September 1, 2014
In the early days of broadcasting (both radio and television) engineers had to understand the art of audio mixing. Maybe from just a single performer to a full orchestra. Over the years the need for this type of knowledge diminished and along with that the art of creating “quality” (not quantity) audio suffered. This is like the commercial with the lady ordering a sandwich and asking “Where’s the Beef?”, now we say “Where’s the Audio”?
Well…as we say in the South…”times are a-changing”. Due to new technology the customers for our product are more aware of what quality audio should sound like. Advancements in audio sound systems… theater surround sound, headphone design, multi-channel auto sound systems, etc. have made consumers aware of what quality audio should sound like.
Our job as broadcast engineers is basically to take the program content created by the programming department and then deliver it (without any degradation) to the consumer. This of course can be a daunting task at the least. A full understanding of what sound is and how the human ear receives and converts it is very important.
Along with that, the art of mixing audio is making a come-back into the broadcast arena. Radio groups like Clear Channel and others are now creating “live studios” for visiting artist and bands. Talk shows and remotes often use multiple microphones, radio and television stations frequently host groups of performers for special events. Broadcast Engineers are often called on to help “mix” audio for live shows and church services.
Mixing audio is more than just plugging in microphones; there is an art to creating a “quality mix” that will please the listening and viewing public. A recent survey indicated that television viewers are more tolerant with poor picture quality than with inferior audio quality.
The ABA Engineering Academy is putting together a special one day seminar “The Art of Mixing Audio” which will cover all aspects of live and recorded audio mixing. Topics will cover microphone selection and placement, operation of a multichannel audio mixer, live sound setup and equipment selection. This will be a hands-on seminar presented by professional mixing and sound engineers with years of experience.
The ABA is offering this seminar at no cost to broadcast engineers, church sound volunteers, and anyone interested in learning more about mixing quality audio. If you are interested in attending click here to fill out a short information sheet.
Please return the information sheet to Larry Wilkins.
Larry Wilkins CPBE®
Alabama Broadcasters Association
334-303-2525
