Arts Centre Gold Coast relies on Ovation
Published: ASIA
AUSTRALIA: Queensland’s Arts Centre Gold Coast has invested in a Merging Technologies Ovation media server and sequencer. The arts theatre hosts performances by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Queensland Ballet and the Queensland Opera as well as other significant theatrical and musical events. It is also the venue for Australia’s longest running Eisteddfod which sees over 60,000 performers grace the stage during the month.
This requires a significant investment in technology to cope with the variety and rapid changes of program. A Meyer Sound speaker system delivers whatever is needed to the audience and the mixing is performed on a Studer Vista 5, with Merging Technologies’ Ovation interfaced via Madi to provide the playback of audio as well as control information and timecodes for the rest of the system.
‘Ovation is very intuitive to use yet there is also a deeper level of operation that is also easily accessible,’ said senior audio technician, Richard Muecke. ‘With the integration between the Studer and Ovation System, we can set up the Studer to act as a DAW and in “dynamic” automation mode the Studer can chase Pyramix which is fabulous.
‘We also run the Ovation keyboard which I love,’ he added. ‘During our musical season Ovation really comes into its own. We record the tech rehearsals on the Pyramix system for “virtual” mixing when the performers have left for the day and also we usually have a lot of sound effects incorporated into the performances, which are handled by Ovation. If I have enough time I will trigger these via midi from the Vista however I also often use hot keys'and give the Ovation Keyboard to a member of the production to use so I can concentrate on the dialogue and music.’
Mr Muecke added that on a few occasions, ‘I have been required to record onto Pyramix, edit and then export to Ovation as a cue – once about 30 minutes from doors opening. The system works exceptionally well. During our dance season we take the tracks given to us for the performance and load them into Ovation. From here I can top and tail the tracks and change the order easily if required. In these situations, I like seeing the waveform and also the forward and remain clocks. It makes for very easy audio management and it is hard to imagine life without Ovation.’