Digital Bigger than Analogue?

After being harangued about how much space my analogue set up occupies at FOH at the various festivals this year, I was relieved, for once, to find one larger. I was pipped to the post on the last date of the summer by Portishead with their vintage digital set up!
It was with much amusement that I watched their engineer Rick and his accomplice Mr Brooks load in an endless selection of flight-cases, more than double the number of mine! What was the story?
I enquired. Rick patiently explained the history that had to led to this current set up. Portishead main man, Geoff Barrow had, I believe, always recorded the drums through Yamaha DMP7 digital mixers which gave the records that almost lo-fi brittle edge from the now considered low-quality 16 bit converters, but which, when new, were cutting edge! These they still use live, with several spares, and all are fed into what is now a reasonably old fashioned Yamaha PM5D mixer. Along with this were various racks of outboard compressors, pre-amps and effects. A lot of the outboard is used to coax as much level as possible out of Beth Gibbons lovely, but quiet, voice. Having mixed Beth’s solo tour, I sympathised and was interested to see what he was using.
The effects also came with spares as Rick was using a Roland Space Echo on the vocal – always wise to have a back up with tape! It was great to see this well-considered selection of gear, digital and yet retro!
And it took up more space than my meagre analog set up.

Getting a Foot in the Door

Getting a Foot in the Door

How to Make Your Way in the Live Sound Industry
eBook by Darryn de la Soul


Download eBook

Testimonials

Dr. Peter Lennox, University of Derby
“Excellent, down-to-earth, practical advice pitched bang on the target audience.”

Leah Brooker, Sound Engineer
“It really was a lightbulb moment and reading your story gave me the feeling of yes, I can and a much needed kick up the backside. You really are one inspirational lady!”

Breixo Giraldo
“It is undoubtedly the most useful user manual I’ve read in a long time”