The members of Chicago rock band Styx are nonetheless exhibiting no indicators of calling it quits. In actual fact, the group is at the moment out on the highway supporting its seventeenth studio album, Crash of the Crownwithin the ultimate stretch of a 95-date 2023 US tour that runs into November. And whereas Styx could also be counting on native “racks and stacks” on the numerous host venues on their newest trek, the band’s audio crew has opted to hold a Solotech-supplied management bundle constructed upon twin DiGiCo SD12-96 consoles for paramount FOH and monitor combine consistency.
Chris Hoffhigher generally known as “Cookie,” has labored with the band on and off for greater than half of its historical past, initially beginning out as a stage patch/monitor tech in 1997. Following eight years because the band’s monitor engineer, plus numerous stints as methods engineer, Hoff has spent the previous six years as Styx’s FOH engineer, and he says that the selection to specify DiGiCo consoles was a simple one.
“I completely love the DiGiCo mixing platform; there’s a lot flexibility and so many further options that set this platform aside,” he says. “As soon as I get my ‘propeller-head’ engineering carried out—routing, teams, macros, and so forth—I really feel that I’m free to combine creatively and musically. I don’t should spend all of my time fixing issues and I can totally take part within the efficiency from my finish.
“I’ve labored on quite a lot of DiGiCo surfaces—SD7, SD5, SD10, and Quantum7—on each side of the snake since 2015, however the SD12-96 was notably ultimate for this tour in that it helped us resolve some area challenges. Evan [McElhinney, monitor engineer] and I attempt to do as a lot as we will with as little as attainable. Neither of us have a bunch of outboard gear to make our socials look cool, nor do we actually want it. From my perspective at front-of-house, there are a lot of venues that really feel even a four-foot-wide desk is approach too huge they usually don’t appear to price range sufficient room for what we’re bringing in. The SD12-96 is a high-channel depend console in a really small but handy bundle that has the identical pedigree and facilities of its a lot bigger siblings.”
Solotech’s management bundle for the present Styx tour contains the 2 DiGiCo consoles related by way of HMA Optocore and paired with an SD-Rack loaded with two 24-bit AD playing cards, three 32-bit AD playing cards, one AES I/O card, and 5 DA playing cards on the output aspect. Hoff has DMI-Waves and DMI-MADI modules loaded into his desk’s rear panel, and he’s utilizing two Waves DiGiGrid MGBs for digital soundcheck. Audio from a secondary playback laptop is moreover introduced in on the console’s UB-MADI port.
Hoff notes that he makes in depth use of the SD12-96’s macros. “Macros, oh, how I coronary heart thee,” he grins. “I’ve macros that kick out inserts and kick in parameters to maintain the present going and sounding related case of server errors. Different macros transfer pans on sure inputs for me it doesn’t matter what layer I’m in. And there are macros that set delay occasions, faucet tempos, activate/off results, modify lighting, and different issues. This stuff save me a lot time and are all the time accessible.”
Having first used an SD12 previous to the supply of its 96-channel software program improve, Hoff notes that he discovered quite a few features to assist maximize the desk’s I/O. “As an illustration, one function I really like having is the alt enter,” he says. “My pink channel can also be Evan’s talkback to me—just one is used at a time, in order that simply takes up one fader. One other use of the alt enter, which appears so easy, is that we had singers that will swap mics. The alt enter was used along with a macro that will swap the inputs on the fly so we didn’t have to fret about processing chains or combine assignments.
Styx FOH engineer Chris “Cookie” Hoff at his DiGiCo SD12-96 console
“It’s exhausting to choose which function I really like probably the most, although, as a result of I even have to say the routing choices on this platform. With the ability to take channel inputs from inside busses, like auxes or teams, or the truth that you may route teams to a bunch or ship a bunch to an aux actually can’t be understated. This function is a large flexibility choice irrespective of in case you are at FOH or screens, or have 32 inputs or 320 inputs. With the ability to route just about wherever you may think about opens up so many extra prospects in your combine and creativity.”
On the opposite finish of the fiber is monitor engineer Evan McElhinney, who has been with the band since 2010. “Though I spent my first seven years with the Styx household on one other model of console, we lastly maxed out that platform’s assets; plus, the band’s newer information had been presenting a necessity for the monitor state of affairs to evolve. In 2017, Cookie and I each agreed that DiGiCo’s SD-Vary was the most suitable choice for Styx shifting ahead, and when the SD12 dropped, I used to be instantly keen on it primarily based on its footprint and options.”
Much like Hoff, McElhinney’s desk is paired with a Waves DiGiGrid MGB and a DMI-Waves card taking good care of his multitrack document and digital soundcheck, however he eschews outboard processing for the desk’s inside choices. “I don’t use exterior plugins or something with this artist; every thing I want is onboard,” he says. “I actually just like the dynamic EQ, which I take advantage of along with extra closely compressed vocal channels to parallel in with the principle vocal for the artist. It permits me to set it so the HF increase on the channel isn’t activated by drums when the artist steps away from the mic, solely when they’re singing, which helps hold the combo cleaner. And I completely love the audio enhancer inserted on my snare high channel. It makes it sound fats and helps it punch proper via the combo.”
McElhinney makes use of his console to provide a dozen wi-fi IEM mixes for the band and crew, three wired packs on the drum riser, and a small variety of transducers onstage, and the response that’s he’s gotten again from the group has been affirming. “I’ve been advised by a number of the guys that it’s probably the most enjoyable they’ve had taking part in of their careers,” he says. “Tommy [Shaw, guitar/vocal] usually is happy by how good his combine sounds and the way inspiring it’s to play. One factor that issues most to me is that they will pitch simply, which is essential for a vocal band like this the place all of them sing.
“The SD12-96 is such a enjoyable console to combine on. I’ve an analog mindset for my combine, so I by no means actually do sends on faders. Utilizing the snapshots for various songs to change sure issues from pre to submit when vital along with management teams permits me to consolidate a whole lot of strikes down to at least one fader so I can hold my eyes on the stage and know that the strikes I’m making are doing what they should do for the person gamers. I’m a ‘sure’ individual; I don’t wish to say ‘no’ to the artists after they have a request or an ‘is that this attainable’ second. The DiGiCo platform with its wonderful flexibility, intuitive routing, and unparalleled processing energy permits me to current to the artists no matter they need, and I’m barely even scratching the floor of what the desk is able to.”
