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Safeandsound uses a semi modular approach to equipment this means traditionally fixed studio equipment is now mobile and allows
for maximum flexibility when it comes to work methodology, environment and setup.
Everything obvious to a session will be present and your requirements discussed in advance, however if you need DAT, Gram/turntable,
cassette or SADiE V4 facilities, please make this known when you enquire.
Before your booking:
I have always found it important to try and find out as much as possible about the needs, expectations and preferred approach
to a clients requirements.
Radio/podcast programme mixing in SADiE V4.3 or V5 or Pro Tools
I have many years of experience mixing/editing radio programmes in SADiE, Pro Tools and Cubase. Excellent prices do not
mean low standards, noise reduction, cleaning up of audio and BBC PPM M6 metering so your programme is lined up correctly.Simply
bring your Scuzzi(SCSI) or external Firewire/USB2.0 drive for V5 systems.
Everything you would normally expect in a more costly studio, Dynaudio BM6 monitoring, PPM metering, quality compression
and EQ, voice matching, noise reduction, reverb and knowledge so that your programme sits correctly in the network all mastered
to CD-R for you to take away. (Last minute vinyl and CD loads ins? No problem, just let me know) Idiosyncrasies when mixing
for BBC R1,R2,R3,R4,R5 Live,1Xtra and Asian Network are well known.
Multitrack musical performance mixing :
Careful listening, correction of problems, i.e. extraneous noises, bad drum hits, top and tailing, vocal tuning, balancing
tracks, adding required EQ and compression / effects to produce a rough mix, resting the ears and then doing the final mix
tweaks, adjusting performance dynamics, featuring solos and other elements.
Mastering :
Listening is the absolutely no. 1 priority when it comes to mastering if you have not done this you have no idea what
you are doing so ample time is given to hearing the audio.
Then, as is deemed necessary choosing what not to do and then applying mastering processes such as, level matching, characterful
compression, stereo width enhancement, limiting, multiband compression, loudness maximizing if desired, relevant vinyl release
processing if applicable. RED book CD-R creation using SADiE industry standard mastering software (Pro Tools is NOT mastering
software) and Plextor master recorder. L1 L2 error rate check.
Audio restoration :
Loading in of material to be restored (Cassette, DAT, Minidisc,Vinyl) assessment of audio problems, choice of tools, processing,
optimizing processing, resolve specific extraneous noise issues, saving of restored material, production of master CD-R +
back up.
Training :
NOTE : I use SADIE V5, the latest version as installed in London BBC facilities and many independent radio production
companies along with Pro Tools 7.3, Adobe Audition 3.0 and Nuendo/Cubase.
Training has been a significant job as the head of engineering at a large independent radio production company in London,
1 on 1 dedicated tuition is what I offer. I like to find out the most important aspects of the application that you need to
comprehend before we start. For example if you are a radio producer, broadcast assistant, media college student I can tailor
the training to some degree depending on your experience, possibly some leaning towards speech editing may be more appropriate
in the event that you already have some familiarity within an editing application. Otherwise I will run through all operations
and idiosyncrasies of the application you wish to learn. I have always found context to be very important in training and
someone waffling on about this set of mouse clicks and key commands can become very anti engaging for a student. Of course
practical usage must be incorporated and major concepts that are explained will be followed by practical use and further guidance
if need be. This training gives valuable hands on experience and direct personal tuition in contrast to a group course.
Live venue gig recording :
There are a number of ways of proceeding and the quality and cost of the recording depends on the methods used, methods
1 and 2 rely heavily on the ability and cooperation of the live sound engineer. In any event 2 recorders will be used to ensure
a safety backup and an uninterruptible power supply will be employed to guard audio files. It is my opinion that laptops with
MOTU's and Mboxes or such attached are not an appropriate professional measure when dealing with live musical performance
(unless as a 2 track backup) and as such stand alone 24 track Alesis HD24 hardware units are employed running on a UPS.
1)PA FOH desk stereo bus output + audience mics mixed to digital recorder + stereo music back up. (This is the most cost
effective method but is least ideal as the mix the PA engineer makes is for the in house sound system)
2)PA FOH desk direct channel outputs + audience mics to digital multitrack (This method affords mixing after the event,
though the choice of compression, EQ and gating the PA engineer uses to balance the live sound may affect the end results
depending on the live desks configuration, it's a good compromise.
3)Mic splits, discrete mic preamps + audience mics to digital multitrack (inc multitrack back up)
This allows full flexibility in the mixing stage as the PA engineers settings will be irrelevant to the recorded material,
though it is significantly more work to set up and involves more equipment and time, thus is the most costly option.
Multitrack recordings will be made at 24 bit, 44.1/48 kHz
Once a method has been decided upon, liaison with the venues engineer will be required and possibly a site visit to ensure
the practicalities of setting up the recording in the venue can be met. Audio files will be supplied on a DVD-R as 24 bit
files if no further mixing is required. If mixing is required this will be at the normal daily rates. If you need the gig
mixed by the following day this can be arranged at an additional fee of £220.00 for the overnight mix session.
Equipment :
Recording:
SADiE V4.3 (24/96) 4 AES/EBU Pairs 8, 8 balanced analogue ins / outs
SADiE V5 (5.6.1)
Digidesign Pro Tools 7.3LE
Nuendo V3.2 / V4.1
Adobe Audition 3.0
Alesis HD24 x 2 (24 track 24 bit, digital multitrack recorder)
FOSTEX FR-2LE (2 track 24/96 pro compact flash recorder)
with SANDISK Extreme x133 4GB CF media (2)
Zoon H4 portable flash recorder with 2GB Kingston card
2 x 16 channel line monitoring mixers (through recorders)
EMU 1820M with AKM A/D D/A 24/96 converters
Dual Xeon custom built studio computer
MACKIE 1604 VLZ pro 16 channel mixing console
Mic Preamps x 16 : Mackie XDR (best mic preamp in it's class)
Mobile mic pres x 24 : Self modified SM Pro Audio PR8E(x3)
Talks table script stands / lecterns.
Mic cabling and stands
TASCAM DA-20 DAT machine (Very low hours, approx 20 hours use)
Composer MDX 2100 (the model before Behringer made budget gear)
Belkin UPS on recorders (uninterruptible power supply)
RFI filtered and surge protected mains distribution
Balanced audio signal paths throughout.(with exception to inserts)
Denon DRS-810 3 head audiophile cassette player (audio restoration)
CD Player for bed/music playback to presenter headphones
Project Debut audiophile gram/vinyl turntable with RIAA equalized preamp.
Phase correlation meter
Dynaudio Acoustics BM6P speakers (broadcast industry standard) + 120W RMS power amp
Panasonic radio cassette with stereo line input for "off air" simulation (mini speakers)
Beyerdynamic DT770PRO / AKG K240 headphones
6 pairs of general headphones with H/P amplifier
Talkback
8Mbps Internet connection
Mixing :
SADiE V5.6.1
Pro Tools 7.3
Steinberg Nuendo V3.2/V4 high end audio workstation (lots of high quality VST effects plug ins)
BBC A/B M/S M6 PPM metering (IEC 268 Type II)
Focusrite Liquid Mix (high quality EQ and compression)
Convolution reverb + others
Plug ins by Kjaerhus Audio, Voxengo, Wizzoo, Izotope, Antares etc.
Audio restoration:
Advanced audio restoration software
(digital clipping reduction , noise / hiss reduction , hum reduction, click reduction, spectral editing)
Adobe Audition 3.0
Pinnacle CLEAN 5.0
Izotope RX Advanced
CD-R Mastering :
SADiE V5.6.1 PQ editing workstation
SADiE 24/96 V4.3 mastering workstation
Plextor PX 712A and Plextor PX800A DVD-R/CD-RW
Plextools Pro analysis software
Dynaudio BM6P Monitoring
Steinberg Wavelab 5.0
Adobe Audition 3.0
Focusrite Liquid Mix
Izotope Ozone advanced mastering software
Verbatim Datalife Plus CD-R / DVD-R media
Microphones :
SE Electronics SE2200A x 1 (Large diaphragm condenser)
RODE NT1A matched pair of LDC mics (lowest self noise mic in the world, i.e. an almost total absence of hiss) nice for
classical / drum overheads.
SHURE SM7 (broadcast mic but great for music too)
RODE NT1 x 1 (Large diaphragm condenser)
Studio Projects B1 x 2 (Large diaphragm condenser)
Sennheiser MD421 x 2(high end dynamic, great guest/
location interview mic)
Beyerdynamic M201 x 1 (tight pattern mic loved by the BBC)
Sennheiser MD441 x 1 (high end dynamic, simply beautiful)
R500T FIG 8 ribbon mic (retro voice over sounds, warm and smooth )
SHURE SM57 x 4 (industry standard instrument/GP mic)
SHURE BETA57 x 1 (faster, brighter than SM57)
Audix i5 x 2(some sources they surpass the ubiquitous 57 )
SE Electronics SE1A x 2 (general purpose small diaphragm condensers, nice on ac. guitars)
Audio Technica Pro 25 x 1 (sax, tuba, trumpet, floor tom)
Beyerdynamic TG-X48 x 1, vocal/reporter mic
Beyerdynamic OPUS39 x 1, vocal/reporter mic
2 x small diaphragm condenser omnidirectional mics
(beautiful, natural and detailed for classical work)
I can hire specific mics in at cost without mark up.
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