[me[_2_]]

Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound
multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many units you're running for
redundancy in case of failure, and if there are any hardware and/or
software solutions for quick switching in case of failures live?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, from huge Broadway shows to
major touring acts.

Thanks.

[Romeo Rondeau]

me wrote:
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound
multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many units you're running for
redundancy in case of failure, and if there are any hardware and/or
software solutions for quick switching in case of failures live?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, from huge Broadway shows to major
touring acts.

Thanks.


A couple of Alesis HD24's and a Frontier Design Group Apache if you are
using a digital board. The HD24's can be both be running at the same
time in synch with sample accuracy and switching can be done instantly
with a single button in case one of them tanks. The Apache will not make
any noise when switching and it keeps all the lightpipes word clocks happy.

[Mike Rivers]

On Mar 10, 3:20 am, me wrote:
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound
multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many units you're running for
redundancy in case of failure, and if there are any hardware and/or
software solutions for quick switching in case of failures live?

The whole concept isn't very popular (or very smart) so you're not
likely to et a lot of opinions other than whatever multitrack someone
has that's portable. You might want to mix four or maybe eight tracks
if you have some prerecorded cue mixes, but you don't want to do a
live mix of a 24-track recording combined with a live show.

But you're smart to think about backup and redundancy. I'd have
reasonable confidence in any of the dedicated multitrack recorders
such as the Alesis or Mackie (you don't have to use all 24 tracks) but
I'd be reluctant to use one of the inexpensive 8-track workstations
such as TASCAM or Fostex. Too many menus to deal with.

How many tracks do you need, what's your application, and how much are
you willing to spend? I'm thinking a big Cirque d' Soleil production
and you might be thinking a high school theater or a museum exhibit.

[Arny Krueger]

"me" wrote in message
news:2007031000205575249-me@nowherecom
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me
know which machine(s) most of you are using for playback
of "live" sound multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many
units you're running for redundancy in case of failure,
and if there are any hardware and/or software solutions
for quick switching in case of failures live?
Any info would be greatly appreciated, from huge Broadway
shows to major touring acts.

That pretty well excludes just about everybody who posts here.

[Romeo Rondeau]

Arny Krueger wrote:
"me" wrote in message
news:2007031000205575249-me@nowherecom
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me
know which machine(s) most of you are using for playback
of "live" sound multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many
units you're running for redundancy in case of failure,
and if there are any hardware and/or software solutions
for quick switching in case of failures live?
Any info would be greatly appreciated, from huge Broadway
shows to major touring acts.

That pretty well excludes just about everybody who posts here.


Yeah, I pretty much just posted what I would do if I were forced at
gunpoint to do this job :-)

[Richard Crowley]

"me" wrote ...
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound multi-track
soundtracks?

This is likely the wrong newsgroup for that question.

Newsgroups where you might find such people include...
news:rec.arts.theatre.stagecraft
news:rec.arts.movies.production.sound
news:alt.audio.pro.live-sound

[me[_2_]]

Ah, thanks!! I didn't know about those groups!


On 2007-03-12 13:22:15 -0700, "Richard Crowley" said:

"me" wrote ...
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound multi-track
soundtracks?

This is likely the wrong newsgroup for that question.

Newsgroups where you might find such people include...
news:rec.arts.theatre.stagecraft
news:rec.arts.movies.production.sound
news:alt.audio.pro.live-sound

[me[_2_]]

On 2007-03-10 04:09:06 -0800, "Mike Rivers" said:

On Mar 10, 3:20 am, me wrote:
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound
multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many units you're running for
redundancy in case of failure, and if there are any hardware and/or
software solutions for quick switching in case of failures live?

The whole concept isn't very popular (or very smart) so you're not
likely to et a lot of opinions other than whatever multitrack someone
has that's portable. You might want to mix four or maybe eight tracks
if you have some prerecorded cue mixes, but you don't want to do a
live mix of a 24-track recording combined with a live show.

But you're smart to think about backup and redundancy. I'd have
reasonable confidence in any of the dedicated multitrack recorders
such as the Alesis or Mackie (you don't have to use all 24 tracks) but
I'd be reluctant to use one of the inexpensive 8-track workstations
such as TASCAM or Fostex. Too many menus to deal with.

How many tracks do you need, what's your application, and how much are
you willing to spend? I'm thinking a big Cirque d' Soleil production
and you might be thinking a high school theater or a museum exhibit.

Thanks, at this point it's somewhere between and might turn into a much
larger production, so I'm just trying to consider all the options,
having been out of it for awhile. Just looking at running at the most 8
submixes.

Thanks!

[me[_2_]]

On 2007-03-10 02:36:59 -0800, Romeo Rondeau said:

me wrote:
Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound
multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many units you're running for
redundancy in case of failure, and if there are any hardware and/or
software solutions for quick switching in case of failures live?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, from huge Broadway shows to
major touring acts.

Thanks.


A couple of Alesis HD24's and a Frontier Design Group Apache if you are
using a digital board. The HD24's can be both be running at the same
time in synch with sample accuracy and switching can be done instantly
with a single button in case one of them tanks. The Apache will not
make any noise when switching and it keeps all the lightpipes word
clocks happy.


Thanks! I was already leaning toward the HD-24's but wasn't aware of
the Apache, so I will definitely check that out!!

Me

[hank alrich]

me wrote:

Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound
multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many units you're running for
redundancy in case of failure, and if there are any hardware and/or
software solutions for quick switching in case of failures live?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, from huge Broadway shows to
major touring acts.

Thanks.

At the Kronos Quartet show I saw Scott Fraser was playing tracks from a
Tascam DA38.

--
ha
Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam

[Michael Wozniak]

"hank alrich" wrote in message
...
me wrote:

Can some live sound engineers weigh in here and let me know which
machine(s) most of you are using for playback of "live" sound
multi-track soundtracks? Also, how many units you're running for
redundancy in case of failure, and if there are any hardware and/or
software solutions for quick switching in case of failures live?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, from huge Broadway shows to
major touring acts.

Thanks.

At the Kronos Quartet show I saw Scott Fraser was playing tracks from a
Tascam DA38.

--
ha
Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam

When I worked with Scott on one of the KQ shows, he had DA-38s, but they
were being used to record, and he was (IIRC) triggering PB sounds from a
mac. It could be that what Hank describes is Scott's normal setup.

I'm sure not a lot of people are using ADATs! I'd be comfy with some
computer setups for playback, at least redundant playback, depending on # of
tracks and other factors. I'd be a bit wary of both primary and redundant
systems being the same. I'd think that in some situations, when one type of
system fails, a different type may have a better chance of working.

Mikey Wozniak
Nova Music Productions
this sig is haiku