Everything you need to know about buying and running a PA, produced for Yamaha by KEYFAX NewMedia.
Specifications
Format: MP4
Run Time: 2 hours 5 mins
Language Tracks: English only as a download (the DVD version is multi-language)
*Please note that this product requires a high speed internet connection.
Starting with the individual pieces of equipment, Exploring Sound Reinforcement looks at microphones, mixers, power amplifiers, loudspeakers, and effects, and explains the crucial features and options in logical ‘signal-flow' style.
Next is Putting It All Together; a section that takes you through the physical process of set-up from positioning, to cabling, to running a soundcheck, to a major section on the pleasures and perils of monitoring systems.
PA systems can be coffee-shop powered monitors to a concert stadium rig and the third section of the video looks at the practicalities of buying and using different gear for different applications through the eyes of an acoustic duo playing restaurants and clubs, to a medium sized church, to an international concert artist.
Finally comes a series of tips and advice segments under the headings Good Working Practices, and Troubleshooting.
The program, shot both on location and in Keyfax studios in Santa Cruz CA, is riddled with real live examples, expert advice from industry pros, simple explanatory diagrams and pop-up boxes, and good music.
While the equipment used in the making of the program is predominantly made by Yamaha, great care was taken to ensure that the program is applicable to users of any make or model of equipment.
While this downloadable version is in English only, the DVD version can be viewed in five other languages including Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French and German, with individually controllable supporting text boxes.
Whatever your role in music, from a teacher, to a student, to a band member, to a club owner, to a trainee sound engineer, Exploring Sound Reinforcement will guide you through the maze using simple terminology, and in great style.
Scenes/Topics:
Introduction [Starts at: 0.00]
Hello and welcome
The Equipment: Microphones [Starts at: 9.58]
Mic types, polar patterns, choosing and using, mic placement and mic technique
The Equipment: Mixers [Starts at: 28.00]
Mixer overview, the channel strip, using groups, master and monitor controls, powered mixers, digital mixers
The Equipment: Amplifiers [Starts at: X.XX]
Watts & Ohms, stereo, bridge and parallel modes, crossovers, amplifier tips / dos and don'ts
The Equipment: EQ [Starts at: X.XX]
EQ controls on a mixer, graphic EQ, parametric EQ, EQ tips / dos and don'ts
The Equipment: Effects [Starts at: X.XX]
Signal controlling effects, compressors & limiters, noise gates, reverb, delays, special effects, dedicated FX processors versus built-in FX
The Equipment: Loudspeakers [Starts at: X.XX]
How sound is produced and 'reproduced', drivers and crossovers, power and impedance, dispersion, loudspeaker tips / dos and don'ts
Putting It All Together [Starts at: X.XX]
Acoustic Duo, House Of Worship, Concert Stage
Golden Rules [Starts at: X.XX]
Power safety, the importance of cables, safety standards, sound outdoors, load out philosophy
Troubleshooting [Starts at: X.XX]
Dealing with hums and buzzes, dealing with distortion, dealing with feedback, dealing with a total shutdown
Good Working Practices [Starts at: X.XX]
Tips & tricks, checklist of useful items
Outro and Credits [Starts at: X.XX]
EQ controls on a mixer, graphic EQ, parametric EQ, EQ tips / dos and don'ts