System Re-Design
At the tail of The 39 Steps I wanted to redesign the sound system from start to finish for the dueling piano show Riverside Theatre hosts year round. Previously the rig included a stereo, center vocal speaker, side fills, and subs. The space is very tough, the brick walls create a tricky echo chamber. Shifting some amps around and adding some new speakers, I got the system on its next leap forward.
With coming speaker upgrades, I knew I wanted to incorporate a vocal system into the mix. Replacing the punchy center speaker, I added a three speaker center array eliminating the need for side fills while increasing the throw and spread of the vocals into the room. Under the stage I made use of a front fill system allowing me to triangulate vocalists to either side of the stage creating a very natural amplification while eliminating feedback and filling in seating underneath the stereo system. Helping to reign in the reflections of the room I added rear speakers to output a delayed reverb of the band to warm up the room and soften the sharpness of the vocals.
The Howl at the Moon Experience is run by a member of the production staff varying from sound staff to paint staff and apprentices; it is important that the mix be easy to maintain. Using the Yamaha 01V mixing console, the operator is able to remote operate the house mixer (Yamaha DM2000) with some throwable vocal effects, while running live lighting effects in the booth.
