Installs Audio workshop or conference Question (?)

[TDjohn]

Hi,

I have spent much of my focus and personal development on staging and lighting. That has has been very productive for our theater. In the meantime, it turns out that our sound could use more attention. Can anyone recommend a good conference or set of workshops to help me really advance in my sound knowledge?

To give you an idea of the level of teaching I like: I have attended Harry Donovan's rigging workshops; BMLC for lighting and projection; LDI full workshop pass...that sort of approach.

As an example, in sound; I would like to come away from an educational experience with a solid understanding of when balanced wiring is most important; the effects of AC power supplies and noise on audio quality; wireless systems; delays and distribution...and more.

Any pointers would be nice.

Thanks,

John

 

[venuetech]

take a look at Synergetic Audio Concepts

 

[derekleffew]

Act quickly: AES San Francisco 2012 » 133rd Convention .

Also, InfoComm 2012 in June, bounces between Orlando and Las Vegas.

Most of the educational sessions at both above conferences are highly-regarded.

There's also LiveDesign's Broadway Sound and Concert Sound Master Classes.

As for balanced wiring and similar topics, the RaneNotes series is excellent.

 

[museav]

take a look at Synergetic Audio Concepts

+1 and they now offer both online and classroom/workshop options. And they offer workshops at both LDI and InfoComm.

Audio is a bit like lighting in that designing a system, installing a system, setting up portable systems, operating a system and sound design for a production all have some common elements with one another but also all have their own unique elements. Being well versed in all of the facets has advantages but can also represent a significant investment of time and money, so unless you plan on making that commitment you may have to somewhat pick and choose what particular aspects you pursue. Inb fact this is actually basically the topic of one of the discussion sessions at the upcoming AES show (AES San Francisco 2012 » Live Sound Track Event LS5: Planning a Live Sound Education: Should I Study the Theory, or Practice the Skills?).

My personal view on that is that for 'generalists' think it makes sense to initially try to understand the basics that can be extended and/or applied across many areas rather than to necessarily focus on specific aspects. However, if you are trying to address a particular role or aspect of audio then a different approach focusing on directly relevant topics may be more appropriate.

Also consider that room acoustics and audio are directly interrelated so some knowledge of acoustics can be beneficial, especially for audio systems designers and operators. Psychoacoustics and the perception of sound can also be important to understand for system designers, system operators and production sound designers.

 

[TDjohn]

Thanks all. This is really helpful.

The SynAud and the Rane sites proved to be the most useful right now. All of it is online. I can work in my own time. Yes, I will join SynAud as soon as their server gets fixed.

The SF conference is a bad time for me - I have a show going up that week. The infocom might work in June.

Conferences are good when I have the time. I learn well in those environments. Also, Professional Development - through resources like conferences - is an expected part of my job. I have no trouble traveling to get to good workshops.

Here is some more background about my sound experience - if you care.

I do a variety of audio. Perhaps, I have had way too much experience to not have a more specific/directed sound education. I have TD'd a radio station, done live sound, recorded "bootleg" concert recordings, ran "board tape recordings" for concerts, run a theater that includes re-enforcement and playback, I play guitar and have a portable PA. That means I have experienced a somewhat wide range of gear in analog and digital audio. Right now I run an LS9 to a 10 speaker array for house sound. I use studio manager to control it with a PC. I use Q base on another machine for sound source ques.

Recently, I have missed a few simple things in audio and I want to tighten up my knowledge base. I kinda want to know what is running through every wire. One "miss" was physically placing a clear-com too close to the sound rack. Interference at show time, and no other time....sigh.

Other mysteries include: why digital sources play well from some computers and not others. Why did the gun-shot sound effect not play - it was clipped. How did I lose audio right at that point? (One solution was that a rat chewed through a cable that had no running time back-up. As a result I now have a way to work around bad cables very fast.)

Lately, I have been trouble shooting a wireless system. I got help from not only from a sound company, but from a ham operator. The Ham had much to offer with knowledge of wireless systems that sound guys don't usually talk about. The tight directionality of the basic wireless receiver antennas used in audio did surprise me.

So, I think you can see that I seem to be driven by "error based inquiry." You know, a problem or error happens and then I do the research to fix it. I want to build a little more knowledge based inquiry into my life. That is one thing that struck me about the Rane site from the start - one can review the whole enchilada.

Thanks again.

John