Timbaland chooses Matrix as centrepiece for major new Tour Bus project

Ground breaking hiphop production legendTimbaland hasembarked on a majorproject to build theworld’s finest mobileproduction studio in histour bus. Constructionis underway withcompletion due autumn09 but one of the very

first equipment choices was Matrix. In his own words;“The reason I made the choice to get the matrix is because itis a small console and because I got a Studio Bus and it fitsperfect, it sounds perfect and I am trying to create somethingdifferent and I think it has what I need.”

You can view a video interview with Timbaland about Matrix andhis Bus online at the SSL web site.Link;http://www.solidstatelogic.com/music/matrix/video.asp

When Kevin Shirley, a.k.a. ‘The Caveman’ and head of CavemanProductions, went looking for a console to drive the surroundsound future for his hard rock projects, he selected a 48-channelSolid State Logic Duality. Shirley is a world renowned producerand recording/mix engineer for some of the defining names inAmerican and International rock including; Aerosmith, Journey,Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, Silverchair and the hugelysuccessful Led Zeppelin retrospective DVD. Duality deliversthe unique capability of Variable Harmonic Drive (VHD) circuitryon every channel, offering the edgy tonality Shirley needs, alongwith the ultra-clean, signature SSL sound, making Duality thebest of all worlds for creative recording and mixing instereo or surround.Because Shirley is such a big fan of analogue consolesand classic analogue outboard gear, Duality’s VHD circuitsoffer the right kind of warmth and character to capture theright attitude for hard rock recording. He recently started asession with VHD enabled on all channels, showing Duality’sother sonic face, and then blending clean and dirty from there.“I was a little apprehensive about the console at firstbecause SSL consoles have the tendency to be reallyclean and I generally like to get a little grit in the mix,”Shirley explains. “But sometimes that grit can be a bit

too much, especially full time. So, it was very encouraging once Isaw what Duality could do. It’s actually the best of both worlds ––you can drive the console really hard and get a nice warm fuzzysound out of it, or you can get super clean audio as well. I’ve gotto say it’s the best console I’ve ever used.”

Another contributing factor in Kevins choice of Duality was anincreasing demand for surround production; “I had been mixing

in surround for several projects with LedZeppelin, Metallica and Iron Maiden

and I wanted my studio to have thiscapability,” says Shirley. “The firstsurround projects we ran through

Duality are the forthcoming JourneyLive In The Philippines concert, and Joe

Bonamassa at the Royal Albert Hall in London.Duality is the first new generation console wherethe applications are only limited by yourimagination with so many ways you canprogram it and so many ways you can change

the way you mix. I just think Duality is anabsolutely stunning console –– it’s super.”

Other projects already completed using Duality include;Iron Maiden - Original tracks for Guitar Hero, Iron Maiden -Original and Live tracks for Rockband - Flight 666 SpecialEdition, Joe Bonamassa - overdub and mix tracks for new albumBlack Rock due April 2010, Lauren Harris - overdub and mixtracks for new album.

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NNeewwssLLeetttteerrIssue Two

Eleventhconsole nowinstalled forABCAustraliaThe latest installationin the ongoing projectto re-fit ABCAustralia’s audioproduction facilities isnow operational.

A C100 HD-S digitalconsole at the ABC’sfacility located withinthe Sydney Opera House precinct, which is used for live to airbroadcast and recording from both the Concert Hall and theOpera Theatre is now up and running. It joins seven otherC100 HD consoles, two C200 HD systems and one Dualitysystem for Triple J at the ABC installed since 2007.

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DUALITY DOES DOUBLE DUTY AT CAVEMAN PRODUCTIONS

CBC/RADIO-CANADA UPGRADESMONTREAL STUDIO WITH C200 HDDIGITAL CONSOLEWhen planning the upgrade from analogue to digital for itsStudio 12 in Montreal, CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s nationalpublic broadcasters, found that a 48-channel C200 HD digitalconsole with two SSL MORSE Stage Boxes was just what theyneeded for the new all-digital mission of the network. The C200 HD will be used for live to Pro Tools® production andpost production for radio and television presentations of musicperformances. “We needed to replace our old analogueconsole, so we put out an industry tender for a digital consolethat would meet our production mission,” says Michel Leduc,manager of broadcast engineering for CBC/Radio-CanadaFrench Radio and TV projects. “While we looked at theofferings from several companies, in the final analysis, thefunctionality, sound quality and price led us to choose the SSLC200 HD as the best console for this job.”

Jean-Marc Gellatly, director of French Radio Operations, adds:"Choosing the right console for our ’flagship’ studio wasmission critical insofar as this is the studio where our ‘high-profile’ productions take place. We also considered the factthat our most experienced personnel will be operating theconsole and this is why it was important to find the rightbalance between state of the art digital technology and thefamiliarity of a more traditional control surface."CBC/Radio-Canada’s Studio 12 was originally conceived as alarge studio room with variable acoustics where everythingfrom a small orchestra or big jazz band to a rock group couldcomfortably perform for either radio or television production.Audio capture is to a Pro Tools HD® system. The two MORSEStage Boxes yield a total of 64 mic pres and provideconsolidated direct access to the C200 to service the larger,microphone intense sessions. As this is the facility’s largestrecording studio for radio, the choice of console was an

Larrabee Studios has defined the high-end commercial recordingstudio for decades working with everyone from Fleetwood Macand Prince to Dr. Dre and Sheryl Crow and is an enduringwitness to the fact that the professional recording environment isalive and well and, indeed, sought out by the top talent in themusic industry. Responding to client interest, the facility is addinga new production room that allows artists and producers to havea smaller room available for composing, working on a part orexperimenting with a sound, thereby alleviating time pressure onLarrabee’s three very busy SSL XL 9000 K series rooms. Theteam at Larabee have chosen an SSL Matrix to be the heart ofthis new intimate space.

“We are a commercial studio of the highest order servicingclients who want to work in a professional environment,” statesKevin Mills, the owner of Larrabee Studios. “The home or projectstudio working model is very popular across all levels of theindustry offering artists the opportunity to work in an intimateenvironment for their creative flow. We wanted to provide a roomthat addresses this way of working within a commercial studioand Matrix was the console of choice for the project.”Matrix provides the interface between a Pro Tools® system anda large selection of classic and contemporary outboard gearavailable through Gearworks Pro Audio Services, a companyassociated with Larrabee. The availability of such a wide rangeof equipment allows the artist and producer to explore sonic

possibilities, with Matrix maintaining uniform quality with the restof the facility.

“We are using Matrix with Pro Tools, so that all work done in theproduction room can immediately be made available to one ofthe larger rooms,” Mills explains. “The Matrix room is also greatfor the producer who may have one project in the productionroom in the development stage and another down the hall in oneof the large studios. This concept allows for better and moreproductive creative flow.”

Mills believes that there is a synergy that occurs between theproducers and artists, and the engineers, studio managementand the physical studio itself that keeps the big acts comingback. The commercial studio, therefore, offers a level of qualityand service simply not found in a private environment.“Anyone can build something small in their bedroom or garage,but there is no substitute for controlled acoustic environmentsand high level microphones and electronics,” says Mills. “Wehave always been able to offer clients the amenities of acommercial studio, and now, with Matrix, we can offer themeasurable quality of our large studios in an intimateenvironment.”

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LDS Motion Picture Studio installstwo C300 HD consoles in upgradedscoring stage and mix room.LDS Motion Picture Studio, a division of The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), recently upgradedits two audio control rooms, with C300 HD consoles, DeltaLink MADI HD units and a shared 24-input C-SB Stagebox.“We were looking for a console that was very flexiblebecause we do so many different types of productions thatinvolve different audio applications,” says Bo Bahoravitch,equipment manager. “For example, Studio A is essentiallyour scoring stage where we can record a full orchestra orany type of music. The room also has our Foley pits and wedo ADR work in there as well. This divergence of usenecessitated a console that could readily reconfigure itselfand the C300 was perfect for the job.”

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MATRIX BRINGS PROJECT STUDIO INTIMACY TO THEPROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN NEW LARRABEESTUDIOS PRODUCTION ROOM

imperative.“In terms of operation, we will use the C200 HD ona daily basis to record bands and interviews,” explains Leduc.“When we are not recording, we will use the C200 in postproduction for the radio programs and, when we move all thecamera gear and lights into the space for the occasionaltelevision production, we will capture and post with the C200as well. We really like the console ergonomics as manyengineers are familiar with an analogue control surface andfind that the paging functions on many digital consoles iscumbersome. The C200 HD gives us the best of both worldswith an analogue-type control surface, while providing digitalaccuracy and repeatability. Additionally, the console also allowsus to seamlessly patch in our collection of analogue outboardgear. This mix of qualities led us to choose the C200 HD.”

Other SSL installations with CBC/Radio-Canada include; two C100 HD consoles for Mobile (Premier) and Mobile(Encore), two C200 HD consoles in Studio 40 and Studio 42,two C100 HD consoles in Studio 51 and Studio 52 all inToronto and a C200 HD for the HD Mobile truck in Halifax.

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All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Solid State Logic and SSL are trademarks of Solid State Logic. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, whether mechanical or electronic, without the written permission of Solid State Logic, Oxford, England. Solid State Logic has a policy of continual product enhancement and reserves the right to alter specifications without notice. E&OE. 01.01.09.

Product News

Who is working with SSL?Germano Studios, New YorkDuality equipped Studios 1 & 2 have remained extremely busy with animpressive lineup recording and/or mixing; Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige,Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, CarriUnderwood, Leona Lewis, 50 Cent, Rod Stewart and more...

Modern World Studios, UKUp and coming UK based producer Dan Austin followed up his successwith the critically acclaimed debut LP from ‘Cherry Ghost, ‘Thirst ForRomance’ by taking ‘Doves’ to the Modern Duality room to record finaloverdubs and mix their recent hit LP ‘Kingdom Of Rust’.

Patchwerk Studios, AtlantaProduction legend Teddy Riley has been in in the Patchwerk Dualityroom with Krave working on new material. Mario Winans has been inworking on his 3rd studio album, "Love's Highway". The follow up toplatinum LP ‘Hurt No More’ includes guests 'The Game' and 'Diddy'.Neyo’s new group FDM (Formally Fun*dmental), have also been in thestudio with Winans.

The Oven, Private FacilityAlicia Keys is set to release her fourth studio album ‘The Element OfFreedom’, and has recently released the first single taken from it;‘Doesn’t Mean Anything’. Alicia’s private facility ‘The Oven’ is home totwo Duality’s.

Duality SE delivers new feature set…

We are proud to announce a major upgrade to ourmarket leading Duality console. Duality SE DAW controlcapability is improved with Ethernet connectivitybetween the console and DAW, animproved Logictivity™Browser interface andcontrol of two DAWssimultaneously.The primaryphysical changecomes withreplacement of theSolo/Cut tiles across theconsoles channel strips with newLCD screens, providing more spacefor a greater level of information and improved viewing angles.The analogue side of Duality receives 25 individual featureadditions, with a few key areas of focus; the Talkback system hasbeen enhanced with new switch modes, the Automation systemhas been upgraded to included Switch Automation and OfflineTrim and the Monitor Level control system has enhancedcontrollability. Duality SE is available now. Duality SE (software) isavailable as an upgrade option to existing Duality customers.

Turn your outboard into plug-ins with new X-Patch …

X-Patch delivers the flexibility of plug-ins to boutiqueanalogue processing. X-Patch is a hardware unit that connectsto a host computer via Ethernet. It provides a 16x16SuperAnalogue™ routing matrix that is controlled remotely bySSL’s Logictivity™ Studio Browser application; providing Set-up,Configuration and Preset Storage. X-Patch incorporates hardwareprocessing into the modern studio environment with the flexibilityof software. X-Patch functions as a simple ‘X-Y Router’ or as a‘Matrix’ to create complex processing chains. MIDI connectivityenables X-Patch to be controlled via MIDI footswitch.X-Patch will ship January 2010.

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C200 HD REACHES OUT TO A VASTCONGREGATION WHILE C300 HDBROADCASTS TO MILLIONS ATSUNGRAK MEGACHURCH IN KOREASungrak Church of Korea has chosen SSL digital audio consolesto spread the word in the expanding religious broadcastingmarket. Sungrak, one of the world’s true ‘megachurches’ withsome 150,000 members and 220 branch and affiliate churchesaround the globe, is using the C200 HD to feed a Meyer PAsystem for front of house audio while a C300 HD consolehandles Sungrak’s extensive broadcast commitments.

The 48 channel C200 HD console is quite literally at the heart ofSungrak Church operations. Centrally located on the mainbalcony of the 2,500 sq m church the C200 HD is perfectlypositioned to handle both traditional Front Of House and liverecording duties. The C200 HD is equipped with SSL’s DAWcontrol capability, allowing quick and efficient control of the ProTools rig that Sungrak uses for recording church services.

Sungrak’s Sunday services are broadcast live via satellite andinternet streaming, reaching not only church members but alsomillions of other interested viewers worldwide generating arequirement for complex multi format, multi language contentdelivery. Located in the sumptuous production control room atthe top of Sungrak’s huge building, the C300 HD accommodates24 channel strips and some 192 channels of digital signalprocessing (DSP) within a 1.6m wide frame. The multi-formatC300 HD is a big console in a compact footprint, and crucial toSungrak Church’s ambitious production and broadcast

operations. providing simultaneous processing and mixing, allwithin the console. Rapid access and overview of complex mixesis made possible by user-customised channel layouts, 7.1surround input channels, advanced parameter linking and aninnovative scroll function that permits access to hundreds ofsignal paths from as few as eight faders.

Some 48 remote microphone inputs housed in two C-SB RemoteStageboxes located on the Church stage are shared betweenthe C200 HD Front of House position and the C300 HD.“It has been reported that five of the world’s 10 largest

megachurches are in South Korea, with total broadcast figures inthe millions,” said Solid State Logic Area Sales Manager TimHarrison. “As one of the world’s largest, Sungrak Church is aphysically impressive facility inside and out, and the SSLconsoles will be major contributors to improving the sonic fidelityand mixing capabilities for their global production operations.”

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New Zealand’spremier audioschool installsAWS 900+ SEFor almost 15 yearsNew Zealand’sSouthern Institute ofTechnology (SIT) hasbeen training audioprofessionals to thehighest standards from a purpose built complex that housesfive separate recording suites and a large recordingauditorium. Recent changes to the institute’s facilities haveseen the addition of an AWS 900+ SE and two XLogic X-Rack’s fully loaded with sixteen Dynamics Modules.

For Douglas Heath, tutor and mentor to the degree-levelaudio students the choice was simple, “We chose SSLbecause we maintain very high standards here at SIT, and ifwe’re sending graduates out into industry every year thenwe need to make sure they’re educated to the levels ofexpertise that industry demands. And to reach those levelswe need to be teaching them on the best industry-standardequipment available.”

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Duna TV takes delivery of thirdC100 HD-S as OB market expandsHungarian state broadcaster Duna Televízió (Duna TV) hasinstalled a 32 fader C100 HD-S within a Sony OutsideBroadcast vehicle, to complement two C100 HD-S consolesin Duna TV’s News and Production Studios. “Following theinstallation of the first two consoles we were more convincedthan ever that the C100 was the optimal choice,” saysMihály Bognár, Director of Technology at Duna Television. Acrucial aspect of the project for Duna was seamlessintegration with their comms systems; “We haveexperienced no interfacing problems with our Reidelintercom system, and the training from SSL was excellent,”says Bognár. “We are really satisfied with both theequipment and the service from SSL.”

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