Legendary blues artist Buddy Guy recently performed a series of concerts at his own Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago, with a Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console central to venue’s FOH set-up and under the fingers of tour manager and front-of-house engineer Sage Anthony.
‘One of the biggest challenges in mixing Buddy’s live sound is capturing the delicate nuances of his playing when he’s quiet, while seamlessly managing the massive shifts in stage volume when he turns up the intensity,’ Anthony notes, ‘One moment, he’s quietly picking his guitar, delivering soulful ballads as soft as a whisper. The next, he’s unleashing powerful, sustained notes, filling the room with intense rock and blues.
‘This contrast is a signature element of Buddy’s show, and his audience is incredibly attuned to the nuances of his tone,’ he contimues, ‘He plays a custom Fender Stratocaster through two vintage tube-wired ’59 Fender Bassman amps – both cranked up to 10. When he wants it loud, it gets loud, but preserving the depth and authenticity of his tone is absolutely critical.
‘This is where LV1 Classic comes in – the console’s preamps are very responsive and natural-sounding, which allows me to achieve this balance with ease. The quality of these Waves Signature Preamps far surpasses many other consoles, making it possible to capture an unparalleled dynamic range without having to constantly ride the faders or risk pushing into distortion.’
Anthony singles out plug-in integration as a major draw: ‘Waves plug-ins have always been part of my workflow. In the past, I’ve toured with other desks and used a Waves SoundGrid I/O card and server to get my Waves plugins integrated into the mix path. This was nice, but not seamless. Now, with eMotion LV1 Classic, I’m able to turn on my desk, grab any type of plug-in I want, and insert it anywhere. This allows me to rethink how my signal flow can be routed differently to be more effective.
‘For Buddy’s guitar chain, I use the F6 Dynamic EQ and the API 2500. The F6 helps control the high end with a very fast attack and release, using a wider Q on the upper frequencies to shape and soften elements that might otherwise be harsh or fatiguing to the ear. Then, I use the API 2500 to keep the entire guitar in the pocket with a slower attack and a moderately fast release. To maintain vocal clarity, I rely heavily on the Waves Primary Source Expander and the F6. These tools ensure Buddy’s vocals are intelligible and present, even with powerful stage volume and drum bleed.’
He also singles out LV1 Classic’s rugged design for praise: ‘It’s clear from the start that this is a well-constructed mixing console – it feels sturdy, rugged, and built to last on the road. And when it comes to portability, everything you need fits inside one case, and the desk is only 38lb. I don’t know of any other desk that is so powerful in such a small frame.
‘When I’m not on tour with Buddy Guy or mixing albums at Abbey Road Studios, I am also the FOH engineer for several up-and-coming artists, including blues guitarist and singer Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram and singer-songwriter Leonardo Giuliani, and I will be going out on tour with them using the LV1 Classic as well. For example, we are recording an album for Leonardo Giuliani at Abbey Road’s Studio Three. During that process, I used their physical [EMI] TG12345 console to achieve specific sonic elements on the drums. With LV1 Classic, I have an array of new toys and tools at my disposal, to incorporate real studio mixing techniques into the live environment. Once the album is mixed and released, I will be able to emulate those same sonic elements live using the Waves plug-in system, integrated into the eMotion LV1 Classic console.’
He concludes, ‘Our monitor engineer, Eli Vonk, is about to switch his monitor desk to the LV1 Classic as well. This set-up works well for our club run, and we now plan to use two eMotion LV1 Classics on the road – one at monitors, one at FOH – when Buddy Guy goes on tour this spring and summer with the Tedeschi Trucks band, at larger venues like the Beacon Theater in New York City.
‘I’m really loving this desk. Waves have done an excellent job – they are literally changing the industry.’
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