With appearances at the summer’s biggest music festivals and sold out concerts around North America, Alabama Shakes are currently touring in support of their latest album, Sound & Color. Seeking the most ‘natural-sounding’ equipment, FOH and Production Engineer, Shane Haase is using a Solid State Logic Live L500 mixing console.
Inspired by the blues and soul of their Southern roots and the rock sounds of their generation, the band has for a raw sound on stage, using both modern and classic audio equipment: ‘We start with the microphones, which have been chosen to compliment the band’s overall dynamic and to express their voices in the most natural way,’ says Haase, who has been touring professionally for the past decade. ‘From the microphones, it’s simple signal processing just like anything else – microphone to preamp, to dynamic control, time-based processing and out to the masses. But, we play both indoor and outdoor venues so the audio design facilities and flexibility like that of the SSL Live L500 are key to making the FOH mix sit right for every occasion. Between my two racks and the onboard tools that come with the L500, I am able to handle all of my processing with ease.’
With female lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard at the front, Alabama Shakes also features Heath Fogg on guitar, Zac Cockrell on bass, Ben Tanner on keys and Steve Johnson on drums.
Haase selected the SSL Live L500 after looking for a solution that not only had great colour and sound, but also ample connectivity, and a variety of options: ‘I’d been after a digital console that sounds rich at all dynamics and that is easy to work on once set up and on the road,’ he explains. ‘My time at the console has been more enjoyable and inspired since I started working with the L500. It is also incredibly flexible and offers a seemingly endless amount of options for any last minute changes and additions. Having a giant touch screen that actually stays visible in direct sunlight is a huge plus for outdoor events. The local I/O is extensive, allowing all kinds of outboard routing to make your event a full-on production. Not to mention that the clock on the console is phenomenal.’
These features have enabled him to be imaginative with the signal path: ‘I can route my channels to offer new creative options for my mix,’ he explains. ‘I can arrange a multi-band compressor in front of a limiter or another compressor, and then have the sound flow to a tape saturation plug-in or a mastering EQ,’ he says. ‘I can split the vocal and add distortion and some filters for particular songs. I can design and shape the sound any way I imagine it, to give the artist the sound they want.’
Adapting to new challenges on tour, and on the night, is an important aspect of an engineer’s job. ‘The L500 is flexible during setup and in the field,’ says Haase. ‘There are many routing and custom setup options, and useful information is displayed all the time…. The SSL even communicates with you when it thinks something isn’t arranged correctly.
‘Having a large touchscreen helps me identify and address my problems clearly, while the smaller screen and the knobs give me the precision necessary to fine-tune thresholds or EQs.’
More: www.solidstatelogic.com
