Hannah Montana - Mobile Production Pro

SoundcTimes Square Rings in 2008And Maryland Sound International Helps Pull It OffWhen it comes to daunting audio gigs, few can matchthe challenges presented by the annual New Year’sEve Show in New York City’s Times Square. With a liveaudience in the hundreds of thousands and a TV audiencein the tens of millions, this is one of those gigs where thewhole world really is watching. Long-time audio providerMaryland Sound International (MSI) pulls off the seeminglyimpossible every year, but the most recent show wasmade better and easier with the addition of Studer andSoundcraft digital mixing technology.Two performance stages,each with a 96-inputStuder Stagebox, and abroadcast stage with 10inputs were all fed to anoptical splitter, whichfed both a SoundcraftVi6 running monitorsfor each performancestage and a Studer Vista5 SR in the main “mixcontainer.” Accordingto MSI Owner BobGoldstein, “The StuderVista 5 SR is the consolewe have been waiting for. In thesmallest of footprints it provides a‘no limits’ solution to this project.We can bring three stages worthof inputs, truck feeds and playbackinto one console that is easy touse, sounds great and provides allof the outputs required, with totalredundancy. With a ton of Vistaconsoles in the broadcast field andthe extensive abuse we have putthem through we know reliability isa non-issue. That is really importantfor this gig.”>>Among the challenges of the TimesSquare production is the need foreven coverage throughout an areathat runs seven city blocks. “Bothanalog and digital outputs, a totalof 20 matrix output busses weresent via Optocore to an army ofCrown amps which fed JBL VerTecContact MSI:c a l l >> 800.76.SOUNDg o to >> marylandsound.comline arrays installed throughout thesquare from 42nd to 48th streets,”said Shane Morris, principal engineerfor Soundcraft and StuderUSA. “And each of those matrixoutputs had its own EQ and dynamicscontrol.”The system included more than amile of optical cable with more than20 signal “drop” points. Additionaloutputs were supplied for both ananalog broadcast split and Pro Toolsrecording of the entire event.Adding to the obvious technicalchallenges was the fact that thisshow takes place in one of thebusiest commercial corridors in theworld and the powers that be can’texactly shut things down so thesound company can come in andset up.“We have provided sound for someof the most difficult productionsin the world – Pink Floyd on theGrand Canal in Venice and at thePalace in Versailles, Super Bowlhalftime shows, inaugurations andWashington DC Mall events, andlarge-scale sports events, concerttours and festivals – yet these allpale in comparison to Times SquareNew Years Eve,” says Goldstein.“Not only can it be really cold, itis extremely crowded on the streetsand sidewalks except for 2 a.m.until 7a.m. Furthermore, we arenot permitted to make noise at anytime other than show time. In other6 Tour Guide Journal