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 | | | | Jul31 Written by:Bill Park
Thursday, July 31, 2003 6:00 PM Five years ago or so, Ocean Way opened a facility in Nashville. They bought an old stone church at 1200 17th Avenue South. They converted it into a recording studio, and took what I assume was the rectory next door, and turned it into offices.
The main room is where the pews would have been, and the stained glass windows are still in place. This lends a very nice light in the space, though everyone who looks out the windows might not approve of the religious images that they see. The woodwork is a light and airy raw sienna color, and is quite attractive.
The space that would have housed the altar and back have been converted into a control room holding a large Neve console with GML automation, a machine room, a booth holding a grand piano, and various smaller rooms.
Today, just in front of the control booth glass is a temporary stage made from risers, a center stage podium, and a table and chairs to each side. Flanking the riser is a PA system made up of Genelecs and small traps.
Today there is a projector and screen stage right. In the booth, between the console and the glass, there is an array of microphone stands.
Today, in front of the stage, surrounded by the booths and the PA control area, sits a couple of hundred chairs for people like Garry and myself.
Today the walls are lined with display tables with mics and mic company reps.
Because today, Ocean Way Studios Nashville is home of the first Vocal Microphone Invitational.
What is it? The Vocal Microphone Invitational is an opportunity for microphone manufacturers to present their products in a controlled environment, talk about their designs, applications, and usages, and to show an audience of engineers producers, journalists, students, and each other just what their products could do.
The manufacturers were each allotted the same amount of time to set up and the same amount of time to present. A test tone was run through each mic to balance levels in an attempt to keep a proper gain structure for each mic, and to try to match the relative volumes of the various mics. Each presenter had the same available sound source of Deborah Bulla and Michael Shoup, each reading spoken word and singing various passages. As each manufacturer presented, the audience was encouraged to ask questions, have the sound sources do particular things at particular mics, and make any other test that was practical within the time restraints that fairness decreed.
The event was hosted by Frank Wells, outgoing Chair of AES Nashville and current candidate for VP of the Central Region, Editor of Pro Sound News and Executive Editor of Surround Sound Professional. The event was produced by AES Nashville and Pro Sound News. The subcommittee of the AES steering committee was Dr. Wels Bulla and professor David Henson of Belmont, owner of The Equipment Pool and incoming Chair AES Nashville Mike Poston, Lynn Fuston of 3D Audio, and Frank Wells, with PSN National Sales Manager Tara Preston coordinating from New York. - Frank Wells acted as Master of Ceremonies. The following companies were represented:
- For AKG Acoustics: Norbert Sobel, Product Manager, Broadcast and Recording. Showing: On the female vocal, C12VR, 414TLII. On the male vocal, SolidTube, C3000B.
- For Shure: Dan Smith, Prodcut Specialist, showing the KMS27, 32, and 44.
- For Neumann: Jeff Alexander, Director of Neumann for Sennheiser, showing the U87, TLM 103, TLM 127, Solution D.
- For Studio Projects: Alan Hyatt, President of PMI/Studio Projects introduced Brian Casey showing the B1, C1, C3, T3.
- For DPA Microphones: Engineer Gary Baldassari, showing the 4015, 4041, 4066.
- For Audio Technica: Gary Boss, Mike Edwards, and Joel Singer, showing the AT 4033, AE3300, AEW-T3300.
It was an educational experience, and all of the manufacturers provided useful demonstrations and information on microphones and micing in general, and their products in particular. All of the presenters were informative, prepared, and capable of fielding difficult questions from a knowlegable audience.
I enjoyed the DPA presentation best of all, because I have always been fascinated by their products. Their attention to detail and accuracy is unparalleled in the industry. The DPA mics offer an incredibly even frequency response and pickup, both on and off axis, but at a hefty price. In speaking to the DPA reps I asked them about the lack of penetration that DPA has in the American market. The reply was that DPA previously had very minor representation in America, but that they have just this year committed to get their products to our shores and heighten public awareness of the DPA line.
Garry: What'd I learn at Ocean Way? I wish I had that live room to record in. Wonderful space. I haven't had the chance to test drive any Studio Projects mics, but the C3 caught my attention, especially given it's price point. The Neumann TLM127 sounded pretty good to my ears. The Neumann Solution D is a digital mic, meaning it takes care of A/D conversion, remote control and even some processing on-board.
Bill: Garry seemed very interested in the Neumann D, because of its impressive possibilities. This digital microphone may be the father of an entirely new microphone technology. It's already been the cause for a new AES specification, AES 42. Think of a mic that IS the converter, and already contains software functions such as compression and eq.... Besides, it is heavily reliant on software, and Garry writes code, so it appears to me to be an obvious match. I wasn't quite as excited by the sound of the Solution D as some others were, but I figure that it is a new product showing limited portions of it's many facets, and may be better auditioned in a different circumstance. I liked the 127, too. It sounded very nice to me and offers more options to the recordist on a limited budget than was previously available under the Neumann label.
A panel discussion followed the presentations. The panel was moderated by Bil VornDick, and consisted of Chuck Ainlay, Pat McMakin, Justin Niebank, Michael Wagener, and Gary Baldassari. Each of these panalists owns or runs a production company. I can't count the Grammys... VornDick has seven of his own and has racked up 41 nominations... but the client lists include Ozzy Osborne, Chet Atkins, Alice Cooper, Johnny Winter, Albert Collins, Nsync, Eminem, Peter Frampton, Reba McEntire.... I think that it is safe to say that these are men of experience.
In spite of the level of talent on the dias, we chose to skip the panel discussion. We had been traveling all day, and had gone straight from the airport to Ocean Way, and we felt the need to check into our hotel and at least unpack before treking off to the Gibson Custom Shop for a press conference. The problem with conferences like NAMM is that so many of the attractive events overlap. The Pro Sound News event was scheduled to run until six, while the Gibson event started at four. So we stayed a little longer at Ocean Way, and showed up a little late at Gibson. In retrospect I might have been better served to have listened to the panel discussion, but I was pooped, and after all, I am a guitar junkie.
Garry: We continued our adventure at the Gibson Custom Shop, a fairly non-descript building in an industrial park a short cab ride from downtown. It turns out the event is more of a party for Gibson dealers that are in town with a short press conference in the middle. The big news was that Chevy had teamed up with Gibson on a guitar/car combo. Chevy is making 25 custom SSR cars, each with a particular theme in mind.
The first couple hours had various flavors of blues bands cranking in the parking lot while Gibson dealers and friends hung out and drank. The front parking lot featured a monster truck, some new and old Corvettes, Line 6 demo kiosks, and the Gibson traveling guitar trailer. You could even get your picture on the cover of Rolling Stone. Need a break from the sun? Wander inside the Custom Shop and check out wall after wall of wonderful guitars.
The press conference about the SSR guitar also included appearances by Les Paul and Duane Eddy. That was followed by a buffet dinner behind the factory and more entertainment. A band from Memphis (sorry forgot the name) opened the set. Johnnie A, Lee Roy Parnell, and Ted Nugent rounded out the night. Bill and I stuck around for Johnnie A, a personal favorite. The Johnnie A set was perhaps the highlight of my NAMM show. Watching that man play from a few feet away was both humbling and inspiring. We both wanted to head back downtown for the remainder of the evening, so we bailed after Johnnie A.
Bill: I have to say that Gibson throws a very nice party, and obviously worked hard to try to provide a wide range of enjoyments for all comers. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Custom Shop, and to celebrate this milestone there are four Tenth Anniversary Gibsons being released this year, one for each quarter, in limited editions of 30 each. They all feature a Diamond White sparkle finish with highly engraved gold hardware, with gold engraved pickguards and truss rod covers. So far they have released the L-4 Thinline, the‘68 Les Paul Custom, and the 10th Anniversary CS-356.
But the focus of the press conference/party was the SSR car and guitar. Gibson has partnered with Chevrolet on a few projects over the years, but this has to be the most ambitious.
The first part of the party took place in the front parking lot of the Custom Shop and throughout the Custom Shop building. There was a stage at one end of the lot, with constant entertainment. Near the stage sat the new Chevy SSR, VIN#12. An old style/new style car along the lines of the Prowler and PT Cruiser, this beautiful automobile is painted a rich, deep purple called Ultraviolet. The matching Gibson Custom Shop guitar would be unveiled later in the day. As Garry said, Line6 had a setup at the party, showing the POD and the Guitar Port. Erstwhile guitar stars could put on a pair of headphones, pick up a nice classic Gibson, and jam away. And then they could step to the adjacent booth, and get their picture taken and put on the cover of Rolling Stone, holding a Les Paul. My mom will be so proud....
One of the Gibson guitar trailers was on site displaying some current collectibles. There were a number of classic Corvettes scattered around the lot, along with an SSR pickup truck and the Zakk Wylde monster truck.
Inside the building Gibson clears some space through the Custom Shop and puts up display walls, lining them with guitars and photos of guitar making processes all through the shop. These walls work to keep the attendees from wandering into areas where they could hurt themselves or damage any instruments under construction. And there is a display room, housing some of the more unique offerings. There are hundreds of incredible instruments hanging on these walls, cluttered together so close that it is hard to distinguish one from another. I start to look at one cool guitar, only to get distracted by the one beside it ... and the one beside that... it took a couple of trips through the plant just to get enough perspective to actually take in what I was seeing. Fortunately a bar was located in the plant, which gave me an excuse to make many trips.
The highlight of the first part of the party was the presentation of a plaque to Les Paul. Les was joined on stage by Dwayne Edy, and Kenny Olson, at which point they presented the Gibson Custom Shop SSR Guitar, with a serial number to match the VIN of the Chevy SSR Signature Series on display. The guitar and car will travel around the country and gather memorabilia while a photo record of the journey is made, and then car and guitar will be auctioned off as a package. There are 25 of these cars and each one will take a separate and unique journey, making each one special in its own right.
Car Number 1 is a part of the GM Historical Collection. Car Number 2, the Society of Automotive Engineers Foundation SSR, was auctioned off earlier this year for just under $138,000. The Gibson Guitar SSR, Number 12, will hit the auction block on October 18th, in Santa Clara, CA. Number 17, the Chevrolet Rock and Roll Tour SSR, be auctioned off in Dallas on November 22. So ya'll save them pennies, hear?
We had other places to be that night, so we did not stay past the performance of Johnny A. Side note: Gibson just announced the release of a Johnny A. Signature model guitar. Garry was already familiar with Johnny A., and was quite excited to see him. Now, I'm also a fan. What a wonderful guitar player! I might have stayed and watched the other performers, but for my one complaint.
The only thing that I have to complain about is that the sound system on both stages sucked. I don't mean ‘a little off...' or ‘slightly distorted...'. It was just plain bad. Unintelligible when used for speech, and unbalanced in response. I would think that any sound company supplying gear for a show about guitars, being hosted by a guitar manufacturer, would feature the guitars prominently in the mix, rather than the kick drum. The voicing was KICK DRUM, DRUms, BAss, Vocals, guitar. Really sad. I walked all over the place looking for a good sound or a sweet spot, but there just wasn't one.
By contrast, the sound system at "The Hang" was superb. I absolutely hated "The Hang" last year. Almost everything about it was bad, from the sound through the entertainment, and even the "I'm trapped in an dungeon..." feel. This year the audio and the bands rocked, and a good time was had by all. I still feel that the layout ambience could be improved, but the entire event was a massive improvement over last year. We had occasion to attend a couple of events at The Hang, and all were well done.
Garry: Last year's NAMM show had a pre-show party in a converted part of the arena they called the "The Hang", featuring various music industry members in the bands. Bill and I weren't too impressed last year, mostly due to bad sound, so our hopes weren't real high for this year's version. But we went anyway. The sound was better and the bands were better. We hung out for a bit (pun intended) and then headed across the street to Ripey's for a drink and more music.
Bill: We enjoyed Ripeys last year. The food and drinks were good, the wait staff was both pretty and engaging, and Ripeys is located just across the street from the show. We also enjoyed the live music, both in volume level and in the choices of material.
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