Stage Audio Works Strengthens Focus On Industry Training

STAGE AUDIO WORKS STRENGTHENS FOCUS ON INDUSTRY TRAINING

Stage Audio Works has made industry education a key priority with a variety of initiatives designed to enhance the knowledge base of industry professionals at every level of their career. This new focus will see dedicated workshops for a variety of brands covering some of the major disciplines that professionals need to be successful. “The pace of change for technology in this industry means that you can never sit still,” said Shaun Xavier, Marketing Manager at Stage Audio Works. “We understand that people have to stay up-to-date if they want to deliver the best service to their clients, audience or congregation and we are here to help them do just that,” he continued. One of the first highlights for this

initiative was a dedicated live mixing workshop that took place at the Mosaiek Teatro-Roodeport on 11 and 12 September. This event combined the technologies of Sennheiser, Yamaha and d&b audiotechnik to provide a comprehensive workshop that covered the whole signal chain. On top of this, presentations from Freelance Engineer Oliver Voges and d&b audiotechnik’s Janko Ramuscak offered a brand-neutral approach to various techniques and methods. “This is a unique opportunity for sound engineers to participate in a practical workshop in a live environment and learn how to overcome specific audio challenges in a hands-on manner while being mentored by some of the leading

minds in the global audio industry,” stated Xavier. “With the combined knowledge of the companies and individuals involved, this workshop was the most comprehensive live mixing workshop South Africa has ever seen. Users left this event with new skills that they can apply regardless of the environment they face on a regular basis.” Following this, Stage Audio Works also be hosted an open day at its Johannesburg office on 18th September. This event was dedicated to dBTechnologies’ VIO Series concert system. “The VIO series has been increasing in popularity amongst local staging firms due to the value it has been shown to deliver,” stated Xavier. “Due to this, we felt it was important to

host this session to ensure that everyone can get the best out of these systems and hear why they’ve become such a common site on gigs in the region.” It is not only current professionals that Stage Audio Works is looking to help educate; the company has also been holding sessions to assist people at all stages of their career. This has seen a workshop covering an introduction to the d&b audiotechnik workflow hosted specifically for students at The Academy of Sound. “We are determined to help people at every stage of their career learn about the latest technology and new solutions to age-old problems. The sessions we have planned will be valuable for anyone working in the rental staging industry,” Xavier noted. Stage Audio Works has also joined forces with sales partner K2 Innovate to deliver free training for house of worship technicians in South Africa – Tech Tuesday. Created to boost the technical skillset of worship volunteers, the initiative got underway

with a session covering the basics of web and multisite streaming. “Streaming is a popular technology for houses of worship with multiple campuses as well as those looking to reach a dispersed congregation, so we thought it was the best starting point for Tech Tuesday,” explained Nathan Ihlenfeldt, Technical Director at Stage Audio Works.

“The response we had was phenomenal,” he continued. “The audience of worship technicians embraced the concept and made sure that this first Tech Tuesday really delivered on what we were trying to achieve. Everyone left there with a greater understanding of how this technology could help to improve their services.” The event itself, which took place in Stage Audio Works’ Johannesburg office, covered the basics of web and multisite streaming technology and the various solutions available. Following this, a special focus was put on the unique way that Living as One’s web and multisite technology enables this with the less

than optimal internet connections typically found in South Africa. “We know and understand the challenges most houses of worship face when it comes to connectivity,” said Ihlenfeldt. “The technology that Living as One has pioneered to help combat these difficulties ensures that all of the positive aspects of streaming can still be experienced and your congregation can be engaged, no matter where they are. Tech Tuesday is set to become a regular part of Stage Audio Works’ extensive educational calendar. The workshops will take place on the last Tuesday of every month, giving worship technicians the opportunity to learn and network with the community. “Whether you need to brush up on your technical knowledge or discover and learn about new skills, methods and ideas for taking your tech to the next level, then this is for you,” concluded Ihlenfeldt. Photos: Stage Audio Works www.stageaudioworks.com