Sem 1, Week 12 (Production Week)
Transducers
Not literally, but this week is my production week. My group of level 2′s and I consisting of Gavin, Yoom and Lingesh were assigned to be the soundcrew for the show. The electronic music show/installation/workshop have a very large set up in the sense that alot of cables were patched from interface to the other, and from one mixing board to the other. That kind of thing. However, with proper attention to the signal flow and details, things were not so complicated as it look on paper.
As can be seen above is the stage plan for the show. The audience seating area is unique in that they were surrounded by 8 108′s speakers to give the surround sound experience. The operator seating position was moved to the back of the audience area instead of being in the middle in the end. Therefore more seats can be filled up too with this change.
The 112 speaker used on stage was place at the back of a gong to be used as a feedback speaker that will react with a small diapraghm condenser mic that the performer will use to create that effect, vibrating the the gong using the soundwave of the feedback. This can be seen on the photo below.
Looking at this signal flow at first was confusing with the different types and amount of cables needed. However, I was able to familiarise myself with the whole set up after a whole day and can finally understand the whole set up with Dirk guidance. Soon after a few days, I am happy to say that I was able to handle it myself.
Set up process.
Rigging of FOH speakers
The pendulum mic that captures sound from the small speakers powered by the car amplifier which then sends the signal to the FOH, and FOH here means the surround speakers covering the audience area, giving them the experience of sound moving around them in accordance to the pendulum mic swings.
All the amplifiers and stageboxes were set-up and hidden at the back of the stage which will be covered with the curtains during showtime.
Two different stageboxes.
A very interesting speaker. It is an ultra directional speaker which can only be heard by someone if it is being aimed at them. It uses ultrasonic waves to transmit sound directly to the listener. Therefore the name soundlazer.
Basically this instrument creates sound by having a speaker cone underneath the table which will bounce the balls around the cylinder and the sound being captured by the small diaphragm condenser mic placed above.
This wireless receiver was used with the lapel mics attached to the performers wrist in which was used to capture sounds they made from the things the swing during the first performance.
Helping them with the soundcheck of the soundlazer system. This table was miked up with a contact mic which the signal was then sent to the soundlazer system to the 2nd performer in which the sound will be directed towards the audience.