What's on your digital camera?

[Remoteness]

More times than not I bring along my Canon Power Shot S80 digital camera to take pictures of the various production ventures we are involved in. At times I have plenty of time to take all sorts of detailed pictures and sometimes I don’t, but in any event since there is plenty of space on the SD media I keep my favorite shots available to see whenever I want.

I figured I’d start a new thread showing off all the photos I stored on my camera’s SD card.
I trust others will follow suit and show off their digital camera shots.

So, I’m going to start off with a gig we did back in 2006 for CBS Sports.
These photos are from the 88th PGA tournament at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois.

The Bread Mobile was there to handle the sound FX capture for the back nine holes.
TBM had anywhere from six to nine mics per hole and that didn't include any talking head mics or playback.

We were one of five audio CRMs that handled this event.
One handled the front nine FX; we handled the back nine FX.
There was a CRM for the front nine commentator mix and one for the back nine.
The HD truck's audio CRM received every one's mixed feeds and handled the 5.1 and 2.0 mixes.


If you have any questions or thoughts just let thyem rip!

[Larry Elliott]

Steve

Please explain CRM and TBM.

Thanks
Larry

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by Larry Elliott

Steve

Please explain CRM and TBM.

Thanks
Larry

I'm sorry Larry, I assumed "everyone" knew my acronyms since I use them so much.

CRM = control room

TBM = The Bread Mobile (the nick name we gave our white Grumman Kurbmaster Stepvan a while back)

[NorseHorse]

tutt

You should hire a real professional photographer to take your photos. Especially since you are sharing them on the Internet. Remember, the quality of your pictures reflects your performance and professionalism.

*ahem*ahem*

What was your back-up camera?

[mrsteaks]

Originally Posted by NorseHorse

tutt

You should hire a real professional photographer to take your photos. Especially since you are sharing them on the Internet. Remember, the quality of your pictures reflects your performance and professionalism.

*ahem*ahem*

What was your back-up camera?

Picky, picky!! Now, you know I'm kidding!!!

Pretty great shots! I didn't see that much cable when I toured the "Mae West" internet hub in San Jose a few years ago. Yikes!!!

[talbe1019]

Steve...I am curious how you would mic a hole? What types of mics were used and how did you get the feed from all the holes to TBM?

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by NorseHorse

tutt

You should hire a real professional photographer to take your photos. Especially since you are sharing them on the Internet. Remember, the quality of your pictures reflects your performance and professionalism.

*ahem*ahem*

What was your back-up camera?

Ah yes, NorseHorse of course -- the Remote Possibilities Policeman has arrived to save the day with a little jab from his baton.

Engineer Christian Amonson, at this time I don't upload high quality JPGs; I reduce the size and quality when I'm showing them off online in boards like this.

I get hired for the quality of the work I do and not from how my show and tell photos look to you.
I'm trying to understand what the quality of my impromptu photos have to do with the performance and professionalism of my craft?

If you knew me better you would know that I'm mister backup...

I get the feeling you would rather get some humble pie comment, but my backup camera is a second Canon S80.
I also have extra batteries and two chargers that I bring with me everywhere I go.

If these photos were mission critical I would be adding all sorts of stuff to that backup list just like everything else I do.

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by talbe1019

Steve...I am curious how you would mic a hole? What types of mics were used and how did you get the feed from all the holes to TBM?

Very good questions...

I can give you the short answers or I can look up my "Location File" notes and respond more accurately.

I will try to respond as soon as I can.

[bcgood]

Nice photos Steve. I'm not sure what Norsey's problem is. I think someone is feeling a little jealous perhaps?

I just got through doing live sound today. I had to deal with probably 40 connections maybe a little more but nothing like what it looks like you deal with. I imagine organization and back up are key 4 U.

Great stuff, fun to see a glimpse of your world. Thanks for sharing!

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by bcgood

Nice photos Steve. I'm not sure what Norsey's problem is. I think someone is feeling a little jealous perhaps?

I understood it that he was just making a joke - Steve always goes on about the importance of back-ups and I took the remark as a wonderful tongue-in-cheek remark as humour.

Thants for the photos, Steve.

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by talbe1019

Steve...I am curious how you would mic a hole? What types of mics were used and how did you get the feed from all the holes to TBM?

I just took some photos of our input/output sheets for your review.
These sheets say a lot if you know how to read them.

Danny Littwin was the audio engineer in TBM for this event.
He designed and built TBM and its gear to his layout spec.

I'm going to contact him to see if he's interested in sharing his knowledge of this technically massive production venture.

For the most part we had parabolic and shotgun mics along with others that I'm sure Danny can elaborate for us.

Small mic pre/mixers converted the mics to line level.
Miles copper and fiber were run everywhere to/from the golf course and mobile units.
Analog and digital AES was our way to interface in between the mobile units.

[talbe1019]

Wow...that is an extremely involved production...

Originally Posted by Remoteness

I just took some photos of our input/output sheets for your review.
These sheets say a lot if you know how to read them.

Danny Littwin was the audio engineer in TBM for this event.
He designed and built TBM and its gear to his layout spec.

I'm going to contact him to see if he's interested in sharing his knowledge of this technically massive production venture.

For the most part we had parabolic and shotgun mics along with others that I'm sure Danny can elaborate for us.

Small mic pre/mixers converted the mics to line level.
Miles copper and fiber were run everywhere to/from the golf course and mobile units.
Analog and digital AES was our way to interface in between the mobile units.

[NorseHorse]

Originally Posted by John Willett

I understood it that he was just making a joke...

Just imagining the world of PhotoSlutz who are conversing about the downfall of photography because "normal / unappreciative" people like us settle for less-than-professional cameras and composition. Reminds me of a certain other community I know...

Related thread: Recording = photography?!?!

Related post #2: Portable Location Recording Rates?

PS. How do you keep track of all those channels!!!

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by talbe1019

Wow...that is an extremely involved production...

And, that just some of the I/O sheets...

Plus, we were working in the CBS compound; there were 130 or so countries involved in the own production and getting multiple feeds from the CBS production effort.

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by NorseHorse

Just imagining the world of PhotoSlutz who are conversing about the downfall of photography because "normal / unappreciative" people like us settle for less-than-professional cameras and composition. Reminds me of a certain other community I know...

Related thread: Recording = photography?!?!

PS. How do you keep track of all those channels!!!

Listen NorseHorse (of course) this is not PhotoSlutz!
I'm not selling my photography skills just my audio skills.
I wanted to share a little bit of what I do and how I do it.

I started this thread to talk about the photos I (we) have in my (our) camera(s) that relate to audio recordings, broadcasts and such that we are involved in.

There were hundreds of millions of dollars worth of mobile units and gear, hundreds of I/Os, miles of copper and fiber runs and all sorts of logistics to talk about, but you have to turn it into a discussion about how I need a professional photographer because the quality of these pictures reflects my performance and professionalism.

I don't appreciate disruptions.
If you cannot add to this discussion you are not welcomed here.
If the people at large enjoy this kind of bullshit please let us all know so, I can leave and let you folks do what you need to do to this thread.

And, while we are at it why don't we turn this informative and productive forum into what every other forum is all about these days?

[David Rick]

Interesting stuff, Steve. Can you explain the abbreviations in the input list headers? I'm drawing a blank on nearly all of them.

I guess it's a measure of how complex the job was that so much was actually typed. I have a number of standard forms, but I usually end up filling them out by hand. If the forms don't fit the gig, I might do something in Excel. But I actually prefer to do my on-site documentation by hand because it saves opening another application on a computer that's otherwise dedicated to audio.

All of my job-specific cabling diagrams are still drawn by hand on graph paper. Folks with multi-pin disconnects between standard racks probably don't have to document this way, but I do. Maybe I should scan a couple of them and post.

David L. Rick
Seventh String Recording

P.S. -- Please just ignore NorseHorse. I understood his post to be a joke, and was actually amused by it, but I don't think it's worth spending any more time on.

[mixedupsteve]

Steve, Did you supply the mics? I'd like to see what was used.

I hope other people post some pics ( with info)too!

[Corran]

I guess I'll be the first to add pictures after Steve...

Nothing so complex, just a stereo pair in an amazing church. It's nice to record in a place that you can't possibly get a "dead" sound!

This was a recording of Honegger's "Le Roi David."

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by David Rick

Interesting stuff, Steve. Can you explain the abbreviations in the input list headers? I'm drawing a blank on nearly all of them.

I guess it's a measure of how complex the job was that so much was actually typed. I have a number of standard forms, but I usually end up filling them out by hand. If the forms don't fit the gig, I might do something in Excel. But I actually prefer to do my on-site documentation by hand because it saves opening another application on a computer that's otherwise dedicated to audio.

All of my job-specific cabling diagrams are still drawn by hand on graph paper. Folks with multi-pin disconnects between standard racks probably don't have to document this way, but I do. Maybe I should scan a couple of them and post.

David L. Rick
Seventh String Recording

P.S. -- Please just ignore NorseHorse. I understood his post to be a joke, and was actually amused by it, but I don't think it's worth spending any more time on.

For the most part the headers show mobile unit and multi-pair snake abbreviations.
ASL = Aura-Sonic Ltd
CrPlx = Corplex
CP = I forget this one.
ESU = All inputs and output ran through the mobile unit which essentially was a huge router / patch bay truck.

FK = DT12 multi-pin

I think I got them all. Right?

These lists had to be typed out because they were distributed to so many people.
I guess they could have handwritten them and photocopied them , but perfect penmanship would have had to be paramount.

For my music productions I usually figure out the I/O lists ahead of time and make changes on location when necessary.
We still carry standard forms for last minute handwritten situations.

I love when Kaz Noda is on the gig because I prefer his handwriting over typed words any day of the week.

My "Location File" system is a Word document, but I also have a serious Excel version that I use on big dates I produce.
It's a pretty awesome file document if I do say so myself.

I can appreciate not opening another application on a computer and that is why we dedicate a computer for this task or just bring copies of the file I prepared ahead of time.

Yes, consider scanning a couple of your sheet for our review.
I love checking other folks work and method to the madness.

Originally Posted by mixedupsteve

Steve, Did you supply the mics? I'd like to see what was used.

I hope other people post some pics ( with info)too!

From what I recall CBS, NMT and NEP pretty much handled the mics, cameras and other location devices.

For the most part shotgun and parabolic mics were used for this event.

I'm sure Danny Littwin will be able to be more specific (if and) when he chimes in.

[Sean TM]

Originally Posted by Corran

I guess I'll be the first to add pictures after Steve...

Nothing so complex, just a stereo pair in an amazing church. It's nice to record in a place that you can't possibly get a "dead" sound!

This was a recording of Honegger's "Le Roi David."

i was wondering why those mics look like their at about a 30 degree angle..wondering why you wouldnt do a 90 on both...just curious though..

[Doc Mixwell]

Originally Posted by NorseHorse

tutt

You should hire a real professional photographer to take your photos. Especially since you are sharing them on the Internet. Remember, the quality of your pictures reflects your performance and professionalism.

*ahem*ahem*

What was your back-up camera?

Yea....OK. Hire Steve for the 96 input show you're doing, and then maybe you can expect a glossy 8X10 of the wires hanging out the back of his awesome mobile trucks of audio doom.

[Corran]

Originally Posted by Sean TM

i was wondering why those mics look like their at about a 30 degree angle..wondering why you wouldnt do a 90 on both...just curious though..

I think the picture is a little deceptive. The mics were about 90 degrees apart. They were omnis anyway, with especially even pickup at all frequencies/angles, so I was trying to open up the stereo image due to this huge church's acoustics (no one told me we were recording in a huge gothic cathedral - we just showed up and I was pleasantly surprised!).

[NorseHorse]

Pictures of broken equipment to send to the manufacturer.

I had speaker cabinets shipped to me quite a while ago. The magnet detached from the woofer during shipping, hitting a capacitor, denting the voice coil, and severing some wires.

+1 to http://www.isptechnologies.com/ for helping me get back up and running.

[John Willett]

Photos of my new flight case for my Nagra VI which I collected from the case company today:_

1) Case showing Nagra VI with battery attached:-

2) By moving the wooden bar with foam I can store it with the battery in a separate compartment:-

3) underneath the recorder are slots for the removable feet - there is also a cable compartment:-

The case was made for me by Case Design in the UK.

Done this way as you lose clock time if the battery is disconnected for a period - so if I'm using it a lot the battery will stay connected - if I put it away for a few weeks the battery will be stored seperately. The perfect solution.

It's very well made and I'm very happy.

[Remoteness]

Here's a few pictures from the 2007 J&R Music Festival.
WBGO Jazz88 did a live broadcast from the festival on that Saturday Afternoon.

There's a thread about it, but since these pictures are still on my camera I figured I show them to you folks again.

In the pictures below you will find Bruce Hornsby with Jack DeJohnette and Christian McBride.

I will upload the pictures from the 2008 J&R Music Fest, but I believe I will start a belated separate thread.
Stay tuned if you're interested.

[talbe1019]

Weren't these pics from the "spot The Breadmobile" contest for a shirt?

Originally Posted by Remoteness

Here's a few pictures from the 2007 J&R Music Festival.
WBGO Jazz88 did a live broadcast from the festival on that Saturday Afternoon.

There's a thread about it, but since these pictures are still on my camera I figured I show them to you folks again.

In the pictures below you will find Bruce Hornsby with Jack DeJohnette and Christian McBride.

I will upload the pictures from the 2008 J&R Music Fest, but I believe I will start a belated separate thread.
Stay tuned if you're interested.

[Remoteness]

Ah yes -- indeed it is!

I must revisit the various PMs I received and announce the winners.

I'm so sorry that I dropped the ball on this.

[NorseHorse]

Just in case you weren't sure how cool we were in VA...

Bruce Hornsby is from Williamsburg.

Booya.

[Remoteness]

Very cool -- Bruce was as charming as he is talented.

Also that year (2007) I recorded and mixed him during a live Ricky Skaggs / Bruce Hornsby TV broadcast we did on the street from Raleigh.

I had a double dose of Hornsby in 2007 and it felt good!

[Remoteness]

We had the pleasure to record Omar Sosa's new CD entitled “Across The Divide”

It was released on March 24, 2009 on Half Note Records.

This was originally recorded live from the Blue Note in NYC, but took a different direction as the project developed in post. We overdubbed all sorts of percussion, additional vocals and effects. The live audience mics were not used for this mix.

This recording featured:

Omar Sosa: piano, fender rhodes, electronics, samplers, vocals
Tim Eriksen: vocals, banjo, violin
Childo Tomas: electric and electro-acoustic bass guitars, kalimba, chigovia, vocals
Marque Gilmore: acousti-lectric drumz, vocals
Leandro Saint-Hill: soprano, alto & tenor saxophones, clarinet, flutes, caxixis
David Gilmore: acoustic & electric guitars
Ramon Diaz: bat drums, congas, cajn, vocals

I had an opportunity to take a few pictures of the percussion overdub session which was captured in ELROY.