Author: Romano Samuels

What is Audio?

Audio is the reproduction of sound. This also refers to the the frequencies that are audible to the human ear 20Hz to 20kHz.

For the purpose of today’s blog we will focus on sound being defined as the reproduction for sound. We will also be focusing mainly on sound as used/ as it relates to the entertainment and events industry. But before we dig into that let just see how sound works.

How sound waves work.

Sound waves exist as variations of pressure in a medium such as air. They are created by the vibration of an object, which causes the air surrounding it to vibrate. The vibrating air then causes the human eardrum to vibrate, which the brain interprets as sound.

Sound waves travel through air in much the same way as water waves travel through water. In fact, since water waves are easy to see and understand, they are often used as an analogy to illustrate how sound waves behave.

All waves have certain properties. The three most important ones for audio work are shown here:

• Wavelength: The distance between any point on a wave and the equivalent point on the next phase. Literally, the length of the wave.
• Amplitude: The strength or power of a wave signal. The “height” of a wave when viewed as a graph. Higher amplitudes are interpreted as a higher volume, hence the name “amplifier” for a device which increases amplitude.
• Frequency: The number of times the wavelength occurs in one second. Measured in kilohertz (kHz), or cycles per second. The faster the sound source vibrates, the higher the frequency. Higher frequencies are interpreted as a higher pitch. For example, when you sing in a high-pitched voice you are forcing your vocal chords to vibrate quickly.

Sound Systems

Working with audio means working with sound systems. Naturally, the range of systems available for different applications is enormous. However, all electronic audio systems are based around one very simple concept: To take sound waves, convert them into an electric current and manipulate them as desired, then convert them back into sound waves.

1.The process begins with a sound source (such as a human voice), which creates waves of sound (acoustical energy).

2.These waves are detected by a transducer (microphone), which converts them to electrical energy.

3.The electrical signal from the microphone is very weak, and must be fed to an amplifier before anything serious can be done with it.

4.The loudspeaker converts the electrical signal back into sound waves, which are heard by human ears.

1.The audio signal from the transducer (microphone) is passed through one or more processing units, which prepare it for recording (or directly for amplification).

2.The signal is fed to a recording device for storage.

3.The stored signal is played back and fed to more processors.

4.The signal is amplified and fed to a loudspeaker.

The 3-part audio model

One simple way of visualizing any audio system is by dividing it up into three sections: the source(s), processor(s) and output(s).

•The source is where the electronic audio signal is generated. This could be a “live” source such as a microphone or electric musical instrument, or a “playback” source such as a tape deck, CD, etc.

•The processing section is where the signal is manipulated. For our purposes, we will include the amplifiers in this section.

•The output section is where the signal is converted into sound waves (by loudspeakers), so that it can be heard by humans.

Now imagine a multi-kilowatt sound system used for stadium concerts. Although this is a complex system, at it’s heart are the same three sections: Sources (microphones, instruments, etc), processors and speakers.

Whatever the scale of the project, the same underlying principles of sound reproduction apply.

Reference:

MediaCollege.com https://www.mediacollege.com/audio/01/

Thank you for visiting our website. In this blog section we will be posting helpful tips and documents that will help you plan your events.

Clients are not always sure what they need when they are planning a function/event or when they are ready to finally get married. We have decided to help you as the client with this process by uploading regular blog on a range of topics.

First of all you need to know that there are different types of events companies. There is no official document or guideline that clearly lists the type of companies within the events industry. This is purely based on our past experience and interactions between the different companies. Here is a list of the different types of event companies:

• Events Management Company

These are companies that assist you with everything you need to make your event a success. These are companies that offer a full turn key solution. They will choose a venue for you, help with catering, find a technical solution for your event, assign a technical company to your event, transport and a whole lot more.

With Events Management Companies you can come with an idea and they will guide you with themes and propose different ideas. The process is very simple and easy. You will get fast results and have a budget proposal within 48 hours after they received all reliant information.

• Wedding/ Events Coordinator

Coordinators typically outsource most of the work although there are a few companies that can offer most of the services that an events management company can offer. They are costly but they give you the piece of mind and you can be sure that everything will be on time and too your specification.

Coordinators are creative and like to make each event or function unique. they like to add in a little extra flare or that something new. Process can be lengthy as they would sometimes need to have items made up for your event and could take up to a week to get a budget proposal.

Specialized Company

Specialized companies are companies that focus on one area of an event. These are companies like: Sound Companies, Decor Companies and Entertainment Booking Agents. When working with specialized companies they normally have a very good idea of what it is their client wants and can offer a the right products for an events. A word of caution if you have not worked on an event with these companies they can be costly or offer services that you might not necessarily need. They very good at what they do but tend to sell more than needed.

With Specialized companies you need to know what you want and they will help you with what you want within their field of expertise. Process can be quick depending on the workload as specialized companies are generally run by the owner and they prefer to be hands on. Budget proposals can be delayed. Some of these companies can sent budget proposals within a hour.

Ok, so now you have a better idea of what to expect when looking for help to organize your event use this summarized points below to guide you:

• If you have a small event and you know what you want. You have already booked a venue and you just need sound. Go to a specialist that deals with sound and get a quote.
• If you have a idea of what it is you want to do and you need help planning your event from scratch go to a event manager or a coordinator.

For some ideas on themes for your next event please follow us on social media.

Instagram: @bwr_productions_sa

Facebook: @BWRProductionsSA

Twitter: @bwr_sa

Please leave you comments and questions below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.