Event Sound

[Mark Phelan]

Reading the other thread regarding studio speakers, http://www.reduser.net/forum/showth...-Professional-Speaker-Setup-for-Editing-Rooms I began wondering what others do when faced with a production that was going to be shown in a ballroom or conference type setting. You know, when a company/organization hires an event production house to handle all the projection and audio requirements.

Three times now I have consulted with these type of event companies to make sure and give them the proper files they desire in the format they want, making sure color is great, audio too. But when it is finally displayed at the conference, it's all quite a letdown, especially the audio. Garbled, over-the-top loud blasting from who knows what kind of speaker setup that is who knows how old, etc.

Each venue itself will obviously have tremendous influence on the sound characteristics, but it does seem like they go out of their way to make it sound unintelligible. The best venue has been the Verizon Amphitheater which is outdoors and the files were run through the house system. That worked great and sounded as they should.

I wonder if anyone here had some thoughts or suggestions as to ideas that helped them to create the best files for these firms and situations. On two occasions the banquet rooms should have been great. Fairly dead rooms, anechoic. But you wouldn't know it from the way the speakers were blaring and butchering the audio. It's almost as if they've added reverb and fuzz, which I don't think they have, but who knows. After it's left my hands, who knows what happens to the file. Any ideas?

It's a puzzle I haven't figured out yet.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

This sounds about right.

As you mentioned, room acoustics play a roll. But I'd also be curious about the gain staging too. If things are distorting or sounding harsh and overdriven, it's possible they don't have the gain staging set properly, perhaps a mismatch somewhere along the line. Trying to achieve good acoustics in a place not designed for the subtleties of a film sound mix can be very tricky. Large spaces are very difficult without proper treatment and testing. Combine that with probably subpar gear and you get exactly what you are experiencing. It's hard to make a place sound even half as good as we're used to hearing in theaters.

 

[Marc Wielage]

I wonder if anyone here had some thoughts or suggestions as to ideas that helped them to create the best files for these firms and situations. On two occasions the banquet rooms should have been great. Fairly dead rooms, anechoic. But you wouldn't know it from the way the speakers were blaring and butchering the audio. It's almost as if they've added reverb and fuzz, which I don't think they have, but who knows. After it's left my hands, who knows what happens to the file. Any ideas?

My advice would be to do the mix as if it were for mono 1980s TV release, and don't do anything fancy. Concentrate on dialogue intelligibility above all else, and don't ever let the sound effects and music overwhelm the narration or dialogue. Record the sound extremely well and use ADR if necessary. I do not recommend stereo or 5.1 mixes for venues not specifically set up as theaters. If it's a corporate event at a hotel or banquet hall, the sound systems there and room acoustics are totally unpredictable. Mono sound from (at most) 3 speakers up front should sound OK, but I would recommend a run-through prior to the event, and use a PA mixer who can ride levels and add a little room EQ if necessary.

 

[David W. Jones]

My advice would be to do the mix as if it were for mono 1980s TV release, and don't do anything fancy. Concentrate on dialogue intelligibility above all else, and don't ever let the sound effects and music overwhelm the narration or dialogue. Record the sound extremely well and use ADR if necessary. I do not recommend stereo or 5.1 mixes for venues not specifically set up as theaters. If it's a corporate event at a hotel or banquet hall, the sound systems there and room acoustics are totally unpredictable. Mono sound from (at most) 3 speakers up front should sound OK, but I would recommend a run-through prior to the event, and use a PA mixer who can ride levels and add a little room EQ if necessary.

+1 What Marc said.

 

[Mark Phelan]

My advice would be to do the mix as if it were for mono 1980s TV release, and don't do anything fancy. Concentrate on dialogue intelligibility above all else, and don't ever let the sound effects and music overwhelm the narration or dialogue. Record the sound extremely well and use ADR if necessary. I do not recommend stereo or 5.1 mixes for venues not specifically set up as theaters. If it's a corporate event at a hotel or banquet hall, the sound systems there and room acoustics are totally unpredictable. Mono sound from (at most) 3 speakers up front should sound OK, but I would recommend a run-through prior to the event, and use a PA mixer who can ride levels and add a little room EQ if necessary.

Thanks, Marc. Sound advice. (mono rimshot)

There has always been a tech riding sound, which is the befuddlement. Can he not hear what's going on out there?

 

[Tom Dowler]

are you doing a tech check at the venue before the actual event (like, the afternoon of)?

That can help, especially if you can tell the tech that it's sounding shitty and he needs to EQ it to sound better.

 

[Mark Phelan]

are you doing a tech check at the venue before the actual event (like, the afternoon of)?

That can help, especially if you can tell the tech that it's sounding shitty and he needs to EQ it to sound better.

I certainly have before. But I got the distinct impression the tech guy couldn't care less about what I have to say. ;-)

No, I don't try to tell other folks their business. My authority usually stops at the handoff. Then it's the client's show with their hired team. I simply want to get them the best possible product, what they do to it afterwards is typically beyond my control.

And I'll add that I get it, those guys have a million things going on and my bit is one small part. I always get together with them weeks ahead to iron out any issues. They always give the "looks and sounds great" comment when they're reviewing it in their production house, but something happens when they get to the venue. Things get adjusted and it seems like they're shooting for the middle, to give the best possible sound to everything they're running that event. It's a moving target.