I absolutely love the way the snapshots behave on the S6L . I love the user-defined layouts , and the flexibility to have any combination of inputs and any outputs laid out in any order makes for a super smooth and versatile approach . Also , Avid does AVB and Virtual Sound Check like no other . I used a combination of Waves and UAD plug-ins to mix the show . Each performer needs their own mix , so I always try to put myself in their shoes and try to understand what they ’ re hearing and what they need to be comfortable to perform . We even made some FOH sub adjustments to accommodate the stage .
On these shows , Daniel ’ s vocal mic was a Sennheiser MD 5235 running through a Rupert Neve Designs ’ 5045 Primary Source Enhancer , a Neve 1084 Unison preamp , a dynamic EQ , and a Maag EQ . The reverb of choice was a Lexicon 480L plug-in by UAD . The back-up vocalists had a similar chain to Daniel but , in this case , they shared a reverb so that they sounded like they were in the same space . Most of the instruments were mixed in-the-box ( or on the console , whichever you prefer ) using the S6L channel strips in combination with some Waves plug-ins . As far as outboard gear goes , I used the
A word from
System / FOH Technician Matthew Wilson
My main concern going into a drive-in scenario during a pandemic was to remain flexible both technically and in the management of gear and space . There were a lot of unknowns going into a long-term installation , as COVID-19 regulations for live events were changing regularly and many of us had not dealt with a drive-in venue before . Technically speaking , a big question for me was how the FOH mix was going to translate in both a PA and FM broadcast simultaneously , and trying to marry the two of them . Considering on concert nights , most audience members listened with their windows down or from the back of their trucks , a simple bus-fed matrix was what we landed on and it worked out really well .
Bigger picture , though , I think everyone ’ s approach was to ensure that anyone passing through our venue was comfortable and safe . Having clear measures in place to handle concerns about health and safety certainly limited distractions and let both the technicians and artists focus on the show , while our team worked in the background to keep things clean and sanitary .
28 PROFESSIONAL SOUND