GLM Software

One such post production house is Aurom Post Sound, who have deepened their commitment to immersive audio with the addition of a second 7.1.4 room, powered by Genelec Smart Active Monitors.

“With customers impressed with the kind of performance we were getting from our first immersive studio, we decided to upgrade our original 5.1 room to a 7.1.4 configuration,” explains Aurom’s owner Akhilesh Acharya – who is a sound designer and mix engineer in his own right. “That would mean we would have two rooms with Genelec 7.1.4 monitoring that can both offer multi-format post production.”

(L-R) Ajaykumar PB, Abhilasha Gautama and Aishwarya Acharya.

We all know as mixing engineers that if you want to get the right sound and translation, Genelec is the only option.

The project saw Genelec’s Indian distribution partner, Sound Team, work closely with acoustic consultant Ajay Kumar PB and the local team from Dolby to ensure that the room would offer the translation between the studio and the movie theatre that Aurom required, as well as meeting Dolby’s exacting standards in a challenging space. The facility’s first Atmos studio used 8240A monitors and a 7270A subwoofer for the 7.1.4 configuration, but due to the size of the second room a different solution was found for the new space.

“We all know as mixing engineers that if you want to get the right sound and translation, Genelec is the only option available,” says Acharya. “For the new room we are using 8340As as LCR, with 8330As for surrounds and overheads plus a 7370A subwoofer and 9301A Multichannel AES/EBU interface,” he adds. “These monitors were suggested by both Dolby and Sound Team in accordance with the room size, so that we can work on both theatre mixes and OTT platforms. We are absolutely happy with our monitoring chain.”

We were impressed with the way GLM’s Auto Calibration works, and gets you very accurate results.

With the solution designed, installation was a smooth process, taking five days from cabling to commissioning. One of the reasons for this was Genelec’s GLM calibration software.

“We were impressed with the way GLM’s Auto Calibration works, and gets you very accurate results,” says Acharya. “The ability to then manually tweak after the AutoCal stage really gives a lot of flexibility to the person calibrating the room. We have also made different setups in GLM so that we can switch at any time between presets for a 5.1 film mix, theatrical Atmos, OTT Atmos and stereo too.”

Reflecting on the overall project, Acharya is clearly satisfied with the choices that Aurom has made. “For a mix room everything is results oriented,” he reasons. “It’s all about translation. We have not lost a single client in the past 5 years. The main reason is, they have heard more or less the same mix in the theatres or at home. Customers are happy and we have been getting regular work. We have found a high-performance product with very good reliability, and we are extremely happy with our purchase of Genelec monitors.”

He credits his versatility in part to his history as a bass player: “Being a bassist first, I think, gave me an advantage in my work. It trained my ears in a particular way, to hear the big picture, support the ensemble, listen to the drums and singer, and when to trim the fat, so to speak. And I think it also got me thinking in terms across genres, whether it’s jazz, rock, R&B, or something else. Not every producer is an instrumentalist first, but for me I think it’s shaped the way I approach this work, and it’s led to some great projects and successes in my career.” Recently his path led to a relocation from L.A. (where he was based for over 15 years) to Gallatin, TN – just north of Nashville, where he now lives and works in a 5000-square-foot state-of-the-art studio. And a key component of his new setup is his pair of W371A Smart Active Woofer Systems and 8361A Smart Active Monitors™ from Genelec, which he sourced through Vintage King in Nashville.

He recalls, “I had made the decision to move to the Nashville area, but the original plan was to move into a small setup where I could do just some pre-production work but do the real work at Nashville’s great studios. But this five-acre property came up in Gallatin, and I couldn’t really turn it down! Its previous owner built it, and he was a studio designer by trade. It’s a gorgeous space. And then tragically the pandemic hit, but I’m now fortunate to have a fully-decked-out space to call my own. I often work with a dedicated tracking engineer, and this setup is great for that. It’s my dream scenario.”

Elizondo has been a Genelec user for years, having previously relied on a pair of 1031’s for much of his work. So when he reached out to a trusted friend who has his finger on the pulse of the latest and greatest audio products, and the friend recommended Genelec 8361A monitors and the W371A systems for the new space, Elizondo did not hesitate to commit. “I ordered them right away, ‘sight-unheard,’” he laughs.

Other gear at the new space includes an SSL 4056 E/G console, a Neve BCM10, an Ampex MM1000 tape machine, an eight-track Scully 280B tape machine and an Endless Analog CLASP tape-to-digital converter. And the Genelecs fit right in. He recalls, “Initially, I figured the Genelec 8361A’s and the W371A’s would be my ‘mains,’ and I’d rely on a different set as nearfields, but I’ve ended up using the Genelecs for both applications. I remember when we got the monitors set up, and I brought up some of my go-to test mixes and favorite albums to listen to, and I just instantly felt like I was immersed in this music. The low end is important to me, and the low end felt punchy and defined and not at all muddy – I knew that what I was hearing was totally accurate. I kept on pulling up more records, trying to find some fault with my new Genelec five-way system, but there wasn’t any fault to be found. After several hours listening to different records, everything just felt great. And I recognized the feeling in terms of continuity from my previous Genelecs – this is definitely part of that heritage, but the next generation of it.”

Elizondo is particularly fond of Genelec’s GLM software and the AutoCal protocol, which automatically calibrates the monitors for a room and allows for multiple adjustable sweet spots as presets. “Currently I have three sweet spots set up in the control room that I can toggle between – one for my main position, one at the client sofa behind me, and one at a sidecar workstation, where I do some programming work on another rig at the side of the room. I can push a button, and it feels like the Genelecs are right in front of me no matter where I’m positioned. It’s a game changer. And with clients, to be able give them the sweet spot where they’re already seated – that can really help keep the flow of ideas going, rather than stopping everything to say, ‘hey, come sit in my chair and hear what I’m hearing.’ AutoCal is like magic.”

And he’s been putting the new setup to good use, with new projects from Lake Street Dive and Twenty One Pilots in the works, as well as a major country artist. “I try to put a high level of polish into everything I work on, so even if it’s at the pre-production stage of a project, it can sound like a final mix when it leaves my facility. The combination of the Genelec 8361A’s and the W371A’s really let me apply that level of professionalism to this music, so my engineer and I know that what we hear is accurate and will translate across different setups and speaker rigs and car stereos. I’m proud to be able to offer that level of detail in what I do, and Genelec helps make it happen.”

Now, Florence-based acoustic design specialist Studio Sound Service has dramatically transformed De Robertis’ personal studio, assisted by a Genelec monitoring system which the composer describes as “simply perfect”.

Perhaps best-known for his long-term, award-winning collaboration with celebrated filmmaker Gabriele Salvatore, De Robertis began working in his current studio space after relocating to the countryside near the Italian town of Lucca.

His twin passions of cinema and music come together within the studio, where he works with Fede e gli Infedeli, the eclectic group of musicians with whom he collaborates for film scores, and the Underground Supporters, a collective of young and talented DJs and electronic music producers from Lucca, who also organize the afterparty for the famous Notte Bianca all-night summer festival.

Until recently, however, the studio was extremely humble. In fact, it was so small, cramped and acoustically challenging that the composer nicknamed it ‘Loculo’ – literally, ‘the crypt’. However, Studio Sound Service’s complete reinvention of the interior was so dramatic that De Robertis has now renamed the studio Aldilà – meaning ‘Afterlife’.

“The control room was in a very narrow area with skylights and a low ceiling,” recalls Studio Sound Service’s Donato Masci, who worked to bring De Robertis’ vision to life. “These three factors presented critical problems that needed to be solved. The room was also very complicated to treat – we couldn’t add any treatment to the ceiling because Federico needed to retain the natural light. Finally, all of the walls were concrete, which created a significant booming effect.”

Having previously been described by Masci as possessing a “grey and gloomy look”, the space is now unrecognisable with an inviting palette of soft colours chosen by De Robertis.

Most importantly, the room’s acoustic problems have been solved. “We designed a full acoustic treatment, starting with a new concrete and masonry front wall where we flush-mounted two Genelec 1237 smart active main monitors,” explains Masci. “The front wall and the floor are the only solid surfaces, since the rest of the room is constructed with absorbent materials. We also used some diffuser panels to improve low frequency absorption and diffusion.”

Complementing the 1237 stereo setup is a 5.1 smart active monitoring system comprising five 8240 two-way nearfield monitors and a single 7370 subwoofer. Finally, Masci used Genelec’s GLM software to configure and calibrate the system. “GLM is critical when monitors are flush-mounted in a solid wall – in this case the low frequencies were raised by as much as 12 dB – but GLM controls the effect perfectly,” he says. “In an environment such as Aldilà, with so many compromises, GLM is of great help for fine-tuning.”

“I love my Genelec system,” declares De Robertis. “At the beginning it did change my work a little bit – my ears had to adapt to having perfect acoustics and perfect sounding speakers. But the transition was easy. The definition and quality of the sound remains unchanged right across the entire frequency range. My Genelecs are the jewels of my studio.”

Building on the previous successful projects, Morel was brought in early in the architectural design process for the Caribbean house. “I became involved with the design directly from the start,” he recalls. “When the first drawings were made for the new house it was clear a studio had to be in it as well. The architect gave me the location and the space in the house for the studio, and with this information I had to figure out how to make it possible.”

The aesthetic requirements for the new studio demanded a different design from Hardwell’s all-white main studio in the Netherlands, with the style, colours and architecture mirroring the house in Curacao itself. However, there was only ever one choice for the monitoring solution.

“He is used to Genelec, his main studio is equipped with 1034Bs, a 7073A and 8341As,” says Morel. “For him there is no other option to go for, or work with.”

While the monitoring brand has remained the same, Morel opted for a slightly different Genelec solution in response to the different acoustic environment of the new Curacao space. A pair of 1237A studio monitors have been installed as the main monitoring solution – about 6 feet from the listening position – with two 8330A monitors positioned about 4 feet away to provide the nearfield system. Finally, a 7071A dual 12-inch subwoofer has been placed under the desk but off centre, close to the wall to manage low frequencies. As part of Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring family, the 1237A and 8330A monitors were configured and calibrated using Genelec’s own GLM software.

Initially, Morel remotely managed a team of local contractors and craftsmen who had been employed to handle the build. With the construction phase complete, he then travelled to Curacao for the commissioning stage.

“We used GLM to do the first auto-calibration,” he explains. “When this had been done, we further calibrated it manually within GLM to get the most satisfying personal result for the engineer. In this case of course, the engineer is Hardwell himself!”

Having overcome some challenges within the construction phase, the final result is something both Morel and, more importantly Hardwell, are happy with. “He had seen the design before I started finishing the room, and when we finished the room for real, he was really flabbergasted and blown away by the result both in sound and looks,” says Morel. “It was beyond his expectation.”

“It was a massive project,” confirms Garrett’s sales director, Raúl Fernandes. “We were involved from the very start, which was extremely helpful, but the pressure for everything to be perfect was possibly worse for the second venue than for the first! It’s always the problem when the first job is so successful – the second has to be even better…”

With the capacity to accommodate over 300 people, JNcQUOI Asia is not just about the food. It’s a place where people come to see and to be seen, offering four different spaces for customers to relax and soak up the atmosphere: a large bar with comfortable seating – which also hosts a DJ booth; the main dining room dominated by a huge, golden dragon skeleton suspended from the central glass atrium; a glamourous sushi bar; and a comfortable terrace and interior garden. Garrett supplied an extremely high quality, zoned audio solution throughout with full control.

The first area is the bar, itself separated into three separate zones: the DJ area which utilises a pair of Genelec G Fives offering professional active loudspeaker performance but with flexible XLR and RCA connectivity, and a pair of 5041 in-wall subwoofers behind the DJ booth; the main bar area which is equipped with six 4030 and six of the larger 4040 installation loudspeakers plus three 5041 subwoofers hidden in columns; and finally the toilets – a design haven in themselves! – where Garrett installed four AIC25 in-ceiling speakers.

The challenge for the bar area was to provide sufficient coverage for what is a very open space without sacrificing quality for SPL. The solution also had to be as discreet and as aesthetically pleasing as possible. “We spent a long time getting loudspeaker placement absolutely right for optimum results, and then we fine-tuned the system with the loudspeakers’ own on-board room response controls plus EQ and delay via a matrix. Our service manager, Luis Tavares, did a fantastic job of tuning the system, especially here in this room,” recounts Fernandes who also notes that there is an output to each speaker enabling every speaker to be controlled individually for maximum precision. “When the system was commissioned, we turned the music up pretty loud and I invited the owner to come and stand in the middle of the room with me. We could still carry on a conversation – I told him that this is why we use Genelec!”

“A good live band actually sounds amazing as the system is so well calibrated to the space.”

It’s also possible to have live music in the bar although the system wasn’t initially designed with live music in mind. “The owner changed his mind at the last minute! Fortunately, we had enough inputs and outputs still available to make it possible – we just had to add extra microphones and a digital mixer,” says Fernandes. “A good live band actually sounds amazing as the system is so well calibrated to the space. It also helps that there are lots of nice, absorbent surfaces in the bar area to reduce the amount of reflections.”

“The larger 4040s gave us the extended bass response we required whilst still remaining aesthetically pleasing.”

For the restaurant area, Garrett opted for a total of fourteen 4040s. The biggest issue here was the acoustics, as the outside wall is mostly glass and there is a huge glass atrium overhead that houses the rather magnificent dragon. “As there was no room for subs in the restaurant, the larger 4040s gave us the extended bass response we required whilst still remaining aesthetically pleasing. The most challenging aspect was managing the very reflective environment. Fortunately, Genelec products excel in that respect, and once again we were able to calibrate the system very precisely for optimum results – in other words, intelligible, clean audio at levels where diners can still hold a conversation at normal, comfortable levels.”

The project manager for JNcQUOI Asia was Garrett’s Mário Trigueiros, who also oversaw the original JNcQUOI project, and he was keen to point out how Genelec’s GLM software had helped the Garrett team optimise the loudspeaker system performance for different situations. “GLM is an amazing tool for system calibration,” he says. “We used it to perform all the measurements that were then turned into presets accessible via the control system. We’ve done all of the hard work upfront to ensure that the system is fully optimised for every situation, be it background music, a DJ or a live band.”

Garrett has provided control for all four zones, giving access to level, mute and source selection for the audio system, plus lighting and temperature. There are presets for daytime and night-time ambience settings. Access is via strategically placed wall panels or a mobile phone app.

Garrett also went to the trouble of measuring the sound outside the restaurant to ensure that there was absolutely no issue for the hotel next door, some of whose rooms border directly onto the bar. “We had to ensure that there was no sound leakage whatsoever. Once again, Genelec is an excellent choice in this respect because the loudspeakers are extremely efficient with tightly controlled directivity. Listeners have the impression that the system is loud because intelligibility is high which enables us to keep SPLs down – which is great for the neighbours!”

Fernandes and Trigueiros are proud of what they have achieved at JNcQUOI Asia. “It’s another fantastic showcase for both us and Genelec,” confirms Trigueiros. “Genelec is a very high quality brand, ideally suited to this kind of high-end environment where failure of any kind, or sub-par performance would not be tolerated. Nevertheless, the active system design is a bonus – firstly because it saves on space and makes for a much cleaner installation, and secondly, in the unlikely event that one does go down, it doesn’t compromise the rest of the system. That is very reassuring for the owners, although we’ve never had a failure yet. The owners are thrilled with the results and so are we. You only have to look at the reviews to realise that the concept is a success at every level.”

The main recording space at Audioguy differs from others in the country since it consists of one large room which accommodates multiple artists together – rather than a series of isolated recording booths. By adopting this approach, the studio has been able to take advantage of the unique acoustic qualities of its recording room. “Typically, studios make the reverberation time as short as possible in order to record mostly the direct sound from the source, whereas Audioguy has a longer reverberation time of 2.7 seconds, more like a concert hall,” explains Jung-Hoon Choi, founder of Audioguy Studios. “We are able to record not only the direct sound from the source to the mic, but also a lot of reflected sound from the walls, ceiling and the floor. Our intention here is to produce music with a unique and colourful sound.”

This kind of environment has made recording in 7.1.4 an interesting process. “With the very long reverberation time, our recordings can emphasise the full benefits of 7.1.4 immersive audio by capturing all the resonances and the reverberation of the room,” says Choi. “We can record using an ambisonic microphone to capture the immersive atmosphere, and spot mics to capture the individual instruments. However, the ambisonic and spot mics tend not to blend well together, so we have tried to separate the two different microphone configurations by using the ambisonic mic to cover the .4 channel content, as well as the rear channel source. The front and side sources are then covered by the additional spot mics next to the instruments in order to capture the unique and atmospheric feel of the content.”

The results of this process are monitored and mixed using Genelec coaxial Smart Active Monitors, supplied by Genelec’s local Korean distribution partner Sama Sound. The system comprises three 8351As as LCR, eight 8331A monitors as surrounds and overheads – with a 7370A subwoofer handling LF duties, and the entire system configured, calibrated and controlled using Genelec GLM software.

“When you need to mix 7.1.4 immersive audio properly in a limited space, accurate monitoring is essential. The Ones’ point source quality is a must, and I would be very confused when making mix decisions without the standardised in-situ corrections of frequency response, level and delay offered by Genelec’s GLM software,” reflects Choi. “Using this system, the 11 individual monitors sound exactly as they should - which is very much focused. So, we can mix in the most precise and accurate way, and when the mixing is done, GLM makes it very convenient and easy to switch between 3D, binaural and stereo formats and analyse the differences.”

Having supplied the system, Sama Sound have themselves been able to deploy the studios as the perfect location for listening sessions and seminars, such is the extremely high quality of the monitoring environment. Looking to the future, Choi is also determined to get the best out of the new setup at Audioguy Studios. “As we now have this beautiful 7.1.4 immersive audio system, we will be actively recording, mixing and mastering more immersive audio content,” he states. “Aside from their extraordinary accuracy, it’s actually very interesting and fun to work with Genelec monitors!”

Combining an ambient music performance with a multi-channel listening experience, both the performers and the live audience were surrounded by a ring array of Genelec loudspeakers, creating a truly unique listening environment. This type of playback system is tailor-made for ambient music, emphasising the sense of space and the abstract nature of the compositions – and creating an incredibly thought-provoking and stimulating live event.

The planning and creation of the show took place over a two month period, using the demonstration space in Modern Sky to evaluate how the sound elements combined, how they moved, and what type of speaker configuration would be best suited to the ambient material. The creative team included electronic musician Wang Lu, also known as L + R, music producer/mixer Shen Lijia and visual artist Tami-musiXgal, and working alongside our colleagues at Genelec China, a system comprising eight S360 high-SPL smart active monitors and a 7382 subwoofer was used to surround the audience, while a smaller smart active array of four 8330 two-ways, four 8331 coaxial three-ways and a 7360 subwoofer was used to envelop the musician and the VJ. Genelec GLM software was then used to analyse the room and optimise the frequency response, distance delay and playback level of each speaker in the system – thereby delivering the best possible listening experience to both performers and audience alike.

In planning the event, the team were seeking a good combination of manual control, programming and random machine triggering, with the pre-programmed foundation of the 8.1 audio mix being handled by Ableton Live, with Cycling 74’s Max allowing communication with external hardware instruments – and plenty of real-time musical improvisation was included too!

Prior to the event, the demand for tickets was so high that it was decided to stage three separate performances, to allow every listener to position themselves comfortably within the speaker array and experience the finest sound quality. And from our own perspective, the whole process of planning and executing the event gave us a much deeper understanding of the shaping of space, the precise positioning of sound and the design of moving trajectories in music.

There’s no doubt to us at Genelec that as the world’s exposure to immersive audio becomes greater, the future of multi-channel live music performances is increasingly looking brighter. There are a whole new generation of music fans who are seeking more and more ‘experiential’ live performances, and Genelec is excited to play its part in the growth of this exciting medium.

The new solution came about after Guetta identified a problem with the mixes that he was creating with his old system. “In the previous system that I had, the subs were so loud that they were not really realistic,” he explains. “If I would mix with those subs, sometimes I would end up with a record that didn’t have enough bass when played on other systems - because the bass in my room was so huge.”

With the 7380As installed, Guetta’s mixes now translate beautifully from his studio straight to the dancefloors of Ibiza, and the subwoofers have helped improve the overall sound in his room. “By installing the subwoofers, we were able to reposition David’s main monitors to avoid early reflections. Finding the best place for the subwoofers also meant that we had a great frequency response curve all the way from low to high frequencies,” notes Genelec’s Pasi Pönkkä, who travelled to Guetta’s studio to calibrate the system using Genelec’s GLM software. Using GLM, Pönkkä was able to analyse the acoustic environment of Guetta’s studio and then optimise each Genelec monitor and subwoofer accordingly - thereby reducing any negative influences of the room on the sound.

Pönkkä explains that “Each 7380A subwoofer is paired with a single 1234A monitor, so the low frequencies can be better localised. Also, the locations were chosen so that the subwoofer sums aren’t cancelling each other out. The overall result was that we were able to provide David with more bass extension, but with a much smoother and flatter response.”

“This is my reference, and this is my perfect setup.”

A further benefit that Guetta is enjoying is that he can now work for much longer periods without the listening fatigue that he used to experience. “When producing, I’m not really playing too loud, and the Genelec 1234As - even though they are huge - still sound very precise even when they aren’t loud,” he explains. “What I like about the 7380As is that I can work at a low volume so that I’m not too tired after a few hours, and it’s still very precise. But, if I want to blast it loud, it’s powerful enough to feel like it’s in a club.”
Reflecting on his newly upgraded monitoring system, Guetta is certain he made the correct decision. “It gives the feeling of how it’s going to sound in the club, but it’s also realistic,” he states. “This is my reference, and this is my perfect setup.”

Take a closer look at David Guetta’s studio, and find out more about his music and workflow:

The recordings, which relied heavily on Genelec monitors throughout, were debuted at the recent Inter BEE show in Japan and will form a key part of Genelec’s critical listening sessions at global shows and events in the future.

Sibelius Hall in Lahti, Finland.

Sawaguchi recalls how the project came about thanks to conversations that took place at last year’s AES spatial audio conference in Tokyo. “I gave a lecture about immersive music recording and demonstrated various recordings from the UNAMAS label in the Genelec demo room. At the event I had discussions with Genelec’s MD Siamäk Naghian about working together on an immersive recording that could become a reference disc for the company.”

A year later and the project had developed further with professional double bassist and Genelec brand artist, Juho Martikainen, working closely with Sawaguchi on the concept. The pair worked to select the music for the recording and the classical musicians for the performance.

“It was a very natural process and there was a lot of freedom for me to decide with whom I would like to play and which type of repertoire we would record,” says Martikainen. “Mick really loves the sound of the double bass and wanted classical performances, because he felt this type of music really suits the immersive audio format.

“I went through many options when choosing the pieces but decided to play it safe and go with Franz Schubert’s Trout Quintet for the first piece as it is an all-time favourite for me,” continues Martikainen. “We then chose Jean-Baptiste Barriere’s Sonate No:10 which is a Baroque piece, originally composed for two cellos, but we played an arrangement for a double bass and cello instead. And then of course I had to play one piece composed by Giovanni Bottesini as I think he was a true master of the instrument. So I chose maybe his most famous piece, Elegy.”

“We wanted to use the latest equipment but keep the mic’ing as simple as possible,” adds Sawaguchi. “We opted for a spider tree setup with the artists placed around the main mic, with other microphones placed to capture the rich sound of the hall. This is what I call ‘Subjective Immersive’, as we are using microphones as tools to capture the art.”

L-R Mick Sawaguchi and Juho Martikainen.

The monitoring solution comprised a pair of Genelec’s 8341 coaxial point source monitors located within a lobby space of Lahti’s Sibelius Hall, which operated as a monitoring room for the immersive recording before the final mix by Sawaguchi at his recording studio back in Japan. In this type of adhoc monitoring environment, Genelec’s GLM calibration software was invaluable in optimising the 8341s for the space and minimising any unwanted acoustic influences.

“With this kind of on-location recording, monitoring situations can be challenging - very rarely do you find a recording location where there is a dedicated monitor room with good acoustics,” observes Martikainen. “But the 8341s were the perfect solution as we were all able to hear what we had played, and how it really sounded – which is ideal for musicians.

L-R Mick Sawaguchi and Juho Martikainen.

“I think in general nowadays, many recordings are too polished and end up losing the vibe and the atmosphere of the actual moment,” reflects Martikainen. “For us at Genelec, it’s all about the music and this is the point we were trying to make. It’s about the creativity and to be there to help inspire the best possible level of musical ability. I was very happy when I heard the tracks and I think the system has captured this vibe brilliantly!”

After its first very successful public performance at Inter BEE, the recordings will be used to help showcase Genelec immersive systems at events globally, and Genelec is also researching what other type of platforms it can use for immersive material. “I think there’s been a big rise in the popularity of immersive music and I’m certain it will be the new format that customers will use and enjoy,” states Martikainen.

L-R Juho Martikainen and Mick Sawaguchi at Inter BEE.

Looking back fondly on the experience, Martikainen concludes: “Working with Mick Sawaguchi on this project was a once in a lifetime opportunity. As a musician, it was a great thing to be a part of, and I feel incredibly lucky to have played with great colleagues in a great hall with great equipment - it doesn’t get any better than that!”

Pressure Cooker Studios, a respected music and sound design house specialising in music production for film, television and advertisements, has recently moved into their new purpose-built studio facility in the centre of Cape Town, designed by world-renowned studio designer Martin Pilchner of Pilchner Schoustal International Inc. Genelec is at the heart of this new facility, with its local distributor, TruFi, supplying monitors for all of its recording studio spaces.

From humble beginnings in the basement of a house 10 years ago to a 355 square metre studio space, the new facility is exactly how the Pressure Cooker team had envisioned it from the outset, and features two main control rooms which sandwich a main studio proper, a 7.1 post theatre with adjacent ADR booth, five writing rooms, an independent isolation booth, reception, lounge and common spaces. James Matthes, Co-Founder and CEO of Pressure Cooker Studios notes: “We wanted to make our space as comfortable, but also as technologically advanced as possible – we spend so much time here, so it definitely had to feel lived in, making it a homely but premium space.”

Helping the Pressure Cooker team achieve this feat was Genelec’s GLM software. “The GLM system is fantastic in that it assists with all the relevant calibration of any one of the monitors within the array in terms of EQ and phase alignment,” notes Neil Leachman, Final Mix Engineer at Pressure Cooker. “After the system is aligned and EQ'd I spent a small amount of time just setting up levels for the individual outputs to align properly to the recommended levels for cinema monitoring for surround and R128 compliance. But the GLM system is invaluable in the setup.”

Pressure Cooker has been using Genelec stereo and surround sound monitoring systems since the company was founded, and this trend continues in the new facility. “Every room in the facility has Genelec!,” smiles Matthes “From buying my first pair over nine years ago, I have never looked back – each monitor is fantastic. The sound produced is so clean, natural and unadulterated – nothing colours it, and I just love that.”

Each room in the new facility has utilised Genelec monitors in one way or another; Matthes has a pair of 8040 nearfields in his writing room, there are three 1238A three-ways fulfilling the LCR role behind the screen in the 7.1 theatre, with two 7380A 15-inch subwoofers and 8040s as surrounds - while the smaller rooms all have 8030 nearfields. “We chose a uniform approach with Genelec because we wanted to be able to move from room to room and feel comfortable from the moment we hit play.” Matthes continues.

“For example, if I go from a writing session to the composition suite, or start doing a mix with a client in the theatre – my ears aren’t going to trick me. I find with Genelec, you don’t need any other reference monitor at any point, since they just naturally translate very well.”

The first true test for Pressure Cooker’s new facility was the film ‘This is not a burial, it is a resurrection’ that was premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival. “This was the first film we mixed using our Genelec system and particularly for the international market, it converted amazingly,” says Matthes. “The film’s producer told us how clear and brilliant the sound was, which makes me very confident in the set-up we have, and confirms that our decision to choose Genelec for the whole facility was the right one.”

Longtime Genelec user Trina Shoemaker, an acclaimed producer and mixing engineer known for her work with Sheryl Crow, Rodney Crowell, Queens of the Stone Age, Tanya Tucker, Josh Ritter, Emmylou Harris, Brandi Carlile, Steven Curtis Chapman and others, has been spending more time than ever in her private personal home mix room, riding out the coronavirus pandemic with a number of projects. And just as important as ever to her work process is her 8351A three-way Smart Active Monitors™ from Genelec. Just this year, Trina’s work has appeared on several well-received releases, including new sets from the Indigo Girls, Tanya Tucker, the Wood Brothers, the Secret Sisters and Grayson Capps (who happens to be Shoemaker’s husband).

The new Indigo Girls album, Look Long, was a special mixing project for Shoemaker. She had been a go-to mixer for the band and their solo projects for years, but until a few months ago she was not involved in Look Long. Shoemaker notes, “I got personal calls from both Amy and Emily asking me my opinion on their working mixes with producer John Reynolds, and I think they had a hunch that I might want to join the project. I was blown away by the content of the songs and the production, and I definitely felt I could help by adding my perspective. They sent me the sessions via a physical hard drive, and when I opened up the files, the work was massive! The tracks practically had their own gravity. But I could tell this was just a magnificent album, and I was honored that they trusted me to join the project. Depending on the assignment, the balance can add a fresh perspective without stepping on the toes of the producer and the work they’ve already done with the artist. I had a great conversation with John, and we were definitely on the same page. John is a genius, and very evolved as a producer, and I was able to add an objective voice to the process.”

In some cases, the production was so massive that Shoemaker was overwhelmed: “I had to hide dozens of tracks from view just to make visual sense out of what was happening. But then I started with the drums, and everything was rock-solid. I basically didn’t alter the drums at all – those were played by John himself, and they were tight, punchy, modern and different. But the vocal harmonies and strings had large track counts, and I called up John and asked if he would stem those parts for me, because sonically he’s the producer and if I start changing the sonic footprint of a few dozen backing vocal tracks or a string sound, it changes the whole artistic signature that they built together in the studio. With those elements mixed down by John, I was able to focus on the lead vocals and the fundamentals of the band arrangement, and I was able to get really bold and experimental and have fun with it! Honestly it was months of work, on account of the scope of the production, but I feel like I got a PhD working on this record. I couldn’t be more proud.”

I could not have done it without my Genelecs.

Shoemaker’s Genelec 8351s are her go-to reference monitors, not only through the whole mixing process of Long Look, but for pretty much everything she has mixed in the last few years — and, in fact, she assigns an almost mystical power to what the Genelecs offer: “In one song, there was a bridge that had a shift in feel, but I didn’t think it felt quite right. There were some loops on the record that John used, and that’s a world I know really well. Clandestinely, secretly, I added a few loop elements from my own library to that bridge, and it makes all the difference in the world. It’s just a whisper, it’s very subtle – but listening on the Genelecs, it’s very clear what those elements are, and what they needed to be. I consider my relationship with my Genelec 8351s sacred and magical. They mean so much to me. I trust what they reveal, and I know my decisions made on Genelecs translate to any other listening device or environment.”

The Grayson Capps record was another special project, and her Genelec 8351s played a key role. Shoemaker notes, “Grayson is my husband, but he’s also a songwriter I have immense reverence for. This project, South Front Street, was a career retrospective, so it was important to create brand-new mixes of some material from several years ago, recorded under lots of different circumstances. South Front Street is my favorite record I’ve ever made in my life. It’s also the most important record I’ve ever made in my life, because it covers a body of work that includes Grayson and it includes me. I think it covers the time period from 1997 to 2019. It’s definitely not a greatest hits album. It’s a very personal project for both of us, and I selected all the songs myself. It’s a study on what I loved the most about him, with material from before we met and fell in love in New Orleans, right through more recent work that we created together. And the album speaks of that. These new mixes were created on my Genelecs, and it all happened in this room in front of these speakers. These speakers witnessed the entire rebirth of my life through that record. South Front Street is a very important, transcendent record for me, and I hope a lot of fans listen to it and hear what I hear in it. And I could not have done it without my Genelecs.”

See also

A wholly-owned R&D subsidiary of G-bits, the company employs enthusiastic games fans with one simple mission - to produce ‘unique and great games’. As a result of Leiting’s dedication to creating all-round immersive experiences for its users, the company recently commissioned a 5.1.4 game audio studio based around Genelec Smart Active Monitors.

"For a games company like ours, an audio studio is a must," commented composer and game sound designer Knuckles (Jianyu) Zhang, who led the studio project. "Our requirements are quite special, though. What we want is not just a recording studio, nor a standard mixing studio or a reviewing studio. To be precise, what we want is a ‘Game Sound Lab’ to assist us in the conceptual design of games.”

Originally conceived as a surround sound studio, the acoustic design and construction of the project was handled by Qiao Zhenyu of Huanyu Acoustics, who persuaded Knuckles to go fully immersive. “I knew that many games had already used the 5.1 format to produce sound. But Qiao suggested that since it was already 5.1, why not make it 5.1.4 by adding the 4 height channels? I realised then that immersive audio technology is no longer a new thing, and we as creators surely have to learn to master this format."

The studio then engaged the system integrator DMT to install a pair of Genelec 1234As as its main stereo monitoring system, with a 5.1.4 immersive system comprising eleven 8330A nearfield two-way monitors in all positions - complemented by a 7370A subwoofer. All the monitors were supplied in a stunning Polar White finish, and the entire system was configured and calibrated by DMT using GLM loudspeaker manager software.

Genelec's sound is very reliable. You can trust what you’re hearing.

Knuckles’ choice of Genelec monitoring was arrived at after many years of experience of working with other monitors - and actually avoiding Genelec in his earlier years, believing them to be too flat! “I used various monitors to evaluate my work in different rooms. Sometimes, it would sound fine on my own monitors in my own room, but the results would often vary when I’d listen to material in other spaces. So I’d start to doubt what I was hearing.”

He goes on to say “It was then that I realised that I needed a genuinely truthful monitoring system to do my work. Genelec's sound is very reliable. You can trust what you’re hearing, and you can be certain about what you create using them. When I use the 1234s to listen to material, I can immediately evaluate the quality of mixing.”

Knuckles is convinced that immersive audio is the format of the future for games developers. “In recent years, the domestic games industry has attached greater importance to the sound experience. As we look to the international market, we’re finding that more and more games with big-budget production are using immersive audio to create the sound experience. Because sometimes, we just want to step into another world and forget about real life, or even ourselves, for a while.”

He concludes by saying “While others here are still at the learning and building phase with immersive rooms, we already have the experience and a place to create immersive audio. Now we’re one step ahead, we’re ready to take the lead!"

Game sound designer Knuckles (Jianyu) Zhang

Having embarked on his recording career back in 1992 through his production company Lindberg Lyd, Lindberg set up the 2L record label to specialise in high quality recordings featuring Norwegian composers and performers and an international repertoire. To raise the bar of sonic excellence even further, Lindberg has recently upgraded the monitoring system in his post production studio, deploying Genelec smart active monitors and woofer systems in a 7.1.4 configuration.

Lindberg explains that “Once you've experienced immersive audio, then coming back to stereo is really difficult. When I started doing recordings back in the early 90s, stereo was our perspective to work with, it was what we had. Then came surround sound in the early 2000s, and that opened up a whole new wide image to music reproduction. When we started to experiment with immersive audio, what we expected to gain with adding the height dimension was to simply increase the level of detail and resolution. How much space would be available to the instruments and to the musical lines, the size of the canvas available to the chords, and so on. But, that was not what we got. What we got was an emotional component. By adding the third dimension of the soundscape, the emotional impact to the listener was increased tenfold.”

Lindberg’s newly upgraded post production facility is designed specifically for the editing, mixing and mastering of immersive audio. Compatible with both Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D, the monitoring system is largely based on models from ‘The Ones’ series, starting with seven 8351B coaxial three-way monitors in the bed layer, all complemented by W371A adaptive woofer systems. The height positions are handled by four of the lighter, more compact 8341A models, with a 7380A subwoofer handling the LFE. Additionally, an 8320A compact two-way nearfield monitor sits atop the 7380A, to provide an upwards frequency extension above 120 Hz. This acts as a checkpoint into the true content of the LFE channel before it is distributed.

The intention with the W371A was really to reach down into that tactile, haptic aspect of sound, to reach down into the part of the sound experience which transitions from audio into the vibration range.

“I found that the coaxial design of The Ones gives amazing imaging not only in surround, but it actually adds to the full surround and extends to the height dimension, preserving that precise detail of our source,” he continues. “All The Ones models that we used have full bandwidth capabilities on their own, so the intention with the W371A was really to reach down into that tactile, haptic aspect of sound, to reach down into the part of the sound experience which transitions from audio into the vibration range.”

Lindberg goes on to explain that “Our whole body is actually a very sophisticated sensory system and the body’s experience of music is much broader than our traditional definition of audio. There are different directivity modes you can use on the W371A woofer which might help out if you’re in a smaller or compromised room - but in a room like this, which is spacious and has an overall good sound quality - I found that the basic complementary mode of the W371A sounds to me the most open and natural extension into the tactile area, where it kind of moves your belly.”

What I found most useful about GLM is how ‘elastic’ it is in terms of how many speakers we can connect to the network, and how they are placed and configured.

Lindberg uses Genelec GLM loudspeaker manager software to connect, calibrate and control the monitoring system. “By measuring out our listening positions and our workspace we can do some pretty clever optimising of the speakers to this particular room,” he comments. “What I found most useful about GLM is how ‘elastic’ it is in terms of how many speakers we can connect to the network, and how they are placed and configured. Additionally, GLM can also act as a monitor controller, giving you access to all the speakers.”

But while experience, expertise and the finest technology are obviously essential components in Lindberg’s impressive recording toolbox, it’s also clear that he has never lost sight of his real mission in music. “A perfect recording for us, is if we can make you cry…or laugh. It’s about emotions.”