With a sold-out year of global touring, arena venues, outdoor shows and DJ sets in 2024, 2025 will a UK tour and more shows around the world for Craig David. FOH engineer Paul Cooper will be joined by Ash Wilkinson on monitors, with both using DiGiCo Quantum consoles supplied by UK rental and production company, Major Tom Audio Production.
Wilkinson has worked with Craig David since 2013, and choosing DiGiCo is about flexibility – working with an artist who is performing across a wide range of venues, with a varied set list, he needs to be able to accommodate with any type of performance situation.
‘I love the layout of the Quantum 7; it’s got everything I need, exactly where I need it,’ he explains. ‘We have some fly-in shows coming up where we have a smaller channel count, so we will be converting our show files to fit Q338 Pulse consoles. I’m really keen to dive into all the new Macro features and Mustard Source Expanders (MSE) in the v20 software.’
The MSE is a dynamic option, introduced with the latest v20 software update. The processing works a little like a gate, reducing the level of a signal by a given amount, but is better for non-transient signals, such as vocals. Using MSE can reduce level when a performer stops singing, vastly reducing the chance of feedback and limiting the levels of noise on stage from open mics.
For Major Tom Project Manager Richard Wonnacott, having DiGiCo’s family products available for rental is important, not just for engineer appeal, but also because of the support the DiGiCo team offer. ‘DiGiCo is a big part of our hire stock,’ he confirms. ‘You can rely on the equipment and if something does go wrong, the DiGiCo team are quick to act. Coop [Cooper] is using the Fourier engines and, generally, we’ve noticed a big uptake in the Fourier use,’ says Wonnacott. ‘The easy interaction between DiGiCo and Fourier makes it an increasingly popular product. We’re using it on a couple of other productions, too, it’s working out really well.’
At FOH, Cooper enjoys the flexibility that Fourier offers and the benefit of having everything where you need it. ‘DiGiCo is the quickest and best way to do things,’ he states. ‘I often use a mixture of consoles, but DiGiCo is the one that does everything you want it to do, quickly. It’s infinitely customisable, and you’re not limited by a specific layout. With DiGiCo, I can be up and running in about three minutes.’
This functionality is mirrored by the Quantum 7, where Wilkinson finds the Macros invaluable: ‘The monitor desk also takes care of the comms for everyone, so being able to globally address them is indispensable,’ he says. ‘What the band want during rehearsals is very different to what they want during the show, so I can quickly change things, without having to find the individual channels. Being able to react quickly is key to how I work with the band.’
‘I really enjoy using Fourier and the Macros,’ Copper continues. ‘I think the level of customisation and functionality is superb, the LCD screens make it so easy to align everything quickly, there are so many possibilities.’
‘There is quite a lot going on for our outdoor shows and essentially, I couldn’t do monitors from any other console,’ concludes Wilkinson. ‘Having a close relationship with Major Tom makes all the difference, too. There is a good inventory of DiGiCo and always what we need, even if we didn’t know we needed it. And we can call up with any little requests we might have. We’re very happy with our console and rental company choice.’
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