SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER TERM 4, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2012

What course did you study at SAE Auckland and why did you choose it?

Adelaide: I studied the Diploma in Audio Engineering at SAE Auckland. I chose this programme because I was eager to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes of a recording/concert/music experience. The practical aspect of the course really appealed to me; I wanted to do something I could dive right into and that’s exactly what SAE offered. I went to an open day, saw the studios and facilities, and that sealed the deal for me!

What was your favourite part of the course?

Adelaide: That’s difficult to answer, there are so many! I really enjoyed working on the Post Production soundtrack and making our own little film for that. I’ve got a massive interest in Film/TV and the sound aspects of the industry so I loved working on this project. Classic Studio was also a bunch of fun, hard work, but really fun. I loved being able to use all the gear in the studio and working with musicians on the overnight recording sessions. During mixdown, I loved the fact we were able to sit in front of the multiple pieces of hardware then tweak parameters and make changes on the fly with everything laid out in front of us. The hands-on aspect of Classic Studio was fantastic.

Since leaving SAE, what have you been working on?

Adelaide: After I finished the course in January 2011 I started work on my own productions and began my monthly radio show ‘Ambience Radio’ on the French internet radio station

“Decibel Station”. Near the end of 2011 I met a fellow kiwi producer, Koil Statik (Arclight), who is very talented and was keen to collaborate so I started working with him in early 2012. I’ve learnt so much in these past few months working with Koil, and the result of this has been four original tracks signed to labels in the UK, along with a remix we’re currently working on for an artist in France. It’s worked out really well for both of us.

I’ve been DJ-ing in New Zealand since 2009, so I carried on doing this while working hard on my own productions and collaborations, and have just landed my first international appearance. I’ll be playing at Home Nightclub in Sydney Australia on Friday 14th September. I’m so excited!

As an artist, who are some of your influences?

Adelaide: My productions at the moment are in the Electronic Dance Music genre, but I have a passion for many different artists and styles. My main influences are Armin van Buuren, a Dutch DJ/Producer who’s been the number one DJ in the world four years in a row along with running his own empire ‘Armada’, I really look up to him. Also American artist BT, who’s super talented and delves into every genre always pushing musical boundaries. There’s quite a bit of music and

Graduate Profile! Diploma in Audio Engineering Graduate

Adelaide CarletonSAE Class of 2011

Avondale College, 2005

a lot of bands that I love from the 80s/early 90s as well (thanks Mum and Dad), R.E.M. being one of my consistent favourites. Can’t forget the genius composer Hans Zimmer either, I am utterly in awe of his work and can never get enough of it. Composers Steve Jablonsky, Alexandre Desplat, and Atticus Ross rank right up there as well for me, and right now I’m loving what the band ‘Digital Daggers’ are doing; they’re a duo from LA making alternative/pop/rock/electronic music and have just released their first album which I’ve had on repeat for weeks.

What has been your career highlight so far?

Adelaide: It has definitely been the recent success of my debut single. I was blown away by how well it did on release. The EP ‘Allegro’, which included remixes by Arclight and French artist Roddy Reynaert, peaked at number 7 on the Beatport.com worldwide Top100 Trance Releases chart within the first week of it’s release and placed in two other Top100 charts on Beatport. That is crazy!

What are your plans for the future?

Adelaide: I’ve got two more EP’s being released soon, the first EP ‘Darkstorm/Lightstorm’ is a two track collaboration with Arclight being released worldwide on August 10th. The second EP will be my original track ‘Never Knew’. This doesn’t have a release date yet but I anticipate it will come out September / October.

I’m also heading to Europe in October for a holiday, so right now I’m trying to finish a couple of remix projects and looking forward to the gig in Sydney next month. While I’m over in Europe I’m meeting up with a few producers and musicians, so I hope to come back to New Zealand with a couple of new collaborative projects in the works, if not completed. As for next year, my plan is to keep working hard on some new original productions and try to promote my music as much as possible, as well as set up my website at www.adelaidecarleton.com.

I’ve tried not to plan too much past 2013 yet; I’ll see how well things go next year, the ultimate goal of course is to be touring worldwide and making music full time.

What advice would you give to other budding music makers / audio engineers?

Adelaide: To have an undying passion and a certainty of what they want for whatever aspect of this industry they’re chasing, because it’s not an easy pursuit by any means. Competition is fierce, and it’s a long roadWith hard work, dedication, and a real love for what they’re doing, they’ll succeed, and I think that is applicable to more

than just the nature of work nowadays in the audio/music industry. I say this with myself in mind here too, as I have just started my journey.

The likelihood is, you’re going to get rejected by music labels or companies. People will tell you your music is not what they are looking for, and you’ll feel like your work isn’t good enough. In reality, for 99% of artists that’s just how things begin in this industry, and it’s one of the hardest parts. I think the persistence to push through this and keep working when things might not be going your way is one of the key attributes of a successful artist (or person for that matter).

Also, I can’t stress enough the value of networking. Talk to people in the industry, make friends, make a real effort to get connected and involved with what you’re trying to achieve. You never know who knows whom, or from where an opportunity will appear. Back yourself, and remember to have fun!

To keep up to date with Adelaide, or to listen to some of her music, check out - www.soundcloud.com/adelaidecarletonwww.facebook.com/adelaidecarletonmusic

Are two microphones better than one?This regular section is dedicated to a few tips and tricks from the teaching staff here at SAE. This term,

Mal Smith finishes off his introduction to Stereo Miking Techniques (Part Two).

In the last article we looked at the AB stereo microphone recording technique and some of the issues that arise from its use. In this month’s column we’ll look at some alternatives to the spaced pair.

One of the major issues with AB is that it is prone to destructive phase interaction and the potential to create a hole in the middle of the image. This hole is produced because the mics are separated by space. In order to reduce these problems some other techniques have been developed.

One solution would be to put the mics closer together. There are several variations on this approach. One such method is the XY technique. This is known as a coincident pair (because the mic capsules are next to each other) and requires two cardioid microphones to be positioned one above the other with the capsules crossing. The wider the angle between the capsules the wider the stereo image will be. A good angle to start with is 90 degrees (see Fig. 1). If a wider image is desired then you can increase the angle up to as much

as 135 degrees. Below 60 degrees the result becomes virtually mono and above 135 degrees there is increased side coloration (distortion) i.e. the high frequencies are not picked up accurately because the mic is pointing away from the sound source.

This technique will not give the wide stereo image that AB provides nor will it give great channel separation but it does have excellent mono-compatibility and provides a convincing sense of space. The technique is best suited for close micing situations such as recording acoustic guitar, drum overheads or percussion. Many of the dedicated stereo mics and portable two

track recorders available on the market today use this technique.

Another approach is to try to replicate the way that humans pick up sound. That is to say, our ears are not 12ft apart nor are they right next to each other. We have a rather large chunk of matter between our ears and this affects the way that we hear and perceive sound and the space that we are in. There are several techniques based on this premise including NOS, ORTF and the dummy head technique. These techniques are ‘near coincident’ as the microphone capsules are close to but not next to each other.

NOS was developed by the Dutch Broadcast Association (Nederlandse Omroep Stiching). Two cardioid microphones are positioned 30cm apart (approximately the distance around an average head) and angled at 90 degrees (see Fig. 2). A piece of A4 paper is 30cm long and has 4 right angles and can be used to help in the setup for this technique. article continued on next page...

Fig. 1

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The French equivalent is known as ORTF (Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française). In this method two cardioid mics are positioned 17 cm apart (approximately the distance between an average pair of human ears) but at an angle of 110 degrees (see Fig. 3). The increase in angle is designed to replicate the shadow effect created by the human head.

Both NOS and ORTF were developed in order to record radio and television programs and can be used in a variety of situations especially when close micing is the preferred option. Suitable candidates would be grand piano, smaller sections of an orchestra, string quartet, etc. When recording larger ensembles or in larger spaces then

other more specific techniques should probably be considered but these will need to be covered in a later column.

The dummy head technique goes a step further and introduces an acoustically accurate model of the human head with openings where the ears would be. Mics can be placed inside the head with the capsules protruding. This method gives a very realistic result especially when played back over headphones.

All of these near coincident techniques yield similar but subtly different results providing a wider and more accurate stereo image than XY with less or no chance of the “hole in the middle” and improved channel separation. Some experimentation and personal

modification of these techniques is well worth the effort and should enhance your recordings.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

What high school did you attend and what year did you finish?I attended Lynfield College and finished high school last year in seventh form. What course are you studying at SAE and where are you up to?I’m studying the Diploma in Film Making and really enjoying it. I started in March and I am currently just over half way through. Why did you choose to study at SAE?Ever since I took media through school I knew I wanted to continue studying filmmaking. I did look at other universities and colleges and decided SAE was the best for me because you get to do a lot of the practical side of the field and also try all different aspects of filmmaking.

What has been your favourite part or subject so far and why?I’ve enjoyed everything a lot, but my favourite thing so far would probably be the subject we’re working on at the

moment - The Music Show! We have to video mix the show as if we’re broadcasting live. It’s something I’ve never done before, and a fun challenge. What do you want to do when you finish studying at SAE?After SAE I’d love to find a job out on the field. Doing anything in filmmaking, even a runner would be amazing. I just really love being in the environment of a film set. So fingers crossed!

Thanks so much Stephanie - good luck with the rest of the year, we’re sure you’ll produce some amazing results!Thanks!

For this feature, we interview one of SAE’s current students and find what they’re up to and how they’re going. This term’s student spotlight is on Stephanie Kourti! She’s 19, from the beautiful city of Auckland and is currently studying Film Making here at SAE.

Mal Smith is a lecturer for the SAE Audio Engineering Diploma and Bachelor of

Recording Arts. In his spare time he also plays in a band called The Blue Jaffas.

This article is also published in the August/September 2012 edition of New Zealand

Musician Magazine.

NZ Musician Magazine is published six times a year, available by direct subscription and free

through selected outlets.