“You have to embrace the latest technology because it’s what everyone is doing. It’s the way forward and I saw the SD8 as part of that development,” he says. “To me, mixing is all about the path. If I have a good signal path then I’m happy.
“When I was told that the SD8 has the same signal path as the SD7, I realised that it offers exceptional value. What it does is phenomenal and the quality is fantastic, you can tell just by hearing it. When I saw the price my reaction was ‘OK, where’s the catch?’”
Using a d&b Q series system, the five-piece band has around 30 inputs into the SD8, split between five vocal mics, a dozen or so DIs, instrument mics and a Helpinstill piano sensor.
“It’s like a guitar pickup for the piano strings. It’s quite amazing, the best way of amplifying a piano I’ve heard,” says Danny. “We also mic the piano up, because Jamie slaps it a lot.”
He continues, “I’m quite minimalist. I don’t make it any more complex than it needs to be. As long as I have a good vocal, good piano and the rest is good and clean, I can mix the show almost as they start.
“In terms of effects, I’m only using onboard and then just a bit of gate on the kick drum and a bit of reverb. I don’t use much compression because I have to ride the faders. The dynamic range of the show is so great, it changes so dramatically that I can’t leave it to compressors.”
Another reason for mixing on the fly is that the band rarely uses a set list, preferring to have the spontaneity of a different show each night and freeing Cullum to spend as much time as he wants interacting with the audience.
“Jamie will introduce a song, or play a bit of the intro and we go ‘Right, it’s that one’. It’s sort of organised chaos but it really works. The audiences love it,” says Danny. “I have the same approach to sound – when something works, I don’t mess around too much with it.”
Although the SD8 has presented something of a learning curve, it’s one that Danny and son Tom are rapidly adapting to, with DiGiCo’s technical support always at the end of the phone, if needed.
“Compared to an analogue desk there is so much to learn, relatively speaking, but I’m finding my feet and, as challenges arise, we’re learning the console more and more,” Danny adds.
“We managed to create a problem with the console at the Glasgow show. It was purely operator error, but as we were panicking, literally five minutes before the support band went on, a DiGiCo engineer was on the phone to us and helped to sort it out. I thought that was pretty good.”

BE-mix        http://eu.be-mix.com/

Be-mix is a an electronically controlled device which allows you to operate a Yamaha ls9 digital desk via a PDA (wirelessly), which means you can control a mixing desk from anywhere in the venue or set up your monitor mixes while standing in front of the wedges, Chaps Pa has invested in this system because it allows you to operate and control everything with easy, no more walking backwards and forwards.  http://eu.be-mix.com/

Chaps pa have been on the road With Newton Faulkner for the whole of march 2010 travelling all over the UK. He is know for his spectacular guitar playing which involves him rhythmically tapping and hitting the guitar body. We have catered for all his sound requirements, from medium sized theatres to large 4000 capacity auditoriums. Once again the tour was stress free. We used a hang of 10 Q1’s and 6 Qsubs aside which catered for the job sufficiently and for infill we used 4 Q7’s which run along the front of the stage.

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Chaps pa is more than happy to hire to other sound hire company’s. Thoughtout 2009 we have worked with a number of different companys allowing us to releave the stress of hiring sound equipment.below is a testimonal from “shockaudiohire”

Dear CHAPS PA,

Many thanks to you and the other Chaps guys for the sound system which you provided for our recent festival in Guildhall Yard.

The time available for set up was tight but thankfully you arrived exactly when you said you would and the event got off to a great start. We look forward to seeing you again next year.

Many thanks

Andy

Director

Currently the only way forwards is digital, so chaps pa have made the choice to jump into the twenty first century. We have also invested in a new 100m digital multi and a 50 channel digital stage box.

Chaps pa hire department have decided to add additional new stock  . We have invested in even more  D&B Audiotechnik speakers because of their reliabilty and efficient size. These new D&B Audiotechnik Q 10’s can be used in a number of different situations ranging from infills for large venues to medium size gigs in churches and cathedrals. What makes them even more unique is that you can rotate the inner horn vertically or horizontally allowing you to increase and decrease the dispersion angle. Depending upon what application its used for.

Once again Chaps pa is on the road with the Medieval babes. This means the Chaps pa team will be travelling up and down the country, setting up sound systems in cathedrals and churches. The tour consists of 6 beautiful babes singing and chanting medieval lyric’s.

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We have been providing PA hire for the medieval babes for a number of years

Chaps PA provided sound hire for ELOQUENT PROTEST held at Duke of York’s Theatre in St. Martin’s Lane on Remembrance Sunday, 8 November 2009. This event is held once a year and is very important. Former MP and veteran campaigner Tony Benn hosted the event, which was presented by artists giving their time freely to explore the power of words against war.

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Chaps PA provided Q7 “d&b audiotechnik” speakers and a Yamaha Ls9 desk to run the event. The event was very successful, consisting of a live band/readings/poetry and drama. All profits from the gig go to the Mark Wright Project, which supports ex servicemen.

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