12 l June 2014


www.psneurope.com


PSNTraining UNITED KINGDOM DIARY


IPS and Creative Skillset launch entry-level training courses


IPS Audio Training will teach engineering basics By Murray Stassen


A SERIES of entry-level training courses have been announced by the Institute of Professional Sound (IPS), developed in association with Creative Skillset, the UK’s sector skills council for the creative and media industries. The aim is to provide audio practitioners in the early stages of their careers with training in the basics of sound engineering in the form of short course modules, designed so that those interested can attend on an ad-hoc basis as required. The first four half-day modules are to be run on Saturday mornings at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, Bucks, and will take place over four consecutive weekends starting on 12 July. The courses include ‘What is Sound/Microphones 101’, ‘Mic Placement’, ‘Anatomy of a Mixer/ Levels and Meters’ and ‘Compression and EQ’. Subsequent courses will be run in various regional centres to ensure the maximum number of people are able to gain access to the training material.


A hands-on demonstration of the POLARIS evolution mixing console A previous IPS class showing correct mic placement


IPS chairman Simon Bishop comments: “As staff jobs for technicians working in audio for the film, broadcast and radio sectors become scarcer, and as more workers become self employed, training provided by traditional employers is becoming a rare luxury.


“The fantastic technical training courses of old, such as those formerly provided by the BBC, are, sadly, unlikely ever to return. I am therefore extremely excited that the IPS, with generous help from Creative Skillset, is able to announce the first four of our Saturday morning training classes, under the banner of ‘IPS Audio Training’.”  ipsat0714.eventbrite.co.uk www.creativeskillset.org


MPG TO TEACH INDUSTRY ABOUT BROADCAST WAV


as the best means of embedding


International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) data into future recordings. Music industry organisations such as AIM and BPI


By Murray Stassen


THE MUSIC Producers Guild (MPG) has launched a dedicated online resource to help generate awareness about the Broadcast WAV file format. Alchemy Mastering’s Barry Grint, who heads up the MPG Mastering Group, which has been pushing the Broadcast WAV initiative, says: “We now have a dedicated online resource as part of the MPG’s new website which provides all sorts of information about [the format], including a listing of all the software that complies with this initiative.” The organisation has been heavily involved in promoting Broadcast WAV


are now working with the MPG to encourage the music industry to adopt Broadcast WAV as the de facto file standard.


Grint adds: “Having everything available in one place is really great because it makes it much easier for mastering engineers, record companies and other recording professionals to research the issue and find out all they need to know to incorporate Broadcast WAV into their own operations.” The MPG’s campaign aims to get Broadcast WAV accepted by the music industry in place of ordinary WAV files, which do not contain a method for embedding ISRC information.  www.mpg.org.uk www.usisrc.org


FIRST HIGHTECDAY HELD AT STAGETEC HQ By Murray Stassen


ON 15 MAY, Salzbrenner Stagetec Audio Video Mediensysteme staged its first HighTecDay at the company’s HQ in Buttenheim, Germany. The event was organised in collaboration with headphone and microphone manufacturer Sennheiser, and was aimed at customers based in Germany, Austria and Switzerland from the stage, show, audio and/or communication sectors.


Stagetec managing director Wolfgang Salzbrenner explains: “A clever mix of in-house fair, workshops and presentations, our novel HighTecDay clearly struck a chord with our customer base: no fewer than 70 attendees showed up and complimented us on the initiative. Our customers clearly had been waiting for a practice-oriented event where they could talk one-on-one with the makers of the products they use.”


Rainer Hettwer, project manager at Stagetec, adds: “Our exclusive event drew highly motivated pros who were quick to seize the opportunity to ask specific questions. The lightning-fast setup time of Sennheiser’s Digital 9000 system, as well as [Stagetec’s] INSPIration and POLARIS evolution, look like real winners”.


The Polaris evolution console, Inspiration stage management desk and Vivace acoustic system were demonstrated and discussed. Sennheiser featured its new Digital 9000 system, TeamConnect audio streaming concept, the SpeechLine microphone series and its ADN-W wireless conference technology. Salzbrenner Stagetec is now considering turning the HighTecDay into an annual event following the success of the inaugural session’s success. 


VIEWPOINT: TEACHING ON AN ANALOGUE CONSOLE AND VISUAL BIAS By Tom


Waterman, CTO, Audient


DURING MY time as an academic, I taught budding sound engineers


on many consoles. For a while, there was a trend that saw students feel more at home on an analogue mixer and look befuddled and confused on a digital (layered) console. About four or five years ago, I saw a polarity inversion in that trend, with younger engineers more comfortable with touchscreens, digital mixers and DAW software – looking befuddled and confused when sat in front of an analogue console such as our ASP8024.


10 July


From the Bedroom to Abbey Road with Nevada Music Where: Nevada Music Warehouse, Portsmouth, UK Notes: An evening explaining the process of recording and production www.nevadamusic.co.uk


12 July


IPS Audio Training Where: National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield, UK Notes: The first of four half-day modules, focussing on ‘What is Sound?’ and ‘Microphones 101’ www.ips.org.uk


19 July


IPS Audio Training Where: National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield, UK Notes: The second of four half- day IPS modules, focussing on microphone placement www.ips.org.uk


9 September


My first teaching was done on an ASP8024, and during my time with the console, I found its ergonomic layout, simple operation and wide open sound quality a real bonus. Give someone a few hours on an analogue console and befuddlement becomes enjoyment, with a pure and simple connection to the music. We are humans, we are tactile and consoles facilitate a different experience to a screen. Obviously, modern music production has moved a long way with DAW platforms – and many could argue that a console is a large and optional expense – however, in a tracking session, where speed and workflow are essential, a console offers a “muscle memory” tool to get the job done. 


Read the full article at www. psneurope.com/training


Introduction to Sound with the ISCE Where: Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers, Watford, UK Notes: Attendees will learn about what happens to sound after it leaves the loudspeakers www.isce.org.uk


A range of commercial packages are available: Contact advertising manager, Ryan O’Donnell,


+44 (0) 20 7354 6000, ryan.odonnell@intentmedia.co.uk


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