Deaf Awareness Week

This year I got involved with Deaf Awareness Week at Middlesbrough College. James Harris and I assisted a H&S staff member named Malcolm to educate the college pupils about how their music listening could be effecting their hearing.

We managed to set up a stall and test the volume level of music each pupil was listening to. We then calculated the amount of time the pupil could listen to their music before the hairs in their ears fall down permanently (causing deafness). We then informed the pupils and educated them about it.

as you can see I was looking at the infamous "tongue cleaner" device at this time :3 also incase anyone is wondering, I'm using a Linux based distribution on my laptop called Zorin OS. 

 For more information on deafness and how to prevent it... just google it you lazy sloth! I can't do all your research for you! Live long and prosper.

Studio technician - Middlesbrough college

During my second year at Middlesbrough College I have been assigned as the recording studio technician as I applied for the job.

I used the sE electronics se1000a's as overheads to record drum tracks with, these are cheap and cheerful little mics, their diaphram is actually in between the size of a small and large diaphram microphone which is quite interesting, however they do sound rather dull and uninspiring in comparison to more expensive mics. 

To this day I am undecided whether they are actually worth the cheap price tag but believe it would be a much wiser decision to save your money and spend it on something with a bit sweeter such as a matched set of Rode nt5's or even the sE1a's. 

      

Se1000a 

Nick Colman from The Mentulls being a God

My go-to kick drum mic, the D112 is an absolute legend!

These plastic umbrellas on the sealing act as acoustic diffusers,
allowing energy to be spread out more evenly across the room. 

Recording some drums at Middlesbrough college

The bass player seemed to have a nice little formidable rig .
I used to have one of those Boss CS-3  ;P 

I was forced use a single Tom mic for the two as the studio
is not wired conveniently to receive a lot of inputs.   

The mighty Steve Hoggart's rig of power,
a Mesa Boogie mark 5  and various pedals of chaos

SPL Audio and Shine On

I worked in Gateshead with SPL Audio for the UK's #1 Pink Floyd tribute band, this band was absolutely brilliant!

Pink Floyd tribute band

Gateshead

Unloading the van, who needs a gym membership?  

reminds me of Teesside a little 

Pinky Floyd tribute band pedal board, rather snazzy

Stage setup

 

Hiwatt head with 4x12, sennheiser e606

Stage rug, makes it feel more homely :P

Guitar rack, I do lust after a good strat!

Backing singers set up, 3 sennheiser e845's

Moving heads always put on a show

Everything is setup and ready to roll

Lets blind em all, just for fun!

Here we go... sound check DONE!

and now we wait... (and fiddle with the lights)

All in all your just a, another brick in the wall!

HEY! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!

Sound for moving image assignment

I recently did the sound design for a piece my lecturer handed me, we had to re-record the entire audio for the film footage. Providing Foley and other types of sounds to suit the piece.   

I used my Rode nt2a to record outdoor ambiance

Here is my legendary Rode nt2a!

Another shot of it in my garden

I recorded ambiance at various points of the garden

At the back of my studio

I tried recording some engine noise from this Muck Truck
which could have been outdoor roadworks for the scene

Recording the Muck Truck of greatness 

I had to make sure I got the right sounding door squeek and manipulated it with EQ 

The living legend!!!!!

I happen to have quite a squeeky door in my studio

Some Foley work here, footsteps

I love my Rode nt2a! Such a great mic

Foley at work

It is a rather sexual microphone

I used my granddads old briefcase for this sound  

I used a Figure of eight polar pattern and it worked beautifully!  

I am in love with my nt2a!!!!!!
(it does look rather gorgeous) 

I used it to record the Foley of my suit being stroked (sensually I might at, I do love my suit) 

My Marshall Class 5 head and my Rode nt2a living in harmony 

A job well done deserves a nice Pizza from
Stockton at the end of the day

The Dickens Inn - Middlesbrough

I volunteered to work a gig for Middlesbrough college, they put on a night at The Dickens Inn, to which the Music Practice kids got to play in this great local venue. I helped one of my lecturers by operating and packing up the system, he even have me some valuable tips and tricks in live sound which I didn't know!  

A picture from the mixing desk of the band playing

I got to operate the legendary Yamaha LS9, it was only the smaller 16 channel model but still! Encase you don't know, I LOVE the Yamaha LS9!!!! It's the desk that made me fall in love with the digital realm of audio, even though I can't afford one and will probably never purchase one sadly. This desk is just a great piece of gear (and a fun toy to use). My lecturer was using the Ipad app to control it, setting the input gains and fdfstage monitor mix from the stage whilst talking to the bands quickly to provide the optimum mix for them, as I got to fly the desk and control the FOH levels, effects and EQ.

I have my eyes on another mixing desk though, The PreSonus Studio Live 16.4.2!!! In recent months, I have become somewhat of a PreSonus fanboy, to the point where every time I mention the word in class, my classmates playfully and lightheartedly make fun of me. When I get it, I'll probably die of sheer joy... just as if Emma Watson walked in the room, right now and kissed me! Yes, the two things are comparable, THAT'S how much I love PreSonus!!!!

The Dickens Inn is a really nice venue, I had never been there before but had heard it was a nice place. It had some great lighting, a nice bar (even though they didn't serve Carling) and just a fantastic classy vibe in general. The stage area was ace! It had the perfect amount of space and the perfect layout for the type of gigs that I like to do at the moment (not too big and not too small that everyone is squashed in). I felt so relaxed in there compared to some other venues in Teesside, it was my kind of place.

We had a little lighting rig setup and a dedicated desk but we left it be and didn't really use it that much because the stage was already well lit, thanks to the guys that designed The Dickens Inn, makes my job easier and allows me to concentrate on the audio side of things.

Because it was a Middlesbrough college event, the place was packed full of people I know, some old teachers, some friends and some randomers I don't really know. I loved the experience though and I'd leap at the chance to do it again. Next time it would be great to record a multitrack of all the artists playing and get some video footage to go with it.