Valérie Leroux @ Toulouse
Sound Designer and Engineer fo Contemporary Installations & Dance
Amoong others with Cie La Zampa
"The sound system must be unobtrusive. The sound itself, the setup and effects are all computer controlled. Thanks to BigVCA, this means that we don’t even need a mixing table."
Working as a sound designer and engineer for Cie La Zampa, I found BigVCA really useful for two projects:
"Bleu" : Touring contemporary dance show using quadriphonic sound (4.1) with a central source and surround sound for the spectators.
One of the show’s key features is that it can be played in a variety of venues not specifically designed for stage performances. The audio gear has to be unobtrusive so it can be set up almost anywhere.
All the sound proper, including adjustments and effects, are computer controlled.
As a result, the setup does not include a mixing table.
Thanks to BigVCA, I can still:
- optimize my soundcard levels
- manage PA protection
- display output levels with it’s PeakMeters
- temporarily disconnect the computer without having to shut down the sound sytem.
"Pixies 9ch" : Autonomous Sound Setup comprising 8 loudspeakers (1 central source + 6.1 hexaphonic sound) + 3 banks of headphones.
This ‘autonomous sound installation’ features computer-controlled sound and lighting.
The installation can be set up at any venue, from a small display area to a full-scale theatre.
For an installation like this, it would not be economical to have a technician at a mixing table.
When designing the setup, we needed an easy way to turn the sound system on and off repeatedly without damaging the loudspeakers.
In addition to allowing us to use auto-run routines, BigVCA offered maximum protection for the loudspeakers while greatly simplifying the tasks to be performed by the untrained operator.
The main benefit of the BigVCA in this context is its user friendliness, particularly the direct access to the overall volume control.
By ensuring that the overall volume is set to - ∞ before shutting the system down – hence also before switching it on for the next session – we protect the loudspeakers (whether Genelec-type amplified units or 12XT L.Acoustic-type units).
https://www.lazampa.net/pixies-9ch