Oprah Winfrey has taken The Life You Want Weekend on the road. A two-night show, she tells the story of her life’s journey and introduces motivational speakers from her network.
The show uses two stages – a traditional endplay arena stage with a multi-tiered set, multiple video and a stereo line-array music and playback system and a small stage for monologues via a second, separate ‘in the round’ system. CTS Audio is providing sound for the tour including an SSL Live. L500 console at the mix position, operated by CTS FOH engineer Jon Schwarz.
The input count is small at under 30 channels, but with the other performance elements the mix is quite busy: ‘They have a lot of video content,’ explains CTS VP, Mike Taylor. ‘It’s a very complicated show in terms of video cueing and audio because of all of the sources.’
‘Most, if not all of the show, is being recorded for TV, so we wanted to pass along the highest quality audio,’ adds Schwarz. ‘They’re taking analogue audio output back to the video world Schwarz points out that the L500 can be customized for the show’s varying programmes: ‘On most consoles, the sequence of inputs dictates workflow,’ he explains. ‘With SSL Live, input list order just doesn’t matter as much. The concept of layers and banks is very cool; the first night’s show varies from the second night’s show, so I layer my banks based on what I need on the surface for each day. I also lay out what I need for different parts of each show in other layers on the center tile.
‘Because the format is predominantly one input, one person, I can’t have enough redundancy and back-ups,’ he continues. ‘To accomplish this, several hardwired emergency microphones are placed at different stage locations, as well as a few others that are all controlled from a layer on the top left tile. I also have my master faders for the music PA and the vocal PA on the top left with the emergency mics due to the dual system design.’
-style events such as this require console operators to be on station for longer periods than typical concerts. ‘On Saturday I sit behind the console for close to 10 hours straight,’ he says. ‘With the SSL Live, operators can sit in one place without having to move around a lot. Having everything within arm’s reach is a huge convenience.’
He also mentions the Focus Channel section as an asset during the tour: ‘At first, I used the central touch screen a lot, but over time I find I touch the Focus Fader and Channel Control Tile more and the main screen less. Grabbing hotkeys and using its small screen is fast and accurate and there’s a lot of information there. When I have to ride gain or EQ, based on what’s happening on the show with something really dynamic, I use it a lot.’
‘Whether hearing an acoustic guitar and vocal or a full band in a stadium with 30,000 people is stunning,’ says Taylor. ‘We’ve also done a worship conference with 12,000 attendees and the sound was incredible for just a vocal and a piano. Then to take it on a TV shoot of an awards show with full bands, and hear what it could do, was a testament of the flexibility and consistency of this console.’
