Avid Technology Case Studies Implementing Avid VENUE | S6L-24D in Missy Higgins' Solastalgia Tour: A Case Study

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	Implementing Avid VENUE \| S6L-24D in Missy Higgins' Solastalgia Tour: A Case Study Avid Technology

Implementing Avid VENUE | S6L-24D in Missy Higgins' Solastalgia Tour: A Case Study

Avid Technology

Technology Category	Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing Sensors - Acoustic Sensors
Applicable Functions	Sales & Marketing
Use Cases	Time Sensitive Networking
Services	System Integration
Challenge	The case study revolves around the challenge faced by Brent Gray, the FOH (Front of House) engineer for the Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins. Gray needed a new live system to replace the existing VENUE \| Profile workflows, which he had been using for over a decade. The new system needed to be more compact, yet powerful enough to handle the increasing technical complexity of Higgins' shows. The Solastalgia tour, for instance, had grown to 42 channels, including ambient mics. The inputs included traditional band inputs like drums, bass, acoustic and electric guitar, keys, and vocals, along with a few lines of triggered drums and tracks on the new material. Gray needed a system that could handle this complexity while maintaining the high sound quality he was accustomed to with the Profile systems. Read More
About Customer	Brent Gray is a seasoned FOH engineer who has been mixing for Missy Higgins, a beloved Australian singer-songwriter, since 2004. Gray has tracked Higgins' progression from tour to tour, witnessing the artist's shows grow technically bigger over time. Gray started his career under the stewardship of mixing legend and Oasis FOH Engineer, Bruce Johnston, and later mixed for the band Silverchair. Gray's work with Higgins has seen the artist's shows grow technically bigger over time, with the Solastalgia tour coming in at 42 channels including the ambient mics. Gray has extensive experience with Avid VENUE consoles, having mixed on Profile systems for both Higgins’ 2016 Orchestral Concert Series and Higgins’ support on the recent Ed Sheeran tour. Read More
Solution	Gray chose the Avid VENUE \| S6L-24D as the solution to his challenge. The S6L-24D was chosen for its small footprint, powerful workflows, and seamless support for his existing VENUE show files. The S6L-24D offered increased sound quality and functionality over the Profile systems. Gray was particularly impressed by the clean sound across the spectrum, awesome transients, and a nice round bottom end offered by the S6L. The system also offered intuitive functionality, with the ability to custom design the surface with any combination of inputs, outputs, and VCAs. Gray was able to store a unique layout for each song in the snapshot, as well as more modular layouts for the lines of stage paired with their VCAs, subgroups, and FX returns. The S6L also offered improved Events section, which Gray used to trigger outputs that feed delay FX from the X, Y, and colour switches on the delay return channels. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

Sensors - Acoustic Sensors

Applicable Functions

Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Time Sensitive Networking

Services

System Integration

Challenge

The case study revolves around the challenge faced by Brent Gray, the FOH (Front of House) engineer for the Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins. Gray needed a new live system to replace the existing VENUE | Profile workflows, which he had been using for over a decade. The new system needed to be more compact, yet powerful enough to handle the increasing technical complexity of Higgins' shows. The Solastalgia tour, for instance, had grown to 42 channels, including ambient mics. The inputs included traditional band inputs like drums, bass, acoustic and electric guitar, keys, and vocals, along with a few lines of triggered drums and tracks on the new material. Gray needed a system that could handle this complexity while maintaining the high sound quality he was accustomed to with the Profile systems.

About Customer

Brent Gray is a seasoned FOH engineer who has been mixing for Missy Higgins, a beloved Australian singer-songwriter, since 2004. Gray has tracked Higgins' progression from tour to tour, witnessing the artist's shows grow technically bigger over time. Gray started his career under the stewardship of mixing legend and Oasis FOH Engineer, Bruce Johnston, and later mixed for the band Silverchair. Gray's work with Higgins has seen the artist's shows grow technically bigger over time, with the Solastalgia tour coming in at 42 channels including the ambient mics. Gray has extensive experience with Avid VENUE consoles, having mixed on Profile systems for both Higgins’ 2016 Orchestral Concert Series and Higgins’ support on the recent Ed Sheeran tour.

Solution

Gray chose the Avid VENUE | S6L-24D as the solution to his challenge. The S6L-24D was chosen for its small footprint, powerful workflows, and seamless support for his existing VENUE show files. The S6L-24D offered increased sound quality and functionality over the Profile systems. Gray was particularly impressed by the clean sound across the spectrum, awesome transients, and a nice round bottom end offered by the S6L. The system also offered intuitive functionality, with the ability to custom design the surface with any combination of inputs, outputs, and VCAs. Gray was able to store a unique layout for each song in the snapshot, as well as more modular layouts for the lines of stage paired with their VCAs, subgroups, and FX returns. The S6L also offered improved Events section, which Gray used to trigger outputs that feed delay FX from the X, Y, and colour switches on the delay return channels.

Impact #1	The implementation of the Avid VENUE \| S6L-24D resulted in a number of operational benefits for Gray. The system's small footprint made it easy to transport and set up, which was particularly beneficial given the tour's tight schedule. The S6L's intuitive functionality made it easy for Gray to adapt to the new system, despite his long history with the Profile systems. The ability to custom design the surface with any combination of inputs, outputs, and VCAs, and to store a unique layout for each song in the snapshot, gave Gray unprecedented control over the sound. The improved Events section allowed Gray to trigger outputs that feed delay FX from the X, Y, and colour switches on the delay return channels, adding a new level of creativity to his mixes. The seamless integration with the Waves server allowed Gray to retain his preferred plugins, including his favourite analogue emulations, without any notable failures during the tour.

Impact #1

The implementation of the Avid VENUE | S6L-24D resulted in a number of operational benefits for Gray. The system's small footprint made it easy to transport and set up, which was particularly beneficial given the tour's tight schedule. The S6L's intuitive functionality made it easy for Gray to adapt to the new system, despite his long history with the Profile systems. The ability to custom design the surface with any combination of inputs, outputs, and VCAs, and to store a unique layout for each song in the snapshot, gave Gray unprecedented control over the sound. The improved Events section allowed Gray to trigger outputs that feed delay FX from the X, Y, and colour switches on the delay return channels, adding a new level of creativity to his mixes. The seamless integration with the Waves server allowed Gray to retain his preferred plugins, including his favourite analogue emulations, without any notable failures during the tour.

Benefit #1	Gray was able to sound check the band within 10 minutes of arriving at the venue, despite arriving only 20 minutes before doors due to flight delays.
Benefit #2	The S6L-24D is a two-person lift, with four Ethercon connections, and a USB cable for the touchscreen, making it quick to set up.
Benefit #3	The Waves server integration was seamless, with no notable failures at any point on the tour.

Benefit #1

Gray was able to sound check the band within 10 minutes of arriving at the venue, despite arriving only 20 minutes before doors due to flight delays.

Benefit #2

The S6L-24D is a two-person lift, with four Ethercon connections, and a USB cable for the touchscreen, making it quick to set up.

Benefit #3

The Waves server integration was seamless, with no notable failures at any point on the tour.

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Overview

Implementing Avid VENUE | S6L-24D in Missy Higgins' Solastalgia Tour: A Case Study

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit