Mixing Consoles Research Articles

Gender Participation in Audio Engineering in Nigeria: A Case Study of Street Recording Studios in Anambra State, Nigeria

In studio recording, sound engineers are, along with producers and musicians, a vital part of the creative process. The sound engineers exercise powers from the control room, where the sound from the studio is recorded and manipulated. They operate either professional audio mixing consoles or computers with specialized software suites to manipulate and voice the sound for analogue or digital. Many women are seen playing instruments and singing, and women have broken into many careers, but audio engineering is a field still very much dominated by men. This paper focuses on gender issues in audio music recording to find reasons behind the rareness of female sound engineers in Nigeria, especially in Anambra State. The study made use of the descriptive survey method to collect data. Articles and books were selected and studied to find a consensus on the existing problems of prejudice and inequities women face in the industry. Information was elicited through oral interviews with some studio engineers from 26 street recording studios in Anambra state. This paper argues that women sound engineers face entry-level and on-the-job gender discrimination- the technological tools in use are seen as being at odds with femininity. The power exercised within music production is not equally accessible to women; this factor, among many, upholds gender inequality in the music industry. Therefore, it recommends combating the prejudices and inequities women face in the industry. There is a need for more women to enroll in formal schooling on how to become a recording engineer and to acquire technical ability, interpersonal skills, and musical understanding and creativity.

Analogisen miksauskonsolin elinkaari kolmen laiteyksilön käyttövaiheiden kautta tarkasteltuna

Mikksauskonsoli (engl. Mixing Console, saks. Mischpult) on nimitys musiikkistudioiden keskeiselle äänityslaitteelle. Laite on keskeinen sananmukaisesti, koska se sijaitsee keskellä studion äänitarkkaamoa, eikä laitetta voi olla kokonsa ja sijaintinsa vuoksi huomaamatta. Miksauskonsolin tärkein tehtävä on miksata eli sekoittaa eri äänilähteiden signaalit summasignaaliksi. Konsoli-termi viittaa kaappimaiseen, usein kaltevaan ulkomuotoon ja fyysiseen kokoon. Muita yleisiä laitetyypin nimityksiä ovat miksauspöytä (Mixing Desk, Mixing Board) viitaten pöytämäiseen ulkomuotoon tai pelkkä mikseri (Mixer) viitaten toiminnallisuuteen. Tämä artikkeli käsittelee analogiaelektroniikkaan perustuvien miksauskonsolien kehitystä kolmen esimerkkilaitteen kautta. Erityisesti tekstissä keskitytään käyttäjien tapoihin soveltaa mikseriteknologiaa sekä siihen, miten käyttötavat ovat yhdessä elektroniikan kehityksen kanssa vaikuttaneet mikseriteknologian kehitykseen.

Development of the MPEG-H TV Audio System for ATSC 3.0

A new TV audio system based on the MPEG-H 3D audio standard has been designed, tested, and implemented for ATSC 3.0 broadcasting. The system offers immersive sound to increase the realism and immersion of programming, and offers audio objects that enable interactivity or personalization by viewers. Immersive sound may be broadcast using loudspeaker channel-based signals or scene-based components in combination with static or dynamic audio objects. Interactivity can be enabled through broadcaster-authored preset mixes or through user control of object gains and positions. Improved loudness and dynamic range control allows tailoring the sound for best reproduction on a variety of consumer devices and listening environments. The system includes features to allow operation in HD-SDI broadcast plants, storage, and editing of complex audio programs on existing video editor software or digital audio workstations, frame-accurate switching of programs, and new technologies to adapt current mixing consoles for live broadcast production of immersive and interactive sound. Field tests at live broadcast events were conducted during system design and a live demonstration test bed was constructed to prove the viability of the system design. The system also includes receiver-side components to enable interactivity, binaural rendering for headphone, or tablet computer listening, a “3D soundbar” for immersive playback without overhead speakers, and transport over HDMI 1.4 connections in consumer equipment. The system has been selected as a proposed standard of ATSC 3.0 and is the sole audio system of the UHD ATSC 3.0 broadcasting service currently being deployed in South Korea.

Applications of telematic mixing consoles in networked audio for musical performance, spatial audio research, and sound installations

In today’s technologically driven world, the ability to connect across great distance via Internet Protocol is more important than ever. As the technology evolves, so does the art and science that relies upon it for collaboration and growth. Developing the state of the art system for flexible and efficient routing of networked audio provides a platform for experimental musicians, researchers, and artists to create freely without the restrictions imposed by traditional telepresence. Building on previous development and testing of a telematic mixing console while addressing critical issues with the current platform and current practice, the console allows for the integration of high-quality networked audio into computer assisted virtual environments (CAVE systems), sound and art installations, and other audio driven research projects. Through user study, beta testing, and integration into virtual audio environments, the console has evolved to meet the demand for power and flexibility critical to multi-site collaboration with high-quality networked audio. Areas of concern addressed in development are computational efficiency, system latency, routing architecture, and results of continued user study.

The effect of a mixing console on the monitoring response in a mixing room

Mixing consoles, which are usually of large dimensions, are essential equipment in a mixing room of a production studio. This large obstacle always has to be placed nearby the listening position in a mixing room. A significant dip at around 100 Hz is often observed on the monitoring response, the transfer function from the loudspeaker to the listening position, in a small/medium sized mixing room. This paper studies the relationship between the dip at around 100 Hz and the effect of the presence of the mixing console. The generating mechanism of the dip is investigated by numerical simulations and experimental measurements. The results show that the reflection sound from the floor and the behavior of the mixing console as a cross over filter are important when considering the dip. Examples of trials for improvement of the dip are also examined.

The evolution of interactive graphical control interfaces for music applications

This article provides an insight into the history of interactive graphical control interfaces for computer-based and computer-assisted music applications and identifies a number of the challenges which currently face contemporary designers of new software and hardware tools in this context. By studying some of the key features of this rich and varied legacy, it is possible to establish some useful criteria to underpin the development of new and improved tools for manipulating visual representations of music data which can be as diverse as common music notation, acoustic spectra, and all manner of simulations modelling the physical control surfaces associated with devices such as commercial synthesizers and audio mixing consoles.

Binaural technology: Fundamentals and applications

Binaural sound systems have been used in science for quite some time, for example, to provide authentic reproduction and simulation of auditory events for sound-quality evaluation. However, it is only recently that an industry started to evolve that successfully applies binaural methods to a variety of practical tasks, and supplies the necessary equipment for doing so: the binaural-technology industry. In this lecture, the fundamentals of binaural technology will be reviewed and a few current applications discussed, such as dummy-head stereophony, binaural mixing consoles, binaural room simulation, binaural noise diagnosis, virtual auditory environment, and telepresence. Special emphasis will be put on the possibilities of incorporating binaural technology into design processes in architectural acoustics.

Hierarchical task analysis for ergonomics research: An application of the method to the design and evaluation of sound mixing consoles

Hierarchical task analysis, the procedure originally devised by Annett and his colleagues for determining training needs, was applied to the task of mixing sound in order to identify the human factors requirements that need to be taken into consideration in the design and evaluation of sound mixing consoles. A number of ergonomics problems were identified and potential solutions tentatively suggested. Following the task analysis a comparative simulation study was devised in order to test the hypothesis that the functional grouping of control knobs, with increased spacing between functional groups relative to the spacing within functional groups, is superior to functional grouping per se. Reaction time data strongly support the hypothesis. This suggests that the present practice in mixing console design of arranging control panels so tnat the components are spaced equidistant or quasi-equidistant, irrespective of their functions, is detrimental to operator performance. The role and importance of task analysis in human factors research is discussed. Hierarchical task analysis is advocated on the grounds that the resulting task description facilitates the systematic identification of ergonomics problems.

Digital audio mixing

A present-day sound mixing desk accepts a number of audio signals from microphones and/or tape machines and can be used to alter the tonal character of the signals, change the sound level, mix signals together and route them to selected outputs. An example of the use of a mixing console is given and this general treatment is then extended to a discussion of the advantages that can be obtained by implementing the mixer functions in digital form. An experimental digital mixer is described and the advances in hardware processing techniques since the inception of the equipment briefly reviewed. Finally, an indication is given of the form of the next generation of digital mixing consoles.

The Aims and Objectives of the Technical and Production Services Branch of the National Film Board of Canada

Since 1955, when the National Film Board first moved from Ottawa to Montreal, more than 50 percent of the original equipment in the Technical Branch is still in operation. From the beginning, it has been the practice to continually modify equipment in an attempt to meet each change in the state of the art of motion picture production. Unfortunately, sufficient capital funds were never available during any one fiscal year to replace expensive items such as processing machines, audio mixing consoles, and animation stands. Now, twenty-five years later, the technical operations of the National Film Board of Canada are being rebuilt with special funds and renewed enthusiasm.