Apr 1, 2011 9:00 AM, By Sarah Benzuly

Focusing on audio for live theater production, sound company Suburban Legend Audio (Fayetteville, Ga.) upgraded from an analog console to a digital Allen & Heath iLive-T 112 with iDR-48 MixRack. According to owner Jonathan Wade (pictured at right), “I had experience with digital, both from mixing at my local church and in the recording studio, but this was my first time using an iLive. I felt very comfortable with it right away.”

After a few small initial shows, Wade’s first large gig with the iLive was Twilight Theater’s production of the musical Les Misérables at The Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in nearby Peachtree City. “We had a live orchestra and a cast of 85,” Wade says. “We also had 24 wireless mics and some people playing multiple roles, so there was a lot to keep track of. With the iLive, I was able to program the entire show, scene by scene, in advance. When rehearsals started, the audio was 90-percent done, which was incredible. In addition to the stage miking and the orchestra, we had multiple cast members swapping mics, which meant compensating for the differences in the strength and EQ of their voices. Having the ability to write and instantly recall scenes allowed us to do that seamlessly.”

During the production, Wade maintained control of the mix via audio groups and DCAs, with inputs grouped together. “I’ve got the main P.A. system on one DCA and the orchestra on the second one. All the wireless mics are on a third DCA, which I then have broken down by four additional DCAs—bass, tenor, alto and soprano—so I can control the vocal mix with just four faders. And if someone is too loud or too soft, I can go to the source group and adjust that mic on the fly.”

Wade configured the board so that the top layer, Level A, gave him control of the 24 wireless channels, with the last three faders showing the aux outputs dedicated to the stage, orchestra and side-stage monitor mixes. “I can configure the surface the way my brain works and what makes sense for the show. All I do is hit Next/Go to change scenes, and I can mix 90 percent of the show without changing layers. And if I do have to make a minor tweak, I don’t have to stress about it because the next scene is already programmed.”

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

Mix Books

Modern Recording and Mixing

This 2-DVD set will show you how the best in the music industry set up a studio to make world-class records. Regardless of what gear you are using, the information you'll find here will allow you to take advantage of decades of expert knowledge. Order now $39.95

Mastering Cubase 4

Electronic Musician magazine and Thomson Course Technology PTR have joined forces again to create the second volume in their Personal Studio Series, Mastering Steinberg's Cubase(tm). Edited and produced by the staff of Electronic Musician, this special issue is not only a must-read for users of Cubase(tm) software, but it also delivers essential information for anyone recording/producing music in a personal-studio. Order now $12.95

Newsletters

MixLine

Delivered straight to your inbox every other week, MixLine takes you straight into the studio, with new product announcements, industry news, upcoming events, recent recording/post projects and much more. Click here to read the latest edition; sign up here.

MixLine Live

Delivered straight to your inbox every other week, MixLine Live takes you on the road with today's hottest tours, new sound reinforcement professional products, recent installs, industry news and much more. Click here to read the latest edition; sign up here.