Concert Sound and Lighting Systems (Paperback)

by John Vasey (Author) "The need for touring concert sound and lighting systems has increased with the demand for concert tickets..." (more)
Key Phrases: amplifier racks, monitor engineer, house console, Courtesy Yamaha Music, Courtesy of Sean Hackett, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Attempting to take the mystery out of equipment and set up procedures for touring concert systems, this book teaches the basic sound and lighting components and how they all work together. The book is divided evenly between sound and lighting systems, and each section concludes with an easy-to-follow discussion of the setup procedure for a typical show. Drawings and photographs illustrate how to use the equipment properly, while the appendices provide electrical formulas, wiring information, sample checklists and safety procedures.

From the Publisher
This new edition incorporates the continuing developments in concert sound and lighting systems maintaining the premise that the reader has had no previous experience. The practical how-to illustrations teach the reader about the equipment, and this thoroughly updated edition will include new equipment such as radio microphones, in-ear monitoring, digital audio products and digital lighting products. The author also discusses new venues outside the traditional concert touring environment and applies the skills and technology to such diverse events as product launches, theatrical arena spectaculars and outdoor stadium productions. In addition to an introductory section on touring concerts, there are sections on sound systems and lighting systems and an explanation of how all the parts fit together to create a professional, safe, efficient show. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2nd edition (February 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 024080192X
• ISBN-13: 978-0240801926
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,833,714 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Concert Sound and Lighting Systems, March 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Concert Sound and Lighting Systems, Third Edition (Paperback)

This book contains very general information on the basic steps and equipment required for a concert. It is very basic and provides very little technical information.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Technicaly Inacurate, August 20, 2007

By	D. Richardson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Concert Sound and Lighting Systems, Third Edition (Paperback)

This book contains many errors. In one chapter the book discusses PZM microphones. It refers to an image of an SM-57 microphone. This is incorrect.

Another section of the book discusses Phantom power and says that the power travels down both balanced audio lines and states that they are pins 1 and 2 of an XLR. Again this is incorrect. Phantom power travels down pins 2 and 3 which are the real balanced audio lines.

This book states to always allow for 4 amps per power amplifier. This is a wild statement when he does not know what power amplifier the reader is planning on using. Many amplifiers can use more then this amount and could be a disaster to anyone who only supplies 4 amps to each amplifier.

Author also states that the speed of sound increases with heat and humidity and then says that the actually speed depends on atmospheric pressure and air density. Humidity has little to nothing to do with the speed, but rather the absorption of acoustical energy.

I do not recommend this book for anyone! There is very little useful information and far too much inaccurate information. Many chapters consist of one to two pages which have only a couple of paragraphs on each. These are major topics and should have a lot more coverage in the book. Images are all in black and white and many are hard to make out what they are of. Author does not cover digital information as he should.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but dated., March 8, 2007

By	R. A. Maxwell (Aiken, SC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Concert Sound and Lighting Systems, Third Edition (Paperback)

Overall this book gives a good overview into the field of concert lighting and sound. Much of the equipment talked about in this book is no longer in use in the field. The book does not include any talk about fiber optic cables, which are becoming a standard. I would only suggest this book to a younger reader that just wants a feel for the field.