Independent mobile recording and broadcast audio specialists, As The Crow Flies, have commissioned a new compact mobile recording and OB mix truck.
The 3.5 tonne Renault Master van offers comprehensive digital mobile recording and audio production capabilities.
Able to operate economically, in confined or congested environments, the truck
is designed to meet the demands of providing high quality audio for independent
radio and television programme makers, particularly when recording or broadcasting
from smaller venues or events. The company has a well established reputation
for providing services to radio clients such as Somethin’ Else, Wise Buddah,
Classic FM, Jazz FM, Kiss FM, BBC Radios 1, 1Xtra, 2, 3, 4, 5 Live, 6 Music
and the World Service, as well as many BBC local stations. Television clients
include MTV, Channel 4, BBC 2 and BBC 4.
While often operating from larger sites like the Barbican, the Royal Festival
Hall and the Royal Albert Hall, the ability to do so economically from medium
size and smaller venues is essential in providing recordings and broadcast sound
from the likes of the London Astoria, Shepherds Bush Empire, the London Palladium
and Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho, as well as a plethora of other clubs, restaurants,
churches, university halls and the odd field.
Replacing an earlier truck of a similar type, the truck is kitted out with
full range professional monitoring (PMC) and is spacious enough even to provide
client seating in the mix area. Mixing is courtesy of Mackie and Yamaha (digital)
consoles, with either direct to stereo or 24 track multitrack recording (Tascam).
A large on-board microphone inventory includes DPA, Neumann, AKG, Shure and
Sennheiser.
A feature of the company’s operations is the extensive range of performances,
events, venues and locations that it services, including folk and jazz festivals
(Bath, London and Cheltenham), classical recitals, small jazz clubs, indie gigs
and even raves.
Operational versatility is a key element in the specification of the truck,
as owner/ mix engineer Pete Freshney explains, “We need to be able to
service a wide range of programming and musical styles, and we have to combine
the constraints of a compact vehicle with the requirements of a fully professional
control environment.
“The focus of the internal design is to provide full range, highly accurate
monitoring, and compact but comprehensive mix and recording facilities, in a
3.5 tonne van; other requirements, specific to a particular booking, can be
hired in. In essence what we are designing is a top end professional project
studio on four wheels.”
As The Crow Flies MD, Pete Freshney, with the new
mobile broadcast sound truck, recording Brazilian jazz legend Hermeto Pascoal
at London’s Jazz CafÈ for BBC Radio’s Jazz on 3, produced
by Somethin’ Else.
