Chris Madden is one of the UK’s top engineers, being a first-call go-to-guy for the stars, with a genre-transcending resume.  He started his professional life as a studio engineer, but made the transition to live shows through the Waterboys, moving quickly from monitors to FOH.  Since then he has worked with acts as diverse as the Sugababes and Joe Cocker, Charlotte Church and P!nk, James and Sade. He has enjoyed successful stints through arenas, stadia and festivals throughout the world, and is a major proponent of the Avid Venue console, and uses the D-Show (with sidecar on the left) at every opportunity.

Chris will be discussing in depth his multi-continent tour with P!nk, using his Avid Venue show files and video footage of the show.  He has a slightly unconventional use of snapshots, using them as starting points rather than an exact science.  The P!nk show is exceptional, in that she does all her stunts while singing live, no miming at all, and this requires extra technical input from Chris and other members of the team.  In fact, Chris collaborated with Sennheiser to customise a head set mic and single-ear monitoring system that was highly successful when she was swinging from a trapeze out in front of the PA.

In specific, Chris will speak about:

1.       Deciding with the band and backline department the best way to capture the input from stage, which mics/di’s and where they will be placed.

2.       Design of the PA, monitor and FOH systems

3.       Session layout, including input list, desk layout and snapshots.

4.       His mix, looking at individual channels, plug-ins and the management of the whole show

The event will be taking place at alchemea college (11am – 5pm)

Tickets cost £28 and can be bought from the link below…

Event

Chris Madden – 14th March £28.00 GBP

For alternative payment methods contact Peter on 0207 359 3986

Click here to check out the full gallery of event pictures from our Facebook page.

Click here to check out our full range of Pro Tools 10 training courses.

Last Week (31^st Jan 2012) Apple released Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3, a significant update to its revolutionary professional video editing application. The update introduces multi-cam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem. Available as a free update from the Mac App Store, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards.

In the seven months since launch, the third party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded dramatically. XML-compatible software like DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as colour correction and media management. The new’ 7toX’app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry’s largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.

Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows you to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third party PCIe cards.

Apple also released minor updates and bug fixes to their groundbreaking ‘Motion 5’ & ‘Compressor’ applications.

With this latest update the app can now be considered a true ‘broadcast ready’ non linear editor. Apple have definitely come good on their promises they made upon launch of the app and if the initial online reviews are anything to go by the pro sector is now sitting up again.

Final Cut Pro X & Motion 5 training courses in the heart of London

Alchemea currently provide the full range of official certification courses in Final Cut Pro X and Motion 5. All classes take place in our state of the art east wing facility and include lunch from our famous local Italian deli Saponara. An experience not to be missed!

Check out the course options here.

Our exclusive AVID Pro Tools Operator and Expert training room will be getting the latest AVID Pro Tools HDX, HD Omni i/o and HD Native systems in the latest Intel Mac Pros. Our AVID D-Control cinema dubbing theatre will be getting the latest AVID Pro Tools HDX system, a new AVID HD I/O 16×16 and a new Intel Mac Pro. Our SSL 4000G studio will be getting an 8 Core Intel Mac Pro, a HD system and 24 AD/DA’s including AVID HD 16×16 i/o. Our Euphonix Cs3000 studio will be getting an 8 Core Intel Mac Pro, a HD system and 24 AD/DA’s including AVID HD 16×16 i/o and finally our Soundcraft 1624 studio will be getting an AVID Pro Tools HD system and 16 channels of AD/DA.

Alchemea, Europe’s leading Avid Professional Learning Partner has been busy over Christmas.

Our dedicated Pro Tools Operator & Expert training room is being upgraded with a new Pro Tools|HDX and HD Native system to be ready for 2012 with an additional Pro Tools|HDX system being installed in our D-Control Cinema room for Icon training.

Meanwhile our beautiful East Wing Pro Tools training room for User level 101, 110 and 130 classes has already been upgraded to PT10 and has the latest AVID M boxes and all of our AVID certified Instructors have completed their update classes with AVID for the new Pro Tools 10 curriculum back in Nov 2011.

The new Pro Tools 10 classes will start with immediate effect in January!

Nobody does it better, Alchemea leading the way, training Professionals, Lecturers and Students with AVID Pro Tools since 2003.

“Pro Tools 10″ Expo on Friday 27th January.

Event Details

• Avid Pro Tools 10 Training Expo
• Fri 27 January: 10am to 4:30pm @ Alchemea Islington

Attendees will have the opportunity to get their hands on Pro Tools 10 in Alchemea’s state of the art Apple iMac Lab. Alchemea staff as well as Avid’s Tim Mynett will be on hand to discuss Avid’s Pro Tools Training & Education Programme. AVID authorised reseller academiamusic will be available to discuss educational qualification for AVID products and pricing for institutions, academic staff and students.

Throughout the day, AVID’s Simon Sherbourne will also be demonstrating the latest Pro Tools 10 software, HDX hardware, AVID’s stunning new I/O (including the OMNI), alongside the Euphonix Artist Series.

The following partners will also be demonstrating their software and hardware technologies:

• Audient will be demonstrating their revolutionary DLC (Dual Layer Control) module for the ASP8024 console
• KRK studio monitors and subwoofers can be seen and heard
• Lexicon PCM 92 Native Reverb and Effects plug-ins will be installed for review
• Lynx audio interfaces will be available for hands on testing
• Focusrite audio interfaces are now Pro Tools ready and will be at the event
• Novation controllers, with Automap 4 technology, will be on display
• Presonus audio interfaces will be on hand to try and test
• Solid State Logic will have their X-Desk mixer, Nucleus DAW controller, Duende Native plug-ins and X-Rack series on demo
• Universal Audio UAD plug-ins will be demonstrated (PLUS a new product, to be unveiled at NAMM, will have its first UK showing)!

Win prizes worth over £2500!

All attendees on the day will be entered into a prize draw to win the following amazing prizes (with a combined value of over £2500)!

• Academia will be donating a copy of Pro Tools 10 (education edition)
• Alchemea are giving away a 5-day Pro Tools 100 course (101 & 110)
• Audient have confirmed a MiCO Dual Microphone Preamplifier is up for grabs
• Focusrite have donated a VRM Box and their Midnight Suite plug-in bundle
• Presonus have kindly offered an AudioBox 22VSL USB recording system
• Solid State Logic have provided an SSL Duende Native Studio Bundle
• And to top it off, attendees will also receive the latest edition of Sound On Sound.

Space for this event is limited so book soon to avoid disappointment. To reserve your place contact Tony Garston on 020 7359 3986 or email info@alchemea.com

2011 saw the advent of a series of Live Sound Master Classes, which are set to continue into 2012.  Acclaimed live engineers Robb Allan (Robb has mixed many of the world’s household names, including Coldplay, Massive Attack, Manic Street Preachers, Natalie Imbruglia, Richard Ashcroft and Lisa Stansfield), Dave Swallow (API Live Sound Engineer of the Year 2011) and Jon Burton (who mixes the Prodigy, amongst others) all joined Alchemea during the course of 2011, to share their wealth of knowledge and understanding of all things audio.

These classes were a huge success, not only with current students, but also members of the public, ranging from rock & roll engineers, to DJs, to engineers working in churches.  These classes are aimed at anyone interested in improving their knowledge of how live audio works, and are essential for those wishing to pick up hints and tips from the people who are masters in their field.

Village Underground Becomes The Permanent Home for the Live Sound Diploma Course

2011 also saw the cementing of the relationship between Alchemea and the Village Underground, which is now our permanent home for practical activities.  It is also a wonderful source of work experience, with students assisting the engineers 4 or 5 times a week.

Work Experience

Other work experience venues this year included XOYO, 93 Feet East, Queen of Hoxton and Rich Mix in Shoreditch, The Secret Garden pub and Ritzy Cinema in South London, Guanabara in Central London, the Vortex Jazz Club in North London and Bush Hall in West London. We have recently secured the Star of Kings, also in North London, for future work experience.  Students also accompanied lecturers Justin Grealy, Barry Bartlett and Ed Thomas on gigs as diverse as Madness at Reading & Leeds festivals (they even got a berth on the tour bus!), orchestral events at the Roundhouse and indie gigs at Kings College.  Several students also worked on their own, without supervision, as the main engineers for various charity events and a hypnosis show in Wimbledon.

Alchemea continues to send students to assist the Abbey Road Live Here Now project who record gigs live and sell the CDs immediately after the show.  The wealth and diversity of the work experience provided as part of the course is one of the most important aspects of getting students ready for work in the real world.  Our students have a fantastic reputation for working hard, being diligent, punctual and, most of all, helpful.

Live Sound Diploma Field Trips

In the meantime, the Live Sound Diploma continues to provide some wonderful field trips for the full time students.  This year they were taken to the O2 in North Greenwich to watch the Sade show go in.  They spent the whole day there being shown around by Chris Madden, FOH engineer for Sade and P!nk, who will also be presenting a masterclass on Tuesday 31 January  2012. Click here for more information.

In addition, students were taken to see Tori Amos’s monitor set-up by Alchemea lecturer, and long-time engineer for Tori, Marcel van Limbeek.  Due to the long relationship between Marcel and Tori, his set-up is somewhat unconventional, and students had the chance to explore the stage and monitor world in Hammersmith HMV Apollo.

Lecturers Barry Bartlett & Dave Swallow, who were working alongside each other on the recent James tour (Barry on FOH and Dave as Production Manager), also brought LSD students into the Royal Albert Hall to watch their show go in, and be shown around Barry’s FOH set-up, which uses the Avid Venue console, the same desk is taught on the LSD.

Alchemea retains their excellent relationship with PA rental company SSE Audio, and each course is taken to see their warehouse in Redditch, and are shown around the various departments in this very large company, which gives them an idea of the scale of the industry at the top end.  d&b audiotechnik continued, in 2011, to bring their wonderful training day down to our students, where they get to grips with some more acoustics and line array theory.  d&b also delve deeper into the Q-series for students, as this is the system Alchemea have in their training venue, Village Underground.  Console manufacturer Midas also continue to build their relationship with Alchemea, and students are taken to the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire for a day getting to grips with their Pro series of digital desks.  Students also visited Digico and Soundcraft to get an overview of their digital console ranges, while Presonus brought their Studiolive range of desks to the college.

Funktion 1, as always, welcomed students to “The Farm”, where they manufacture their loudspeakers, for a day with Tony Andrews and Jon Newsham.  These informal and totally inspiring days give rise to some very interesting discussions indeed, and students come away with another level of insight into audio, and food for thought.

Band Days

LSD students regularly have “band days” as part of their formal training.  In the last year we’ve had Francesqa, the Ray Edwards Group, The Devices, Gorgeous George, The Brixton 49ers, Ta Mere, Man Flu, Gaoler’s Daughter, Marner Brown and Top Shelf Jazz.  The students have to run these days completely on their own, while lecturers keep in the background.  A “crew boss” is appointed who is responsible for all communications with the band, creating stage plots and channel lists, organising the crew, creating the schedule for the day and ultimately leading the team.  The day runs like a real show day, with the crew prepping the venue followed by a full soundcheck.  After a short break the band then play a set, which is recorded on Protools via the Avid Venue, with students responsible for mixing FOH, monitors and ensuring a high quality recording.

Graduates are out there working!

Following on the success of previous years, even more LSD graduates made their mark on the Pro Audio world in 2011.  Gary Curtis continues to tour almost without break with Futures, Francesqa and occasional shows with Big Deal.  Tshari King, Felix Ireton and Luca Romani have worked themselves into very strong positions within the Village Underground, with several other graduates picking up shifts there too. George Kendall-Bush found himself a home with Plus Four Audio, Pritpal Bhamra is working for famous PA company Brit Row and  Russell Nie has spent some time working with SSE. Three LSD grads spent the summer working in resorts all round the Med and Adam Brody walked out of the course and into a job on the Costa del Sol.  Two cruise ships have also been lucky enough to employ a couple of our ex students, whilst Roberto Pellegrino has a full time job as AV technician at the St Paul Hotel.  Simon Hussey continues to work on various musicals including Wicked and Jersey Boys, and Rodrigo Hidalgo, freshly back from an island somewhere, is busy on a Panto season.

Space is strictly limited so buy your ticket now to avoid disappointment.

The 2011 event was a great success with top music talent in attendance including Chris Martin, James Dean Bradfield, Gary Numan, Plan B, Union Sound Set, Andy Burrows and composer David Arnold.

The February 2012 event will take place again at London’s Café de Paris and see two new categories being awarded opening up the MPG’s international remit. Nominations are now open and tickets will go on sale for this highly-sought after event in November 2011.

www.mpgawards.co.uk

The Mucky Pup
39 Queen’s Head Street, Islington, London, N1 8NQ

Calling all Alchemea students, freinds and alumni. It’s that time again folks and we would be delighted if could join us to help celebrate all things festive over a few cheeky bevearges. Arrive in good time to experience our magic bar! Hope to see you there