ProAudioNet

Consulting available for Houses of Worship in Central Florida

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 04:39:00 +0000

Proaudionet is available for consultation and training in the Central Florida area. Please email me at proaudionet@gmail.com for more information.

Hope to hear from you!

"The Day the Music Died," Les Paul Dies August 13th 2009

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:31:00 +0000

The Day the Music Died

Les Paul, born Lester William Polfuss on June 9th in 1915, died today August 13th, 2009. His death is the passing of the greatest legend in all of the music and recording industry.

His tinkering, begun at an early age, led him to build the first electried guitar called 'The Log' in 1941, and the electric guitar was born. In the need to electrify the guitar, he developed the steel string to solve the problem of a magnetic pickup. Because of the extra tension due to the strings, he developed the solid body guitar, versus the 'jazz boxes' used up to that point. Gibson approached Les in 1952 and that gave birth to the most iconic electric guitar of all, the 'Les Paul.'
Along the way he was playing and performing, becoming a great talent in the industry and playing with a multitude of groups including his own trio. This led to his own television show that ran for 7 years.

When it comes to recording, Les took a simple mono tape machine and tinkered with it, adding extra heads and stacking machines together. This formed the basis of todays multitrack machines, tape echo, tape delay, overdubbing, all techniques and technologies which make recording today possible.

He also developed the use of 'close miking' which uses multiple microphones and sound sources to create individual tracks which can be addressed separately. There is not a song today that doesn't use this technique.

He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005. Every audio engineer, singer, artist, performer or any one that has heard a song played, owes this man their gratitude. For those of us who work in the field, we should mourn his passing and celebrate his life. Without him none of us would be living the life we live today.

For a good look at his life, find the documentary 'Chasing Sound.'

What makes a good studio mic?

noreply@blogger.com (MCG Publishing) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:11:00 +0000

There are many studio mics out there. And every one of them is good at something. It always depends on what you do with it, and how you use it. That being said, here are some notes about studio mics. And please remember, there are no hard and fast rules, only guidelines and techniques.

Usually, the mics you would find in a studio setting are condenser mics. Condenser mics require +48V and are both physically and sonically sensitive. Some condenser mics use tubes to create the proper signal gain, and some use transistors to accomplish the same thing. Always allow the tube mic to warm up so that the frequency characteristics stabilize.

Why condenser mics? Their sensitivity enables them to capture the widest frequency and dynamic range possible. They will be able to pickup frequencies higher than 20KHz, over and above the typical range of human hearing. The wider the diaghram, the better they will be able to capture the low frequencies, going down past the lowest note on the keyboard.

You can split condensers into two categories: vocal and general use. Most general use mics are 'flat' in their frequency response, and you would use them on instrumentation. An AKG C414 is a good example of this, and that is why it's reputed to be the most recorded mic on the planet. Vocal mics tend to be 'colored' or 'hyped.' This means that there is a calculated boost, usually both in the low and high frequencies. This helps the engineer pull the vocal out of the mix with very little equalization afterwards. A good example of this would be the Neumann U87. A vocalist singing into this mic will experience their voice jumping right out of the speakers.

Most studios will have several mics in their locker, and will audition them on various instruments and singers to determine which is the best match. Remember, nothing is sacred and you can use them where ever you see fit. Sometimes a dynamic or ribbon mic will be best, and don't be afraid to experiment.

Good luck!

Recording a studio vocalist

noreply@blogger.com (MCG Publishing) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Recording a studio vocalist is an important for most songs, since the vocals are one of the important aspects of a song's success. However, it's not difficult if you take the time to prepare correctly.

First, mic choice (and preamp) is critical. You should audition several mics with the vocalist to choose the best one to pull his or her voice out of the mix. In a studio, you would typically use a condenser mic, since condensers have the widest frequency range and sensitivity. However, you could use any mic that has performs well with your subject. Ribbon mics are often used to achieve a silky smooth sound, think of Sinatra. There are many mics that are dedicated vocal mics, and what separates them is that they have a low and high frequency boost. Again, this is to help pull the vocal out of the mix.

With these sensitive mics, you should put them on a boom stand. The boom helps break any vibrations from the floor or the singer from traveling up the mic stand and into the signal. Also, since tube mics heat up, you would want to flip the mic upside down so the heat doesn't change the response of the diaghram. You don't want later takes to sound different from the first as it makes it harder to punch in and out.

Next, be sure to use a pop filter. This prevents the percussive sounds of 'p' and other consonants from overloading the diaghram. The singer would normally position themselves 12 to 24 inches away from the mic. At this distance, the sound will be more balanced and will require less compression later on. But again, this is not a hard and fast rule. Most mics have a proximity effect where the bass response is greater the closer you are, and very good singers can use this effect to enhance their normal voice.

Try to use a vocal booth, or special room to sing in. These rooms are covered in sound absorbent materials that prevent reflections from creeping into the signal. Later on, it is easy to add back in reverbs, echoes, and other effects to achieve the desired spacial quality that the song requires.

If you are using a music stand, be sure to position it so that the singers voice is not reflected into the mic. It is possible to create unwanted comb filtering this way.

Choose good, closed back headphones for recording, with a large muff. You want as little monitor signal from leaking into the mic.

Finally, have fun and encourage the singer to live in the moment. The more relaxed the atmosphere, the more the singer will explore new ways to address the material.

Have fun, and hope this helps!

Soundman Trick: Checking a speaker with a 9V battery

noreply@blogger.com (MCG Publishing) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Here's a soundman trick to check your speakers with a 9V battery:

Take a speaker cable, hopefully with a banana type connector at one end.
Plug in your speaker.
Take the 9V and touch it across the leads.
You should see the speakers pop out or in.

This will tell you if the speakers are getting signal, and that they are in phase. Out of phase speakers will go one in, one out.

Hope this helps (especially after the 10PM set and you know something is blown!)

Recording a guitar cabinet

noreply@blogger.com (MCG Publishing) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:14:00 +0000

There are many ways to record a guitar cabinet or combo. Just like any other kind of recording, it requires some adjustments, and no one way is always right. First, let us discuss microphones.

With any recording, you will probably have several mics to choose from. Here is a list of some mics to try:

Shure SM57. This is a traditional mic that has a particular mid frequency boost that has been used to pull the guitar sound out of the mix.

Sennheiser E609. This one is actually designed expressly for guitar amplifier recording. In addition to having the right frequency response, it's also got a flat design which makes it easy to drape over the top the cabinet and lay directly over the grill.

Audix I5. All purpose mic that has a response that is suited for mic'ing guitar cabs.

AKG C414. Everyone should have a C414 in their mic locker. Condenser, flat response, different roll off and polar patterns to choose from. If you have one, grab this to get the most accurate sound posssible. However, can be difficult to work with since it's condenser and you must be careful with the gain if you are in a live situation.

Now, here are some techniques you could try:

Place or drape the mic over the front of the grill. I like to place mine about 1/2 way between the center and the edge of one speaker. This gets a pretty good balanced tone and in a live situation gets you a lot of gain of your primary instrument and not a lot of stage noise.

On the floor about 3 feet out. This begins to capture the ambience of the room, and introduces a natural compression. Primarily for use in a recording studio where the amp is separated from the rest of the instrumentation.

One in front, and one in back with the phase reversed. This captures a lot of low frequency response that you can blend in for a bottom heavy sound. Make sure the one in the back is phase reversed, otherwise you would introduce comb filtering (which might be cool too...).

No single technique is perfect for all situations, and you might find another one that you like. Hope this helps!

What is a sound pressure decibel?

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:12:00 +0000

What is an audio decibel, or specifically a sound pressure decibel? This topic can be very confusing since there are so many different variations of what we commonly refer to as the 'decibel.' This article will specifically simplify the answer to some rules of thumb for the novice. It is important to note that there is a difference between the electical/mathematical decibel, and the arbitrary perceived loudness.

An audio decibel is a unit of measure that we use to refer to, among other things, sound pressure level. A decibel is 1 tenth of a Bel (named after Alexander Graham Bell) and is a logarithmic relative measurement. It is important to note that this is different from voltage, amperage, optical, or any other measurement that uses the dB scale. For sound pressure level, 0 dB starts at the threshhold of human hearing, which is about the sound of a mosquito at 10 feet. 120 dB is the sound of a loud rock concert, 134 dB the threshold of pain. Typical human conversations are around 70 dB. This represents a very wide range of sound intensity, so a logarithmic scale is used as measurement. These are always a ratio. Here is the actual notation:

SPL = 20 log_10 (P1/Pref)

where SPL is Sound Pressure Level, P1 is the level being measured, and Pref is the reference level, typically 0 db. Decibel logs are always log base 10.

What are the practical rules of thumb?

A 1 decibel change is Just Barely Noticeable.
A 3 decibel change is roughly twice the power intensity, but
A 10 decibel change is percieved as twice the loudness.

And therefore, long throw faders (100mm or longer) are preferable since they give you finer control on the mixing console!

Hope this helps!

For more reading, please check out our Sitemap, or send us an email!

Sound absorption using foam

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:02:00 +0000

When fixing the sound of a room, typically one uses some foam based product to help absorb sound reflections. There are many foam products out there, but they are not equal, and you should check with an audio professional for advice and guidance. However, the following are some basic pointers.

Do not use 'eggshell' foam. This is the foam that looks like a egg carton. Why? Most eggshell foam products are a) closed cell, and b) not flame retardant. In a closed cell foam, the sound cannot enter into the tiny cells, and much of the energy is reflected back into the room. And the lack of flame retardancy is a danger to life and equipment.

Instead, look for a professionally manufactured product for the correct purpose. Two of the larger companies are Sonex and Auralex. Both make sound absorbing panels and materials to help with your room. Most importantly, their products are open celled, which means that there are spaces where the sound energy can enter and get trapped. These products actually heat up as they do their job!

Equally important, their products meet national flame retardancy guidelines, hindering fire and smoke in your studio.

How to calculate the amount needed for your studio space? Well, the typical rule of thumb is 60% of the wall space should be covered to absorb the predominate amount of energy without sounding dead. The room should have a flat response, but still sound 'live' enough to mimic the average listeners environment. You don't want to create a complete anechoic chamber!

A vocal booth should require more foam, since you want as few artifacts in the recording as possible.

To make moveable gobos, you might want to adhere the foam to a solid backing material like Masonite or pegboard. You can then move the foam around to play with the sound in your space, or to create different reflective patterns. Another trick is to build a frame around the gobo and cover it with a loose weave, decorative scrim. This will allow the sound to pass through the weave, but still be absorbed by the foam behind it.

Hope this helps! For related articles, please click on our Sitemap, Soundproofing, Sound control part II, or Send us an email!

What is frequency?

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:40:00 +0000

Frequency is a measurement of the peaks and valleys of a sound wave, typically expressed in the ratio of number of cycles per second. The number of complete cycles from wave crest to wave crest is typically called 'cycles' or 'Hertz'.

For example, 200 Hertz would mean that there are 200 complete cycles per second. Now, 200Hz would be a very low frequency, the kind of audio you can feel. Most people talk around 500Hz to 2000Hz (abbreviated as 2KHz, or KiloHertz). The upper limit of our hearing is about 20KHz, and some children can hear upwards of 22KHz.

Hope this helps!

For more related information, please refer to our Sitemap, What is Sound?, What is the speed of sound, or send us an email!

Camp Jam Summer Enrollment time is here!

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:16:00 +0000

From the Camp Jam Website

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Ready Set Rock Tour 2009

Sign up today! Limited enrollment.

My Mom Rocks: Moms of kids ages 7 to 17 are invited to perform their hearts out for the chance to win a free week at Camp Jam’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Summer Day Camp for their son or daughter plus a $100 Spa Gift Certificate.

To compete, visit Jamling.com and choose one out of three available songs to sing. Moms can practice on Jamling.com and sing along to their favorite track or just wing it the day of the event. Those interested in competing please visit Campjam.com or call 1-800-513-0930 to secure a time slot in the contest. Walk-ups are welcome, but pre-registration is encouraged.

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Not affiliated in anyway with CampJam.com

How to care for condenser microphones

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Care should always be taken with condenser microphones. All condensers are fragile mics, since the element and all of the components are thin wires and membranes. There are few handheld condenser mics since a single drop will cause them to break and be inoperable. Here are some basic notes regarding the care of a condenser mic:

Don't drop them, ever.

Don't expose them to excessive heat or cold. In addition to exposing imperfections in the materials (such as cold solder joins), heat and cold cause the diaghram to distort. Over time, this will cause the diaghram to distort, changing the pickup characteristics to change. Over time, this can become permanent, or absolutely unusable. 78 degrees would be just right.

If the mic is a tube mic or warms up, then hang the mic upside down. Why? Simple, heat rises, and this can also cause the mic element to warp again. In addition, the mic will sound different from when you start recording to when you end, making later punch ins very difficult. Hanging it upside down means the element will be under the heat source and not be affected.

Avoid excessive vibration. In addition to preventing vibrations from the ground transferring up into the mic via the mic stand, it also helps prevent cold solder joins from forming.

Try to keep the ambient relative humidity level down. Moisture can condense and form corosion on the electronic parts, eventually eating away at etchings and changing the electrical resistance of the circuitry. Try 30 to 40 percent relative humidity at all times.

Make the cable connection prior to engaging the phantom power switch. Doing this ensures that the proper grounding connections are made when the supply voltage is present.

Provide clean, filtered, and surge protected AC to your system. All it takes is one good lightning stike to kill all your gear. And if that's not enough, if the power goes out, then the city kicks it back on, there is a huge surge that occurs. If you don't have something to clamp it down, you might as well have been hit by lightning.

Hope this helps! For furthur reading, please refer to our Sitemap, What is a condenser mic, or Send us an Email!

What is the speed of sound?

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:31:00 +0000

The approximate rule of thumb for the speed of sound is 1,125 feet/second (1125 fps) at sea level. Sound waves can be transmitted through nearly any substance, and it's propogation is faster with increasing density. There are classical and modern formulas which can closer determine the exact speed depending upon the situation, but since this is a website devoted to audio and music, we'll stick to the rule of thumb.

The speed of sound is different from the wavelength, referred to as frequency. This is the distance between crests of the sine wave, and can be affected by movement of the source relative to the listener. When moving closer, the waveforms pile up on each other, the distances between wave crests is shorter, and the resulting pitch is higher. The opposite happens when the sound source moves away, and the resulting pitch is lower. The well known effect is called the 'Doppler Effect' and can be heard in the wailing of a firetruck. However, the overall speed of sound is not greatly affected.

We can use the this standard speed model to help us in many ways. For example, if we are getting a specific spike of feedback at 1Khz, then we can calculate that the length of a single wave is:

wavelength = speed/frequency

which works out to about 1.125 feet. Using this number we can position the monitors a half-wave offset from a nodal position. Or, we can provide baffles cut to 1.125 feet behind the stage.

Remember, the speed of sound will shift based upon altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, etc.

Hope this helps! For additional information please click our Sitemap, What is sound?, or Send us an Email!

Sennheiser USA 700Mhz Links

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:31:00 +0000

As most of you know, the FCC has re-allocated the 700Mhz wireless bandwith. This means that if you have a wireless that transmitts in that area, it will eventually cease to work correctly as other, stronger systems step on top of your handheld device, as well as the possibility of the FCC detecting your system.

However, Sennheiser has a rebate program for you. Buy a new system, send them back the old one, and you can get a check in the mail!

For the Sennheiser Rebate in pdf format, click here.

For a great article on wireless technology by Sennheiser, click here.

Hope this helps! For other related articles, please review our Sitemap, go to our Homepage, or send us your proaudio questions!

How do we hear?

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:33:00 +0000

How we hear is via detecting sound waves in our ears. Sound waves, which are a mechanical compression and rarification of the air medium, hit our ears. Each wave moves the timpanic membrane of the ear, which in turn moves the tiny bones which transmit the signal to the inner ear, or cochlea. In the inner ear are small fibers which bend back and forth, registering the waves against the nerve endings. It is this vibration of the nerve endings which we percieve as sound.

We can detect vibrations in the speed of 20 cycles to 20,000 cycles per second. Some people are able to detect frequencies higher, such as children. As we get older, our ability to hear tends to diminish at the higher frequencies, and prolonged exposure to loud sounds also affects our hearing. With musicians, this is often a problem and many people report hearing loss in the 1Khz to 2Khz range.

Along with simply hearing the sound, we are able to detect direction. Two ears give us the ability to triangulate the direction of a sound source. Other factors enable us to interpret elevation and distance, although not as well.

Hope this helps! For other related articles, please click on one of the following:
Sitemap, What is sound, Links, and Home. Or, if you have a question, send us an email!

Sitemap

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:11:00 +0000

Please follow these links to jump to your area of interest:

Sound Basics
What is sound?
How do we hear?
What is the speed of sound?
What is frequency?
The math of sound
What is a Sound Pressure Decibel?

Electical connections
Mic Level
Instrument Level
Line Level
Consumer Level vs. Pro Level
What are common electrical references?

Soundproofing
Soundproofing
More on controlling sound
Sound absorption using foam

Microphones
Microphones
What is a dynamic mic?
What is a condenser mic?
How to care for condenser microphones
What do I need to power a condenser mic
What is a PZM or boundary mic?
What is a ribbon mic?
How to choose a handheld vocal mic
What makes a good studio mic
Recording a guitar cabinet
Recording a stage vocalist
Recording a studio vocalist
Recording a drum kit

Preamps
What is the function of a preamp
What are common preamp specifications

Sound Systems
Designing a Front of House system
How to calculate resistance in series
How to calculate resistance in parallel

Amplifiers
How to calculate amplifier requirements

Speakers

Soundman Tips and Tricks
How to test a speaker with a 9V battery

News
Camp Jam Summer Enrollment Announcement
Sennheiser USA 700Mhz Rebate
Limited 30 day license on new RTA from Esser Audio
700Mz Wireless Article From Shure.com
Presonus Announces Audio Stimulus

Gear Reviews
Do you need your gear reviewed

Free for Engineers
Post your availability here
Post a pro audio job

ProAudioNet Favorite Links

Ask us a question

What is sound?

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:40:00 +0000

Sound is a vibration that we are able to detect via our ears. Typically, when we hear something, it's via the air, but we can hear via water, or via another mechanism that is picked up by our ears.

However, let's just deal with sound picked up from the air. What is it? Sound is the sequence of compression and rarification of the air or medium. As the compression and rarification come closer together, this raises it's frequency, and slower periods represent a lower frequency. A single frequency is easily represented as a sine wave, and is often called pitch. As the power of the wave increases, this changes the amplitude, and this is also referred to as loudness.

These two aspects, amplitude and pitch, make up the simplest wave of sound. Most sounds that we hear are composed of a multitude of waves, and become a complex waveform. The human ear can hear frequencies between 50hz to 21Khz, but we can detect higher frequencies and higher harmonics.

The unit of measure of amplitude is the decibel. Regular conversations are around 80db, rock concerts around 110db, and a plane taking off is around 125db. The threshhold of pain is around 130db, but damage can occur at a much lower db rating, so care should always be taken as the sound source becomes louder.

Hope this helps, and for more information click on the following links:
PA Systems,
Soundproofing, or
Email us!

How to calculate amplifier requirements

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Calculating the number of amplifiers needed for a particular speaker setup is easy, provided you know the specifications of the speakers. Typically speakers are rated in continuous, program, and peak. The rule of thumb is 20% over the program rating. Simply take the program rating and multiply by 1.2. Keep in mind to match the resistance rating (such as 8 or 4 ohm).

Why 20% over the program? Well, it has to do with the load created by the typical music passage. A continuous rating is determined by a white or pink noise signal which is constant energy across the entire bandwith, and most music is not like this. At the other end, peak signal is the momentary peak signal ability. So, to provide power over the program means the amp and speaker have a comfortable amount of headroom and can operate within spec.

Of extreme importance, is to not underpower the speakers. Underpowering speakers is the worst thing you can do, and that will most likely cause your speakers to melt. Why? What will happen, is that you will drive your amplifier over the maximum power output which will cause the output signal to distort. This distortion will have a clipped waveform, and lots of clipping will look like a square wave to the speaker. Unfortunately, enough power will turn that square wave into a DC pulse, and DC current is what literally melts the wires in the driver. So please, never, ever underpower your speakers!

Hope this helps, and for related topics, click on the following links: Understanding PA systems, Designing Front of House systems, Calculating Resistance in Parallel, or Ask us a Question!

Presonus Announces Audio Stimulus Package 2!

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:52:00 +0000

This article is reprinted from the Presonus.com website:
---------------------------------------------------------
PRESS
Get Your Share of the PreSonus Audio Stimulus Package 2!
February 20, 2009
At PreSonus, we’re doing our part to help fix the economy. So between February 23 and March 30, 2009, PreSonus will offer generous cash rebates on some of our hottest products. This offer is only good in the U.S.
Check out these rebates!
FireStudio 26x26: $30
FireStudio Lightpipe: $30
FireStudio Project: $20
FireStudio Tube: $40
HP60: $15This offer won’t last long, so don’t delay. Get in on the action at your authorized PreSonus dealer today! Click here for the rebate form.
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ProAudioNet is not affiliated in anyway with Presonus.

Check out some other ProAudioNet articles: Microphones Soundproofing How to design a Front of House system Ask us a questions!

700Mz Wireless article from Shure.Com

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:21:00 +0000

(This is reprinted from the Shure.com website. The full article can be seen by clicking here.

"White Spaces" Information
NEW! Wireless Update: Final FCC Ruling Includes Protection For Wireless Microphones
Article By Chris Lyons (January 2009)

FCC Releases Full Text of ‘White Spaces’ Decision
On November 14, 2008, the FCC released the full text of its Second Report and Order approving the use of the “white spaces” – the TV channels that are not actually occupied by a broadcast station – to deliver wireless broadband internet and other services to consumer wireless devices. This 130-page document provides details of the technical, operational, and regulatory requirements that white space devices will be subject to, including the protections aimed at safeguarding wireless microphones from interference.
This ruling does not address the issue of wireless microphone operations in the 700 MHz band. The FCC had proposed earlier that wireless microphone operations in the 700 MHz band should cease in February 2009, but a final transition date has not been announced.
Here is a summary of what we have learned from the white spaces ruling:
• Wireless microphones and personal monitors may continue to operate in the UHF television band between TV channels 14-51 (470-698 MHz), and in the VHF television band between TV channels 7-13 (174-216 MHz).
• Portable white space devices could include mobile phones and wireless laptop computers that are carried or worn by the user, while fixed devices could deliver wireless broadband internet service to homes and businesses.
• White space devices are allowed to go on sale on February 18, 2009, but in reality, it will probably be much later. Before new devices can be marketed, they will have to pass FCC certification tests, the results of which will be open for public review and comment. Based on this scenario, we do not expect devices to go on sale until the end of 2009.
• All white space devices are required to avoid transmitting on TV channels being used by TV stations, wireless microphones, and other users. Before transmitting, the device must determine its precise location and consult a database of TV channels that are safe to use. If the device is within one kilometer of a location where wireless microphones are known to be in use, the device must move to a different channel or cease transmitting. Devices must check the database at least once per day, whenever they are powered on, and whenever their location changes.
• Wireless microphone users may register the location, time, and TV channels used for a program or event in the database. One-time, recurring, and permanent wireless microphone use will be accommodated. The FCC will solicit proposals from entities interested in creating and administering the database. According to the FCC ruling, “Sites with significant wireless microphone use at well defined times and locations may be registered in the database.”
• As a secondary protection measure, all devices must also utilize spectrum sensing to detect and avoid TV stations, wireless microphones, and other users of the spectrum, whether or not they are registered in the database. Spectrum sensing technology is still under development, but as it continues to mature it will provide an important secondary layer of protection against interference.
• Only fixed white space devices may operate in channels 2-20, and they may not use adjacent channels. These “open” channels will effectively be protected from white space devices and should therefore be especially desirable for general wireless microphone operation.
• In the 13 major metropolitan areas where Public Safety agencies are permitted to use selected TV channels between 14 and 20, the FCC will designate two additional protected channels in the range between 21 and 51. These will be the first channels above and below channel 37 that are not assigned to a TV broadcast station.
Users who need to purchase wireless microphones or personal monitors can choose any current Shure wireless product (PG, PGX, SLX, ULX, UHF-R, PSM200, PSM400, PSM600, PSM700) and use it immediately with confidence that it will continue to serve them into the future.
To assist customers with selecting the most appropriate product and frequency range, our Applications Engineering group stands ready to help. They can be reached via e-mail at: support@shure.com or via phone by calling (847) 600-8440.
Shure also offers Wireless Workbench software and the online Frequency Finder to help users determine which TV channels will be protected in their area.

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Reprinted from the Shure.com Website.

Limited 30 day license on new RTA from Esser Audio

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:24:00 +0000

The following is a new RTA - Real Time Audio Analyzer software solution from Esser Audio. The website is www.esseraudio.com.

The following is direct from the Esser Audio website:
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Real Time Audio Analyzer V 1.1

This program is an audio analyzer with FFT and n-th octave frequency analyzers and oscilloscope.
The octave analyzer can show the frequency spectrum at 12th, 6th, 3rd and full octave resolution. (A standard license supports all resolutions)

With the FFT frequency analyzer you can see the spectrum on a linear scale, which can be useful for harmonics and other analysis tasks.

Also on board is a real time oscilloscope which is always useful when analyzing audio signals.

If you buy a license, you are eligible to unlimited upgrades to new versions for life.

New features and improvements are implemented all the time.
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ProAudioNet is not affiliated in anyway with Esser Audio.

How to calculate resistance in series

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Calculating the aggregate resistance of multiple loads wired in series is far easier than calculating in parallel. Simply add the resistances together, and the wattage load also simply adds together. For example:

8Ohms +8Ohms = 16Ohms.

Hope this helps!

For Additional reading, please check out the related article:
How to calculate resistance in parallel

How to calculate resistance in parallel

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 05:17:00 +0000

It is often that we have to calculate resistance in parallel, since in audio we are plugging in guitar cabs, speaker cabs, etc. Most often, simply daisy chaining one speaker next to the other will result in a parallel connection. First off, what is a parallel connection?

A parallel electrical connection is simply when two loads (e.g. speakers) are connected to the source in the same manner, such as positive to positive, and negative to negative.

The actual formula is: 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + ... = 1/Rtotal

This means 1 over first load, plus 1 over second load, etc.

EXAMPLE 1: 2 8 ohm cabinets

To solve, this would be written 1/8ohms + 1/8ohms = 2/8ohms. Now to solve for Rtotal, then flip the number to 8/2, or 4 ohms.

EXAMPLE 2: How about 3 8ohm cabs? 1/8 + 1/8 + 1/8 = 3/8, solve for t, equals 2.667.

EXAMPLE 3: How about 2 8ohm and 1 4ohm? A little more tricky...
1/8 + 1/8 + 2/8 = 4/8, flip it and you have 2ohms (which will most likely melt your amp!)

As a related question, the power consumption (watts) is a straight sum of the collective cabinets.

Now you know the correct formula for calculating resistance in parallel!

For additional reading, please check out the related article:
How to calculate resistance in series

What do I need to power a condenser mic?

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:40:00 +0000

Condenser mics are an interesting kind of mic. Here is the construction of a condenser mic. The 'element' consists of backplate with a mylar diaghram in front of it, separated by a small distance. As the diaghram moves, the distance between the front mylar diaghram and the backplate changes, and this change in distance changes the voltage. This voltage change is transmitted to the preamp, and there is your signal!

Now, a condenser mic can not work without a supplied voltage, which is typically 48 volts. The condenser mic does not create a voltage on its own, so it requires the preamp to supply it. Almost every mixer has a switch labeled 'phantom power', and by engaging this switch, it turns on the 48 voltage supply. While the power in engaged, there is no problem with using dynamic mics. However, never attach a ribbon mic to a 48 volt circuit, since that will most likely destroy the mic!

What if you don't have a mixer, but are using your computer? Then you should use a professional sound card. Most will be able to supply phantom power, pulling power off the USB or firewire connection. Please note that if you are using a laptop, it will drain the power off the battery more quickly, so you should use your system with the power plugged in.

What if you don't have a mixer or pro level soundcard? Then there are small devices that you can get which simply supply phantom power, or, you can outboard microphone preamps. These are typically referred to as 'mic pres' for short. We would suggest getting a dedicated mic pre, since the sound of a real mic pre will outperform an onboard mic pre.

Hope this helps.

Pro Audio Links

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:08:00 +0000

Check out these great websites:

Soundman Gear. SoundmanGear.com is a very cool site featuring real articles from the field. Learn about live sound from a pro who lives the life. Don't forget to check out the photos also! Subscribe to it today (I did)!

Camp Jam! Camp Jam’s multi-level curriculum schools students in every aspect of playing in a real rock and roll band. From playing techniques to stage presence, Camp Jam’s variety of classes will turn the bedroom player into a bona fide rock star

MobileProRecording.net Mobile Pro Recording is a full service mobile recording studio in Central Florida. We can record a band or ensemble one instrument at a time, or run up to 24 microphones at one time live in DVD quality! Check out the website to see examples of our work.

Audiomastermind

Go2Audio.com The Web's biggest directory of sites related to audio, including hi-fi and home theater, pro audio, the audio and music industries, Internet and broadcast radio.

AudioWorld.com Daily news about all aspects of audio, including professional audio, home recording, high-end and consumer hi-fi, home theater, car sound and the audio/music industries. The "Yahoo!" of Audio!

REI Recording Engineers Institute - Long Islands foremost audio engineering school!

Audio Recording Tips Information and articles on all aspects of Audio and Music Recording from setting up your home studio to advanced recording techniques.

Find free articles at ArticlesBase.com a free article directory. Submit your article for free distribution and find content for your web site, E-zine or newsletters.

Brain Grenade Entertainment LLC (BGE) is a revolutionary music enterprise for the independent musician, specializing in production, promotion, marketing and branding. BGE creates the blueprints for a self-sustaining life in the arts, and has devised the tools to thrive in the often convoluted music industry. Brain Grenade Entertainment provides explosive ideas, methods and applications for artist production, empowerment and sustainability.

The Blogger Guide. This is a great website for blogger tips and tricks.

Music Link Foundation. We seek out promising music students from schools, churches, and community youth programs and link them with teachers who volunteer to teach students on partial or full scholarship.

ePanorama.net is a web site, which is dedicated to offer information on electronics found from the web.

Central Florida Filipino. This is one of our sister sites, a place for news about the Filipino community in Central Florida.

The Info Brother! A site devoted to the most popular topics on the web.

Would you like to create a reciprocal link to our site and also get posted here? Then drop us an email at proaudionet@gmail.comand we'll get you listed! Please, only pro audio and related sites.

Do you need your gear reviewed?

noreply@blogger.com (ProAudioNet) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:11:00 +0000

Did you just create the Next Big Thing and need to get the word out? Then email us and we'd love to provide an objective look at your gear. And, if you're staunch of heart, we'll post your review here!

Email your inquiries to proaudionet@gmail.com .