Ramblings Of Insanity tag:www.msk4.com,2010-02-15:/roi//2 2010-07-27T23:53:46Z An experimental blog about what goes on in my life. Movable Type 4.34-en Well THAT'S Interesting. tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.17 2010-07-27T22:28:39Z 2010-07-27T23:53:46Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com finally shows up. Since the fireworks are over, its now less exciting.
As the fire crew is inspecting the building to say its safe to go back in (since the fire put itself out) I chatted up one of the linemen working on the project.  Apparently, they were replacing the underground feeder lines to the building and Minnesota Power had just installed the (now destroyed) pole a day earlier.  The pole was only temporary, and the feeder apparently wasn't enough to carry the load of the building.  So the copper did what any copper carrying more current than it can handle does; it got really really hot.  Then burned through the rubber sheath and arced across the phases.
Since the power to the building was basically destroyed, I decided to take an early lunch (while everyone else stayed behind to continue singing off system).

]]> UMD VJ - Hide and Seek tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.16 2010-07-26T03:39:08Z 2010-07-26T03:43:48Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com FB video for this song and ran it through some stuff in FL Studio (Maximus, FL Limiter, and an EQ) to try to make it sound better.

]]> VJ China tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.14 2010-07-20T05:31:43Z 2010-07-24T15:30:37Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com Holy Crap.  In two weeks I will be in Beijing China!  Lake Effect has been invited to perform at the International Society for Music Educators conference.  If you're going to be around, we perform on August 4th at 1:30 pm in the Chinese National Convention Centre Auditorium and on August 5th at 1:00 pm in the CNCC Function Hall C.]]>
cncc-auditorium.JPG
It appears that this is the Auditorium.  Looks like a decent vocal performance space, although the PA looks tiny.



cncc-plenaryhallb.JPG
This is "Plenary Hall B" which I remember seeing on some information in Don's office.  Yummy JBL Vertec line arrays and HUUUGGGEE audience space.  If we actually perform here, that would be ah-may-zing!!!


cncc-plenaryhall.JPGAnd just for giggles, a different picture of Plenary Hall.  Horey crap thats nice looking.


Hopefully I'll remember to keep this updated as I visit and whatnot.

PS> We're going to record Hide and Seek on the 30th, and hopefully I'll be able to put something online (for once).
]]> VJ Cabaret 2010: Holy Crap tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.13 2010-04-19T17:37:34Z 2010-07-20T05:53:19Z Let me just say that this is the LAST TIME I run a cabaret show like I did this year.The root of our problems stemmed from the fact that our two (distinct) recording systems were only capable of handling 24... Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com The root of our problems stemmed from the fact that our two (distinct) recording systems were only capable of handling 24 tracks each.  24 tacks - 19 vocals = not enough left over for everything else.  Luckily I found a few different ways to hack things together so I could use both recording systems at once.]]> Tings I'm going to do differently next year:
1) LS9 for the mixer - the analog board I had was not only shitty for everything else it was used for, it was the worst possible choice as FOH/Mon for the cabaret show.
2) Not worry about getting a multitrack recording of the cabaret half of the show.  Lets just say that the only tracks worth keeping were the drums, some bass, some keyboards, and nothing else.
3) As many monitor mixes as I can possibly get my fingers on.  4 is simply not enough granularity I would have liked for the show type and stage I had to work with.

A few other interesting things I learned from looking at the multitrack recording:
- The blue and green wireless mics were distorting *constantly*.  I knew their gain staging was whack from the get-go and even after a 10dB reduction they were still yucky in post (yet sounded mostly fine live).
- The mics we we're using for horns are just pathetic
- The drum setup was rockin
- (open lid) piano mics pick up just as much cymbals as they do piano

tl;dr> Cabaret 2011 is going to be much different if I have any say in the matter.  (Which I probably wont since our budget for rentals will probably be close to $0)
]]> VJ Tour: Recap tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.12 2010-04-19T17:30:06Z 2010-04-19T17:37:04Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com When I walked in to the second show, the house PA was two TINY powered tops and no subs.  I cringed at first thinking they weren't going to be powerful enough to fill the room (and saddened that I wasn't going to get the same bottom end that I had two nights previous) but after running some of my Boston tracks through them, I was convinced they were better than the mains we had brought along.  The setup was relatively straightforward, but in retrospect I should have made 6 monitor mixes on the LS9 rather than 4 - I had amp space for 8 mixes, but only had the mixer setup for 4. :(   A very nice show that night, but the Lake Effect portion didn't get nearly the same reaction from the crowd as the local VJ group had gotten - even though I thoroughly enjoyed LE's set better.  Only in Wisconsin I guess.

tl;dr> LS9 is amazing, I want one for everyday use in VJ.  Don't judge a speaker by it's size (unless it's a sub).  REMEMBER TO GRAB YOUR PHONE BEFORE LEAVING A VENUE!

EDIT: And sadly, I did not manage to get any photos of myself or the setups. :(
]]> VJ Tour: Pre Game tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.11 2010-03-28T04:26:04Z 2010-04-19T17:29:54Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com Now, the interesting bit.  Earlier this week, I had the idea of renting a Yamaha LS9 from Sound Central over in Superior.  I had worked with them earlier this year at the Gym Class Heros show at UMD (I was a volunteer gear lackey, but it was still fun working with them).  I had no idea how much rentals were so I got in contact with them.  Just before the recording session yesterday with Ethan, I finally get a hold of someone (not their fault, once they actually got an email from me (damn spam filters) they were very quick) I find out its actually within my budget.  So I put in the rental for Sunday through Wednesday - I get to pay for the rental out of my pocket, mainly because the group can't really afford to spending money on a rental we honestly don't really need.  I, on the other hand, wanted to use something on the tour that wasn't utter crap (which our regular board is).  So, I have the LS9 a day early - a scheduling godsend let me pick it up a day early.  I've had it in the Viz Lab all afternoon getting set up for the tour.  The interesting bit is, I've never used anything except the old analog board for vocal jazz, and I'll only have about an hour to sound check before the first concert.  I'm quite confident the LS9 will more than fulfill my needs, though.
Moar updates from the road!
]]> Spamhaus tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.7 2010-02-25T18:45:00Z 2010-02-25T18:50:38Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com I instructed Scott on how to fix the firewall rules (don't let the workstations access the internet on port 25) and had him submit a removal request.
Fast forward half an hour and we're off the XBL, CBL, but mail is still being deferred - probably a caching issue with the MTAs in question.  Will dig a little deeper tomorrow if it's still a problem.
]]> WHEEEE! tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.4 2010-02-23T18:50:10Z 2010-02-23T19:35:54Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com Had to cancel recording drums tomorrow, but I managed to get the piano player to get about an hour to record Uninvited.  WHEE!
]]> FUUUU!!!!! tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.3 2010-02-17T00:33:40Z 2010-02-17T00:38:43Z Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com Luckily I had my "backup" or shit would be hitting the fan.  For now I'm just going to keep quiet and make sure I run my recorder at the next concert.
]]> FRIST! tag:www.msk4.com,2010:/roi//2.2 2010-02-16T03:30:15Z 2010-02-16T03:30:43Z Well well... Blogging... hmmz.... Matt Sickler http://www.msk4.com Well well... Blogging... hmmz.