In the world of audio, the spectrum of opportunities is broad. From the blue chip large sound reinforcement companies to houses of worship. From small clubs, the cruise ship entertainment groups and weekend festival companies to recording studios. Audio comes in all shapes, forms and conï¬gurations.
There’s one group or “breed” that easily gets overlooked or stereotyped into an almost second-rate group of audio specialists — corporate audio. When you think of corporate audio, what usually comes to mind is small group meetings, PowerPoint presentations, flimsy projection screens, ill-focused projectors and the fashionable “speakers on a stick.” Not to mention lackluster presentations given by less-than-experienced speakers. We’ve all seen them, many of us have endured the hours of boredom and the ridiculous requests and expectations from clients who expect their event to go off like the Grammys, only for it to turn out to be a snooze-fest.
On a more positive note, many a sound company has found that corporate audio can make for great ï¬ll-in gigs and be a prospective gold mine to your bottom line. Companies like ATK, Clearwing and PRG are just a few giants in the corporate audio industry.
Versatility in Motion
As part of a Road Test feature in the Oct. 2009 issue of FOH, I met with Tim McGugin, FOH engineer for rock band Saliva. Tim had one of the ï¬rst Avid VENUE SC48s out there, and it was not out for a walk in the park. It was given a maiden shakedown run that would make crash test dummies tremble.
Fast forward to 2010. Tim rolled into Minneapolis representing MP Productions of Little Rock, Ark. to put on one the biggest motivational shows crisscrossing the U.S.
The MP “corporate mercenaries” rolled into the Target Center and literally transformed the famed basketball arena into a nationally-televised broadcast event. Keynote speakers in attendance included Zig Ziglar, Colin Powell, Steve Forbes, Rudy Giuliani and Rick Belluzzo, the former president and COO for Microsoft. Other guest speakers, including Sarah Palin and Brett Favre, were seen via satellite.
Although the keynote speakers were advertised as the main attraction, the real stars were the four-man audio crew from MP Productions who are all qualiï¬ed FOH engineers. The event was kept simple and straightforward. Set “in the round,” it featured a clean yet well-integrated design with numerous video screens and those “pesky lights” as described by one of the MP crewmembers.
Armed with 64 EAW KF850s, 12 SB1000s, Alpha front ï¬ll, JBL VRX932, a Yamaha M7CL-32, BSS (drive), Crown MA-2400, MA-3600 and MA-5000 amps, Shure UHF wireless and Countryman E6 headsets. “It was simplicity at its ï¬nest.”
As many of you know, even with the best of preparations, an event like this can go “south” in a heartbeat, especially with multiple keynote speakers, but the MP crew had total control. After a simple sound check and a “once through,” the event was on cruise control.
Planning, preparation, and execution are the key to a successful corporate event, keeping it from turning into a “corporate rodeo.” My hat’s off to the crew of MP Productions for making it look easy.
