Title: Technical Visit to RED II mobile recording truck
Location: Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Bucks, SL0 0NH
Description: An opportunity to see inside RedTX’s new 7.1 surround sound and
3D-capable truck (AES members only)
Start Time:
Date: This visit has been postponed until the New Year. Members should e-mail tech-visits[at]aes-uk.org to be advised when a new date is confirmed.
The main studio area, which is a lead-lined, floating room within a room, is equipped with PMC ALM 1 active 7.1 surround sound monitoring and a Studer Vista 8 digital mixing system. All microphone inputs are 24bit/96kHz with full DSP on every channel. RED II can offer simultaneous mixes to a variety of different formats and 40-bit processing.
Recording is carried out via Pyramix, Pro Tools and Logic, and there is also an extensive range of digital effects onboard including a TC Systems 6000 mainframe and Lexicon PCM96 digital reverberation. Uniquely for a vehicle of this type, RED II incorporates an additional production/overdub and video gallery room, which is ideal for broadcast clients who want to set up fly-pack television facilities.
The tour will last approximately two hours. Registration is essential and places are limited so if you would like to attend please register now by e-mailing tech-visits[at]aes-uk.org.
Title: Technical Visit – FULL
Location: Royal Opera House
Start Time: 10:45am for a 11:00 start
Date: Wednesday 19th January 2011
Read a report on the visit.
A rare opportunity to see behind the scenes at this historic venue.
The ROH has scheduled a rehearsal of Swan Lake for the 19th, which has required some changes to the start time and running order of the tour.
The tour will start with a short overview of the ROH’s history followed by a look at the auditorium, the layout of the orchestra pit and the microphones used for recording and foldback to the stage.
There will then be the opportunity to see and hear some recent productions in the audio suite. This is equipped with a Studer Vista console, Pyramix editing system and B&W 5.1 monitoring, and is used in conjunction with the in-house HD video facilities for a variety of applications such as recordings for the ROH’s Opus Arte video label, live events to cinemas and Radio 3 broadcasts.
Afterwards, members of the ROH’s sound and broadcast facility team will be happy to answer questions. The tour is expected to take about two and a half hours.
The tour is now fully subscribed but we are hoping to arrange another one later in the year.
Those attending should aim to be at the Stage Door in Floral Street by 10.45 to allow time to pass through security and obtain badges. Please be advised that the ROH is an old building with several staircases backstage which will have to be negotiated in order to participate in the whole tour.
Title: Technical Visit to ATC Loudspeakers
Location: ATC Loudspeakers, Stroud, Gloucestershire
Description: Technical Visit to ATC Loudspeakers (members only) – just a few places remaining.
Start Time: 11:00
Date: Friday 16th July 2010
End Time: 16:15
This technical visit is now full!
A technical visit has been arranged to ATC Loudspeaker Technology in Stroud, Gloucestershire on Friday 16th July, offering AES members a rare opportunity to see first-hand how these very highly regarded speakers are designed and built right here in the UK .
The visit will start at 11:00 and finish around 16:15. ATC are also very kindly providing refreshments and lunch.
ATC is a specialist British manufacturer of loudspeaker drive units and complete sound reproduction systems. They design and manufacture loudspeaker drive units and systems to achieve levels of performance far in excess of the industry norm which is achieved by adopting a thoroughly professional engineering approach to the issue of basic design, materials science and production technology.
The visit will include a tour of the design and production facilities and demonstrations of their products.
The number of places is strictly limited, so book your place early to avoid disappointment.
To reserve your place, please ring Heather on 01628 663725 or email uk@aes.org.
Title: Technical Visit to British Grove Studios (members only)
Location: British Grove Studios, 20 British Grove, Chiswick W4 2NL
Link out: Click here
Description: Technical Visit to Mark Knopfler’s music recording studios.
Start Time: 11:00
Date: 2010-02-23
We’ve managed to squeeze in a visit to British Grove Studios that was built by Mark Knopfler as “a monument to past and future technology”. It has two studios. Alongside modern technology, the equipment includes two old EMI mixing consoles: a very rare tube desk from the 1960s like the ones used by George Martin and The Beatles and a later console on which the album Band on the Run was actually recorded. The large console in Studio One is a custom-made Neve 88R, while the console in Studio Two is an API Legacy.
In February 2009, British Grove Studio was the winner of the Music Producers Guild Award for ‘Best Studio’.
The visit is for AES members only and numbers limited. Please email/phone Heather Lane (or use the contact form here, select “membership and general enquiries” option) to reserve a space and confirm availability.
[Note: due to commercial pressures, there is a small, but finite chance, that this visit might get cancelled at the last minute - sorry, but we think the opportunity to visit this great facility is worth the chance! For this reason, it is imperative we get your contact details so, should the worst happen, we can let you know]
Title: Technical Visit: National Film and Television School
Location: NFTS, Beaconsfield
Description: More details to follow
Start Time: 18:30
Date: Thursday 19th November 2009
The National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield (www.nftsfilm-tv.ac.uk) is the only UK film and television school based in its own studios, allowing students to make real films and television programmes in industry-standard facilities. Prominent members of the British film industry who teach at the school include Stephen Frears (The Queen), Brian Tufano (Trainspotting), David G Croft (Shooting Stars, Baddiel’s Syndrome), Lynda Myles (The Commitments) and Nik Powell (Ladies in Lavender, The Crying Game, Little Voice).
Originally called The National Film School, it opened in 1971 following four years of planning to create an institution to train new talent for the British film industry. With a loan from Rank, NFS bought the old Beaconsfield Film Studios in Buckinghamshire – which had previously been home to British Lion Film Corporation and The Crown Film Unit – and refitted it to professional film making standards.
During our evening visit, which a maximum of 30 members can attend, a brief introductory presentation in the school’s digital cinema will be followed by a tour of the studios and sound post-production areas. A film shoot will be in progress in the main studio and the television studio will have a daily magazine show in production. Access should be available to the school’s three new Euphonix dubbing theatres, even though they are in the middle of graduation productions, and to the technical sound hub.
After the tour the group will return to the cinema where Andrew Boulton, Head of Sound Production, will explain in more detail the educational and creative mission of the school from the sound perspective, with a few clips to demonstrate the range of work produced by students, before inviting questions from the audience.
Note that all AES UK technical visits are only open to AES members.
Title: Technical Visit to Pinewood Studios
Location: Pinewood Studios, Iver, Buckinghamshire
Start Time: 16:00
Date: 17 June 2009
