Live Sound For Toto 2024 tour with Ken Freeman

Summary

The video script details a comprehensive walkthrough of a professional audio setup, highlighting the intricacies of sound engineering for live performances. The narrator, presumably a sound technician, begins by introducing Journey, another technician, who utilizes an Avid Pro Tools console for sound management. The script delves into the setup, including the control of PA systems, speaker zones, and subwoofers, emphasizing the technical aspects of sound distribution and equalization across different frequencies. The narrator then shifts focus to his own setup, which is more computer-oriented, with a focus on Pro Tools and various control systems for sound analysis, equalization, and reverb effects tailored to each song. The use of MIDI for synchronization and the integration of analog components like Avalons and Distressors for specific sound processing are also discussed. The script further explains the process of patching, color coding for error-checking, and the setup for in-ear monitors by the monitor engineer named Ste. The video concludes with a detailed explanation of the signal chain process, emphasizing the order of applying compression, EQ, and other effects for optimal sound quality.

Takeaways

• 🎛 The setup involves a console by Avid Pro Tools and a computer for audio processing.
• 🔊 The system technician controls the entire PA system with speakers and subwoofers strategically placed.
• 🎚 EQ adjustments are made for different speaker zones to account for sound travel differences.
• 📺 A master switcher is used to control muting and unmuting of channels.
• 💻 A more computer-oriented side with Pro Tools and an analysis program is used for detailed audio control.
• 🎼 Each song has its own reverb settings, highlighting the importance of song-specific audio adjustments.
• 📱 The entire setup is controllable via an iPad for mobility and convenience.
• 🌈 Color coding is used for patching to quickly identify and correct any mistakes.
• 🔩 Analog components like Avalons and distressors are used for lead vocals and bass, adding warmth to the sound.
• 🔄 A stereo SSL compressor by Smart Logic, the C2, is part of the signal chain for additional control.
• 🎧 In-ear monitors are managed separately by a monitor engineer, ensuring personalized mixes for musicians.
• 📋 The console layout is customizable, allowing for inputs, outputs, subgroups, and master control groups to be organized as needed.
• 🚫 The click track is sent only to the drummer's ears to maintain the tempo without audience interference.
• 🔉 High-pass and low-pass filters, along with EQ and compression, are used on individual channels for detailed sound shaping.
• 📈 A 'mustard strip' provides additional analog-style processing options for a warmer sound.

Q & A

What is the primary tool used by Journey for his setup?

Journey primarily uses a console by Avid Pro Tools for his setup.

What is the role of the system technician during the setup?

The system technician stands at the console, controlling the entire PA system and managing the audio across different zones.

Why do high-end frequencies need to be turned up more when the sound needs to travel further?

High-end frequencies do not travel as far as low-end frequencies, so they need to be amplified more to ensure clarity and presence at a distance.

How does the master switcher allow the system technician to control the audio?

The master switcher allows the system technician to unmute and control the audio flow from both consoles, enabling seamless transitions and adjustments.

What is the purpose of using an analysis program and a spectrum analyzer in the setup?

The analysis program and spectrum analyzer are used to monitor and adjust the frequency spectrum of the audio, ensuring optimal sound quality and balance.

How does the use of MIDI help in controlling the console and Pro Tools?

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) allows for the recall of scenes on the console, which in turn changes the settings on Pro Tools, providing a synchronized control system.

What is the advantage of having analog pieces like Avalons and Distressors in the setup?

Analog pieces like Avalons and Distressors provide a warmer, more natural sound for specific elements, such as lead vocals, and offer unique tonal characteristics that digital processing may not replicate.

How does the use of an iPad for screen sharing enhance the mixing process?

Screen sharing on an iPad allows the engineer to walk around and mix from different locations, providing greater flexibility and mobility during live performances.

What is the purpose of color coding in the patching setup?

Color coding in the patching setup makes it easier to identify and correct any mistakes in the wiring, ensuring a more efficient and reliable setup.

How does the monitor engineer's role differ from the main audio engineer?

The monitor engineer focuses on the in-ear monitor mixes for the musicians, ensuring each performer has the right balance of instruments and vocals in their personal mix.

What is the significance of the click track in the drummer's mix?

The click track provides the drummer with a consistent tempo reference, which is crucial for maintaining the timing and pace of the performance, especially during complex parts.

How does the matrix output function in the console?

The matrix output allows the engineer to route specific inputs to different outputs, such as sending a master feed to the PA while also directing a solo feed to stage speakers without it being heard through the PA.

Outlines

00:00

🎛️ Audio Setup and Mixing Process

The first paragraph describes the audio setup for a live event, highlighting the use of Avid Pro Tools and other equipment. The speaker, Journey, explains the roles of the system technician and his own role in controlling the PA system and the various zones of speakers. He details the importance of EQ adjustments for different speaker distances and the use of a master switcher to control audio feeds. The paragraph also covers Journey's personal setup, which is more computer-based, including Pro Tools, an analysis program, spectrum analyzer, EQ, and reverb controls. The setup allows for scene recalls to change settings and is designed for quick disassembly. The use of color coding for patching and the integration of analog pieces like Avalons and distressors for specific vocals are also mentioned. The paragraph concludes with the mention of an iPad for screen sharing and control over the entire setup.

05:01

🎧 Customizing the Mixing Desk and Signal Flow

The second paragraph delves into the customization of the mixing desk and the signal flow in a live sound setup. It discusses how the desk can be laid out to suit the sound engineer's preferences, with different layers for drums, band, and other instruments. The speaker explains the organization of inputs and outputs, master control groups, effect sends, and subgroups for specific instruments. The paragraph also covers the use of a matrix output for routing signals to the PA system and other destinations like stage announcements or solo buses. The speaker further describes the channel strip features, including input settings, high-pass and low-pass filters, EQ, and compressors, and the use of the 'mustard strip' for additional analog-style processing. The signal chain approach is also explained, with coloring effects like saturation and tonal changes applied first, followed by tonal EQ and corrective measures.

10:01

🔊 Signal Chain and Mixing Philosophy

The third paragraph succinctly outlines the speaker's philosophy on signal chain order for mixing. It emphasizes the sequential application of different audio processing tools, starting with tonal coloration using devices like LA2A compressors that add saturation. Following this, the engineer focuses on tonal EQ adjustments, and finally, corrective EQ and multiband compression are applied if necessary to address specific frequency issues or to refine the overall sound. This paragraph encapsulates the speaker's approach to achieving a polished and well-balanced mix in a live audio environment.

Keywords

💡Pro Tools

Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation developed by Avid Technology. It is widely used for recording, editing, and producing audio files. In the video, it is mentioned as the primary software used for audio production, indicating its central role in the setup for managing sound.

💡Console

A console in audio production refers to a control panel that houses various components for mixing and managing audio signals. The video describes a console by Avid Pro Tools, emphasizing its importance in handling the audio for a live performance.

💡System Technician

A system technician is a professional responsible for the setup and operation of audio systems in live events or recording sessions. In the context of the video, the system technician controls the entire PA (Public Address) system and manages the audio across different zones.

💡PA System

A Public Address (PA) system is an electronic amplification system with a microphone, amplifier, and loudspeakers, used to allow a person to project their voice to a large audience. The video mentions the PA system and its control by the system technician, highlighting its significance in a live setting.

💡EQ (Equalization)

Equalization, or EQ, is the process of adjusting the balance of audio frequencies in a sound mix to achieve a desired result. The video discusses using EQ to manage how sound travels different distances, noting that high frequencies need more amplification to travel as far as low frequencies.

💡MIDI

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for communication between computers and electronic instruments. In the video, MIDI is mentioned in the context of controlling the audio setup, allowing the operator to make changes to the audio scene with a recall function.

💡Analog

Analog refers to the continuous signal representation used in early audio technology, as opposed to digital signals. The video mentions analog pieces, such as Avalons and distressors, which are used for processing lead vocals and bass, indicating a blend of old and new technology in the setup.

💡Compressor

A compressor in audio production is a device that reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal. The video discusses using different types of compressors, such as vintage and optical models, to shape the tone and dynamics of various instruments and vocals.

💡Reverb

Reverb, short for reverberation, is the persistence of sound after it has been produced. It is used to create a sense of space in a mix. The video mentions that every song has a different reverb setting, which is part of the audio engineer's creative process.

💡iPad

An iPad is a tablet computer designed by Apple Inc. In the context of the video, it is used for screen sharing to control the audio console and computers remotely. This allows the operator to walk around and mix the sound without being tied to a specific location.

💡Signal Chain

A signal chain in audio production refers to the sequence in which audio signals pass through devices and processors. The video outlines a personal signal chain strategy, starting with 'coloring' devices like compressors that change the tonality, followed by corrective EQ and multiband processing.

Highlights

Journey is using a console by Avid Pro Tools for his setup

The system technician controls the entire PA system from a master switcher

Speakers and subwoofers are strategically placed around the venue

Different EQ settings are used for speakers based on their distance from the stage

The main stage and monitor consoles are connected via MIDI

An analysis program and spectrum analyzer are used for system control

Each song has custom reverb settings

Scenes can be recalled on the console to change settings simultaneously

Analog gear like Avalons and Distressors are used for lead vocals and bass

An SSL-style compressor by Smart Logic is used on the stereo bus

The entire console and computers can be controlled remotely from an iPad

The setup is designed to be easily portable and can be broken down quickly

Color coding is used for patching to easily identify mistakes

The monitor engineer uses a similar setup for in-ear monitors

Inputs are first lined up and then levels and processing can be adjusted

The console can be customized with different layers and fader banks

Solo buses allow for isolating individual instruments during soundchecks

Matrix outputs can be used to send specific subgroups to different destinations

Each channel has highpass/lowpass filters, EQ, and two compressors

The 'Mustard Strip' section provides additional analog-style processing options

The signal chain typically starts with coloration, then tonal shaping, compression for correction, and finally multiband processing

Transcripts

this this is Journey over here I'm over

on the other side right all right so

Journey setup is here they're using a

console by Avid Pro Tools

company and his equipment is over here

his computer and stuff so he's doing

almost everything in the computer and

the

console right this is where the system

technician stands and he controls the

entire PA and there's zones all over the

place you can see speakers there there

there there there there there there

subwoofers are flown in the center above

the stage oh I see and then across the

front or front

fills and he controls every three boxes

two to three boxes with different eqs

because you have to to throw it further

you have to turn up more highend because

high end doesn't d travel as far as low

end right so this is his control system

and both of our consoles go into this

master switcher

here right and so he can just unmute me

and I'm ready to go this is my

side and I'm a little more uh computery

and I got Pro Tools over here so uh as

then over here I got all my control for

my system so this is my analysis program

my my Spectrum analyzer then this is my

EQ for the system

and then back here is all my reverbs

every song has different Reverb right

make sure you turn off analog so that's

the whole set list here and whenever I

recall a scene on this

console it changes the scene over here

also I see so it's just midi midi P oh

it's um main stage yeah yeah main stage

and uh so down here I have some analog

pieces because I'm old oh yes I see

you've got your Avalons and your

distressor analog Avalons for the lead

vocals this is for Luke for

Joe and then over here is my uh my

distressors one's on the Basse and one's

on another one of the vocalists and then

this is a stereo it's like a SSL

compressor uh it's by smart logic and

it's it's called um C2 smart

[Music]

C2 and uh then everything all of this

console and both of these computers are

screen shared on my

iPad right so you can walk around and

mix corre I can walk around and mix or I

can control prot RS I can do anything

that's on this computer all on my iPad

and it's pretty slick back

[Music]

here here's my

setup so this is all my patching and I

designed it so it just pulls apart very

quickly everything boom boom and then

these come up and they all fold into the

desk I can right they're all color coded

yep and I can be out of here in 5

minutes the reason I use color coding is

because it's easier to see if you made a

mistake you know there's my antenna and

my reference

mic that's about

it that's my

rig and then back there is another setup

very similar to oh for the uh uh in ear

monitors this my monitor engineer name

is

Ste and um he does exactly the same

thing for me except his job is he has

the NX for all the musicians and I have

to

make so the way the console's laid out

is you come over to a layout and you

open a channel

list and you just start making an input

list and then these are all of your

microphone patches there's a rack on the

stage and those are just straight one to

60

for and so that's all the inputs for my

show these are technicians talk back

mics there's audience mics there's uh

extra mics like I'll have one input

maybe he's playing tener Alto and

soprano have three different eqs and

compressors for the different

instruments uh my Reverb returns and

everything so you put everything in here

first right you get your whole input

lined up and then you can

boom good that turned off fix

that so yeah so oh that's the click

actually that should not be

on neither one of those should be on I

made a mistake so the click track only

goes to the drummer's ears and we don't

want anybody else to hear of the

audience so how many Tunes you click I'm

sorry all the tunes click on click to

start off with yeah so that way he can

have the tempos right for all the delays

oh I see so they're like the first 16

bars or something yeah they don't cut it

off usually um and then so the desk once

you have this you can take any any Bank

of these faders right these are all just

different layers right of this input

list this will be the drums this will be

the band the rest of the drums are over

here locals are over here and I just set

up the desk you can lay out the desk any

way you want you just say oh I want to

put something in this space over here

and you say a sign you pick a fader and

you can put something

there right so now that fader is there

in my bank so that way you can customize

the desk any way you want so that's this

section of the desk and this section

those are my inputs this section is

outputs so that's these are my master

control groups groups my

BCA these are my effect sins which go

into my Reverb unit over there right and

then these are my subgroups of

instruments I have everything everything

ends up going into the master that goes

out the speakers but then I have

separate subgroups of different

instruments for different reasons right

have a crush track that if I really want

to slam the drums with compression I can

I haven't been using that uh and then I

have

my outputs and this is a matrix output

it's called and you can take and you can

feed anything

in this is a matrix right so a matrix

has both

uh inputs right so you select your input

here so this is coming from the master

right Master

bus that's this master favor over

here and to send that to the PA instead

of just sending this fader to the PA I

send it into this Matrix and there's my

master coming in and if you follow down

there's the left right of my PA gotta

and so here's my left right the next set

here is my my shouts which are the

people talking on stage right and then I

have my solo bus so I can put my solo

whenever I solo anything just out my

speakers not coming out the PA so that's

my inputs and out right but you don't

have speakers set up today like you did

the other day they're in this door down

here that's the whole thing it's kind of

simple yeah simple for you and every

channel script has all of these things

on it so let's go to our our blank one

we just made right so this is a this is

my input section that's where you set

the mic pre and you can set delay and

you can have a little

Distortion and you can decide if it's

going to be a mono or stereo Channel and

all that kind of stuff the next is your

highpass and low pass filters up there

it's under the EQ High Pass low pass

those are these knobs then you have your

EQ here right you can grab it and pull

it around got to turn it on First grab

it pull it around so that's an

EQ then over here you have a

compressor this compressor can be a

regular compressor it can be a multi

band or it can be a

dser right then there's a second one

underneath that can be a gate or a

Ducker or a compressor right so that's

on one channel SK right so besides that

if you look over here there's another

set of identical things over here so you

have two these are more analog sounding

this is called the mustard strip and so

I can have tube saturation that's got

all these different types of saturation

and

harmonics I can have uh I can have EQ

that's got an all pass filter B to built

into it if I want

to um I can have more compression this

has like real different types vintage

and Optical and all the kinds you study

in your class right so it's got all the

four compressors

there and and that's about it so it's

got two sides this this is the more

advanced one of these console so it has

an analog type sounding thing and a

digital sounding and the way that I run

my my signal is I do my coloring things

first so like I'll put my compressors

that are colored like my la2a are my

things that change things tonally and

add saturation and tonal changes those

go first and then you do your um your

tonally cues right and then you're going

to do your uh your compression that's

going to be only for correction like a

dser or if you have a frequency jumping

on an instrument you add that then last

you can then you do another EQ which is

your Correctional EQ then you do your

multi and so that's my signal chain for

life