USA - When the coronavirus pandemic first hit earlier this year, ADJ began to broadcast regular Facebook Live videos to stay connected with customers through educational content and in-depth product overviews. These proved popular, so the ADJ team has planned a series of further Stay Connected videos to run over the summer.
Hosted from ADJ’s Los Angeles HQ by members of the company’s in-house team of technical experts, each of the new video broadcasts will focus on a different lighting technology or application. The presenters will showcase the latest ADJ products, explain their features and discuss ways in which they can be creatively deployed. Broadcast via Facebook Live, the videos will also feature interactive elements allowing viewers to ask questions directly to the product specialists on camera.
“Every day, I am hearing more positive stories from lighting professionals who are being able to get back out there and work in the business that we all love,” comments ADJ USA’s national sales manager, Alfred Gonzales. “However, there is still a long way to go until things are fully back to normal, so here at ADJ we want to continue to stay connected with our customers and users by continuing our series of Facebook Live videos throughout the summer. Each session will focus in on a different area of our product range, giving viewers in-depth insights and lots of valuable practical tips and ideas.”
On Tuesday 14 July (12pm), ADJ’s video specialist, Corey Saenz, will showcase the new ADJ Pixie Strip Series of pixel battens, which

UK - An important part of The University of York’s Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media’s curriculum focuses on audio recording and delivery. To teach students in its audio programmes about loudness compliance and metering, the school relies on Nugen Audio’s VisLM plug-in.
“We first heard about Nugen from a commercial client who requested the VisLM software,” says Richard Sykes, technical officer, University of York. “We purchased a copy so they could use it when they came in to mix in our studios. We were immediately impressed with the software and have since incorporated it into the curriculum for our film, television and sound production programmes.
“The placement of the graphics makes long-form work a lot easier, which is especially important for students to properly understand what’s going on,” adds Sykes. “When you are jumping in and out of various sections, being able to see which bits have problems from the very start is incredibly helpful. VisLM makes it possible for students who are just starting out to understand how loudness works, using the software to quickly identify what’s too loud or too quiet. It’s been really useful for us. We have VisLM on all of our workstations now; a total of about one hundred machines.”
Sykes also finds VisLM’s time-code features to be particularly helpful. “I really like the fact that it provides time-codes of the loudness problem,” he says. “VisLM allows us to update loudness for specific sections. So, when we make changes, we don't have to play the

Europe - Sennheiser’s #DontStopTheEducation series continues with two Crew Call panel discussions.
A session taking place today, 23 June from 17:00 Berlin time / 16:00 London / 11:00 New York / 15:00 UTC will feature the live touring team of singer-songwriter Mahalia, whilst on 30 June, the team from Harford Sound will discuss how their production company adapted to the COVID-19 situation.
Also coming up in June is a new edition of the live RF Expert Round Table, as well as live webinars on pro headphones, multi-zone antenna systems and 8D audio.
In today’s session, Sennheiser hosts Andy Egerton and Tim Moore welcome members from the touring team of singer-songwriter Mahalia, nominee for Best Female Solo Artist at the 2020 BRIT Awards. Guests include Mahalia’s musical director and touring bass player Charlie Fowler, tour manager Carl Lewis, front-of-house engineer Luigi Buccarello, monitor engineer Alice Asbury, guitar technician Jamie Hicks and merchandise manager and trainee backline technician Chris Bunt.
Says Sennheiser, “This webinar has something for everyone: If you are looking to get into the touring industry as a career, this webinar will highlight some key touring roles and requirements. If you’re already in the industry, this is a great way to gain insights into the life of another tour crew – and an opportunity to catch up with some of the tour banter you might be missing during lockdown!”
On 30 June, Tim Moore and Andy Egerton welcome the team from Harford Sound, who discuss their approach as a produc

USA - Lighting for houses of worship will be the focus of The Elation Hour virtual presentation, taking place this Wednesday.
With the knowledge that dynamic lighting systems can positively impact the overall worship experience, houses of worship are finding success in growing their ministries through flexible stage and house lighting systems.
Those who tune in will gain insight into how dynamic lighting can enhance both live and broadcast worship from three houses of worship market lighting specialists. Hosts John Dunn and Bob Mentele will welcome Josh Holowiki from E2i Design, Griffin McCravy from Church of the Highlands, and Chris Eguizabal from Harvest Christian Fellowship for a special Elation Hour discussion about elevating the worship experience utilizing lighting and control technology.
The discussion will take place on Wednesday, 24 June at 10:00 a.m. PDT.
RSVP here.
The Elation Hour and Elation Innovation Hour are weekly virtual presentations that delve into the more personal side of product development. Broadcast since 22 April, they include discussions with top industry designers who share their experience across the broad scope of entertainment lighting, and also include virtual product launches.
Following Tools & Techniques - House of Worship, the series continue on 1 July with a virtual product launch of the Fuze Wash FR.

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has announced the addition of 10 free live workshops available for registration through the Learning Sessions programme in conjunction with Harman Professional University.
Available workshops, scheduled through the remainder of June, feature lighting or audio experts who have extensive industry knowledge and experience working with various artists including Akon, Aretha Franklin, Imagine Dragons, John Legend, Josh Groban, Logic, OneRepublic, Patti LaBelle, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many others.

The workshops now open for registration include:
Improvised Lighting on Tour with Juan Trevino (17 June)
The Followspot Operator: An Essential Resource with A.J. Pen (18 June)
Lighting Director Skillset: From Clubs to Arenas and Beyond with Sarah Parker (19 June)
Pros and Cons in an Educational Lighting Design System with Nina Agelvis (22 June)
Life on the Road as an LD: How Not to Burn Out with Sage Paden (23 June)

Over 60 workshops have been conducted since the programme’s introduction and are now available at Harman Professional University’s YouTube channel.
For information and registration, visit pro.harman.com/lp/learning-sessions.

Germany - Lawo has started organising weekly Lawo Lounge (Wednesdays) and How-To (Thursdays) sessions to stay connected with its customers and future Lawo users. The first sessions were streamed on Wednesday, 10 June and Thursday, 11 June to a large audience.
The aim of these sessions is to present entertaining and informative, short-form programmes about the media and entertainment industry’s transition to IP-based content production and delivery. Brought live from Lawo’s headquarters in Rastatt, Germany, the sessions offer product tips, application insights, new product introductions, customer interviews, interactive Q&A and more.
All Lawo Lounge instalments can either be watched live at 14:00 hours (CEST) on Wednesdays, with a replay at 20:00 hours (CEST), or on demand by clicking the relevant link in the Past Webinars section on the page.
The Lawo How-To sessions are streamed on Thursdays at 14:00 hours (CEST), with a replay at 20:00 hours. On-demand watching is also available.
Users are welcome to ask questions in writing during and until one hour after each session. Details about registering for each individual event can be found here.
Each session ends with a sweepstake where attendees can submit for Lawo swag and goodies.

Italy - Italian loudspeaker manufacturer Outline will hold a free webinar in English on OpenArray, the 3D acoustic prediction, modelling and simulation software written in the Brescia company’s laboratories and now at its second release.
From CAD to OpenArray will take place on 18 June and comprise two sessions, starting at 9am and 6pm CET respectively. Users will be guided step by step through the preparation of the designs to be imported into OpenArray, starting from CAD programmes.
Giulio Gandini, who will host both sessions with the support of Paolo Calza, states: “I’m pleased to have the opportunity of explaining in depth what in my opinion is one of the software’s most interesting features: how to import designs into OpenArray directly from DXF files. We’ll begin with a recap of the key characteristics of the simulator and the audience section, focusing attention on the result and the amount of detail projects must have; after which we’ll explain what to import and how to do so.
“We shall then get to the heart of the matter with practical examples, for each of which the initial "datum" (Google image, CAD file) and the result to be obtained will be displayed. We’ll demonstrate how to import a simple area, for example a city square, then proceed with importing a more complex space, and answer participants’ questions.”
On 24 June, in the same time slots, Fernando Rey Méndez will host a webinar on Outline’s WFIR, the “warped” filters featured in Outline’s Newton processors.
Registration is at

UK - DiGiCo’s popular Ask Us Anything webinar series takes a seat at the theatre to answer your question about mixing theatre sound.
Hosted by DiGiCo’s Dan Page and A2D’s Zac Duax, it will feature special guests Nevin Steinberg, Julie M Sloan and Jason Crystal, who between them have an incredible list of theatre credits.
Steinberg’s recent projects include Hamilton on Broadway, in London, Los Angeles, San Francisco and on the US Tour; Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, in London and on the US Tour; Tina: The Tina Turner Musical in the West End, Hamburg, Utrecht and on Broadway; Hadestown (Tony Award) on Broadway; Freestyle Love Supreme on Broadway; Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s Bright Star on Broadway; and Rodgers+ Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Tony nomination). He has designed over 30 Broadway productions with Acme Sound Partners and received five additional Tony nominations for The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Fences, Hair, In The Heights.
Steinberg serves as the audio consultant for Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. He holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College in English and American Literature and Language. In 2011, he completed a Certificate Program in Arts Management at NYU's School for Continuing Professional Studies. Nevin is Trustee of the Town Hall Foundation, Inc., the non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and support of The Town Hall, a cultural and education centre as well as a national historic landmark in the c

France - As many countries slowly lift confinement restrictions, L-Acoustics will re-open in-person education programmes this month. Simultaneously, L-Acoustics is pre-launching a new Online Education Platform. The first programme on the platform is a complete, but remote, version of its renowned System Fundamentals training, a prerequisite for all other L-Acoustics training modules.
In 2019, L-Acoustics hosted training courses in 60 countries, completing 670 training days and awarding 6,000 certificates. Of these, 240 training days and 2,400 certificates were for the Systems Fundamentals course.
“This education platform will foster the creation of a learning community where participants can share questions and develop a useful network of L-Acoustics users, as well as benefitting from the expertise of the instructors and the other trainees,” explains Etienne Corteel, director of education & scientific outreach.
The online Systems Fundamentals course provides an overview of what an L-Acoustics system is, including electronics, loudspeakers and software, and puts them into the perspective of a global project workflow. The course is structured around the full, in-person training, and grants participants the exact same industry-recognised certification.
The course is personalised, beginning with a virtual class, followed by several days where participants complete e-learning courses and practical exercises on Soundvision and LA Network Manager. During this week, participants access an online community room to exchang

UK - "Keeping ladder users safe now means protecting them from coronavirus as well as falls," says The Ladder Association, as they release new guidance for health and safety managers.
New guidance from the Ladder Association is helping managers keep ladder users safe during the coronavirus outbreak, whether they're attending a ladder training course or using ladders in the workplace.
The industry body has offered its advice on the challenges being faced by those responsible for the health and safety of ladder users as they plan a return to work. In a new guidance document released free-of-charge to the industry, the Ladder Association delves into issues such as how long the virus lasts on ladders, how rescue plans will be affected and how workers can minimise the risk of the virus spreading through proper cleaning of equipment and materials, particularly if they have been handled by multiple people.
Importantly, it includes advice on how workers can maintain physical distancing while using ladders, with a focus on two activities that need to be considered carefully: stabilising a ladder and raising a ladder.
As Ladder Association training starts to resume in some areas, they have also addressed the need for people to be protected from coronavirus during their course. They remind us of the importance of Ladder Association training and reassure managers of the protective measures they can expect to be in place during a course, from e-learning options to minimise time spent at the training centre to increased hygiene and cleaning. They also expl

Europe/USA - Yamaha Pro Audio has added an extended programme of webinars dedicated to the latest Rivage PM Series digital mixing systems.
Demand for in-depth information about the newly-introduced compact Rivage PM5 and PM3 systems has been high, says the company. Joining the established Rivage PM10 and PM7 systems, they allow a much wider range of applications and budgets to benefit from Yamaha’s flagship mixing technology.
Produced by, and co-ordinated between, Yamaha’s three main technical centres in the UK, Japan and the USA, all live Rivage PM Series webinars are streamed globally and many are presented twice, to ensure people in as many time zones as possible can take part.
Yamaha also runs online Q&A sessions, where people from all over the world can directly interface with the company’s experts to get answers to any technical enquiries.
All sessions are free, but participants will need to register to take part. Visit yamahaproaudio.com for further details. The series is also archived on its own YouTube channel.

Germany - GLP is to launch a new series of short-form, fun, and informative interview videos with lighting designers from all over the industry.
The series will see videos released on a weekly basis with different designers facing the same 10 questions, covering their formative years, as well as career highs and even some of the moments they would rather forget. Partly informative, partly inspirational, and partly irreverent and amusing, the interviews have been designed to bring a little bit of everything to the viewer.
To keep them easy and fun, the interviews will be edited into 15-minute episodes. Given that some of the more elaborate stories could take a little longer, full-length versions of the interviews will be made available in the future. Episodes will be published every Wednesday on GLP’s YouTube Channel, and through its various social media feeds.
With future guests including concert touring designer, Ethan Weber; Broadway and West End award winning designer Neil Austin; the legendary Steven Cohen; NBC Universal’s Fred Bock and many more characters, the series kicks off with Justin Kitchenman, best known for his work with Nashville artist Luke Bryan.

UK - ABTT Theatre Show organisers have released a seminar programme running across 10-11 June - the days when the postponed 2020 tradeshow would have taken place.
"In light of the postponement of the 42nd ABTT Theatre Show until 2021, the ABTT felt that it was necessary to mark the occasion and provide our usual attendees with something to commemorate this event during the current pandemic," say the organisers. "While we cannot recreate or replace the experience of the ABTT Theatre Show, we hope to enable some of the conversations and discussions that take place when theatre people come together."
The schedule comprises 10 seminars (five per day), each set to last no longer than 90 minutes including Q&A.

The schedule is as follows:

10 June (Wednesday)

ALD: A spotlight on better conditions for the lighting industry and the future of lighting: ALD chair Johanna Town will be joined by industry representatives in discussing the need for clearer contracts and letters of engagement for all freelance lighting staff and the best ways of using LED lighting and how in light of the EU regulations taking effect.

Technical training in a new world: TEC chairman Sebastian Barnes, Mig Burgess (GSA), Jo Franklin (GSA), Roz Madison (RCS) and Rachel Nicholson (Backstage Academy) explore the next steps for education an

UK - Solid State Logic is providing a range of educational offerings centred on its SSL Live range of consoles for applications in touring, installation, houses of worship, theatre and more.
SSL Live training — which is being offered as on-line certified courses and well as off-line modules and learning aids — provides a comprehensive overview of SSL’s advanced live production tools for engineers and operators who are looking at SSL Live as well as experienced professionals looking to enhance their workflow.
SSL offers its live certified training - a six-hour intensive on-line video course led by live product specialist and live sound veteran Fernando Guzeman. Currently, SSL is offering certified training courses in both English and Spanish during June.
For those looking to become acclimated on SSL Live consoles at their own pace, a six-part introductory video series provides a comprehensive overview on console technology, design and workflow as well as in-depth guidance on configuration, routing and working with stems. These are complimented with an ongoing series of short format video guides, led by SSL live specialist Sam Bath, focusing on key features specific to the Live series of consoles. www.solidstatelogic.com/ssllivetraining

South Africa - When South Africa went under strict lockdown on 26 March, the entertainment industry had been out of work for a couple of weeks already, with all shows on the events calendar either cancelled or postponed indefinitely. It was a grim picture, and Jannie de Jager of DWR Distribution believed that the very least he could do was use this opportunity to set up training sessions for the industry during this time.
While there was no shortage of training videos and webinars provided by international suppliers, which are still being shared on the DWR Distribution Facebook Group page, Jannie and colleague Dylan Jones, wanted to create a platform where training and personal contact with the industry could continue, allowing all parties to be motivated and to share knowledge. The only obstacle was navigating the best way to do this.
“We definitely had to get used to the world of streaming,” de Jager smiles. “Because the lockdown happened so fast, I initially felt like we were not 100% prepared for what we were going to be doing during this time and initially there was a lot of trial and error! Dylan and I quickly investigated streaming options in order for us to take the training online, and while you’d imagine this to be an easy task, it involves quite a bit of admin. Nevertheless, we quickly adapted and made the best out of it!”
While Jannie has focused on MA Lighting Crash Course sessions and facilitating very popular Q&A live sessions with the DWR team, the sales team have also contributed in hosting webinars with highlig

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has added 10 free Live Workshops to its Learning Sessions programme in conjunction with Harman Professional University.
Scheduled through mid-June, the workshops feature lighting or audio experts who have extensive industry knowledge and experience working with various acts including Earth, Wind & Fire, Janelle Monáe, Lea Michele, Mary Mack, Rae Sremmurd, Rebelution, Sublime with Rome, Tabula Rasa Opera, Tegan and Sara, The Avalanches, Tinashe and others.
The sessions now open for registration include: Transitioning Between Studio and Live Environments with Mike Sutherland (2 June), Soundcraft Vi1000 Basic Training with Gabriel Le Roux (3 June), Headroom of a Sound System with Jan van Zyl (4 June), Soundcraft Vi1000 Advanced Training with Gabriel Le Roux 5 June), Soundcraft Vi1000 Monitor Training with Gabriel Le Roux (8 June), Tour Design Process Basics for Beginners/Students with Lauren Sego (9 June), Paperwork from Production Management to Lighting Design with Jennifer Bass (10 June), Light the Music: A Lecture with a Beat with Luther Frank (11 June) and Getting Started in Live Sound with the Soundcraft Ui24R with Pete Alcock (12 June).
Nearly 30 Live Workshops conducted in May are now available at Harman Professional University’s YouTube channel. Many more sessions are in production for release in the coming months.

USA - Lighting designers Sooner Routhier, Cory FitzGerald and Travis Shirley are set to share their insight into concert and live event lighting on the 3 June Elation Hour.
Routhier counts artists like KISS, Muse, Halsey, Mötley Crüe, and Depeche Mode as clients, while FitzGerald has lit some of music’s biggest acts like Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber and Jennifer Lopez. Shirley has designed for names like Christina Aguilera, Smashing Pumpkins, Enrique Iglesias, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Linkin Park.
The session is hosted by Elation national sales manager John Dunn and global product manager Matthias Hinrichs on Wednesday, 3 June 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
See how to register here.

The Netherlands - punQtum B.V., specialist providers of digital communication tools for the live event and professional audio industry, has announced a series of webinars in order to communicate more effectively with potential customers as face-to-face contact continues to remain restricted for the immediate future.
Starting with an introductory session on 3 June at 11:00 CEST, followed by a session on 8 June at 11:00 CEST that explains the punQtum Expert concept and how to become one, the full schedule plus registration details can be found on the punQtum website.
The first webinar, punQtum Digital Intercom, is designed as a company overview as well as a demo of punQtum’s first product, the Q110 Beltpack. The Q110 is the first element of a larger networked intercom system that offers up to 32 party lines via standard IP networks and infrastructures. Providing ultimate scalability, the Q110 suits systems of any size, ranging from small events requiring just two beltpacks to as many are required for large, complex systems.
The next session, Passion that Pays explores the concept of the punQtum Expert – what it is, the benefits of this business approach, and how you can become an Expert to generate some extra income for yourself by simply sharing your knowledge and passion with others. Both webinars are scheduled to repeat the following week.
Webinar host, punQtum CEO Arie van den Broek comments, “We are still a young company, so it’s all the more important for us to build relationships and tell our story by whatever means

USA - Elation national sales manager John Dunn and global product manager Matthias Hinrichs will feature on the Elation Hour on 27 May, discussing tradeshow, corporate and special event design with John Featherstone, Chris Medvitz and Ignacio Rosenberg of lighting design group LightSwitch. (10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time).
Lightswitch is a consortium of lighting, media and visual designers that has been creating experiences for over 25 years. They design award-winning environments for a diverse network of clients across concert, event, experiential environment, and architectural, operating from studios across the globe.
To register for the session, visit this webpage.

USA - Obsidian Control Systems will present an Onyx at Your Service webinar on 28 May at 10am PST, focused on lighting control and programming for houses of worship.
Onyx is Obsidian’s scalable lighting control platform that is a popular choice for many houses of worship around the world. It is promoted as easy to learn for volunteers, while having the feature set and power to drive large gatherings.
In this webinar, Obsidian Control Systems product manager Matthias Hinrichs will lead a two-hour discussion with experienced Onyx programmers and lighting designers Chris Eguizabal of Riverside, California, and Joseph Wolff of Calgary, Alberta.
The programme will include insight into their workflow and programming styles and the components needed to put together small and large Onyx systems for churches and other venues.
You can register for the event here.

UK - Shure UK’s Pro Audio team has been striving to maintain business continuity and increase industry support amid the coronavirus crisis whilst protecting the health and safety of all their associates. The company has been responding and adapting to help support its industry, freelancers and fans.
The Shure Audio Institute is providing workshops for Shure customers including system integrators, consultants, music industry retailers, engineers, and musicians. In order to continue delivering education to the audio community, Shure has adapted its usual face-to-face workshops to online virtual masterclasses which are broken down in to one-hour sessions hosted by David Phillips, senior sales manager, Shure UK.
The virtual sessions, which started earlier last month, are designed to deliver the essential elements of the usual full day workshops over the course of a couple of hours and once the online course is complete, attendees are invited to complete an online certification test.
David Phillips comments: “We’re used to running these sessions face-to-face, so it’s been quite a change presenting virtual training. To make an entire day of training manageable, we’ve broken the training down into easily consumed one-hour sessions. I’ve been really encouraged by the response we’ve received from the attendees, many of whom are good friends and clients of ours from the industry.”
New sessions are released regularly and can be found at the following link: https://p.shure.com/wirelessmasterclassvirtual https://p.shure.com/wwb-mastercla

USA - Professional Solutions has added 18 free Live Workshops available for registration through the company’s Learning Sessions programme in conjunction with Harman Professional University.
Available workshops scheduled for the remainder of May feature lighting or audio experts who have extensive industry knowledge and experience working with various artists including Alicia Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Halsey, Jimmy Eat World, Josh Groban, The Killers, Maroon 5, OneRepublic, Prince, Rage Against the Machine, Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band, Weezer and many others.
More than a dozen Live Workshops conducted earlier this month are now available at Harman Professional University’s YouTube channel. Workshops include Loudspeaker Design for Airports, Festival Lighting Control and The Art of Making Productions Look Larger. Many more sessions are in production for release in the coming months.

USA - On the 13 May edition of the Elation Hour (10:00am Pacific Standard Time), Elation service manager Gines Gines explores a critical topic for any lighting professional, Service & Support, and also take a closer look at Elation’s new atmospherics brand, Magmatic, with Magmatic product manager Anthony Velasquez.
Gines has served as Elation’s top service specialist for over a decade and on this episode will cover service/support topics like RMA’s, service centres, updates, warranties and more. Anthony will share insight into Elation’s new Magmatic brand of on-the-road tough atmospheric effects while reviewing the first innovations in the new product line.
The Elation Hour is a weekly virtual presentation that delves into the more personal side of product development and includes discussions with industry designers who share their experience across the broad scope of entertainment lighting. Topics covered over coming weeks include Festivals/Outdoor Events, Broadway/Theatre, Trade Shows/Corporate/Special Events and Concerts/Live Events. The Elation Hour series will also include virtual product launches.

The Netherlands - Alcons Audio is to present a new series of online educational sessions, featuring industry names and special guests, beginning 12 May. Whether specialising in touring/production, installation, or cinema, this series will “delve into the latest technology, spark innovative dialogue, and expand the sound designer’s toolbox”.
Alcons’ online Go-To presentations have always been an essential part of the company’s USA communications for supporting engineers and consultants, training new dealers and providing information to potential customers. With the increased demand for online information, Alcons is now making these presentations available to a much wider audience.
Presented by David Rahn of Alcons Audio USA, with guest input from several renowned audio engineers, each webinar will be 30-60 minutes in length. The webinars will provide a detailed insight into Alcons’ products and applications, and will explore the technology behind the company’s multiple-patented pro-ribbon audio solutions and the benefits they bring to the pro audio industry.
Every session will start with an introduction to Alcons Audio, with key information about the company, and will finish with a short Q&A session. Participants will be invited to discuss the different topics and to exchange views on current market standards and the future of Pro Audio.
“Our multiple-patented pro-ribbon transducer technology has always been surrounded by misconceptions about overall usability in professional sound reinforcement. With the webinars we aim t