Tori's live sound (article)

[katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris n Vickie)]

Chris here,

This article appeared in the "Live Sound _SoundCheck_" column in August
1992 issue of _MIX_ magazine. The author is David Tribbit. It is reproduced
without permission, in the belief that this is a magazine that few other
really-deep-thoughts subscribers read. But do check it out for the two
nice photos of Tori, one on the contents page, and the other accompaning 
the article on page 125.

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Tour profile: Tori Amos

    American-born, British-made singer/songwriter Tori Amos is on a solo
U.S. tour in support of her _Little Earthquakes_ album. The show has been
playing clubs and small theatres, easily selling out most dates. It is a three person tour: one artist, one tour manager and one soundman. "It's so
simple, it's great," says mixer Ian Thorpe. "To go back to absolute basics,
which for me is one woman and a piano...that's why I'm here."

    Thorpe is a principle in W&T Ultrasonics, a 31-year-old sound manu-
facturing and hire company in South Humberside, England. W&T was contracted
to provide sound for a local show with Amos on the bill. Having heard her
music by chance beforehand, Thorpe decided to mix the set himself. "I
really enjoyed the show," he explains, "and Tori said, 'I like what you've done. Will you do my London shows?' So, I went to a meeting for the London
show, and this agent said 'Oh, are you Tori's soundman?' So I said, 'Yeah,
I think so,' and he said, 'Well you're going to be a busy man.' The album
had just gone straight into the charts at Number 15!"

   The tour carries only microphones, picking up everything else at each
gig. "It's such an intense show," Thorpe continues. "The lyrics are every-
thing, so it's got to be loud and clear. I carry a vocal mic - a Shure
Beta 58. I needed a mic that would give me clarity and handle wide sound
levels, because Tori can be as quite as a mouse and then roar like a lion.
Also, I need lots of level without feedback."

   Thorpe does not use a limiter on her vocal, although her constantly
rides the overall and reverb send levels. "Sometimes when she goes up
high (and loud) I let her go," Thorpe explains, "and sometimes I pull
her back a bit and add reverb to give it the bigness. When I advance the
shows, I ask for a Yamaha SPX900 if possible, which I put my own program
in. It isn't anything special, just two seconds of reverb, 30 milliseconds
of delay, and I take the highs up and down according to the room."

   Amos sits sideways on the piano bench, facing the audience, with wedge
monitors behind and to her right. And she likes her monitors loud according
to Thorpe. Careful placement keeps the monitor sound from bouncing off the
raised piano lid and into the piano mics. "On this tour I'm carrying piano
mics as well," Thorpe says. "It's my own fairly unique combination. For
the bottom end I use a Shure PZM mic, an SM91, taped to the lid. I've got
an SM7 for the mid of the piano and an AKG 451 for the highs. The combin-
ation of the three gives me a reasonable sound, although that's dictated
by the sound of the piano." As far as consoles, "I spec soundcraft or
Amek/TAC," Thorpe adds. "Soundcraft is such an international desk that
you are likely to get one anywhere in the world.

   "This is the quietest show you'll ever hear," he concludes. "When I
say a pin drop, I mean it. I have to sit and not move at the desk in case
the chair creaks. The intensity of the lyrics and performance has been
described as mesmerizing, and that's why it's so quiet."

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[Note: "desk" and "console" are other names for the sound mixing board,
used to control the level and tone of the various microphones on stage.]

                                        Chris Williams
                                           katefans@chinet.chi.il.us