reported
by: Mr. Jibby Jacob
Honorary Section
Advisor (Term 2000/2001)
On Wednesday, 18th April 2001
at 7.30 pm, 7 members and 12 guests of the AES Singapore
Section gathered at Para-Di (S) Pte. Ltd, at No 1 Ubi Crescent,
#06-05 Number One Building to attend a Seminar hosted by the AES Singapore
Section. This activity is the section’s ninth event for the Term 2000/2001.
The speaker for the evening was Mr. Raymond Ng, owner of
Para-Di (S) Pte. Ltd and a veteran Project Studio & Digital Audio
Workstation (DAW) solution provider.
After some light refreshments,
Robert Soo, Chairman for the AES Singapore Section called the
meeting to order and announced some of the future activities of the Section.
This included the details of the coming AES Singapore Section AGM cum
dinner on 29 June 2001. He invited local AES members to nominate suitable
candidates for the various posts of the executive committee for the term
2001/2002.
| Following this, Soo
then introduced the speaker Raymond Ng as one who personally
inspired him to learn about electronic music and try his hand at
creating in that art form.
Ng then presented his
observations and ideas about the recording studio and the Information
Technology (IT). Having a broad background in both the Audio & IT world,
Ng described a typical day in the audio recording studio 10 years
ago where analog recording processes were the order of the day. He then
compared it with present methods. They include progressing from multi
track tape recorder with limited editing capabilities to computer based
systems which had unlimited edit facilities. In addition to backing up
audio in the old days to backing up data today, transfer of audio from
one facility to another was by hand while today it’s network transfer. |
Mr. Raymond Ng,
owner of Para-DI (Singapore) Pte Ltd, was the speaker for the section's
9th event for Term 2000/2001 - photograph by
Robert Soo. |
However Ng reiterated that
though the technology has changed the rules of production remain the same.
As one of the local suppliers of the Digidesign ProTools a popular DAW, he
is well aware that technology cannot replace creativity. Thus in a nutshell
he emphasised that; creative minds are still required., a good command of
the audio technicalities, a good audio mix and of course the professional
producer/engineer relationship remains critical.
|
Raymond (right)
giving a presentation at Para-DI (S) Pte Ltd on "The Impact of IT in the
Audio Industry" - photograph by Mr. Robert
Soo. |
Today there are many more options
which include which is the best recording system and on which computer
platform. Is there a need to synchronise to random hard disk based or tape
based video. How much hard disk space is enough and how to backup the
audio. The producer may want the mix in an MP3 format or on CD.
|
Mr. Michael
Kalember, Marketing Manager Para- Di (S) Pte. Ltd. setting up the
Macintosh for the presentation - photograph
by Mr. Jibby Jacob. |
In the old days
the recording engineer would prepare the multitrack tape and during
recording would then roll the sound tape while today he or she would
prepare the hard disk and launch the software before recording. In the
old days during mixdown, the recording engineer would use a vast number
of outboards signal processors to add the novelty and “the edge” to the
recording while today its software based signal processors called
plug-ins that adds to the sonic quality of the recording. |
Ng then discussed the
challenges faced by studio owners. Like it or not they need to keep abreast
of the direction in which IT is progressing to stay ahead. They would need
to constantly reorganise their set-up as well as manage their financial
requirements to implement change.
| The speaker
continued on to include challenges for the audio engineer. This means a
high level of computer literacy along with digital audio techniques for
the engineer to operate the equipment and of course it boils down to IT
related training both theory and practicals. The maintenance team who
supported the old studio today needs to expand their knowledge and
know-how to service IT related audio equipment.
“It is a brave new world out
there and where do we go from here ...”challenged Ng. The main
implications remain and i.e. the rate of change in IT will increase and
manufacturers of professional DAWs will exploit IT advances to stay
ahead in the game. This means the DAW will just get better. Traditional
analog & tape equipment will diminish in availability and importance.
The digital studio and random access audio will be a way of life. |
Raymond Ng
(standing) with fellow colleague, Michael Kalember, setting up the
projector forthe presentation - photograph by
Mr. Jibby Jacob. |
At the Question & Answer session,
the speaker was then asked on issues of commercial gains when going digital
as well as the business model for recovering on investments on IT related
studio products. Ng replied that its like any other business, that
studio owners have to keep up with trends, like it or not. Attendees who
came from the traditional studios which had invested in analog equipment
debated on the
|
Section
Chairman, Robert Soo (left) presenting a plaque to Raymond Ng after the
presentation - photograph by Jimmy Yap. |
audio quality
differences between analog and digital sound. The final verdict was that
a mix of both analog and traditional equipment along with analog &
digital recording techniques created that “hit factor” when producing
CDs.
The final item in the seminar
was a short tour of Ng’s studio setup in which every room
including the offices were networked and had IT related products for the
distribution of audio and video. The meeting ended at 9.45 pm with a
presentation of a plaque of appreciation by the Chairman Robert Soo
to the speaker and of course some photo taking for the record. |
AES Singapore Section would like
to thank Para-Di (S) Pte. Ltd and their staff for the loan of their premises
to hold the seminar as well as their hospitality.
|
Attendees
comprising of AES members and guests with the speaker, Mr. Raymond Ng
(seated, 3rd from right and holding the speaker's plaque), after the
presentation at the Para-DI studio -
photograph by Mr. Jimmy Yap |
|
