Geeky Technical Videos/Articles

[stuartbert two hats]

I don't know about you lot, but I love reading articles or watching videos about how the PAs work or how the stages are set up and that kind of thing.  

I've just stumbled upon this dry, but fascinating gem.  Remember that time in 2011 when the Pyramid looked amazing during Coldplay's set?  Ever wondered how it was done?  Well I did and it turns out it was far more complicated and involved than I thought:

 

Bring them on people!  Stuff from Martin, Serious Stages and the like, the more detailed the better!

[bellboy]

And I thought it was only me!!!

https://martin-audio.com/downloads/casestudies/MA-Why MLA Wins Glastonbury.pdf

 

[stuartbert two hats]

 

[rosssss224]

http://forum.speakerplans.com/funktion-one-at-glastonbury_topic95783_page3.html

 

http://forum.speakerplans.com/line-array-at-glastonbury_topic87516.html

 

 

[stuartbert two hats]

 

[stuartbert two hats]

5 minutes ago, rosssss224 said:

http://forum.speakerplans.com/funktion-one-at-glastonbury_topic95783_page3.html

 

http://forum.speakerplans.com/line-array-at-glastonbury_topic87516.html

 

 

I have very little idea of what they are talking about on there, still enjoyed reading it though!

[fatyeti24]

this is my kind of thread  

[The Nal]

 

[stuartbert two hats]

 

[JayBalls]

Love the techy stuff.

Edit: you already posted that one 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2017 by JayBalls

[stuartbert two hats]

 

Really must get back to work. Came back from holiday today, not actually got any meetings with clients until tomorrow

[giantkatestacks]

24 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

 

really enjoyed this - thanks.

[billum]

Good Grauniad article about building Glasto 2013:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jun/23/glastonbury-takes-shape

 

[ripcurl85]

Great thread, I watched the Serious Stages piece before last year's festival. I love how dry the guy presenting it is. 

[henry bear]

I can recommend the book 'Bulletproof I Wish I Was - the lighting and stage design of Andi Watson' which chronicles his designs for most of the Radiohead tours (as well as many others). Great photos throughout and a good insight into why Radiohead's sets look the way they do.

[stuartbert two hats]

A fairly bitter one from Funktion One after they were binned:

http://www.funktion-one.com/dl/files/365.pdf

[VolumetricFox]

5 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

A fairly bitter one from Funktion One after they were binned:

http://www.funktion-one.com/dl/files/365.pdf

I'm guessing some hatchets have been buried after the return of Funktion One, at least to Glade last year.  (http://www.funktion-one.com/news/funktion-one-experimental-soundfield-returns-to-glastonbury-festival/ ) 

[stuartbert two hats]

Just now, nodolphie said:

I'm guessing some hatchets have been buried after the return of Funktion One, at least to Glade last year.  (http://www.funktion-one.com/news/funktion-one-experimental-soundfield-returns-to-glastonbury-festival/ ) 

Hard to say, I suspect they were pretty pragmatic all round, there was plenty of F1 around the site in 2008. I think it was F1 driving Arcadia in 2011, so having none (in 2014 & 2015?) didn't seem to be related to the 2007 problems.

[rosssss224]

I miss when most of the rigs were point source in stead of line arrays. Something not quite the same about them although I understand the practical reasons. Saying that the MLA rig on the pyramid always impresses me. I miss the stacks of void psycos in dance village!

[stuartbert two hats]

Just now, rosssss224 said:

I miss when most of the rigs were point source in stead of line arrays. Something not quite the same about them although I understand the practical reasons. Saying that the MLA rig on the pyramid always impresses me. I miss the stacks of void psycos in dance village!

I miss the overwhelming bass of the late 90s/early 00s, but it's very hard to argue with the volume on the Pyramid since 2014.

[rosssss224]

1 minute ago, stuartbert two hats said:

I miss the overwhelming bass of the late 90s/early 00s, but it's very hard to argue with the volume on the Pyramid since 2014.

yeah the noise police certainly take their job more seriously more recently. If you get favorable weather conditions they can crank it that extra bit louder

[stuartbert two hats]

Just now, rosssss224 said:

yeah the noise police certainly take their job more seriously more recently. If you get favorable weather conditions they can crank it that extra bit louder

Do you know much about this kind of thing?  What do you think of the seeming black magic where Martin are claiming to be able to shut off the noise levels at the edge of the field?  Are they doing some sort of clever destructive interference?

[rosssss224]

Im no expert but build speakers and run a small soundsystem!

Yeah the modern line arrays have much more control using specific software. The 'line' acts as a giant column speaker, each driver constructively interfering with the next to create a theoretical uniform sound field. In practice this isn;t always the case. The software allows the sound to be 'steered' somewhat but keeping it in the arena is one of the most challenging aspects. The sub bass arrays will likely arranged in a 'caridoid' configuration that cancels the bass behind it to keep it off the stage and from going where its not wanted. 

The site will have curfews allowing certain decibel levels between certain hours. I usually notice a decrease around 11pm

 

 

[stuartbert two hats]

5 minutes ago, rosssss224 said:

Im no expert but build speakers and run a small soundsystem!

Yeah the modern line arrays have much more control using specific software. The 'line' acts as a giant column speaker, each driver constructively interfering with the next to create a theoretical uniform sound field. In practice this isn;t always the case. The software allows the sound to be 'steered' somewhat but keeping it in the arena is one of the most challenging aspects. The sub bass arrays will likely arranged in a 'caridoid' configuration that cancels the bass behind it to keep it off the stage and from going where its not wanted. 

The site will have curfews allowing certain decibel levels between certain hours. I usually notice a decrease around 11pm

Is it the software that's the secret sauce here, rather than it being a line vs point thing?  I.e.  could you do something similar with point source rigs, in terms of limiting sound to the arena and getting a uniform sound field?

[micropizza]

love this sort of stuff