Tech Focus: Training, Part 2 — Manufacturers’ Online Audio Learning

Usually free, the broadcast-sound curriculum is surprisingly comprehensive

One consistently available source of training for broadcast-sports audio has been from the manufacturers of the equipment used to capture, process, mix, and transport it. Of course, the majority of manufacturers’ training modules focus on the brands’ own products and are part of marketing strategies. However, given the variety of the content across the key verticals of broadcast sound, along with the depth and detail that many achieve, sufficiently ambitious students can put together some surprisingly comprehensive curricula. Here are some of what’s available online and elsewhere from manufacturers broadcast-audio equipment.

Click here for Tech Focus: Training, Part 1 — Changes Reflect Complexities of Broadcast-Audio Workflows.

Audio-Technica offers a series of basic how-tos on its YouTube channel, including how to select and apply lavalier microphones, use of boom-pole and wireless mics, and microphone placement inside cars.

Calrec’s Sound Institute is a series of free, online, certificated training courses and documents covering two of its most widely used digital audio consoles — Brio and Type R — as well as a series of comprehensive IP training sessions. Brio and Type R training is designed to enable engineers and operators to get up and running quickly and with confidence. The company’s seven-part IP course covers everything a broadcast facility needs to know about IP, how it works, and the effect it is having on the industry, including multicast, PTP, and network design. Calrec continues to add educational material to the Sound Institute; last year, it added Dolby Atmos training on Immersive Mixing, an eight-part IP Primer, and a whitepaper on how to build resilience into IP networks. This year, the company will be adding a step-by-step guide on how to prepare for an IP rollout.

Clear-Com offers regular staff-led virtual-training webinars and onsite training for specific products and installations. Among the free online resources offered on its website are a Tech Blog discussing various user-submitted questions and topics, technical guides, and a comprehensive Intercom Design Guide ebook detailing how to conceive, plan, and ultimately implement an intercom system with effective workflows.

Dolby continues to expand its offerings and resources to educate the broadcast and live-production industry about how to deploy and create in Dolby Atmos. Partnering with Calrec, Dolby has added to its remote mixer-training facility to install the Calrec ImPulse Core, which allows native immersive Dolby Atmos mixing and monitoring. Live mixers can be trained on the legacy (non-native) setup and approach in addition to the new, more comprehensive native Dolby Atmos setup and mixing. In addition, Dolby continues to offer live and on-demand webinars, training tutorials, and master classes through the Dolby Institute.

Lawo’s online tutorials through the Lawo Online Academy include a final exam for a certificate of completion on use of its consoles and other products. The Lawo Lounge webinar series provides product tips, application insights, new products, customer interviews, interactive Q&As, and more. A comprehensive networked-audio primer and links to whitepapers and other information can be found here.

“Riedel Tuesday” is designed to reach out to the company’s product users in a designated geographical area and is taught by a professional freelance Riedel user or one of the company’s system engineers. Initially, Riedel Tuesday was always held the second Tuesday of each month in either Burbank, CA, or New York City. Now, however, it occurs on any day of the week in any city where a group of Riedel users, or potential users, request it. The company tries to keep class size to an average of 10-14 people. Also available are online and other in-person courses, as well online “Andy Explains” training videos, and training sessions at events, such as Bolero Setup Class at Cine Gear Expo NY.

The Shure Audio Institute (SAI) is a global educational and training platform providing access to practical knowledge and skills on general-audio subjects and Shure products. The content is delivered via webinars, in-person seminars, and online, self-paced courses through the company’s learning portal. Also, educational booklets are provided on many audio topics. All the training is free and open to anyone who wants to learn more about audio and Shure products. Recently released, new Advanced Integrated Systems Certification Workshops offer hands-on exercises and troubleshooting techniques for Microflex Ecosystem Solutions, corporate wireless microphone systems, and AV conferencing systems.

Wheatstone’s VoxPro Academy is an online series of video tutorials on the company’s record/editing system, used by sportscasters to record and edit simultaneously.