(Rycote Forum continued) 

part it plays in our lives, and hopefully choose it as a career! The next speaker was Stephen Peus from Neuman Microphones, who to put a fine point on it, explained that to match the sensitivty of the ear, microphones have to be very special instruments indeed. 1 bet that the majority of us pull our favourite microphone out of the case at the start of the day and give no thought as to how precise the engineering is and how much research has gone into the materials used. The effectiveness of the human ear always leaves me in awe! After a welcome coffee break Jorg Wuttke, Schoeps’ guru whom I am sure everybody has at least heard of, gave a talk about his favourite subject ‘Windscreens for everybody’! 

Oh, how naive we all are! Stuff the microphone into a ball of foam and wind noise disappears. Well I know none of us actually do that do we? No, we all invest in Rycote baskets, windjammers et al, but how many of us realise the importance of removing the horrendously expensive foam windgag first? An enlightening and amusing talk to say the least! Last to take the stand was Jackie Green, Vice President of Product Development at Audio Technica. Jackie’s chosen subject was one which interests us all, Radio Microphones, and not a windgag in site! Jackie’s talk emphasised all our concerns with regard to the frequency licensing arrangements, admittedly in the USA. but given the present climate of ‘sell anything if you can raise cash’ soon to hit our shores. in any case it’s not a rare event for us to work in the states is it? We all know the problems that Radio Microphones present us with not least the strange birdies which come out of nowhere to ruin that perfect take! I have to tell everybody that life is going to get worse. Not just in the States but over here as well. Digital isn’t the answer in fact it’s part of the cause. Soon, maybe in the next couple of years, the lottery for frequencies which we have always regarded as our own will be put up for sale. These will go to the highest bidder (of course) and who is that, well by present indicators it will still be the Mobile Phone networks! They are ravenous for frequencies, and prepared to pay a kings ransom, witness the last round! And these networks use digital transmissions. The problem with a digital transmission is that there are NO gaps to put an analogue signal in, let alone a digital one. So no frequencies, no radio microphones, I have to say at this point in Jackie’s talk, a little cheer went up from the clutch of Location Mixers that made up part of the audience. Sadly reality is with us all and we know that our job, like it or not, relies on radio microphones no matter how much we hate them.

Chris Wolf opens the afternoon session: from left - Florian Camarer (sound mixer, Austrian Broadcasting ORF), Chris Wolf, Malcolm Johnson, Marc Ulano CAS (sound mixer USA) 

 The truth is that unless someone listens to us and our cause, we won’t be able to use them. Sad fact but true. Television and corporate events will come to a grinding halt as when that faithful Micron or Audio is plugged in all you get out is digital hash! We all know that government bodies should listen to minorities, and the entertainment industry is a minority in this game, but when money talks, only money listens. Jackie related the problems as they appear in the States, but we all know it’s here in Europe as well. We all thought that Sony and Time Warner were big corporations but it seems in this game they are tiddlers. Incidentally in the question time after Jackie’s talk, these views were echoed by Rolf Meyer. At this point lunch was declared, and we adjourned to the restaurant where a sumptuous buffet had been laid on. After lunch we all assembled, this time chaired by Rycote’s tame guru. Chris Wolf. Chris made the sensible suggestion that as the sun had now come round as was turning the room into an oven with all the windows wide open, we keep strictly to the timetable! This was the half of the day where location recording came to the front row, and Florian Camarer, a surround sound Recordist at ORF, Austrian Broadcasting Corporation to you and me, gave a fascinating talk on the problems of recording surround sound in the field. If it wasn’t enough keeping quite in front of the microphones when trying to record a wild-track Florian has it behind if you see what I mean. Tales from the Arctic and Antarctic abounded. Its so quiet you can hear a Polar Bear fart at 400 metres, or so I’m told! Most of his problems came from other people’s jackets rustling, usually because the person inside it was breathing! Jumping over moving ice flows may sound fun but carrying tens of kilograms worth thousands of pounds gives it another dimension.