CAAMA MUSIC Public Address System Course Level 1

This course is the first in a 2 part series on PA operations, the second course will focus more on the operators creativity using inbuilt and outboard effects processors, using multiple sends & returns, bussing and signal path options and the catering to the needs of the individual performers.

In this first course we will explore all facets of live mixing. The course will involve step by step information in the use of various mixing desks all using different connections and signal paths. The learners will be guided through setting up the PA, Trouble shooting the PA and correct pack down/load out of the PA.

Topics covered will be:

Step by step protocols for setting up a small PA.

Correct microphone techniques & polar patterns.

Balanced and Unbalanced leads.

Power amps & powered speakers.

Fold back & Auxiliary sends.

Effects (reverb, Delay)

Signal Path, Pre Fader Levels & Post fader levels.

Filters (equalization)

OH&S

Lead Rolling.

Correct shut down procedures.

After completion of this course the participants will be offered a reduced price on all PA hire from CAAMA MUSIC and information on employment opportunities stemming from the course.

This course will run at various times over the next 20 months with the first being on

Tuesday 17^th and Wednesday 18^th of November from 6pm – 9pm.

There is a limit of 10 people per class so please register ASAP.

The cost will be $50 for the course, you must pre book and pay a 50% deposit to CAMMA MUSIC to hold a place in this course.

A little bit about myself..

My name is Micheal Smith and I will be the Trainer facilitating this course, I have had over 10 years experience in various positions within the Music Industry. I have worked in recording studios and live situations in both Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Lima (Peru), I have worked as a stage manager, monitor engineer and FOH engineer for acts such as Carlos Santana, John Farnham and Silverchair in the Hunter Valley Wineries.

I have performed as a session musician in Tamworth working on various Country Disks. I have participated as a musician in bands supporting both Blink 182 and Grinspoon. I currently work as the Senior Sound Engineer at CAAMA MUSIC in Alice Springs where I operate both studio and live equipment. I have written online music training programs for various Registered Training Organisations.

I plan to impart my learned knowledge to all participants of this course.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Contact:

Micheal Smith

CAAMA Music Senior Sound Engineer, Trainer & MISBD Officer

T: 08 8951 9731 |M: 0423 013 492 | E: m.smith@caama.com.au

triple j's Hack runs 2 stories on original NT music!

As part of a special 2 week series featuring the Northern Territory, triple j's current affairs program Hack has broadcast 2 stories on original music in the NT! Hear Mega-Jess, Alex Brindell and Dave Garnham discussing the future of Happy Yess... And a story about hip hop workshops at Yuendumu. Stories by Hack reporter Kaitlyn Sawrey, who was in the NT recently attending Garma Festival.

BUSH BANDS BASH!

12^th September Anzac oval www.bushbandsbash.net.au

The Bush Bands Bash (BBB) is a showcase concert in Alice Springs, highlighting contemporary musical talent from remote Indigenous communities across Central Australia. Through a series of development processes, bands perform at a professional, well marketed and massively attended annual drug and alcohol-free event which is presented at Alice Desert Festival.

Growing since 2003 BBB has attracted a significant following from both indigenous and non-indigenous audiences alike, with over 3500 attendees in 2008 (approximately 2000 indigenous and 1500 non-indigenous).

This year the bands being showcased are

RED SAND BAND

From the amata community

With there happy reggae sound being played across the lands.

Tackling the tough issues that people face to the good times of just being a kid on there peoples land

Radio stations across the APY Lands. CAAMA in Alice Springs and Umeewarra Aboriginal Radio in Port Augusta also play there songs. All of the band members are enrolled in Cert 2 in Music with TAFE. We love playing at Festivals around Australia and are about to release our first commercial CD.

SANDRIDGE BAND

Forming in 95 Band members are from the Garrawa, Yanula and Gadangi language groups from around the Borroloola Township.

Songs are a mixture of reggae, rock and metal sounds. Songs are about land, culture, people and contemporary life in communities The Band have spent the last 18 months recording with Dr Fouride at Barkly Regional Arts and the Winanjjikari Music Centre in Tennant Creek. The Band are Launching their New debut Album Think About Our Culture on the 8th of June at the Burunga Festival

UTJU BAND

From the pitanjara yankunjara speaking Areyonga community

The band formed in 2004 playing at Sports carnivals and a live studio brordcast with caama radio

Musically inspired by reggae from bob marly to lucky topee with lyrics derived from community life such as seeing kids sniffing and young mens and relationship to land and spirit of country

Currently Working on a album with caama studios

Sports carn live brordcast at caama radio

Camma live stage alice springs 08

Iwantja band

The band was formed in Indulkana Communitya bit of a mix of Gary Moore and Steve Morse or Joe Satriani with an Aboriginal influence.

PY Media play our songs on their radio station across the APY Lands. CAAMA in Alice Springs and Umeewarra Aboriginal Radio in Port Augusta also play our songs. All of the band members are enrolled in Cert 2 in Music with TAFE. We are aiming to travel aroundAustralia playing in Indigenous communities, festivals, capital cities and major centres.

Tjupi band

a preponderance of members of the Butcher family.

Tjupi (Honey Ant) come from the Papunya region 250 – 300k north west of Alice Springs. Tjupi Band members are made up of fellas with strong country and family ties right across the region including Mt Leibig, Kintore, Haasts Bluff, Kiwikurra communities. The main language spoken in this area is Luritja and this is the language used to perform their songs.

Warumpi Band, has been a major influence in the development of contemporary indigenous music.

The message of healthy lifestyles and culture being espoused by the BBB is increasing its reach. Featured on Triple J’s ‘Hack’ segment in 2008, BBB represents not only a platform of expression for remote and isolated musicians but also as a means of public dialogue about social issues facing communities and Aboriginal people. While music is a primary means of dialogue for aboriginal people, the Bush Bands Bash functions on many levels. Performing to a diverse mainstream audience not only contributes to the professional development of the individual musicians, but also helps foster healthy communities and challenge existing social divides. BBB has made a significant contribution to the development of contemporary and experimental Indigenous music in Central Australia. BBB was featured on ‘Message Stick’ on the 12th of July 2009.

By promoting messages for strong culture and healthy lifestyles:

BBB is one of the only musical events for Indigenous musicians in Central Australia that is not a competition ('battle of the bands', award or similar) and the focus is on building and supporting the musical culture rather than competing.

In its history, the BBB has highlighted over 230 Indigenous musicians from a broad range of age groups and represents key language groups – Arrente, Luritja, Pitjantjatjara, Warlpiri, Pintupi, Katyeye and Waramungu.

The majority of the events musicians are young men and this project builds community pride, leadership and presents music as a potential career pathway and diversionary activity.

The BBB provides a unique opportunity for interaction and communication between otherwise isolated musicians. Access to high quality sound equipment such as PA’s, recording equipment and sound engineers (which are generally not accessible ‘out bush’) provides skills development and knowledge for the bands to build on. For the Indigenous musicians involved, the BBB is the peak event for Central Australia and is a significant step forward towards a potential career path in the music industry.

The Bush Bands Bash is a multi-organisational collaboration, strongly supported by a group of local organisations including Red Hot Arts/Alice Desert Festival, Music NT, CAAMA, Tangentyere Council and support from the Winanjjikari Music Centre in Tenant Creek.

Sounds from the Ground

Attention Bands

Want to play at the Alice Springs Desert Festival?

Music NT has one slot left for a local band to perform on the Main Stage at 'Sounds from the Ground' Saturday 12th September.

Original bands send your expression of interest to:

rorydavis@musicnt.com.au

or

Music NT

PO Box 8545

Alice Springs NT 0870

Are you a skilled submission writer?

Interested in helping contemporary Indigenous musicians to reach their potential?

Music NT is developing a new initiative to team up Central Australian Bush Bands with experienced submission writers for mutually beneficial outcomes.

Writers can meet bush bands during the Alice Desert Festival to discuss ways of sourcing funding for activities such as touring and recording.

For more info contact:

Rory Davis - Coordinator Music NT

rorydavis@musicnt.com.au

Ph: 0413754264

Key Forum on Creative Industries at this year's Garma

The 11th Garma Festival – Australia's leading cultural exchange event – will be held from 7-11 August 2009 at Gulkula, North East Arnhem Land, NT.

At Garma 2009, the theme of the Key Forum will be Creative Industries. It will include important and practical discussions on issues and practices surrounding cultural outputs and inputs and commercial opportunities afforded Indigenous Australians. One of the central issues to be discussed will be the extent and nature of the Creative Industries interface with Indigenous Australians, including cultural and commercial rights, and the place of traditional art. For more detail about the Key Forum click here.

For more information about Garma 2009, click here.

Sounds from the Ground

Presented by Music NT

4-7pm Saturday 12^th September (before Bush Bands Bash)

Anzac Oval, The Pod: Alice Desert Festival Main Stage

Arrive early to catch live and electric local bands ramping up the energy on the Main Stage. There’s a sound wave for everybody!

Featuring:

South East, Built 4 Comfort, Sami Cha & the Billygoat Superstars, plus more.

Support local music.

For more information contact:

Rory Davis

Coordinator Music NT Alice Springs

rorydavis@musicnt.com.au

PH 8952 0322 / 0413 754 264

SUPER RAELENE BROTHERS LAUNCH NEW MySpace Site!

http://www.myspace.com/superraelenebrothers

Featuring FREE EP DOWNLOADS and other stuff you can consume.

WIDE OPEN SPACE - Supported by Music NT

WIDE OPEN SPACE

WIDE OPEN SPACE

NEW FESTIVAL FOR CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

Central Australia will host a new open air music, arts and desert culture festival from the 1-3 May 2009 called Wide Open Space. The event showcases inspiring local and national music and arts set against the backdrop of the East MacDonnell Ranges at Ross River Resort. It also fills a void in the arts and entertainment calendar of Central Australia.

“There is a big lack of live entertainment in Alice Springs. Says festival committee member Milyika Scales. “We wanted to provide a platform for local artists to strut their stuff, as well as to invite national acts from the forefront music to perform in Central Australia. We have such a unique and stunning cultural and natural environments here, we wanted to create an event to celebrate and share the desert”

Inspired by a number of East Coast Festivals, but with its own unique desert flavour, Wide Open Space promises live music, DJs, VJs, installation art, workshops, cabaret, market area, late night cinema, shady campsites, and a licensed bar including the “Right Side of Wrong” cabaret cocktail lounge.

Headline acts include:

Urthboy: Mostly known for his work MCing with Aussie Hip-Hop giants The HERD, and touted as “the leader of the pack” by Rolling Stone, Urthboy brings his unique boom bap hip hop style, musicality and intelligent lyrics to the stage at Wide Open Space. Urthboy recently collaborated with a group of artists to release ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’ which hit No. 4 on the charts and raised almost $100k for Indigenous health and education programs. A very special guest from the forefront of Australian hip-hop.http://www.myspace.com/urthboy

Mista Savona: Cutting edge new sounds and heavy vintage roots music. Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Roots Reggae and Heavyweight Dub sounds. One of the toughest and most exciting presentations of authentic, raw roots reggae and dancehall music in Australia. http://www.myspace.com/mistasavona

Spoonbill: Squishy pulsating bass lines carpet the undergrowth, while dirty squelchy synth licks frolic in a warped menagerie of neurotic cyborgs, rattlesnakes, sirens, champagne froth, fireworks and crushed eggshells. Spoonbill launches his much-awaited new album at Wide Open Space. http://www.spoonbill.net.au/

Tjupi Band: The hottest new Indigenous music from Central Australia. With their new album released on CAAMA music, Tjupi Band from Papunya plays Desert Reggae at its best.
http://www.myspace.com/tjupiband

Combat Wombat: An outspoken troupe of hip hop punks armed with samplers, mics and turntables, powered by solar energy and an uncompromising belief in Truth over Spin. Combat Wombat is bringing the sounds of the frontline activism they have become famous for back to the centre for Wide Open Space.
www.combatwombat.org/

Dr Strangeways: Home-grown Desert SkaFunkle TubeFusion band from the Heart of Australia, Dr Strangeways is a unique blend of hip hop, Ska, Reggae and Roots and are an Alice favourite for getting people grooving. http://www.myspace.com/drstrangeways

Paul Abad: Futuristic sonic shining through breaks and minimal techno. Paul has played mainstage at many of Australia’s cutting edge festivals and indoor events. http://paul.subterran.org/

Dakini: Becca (aka DJ Dakini) plays an intelligent mix of dub grooves, experimental breakbeat, deep minimal tech and lush temple beats. http://www.myspace.com/djdakini

Mustaphaa: Alice’s own breakbeat maestro infuses the sensations of the vast expanse of the desert into the folds where dubstep, breaks, and electronica overlap…..always backed by a significant dose of subbass pressure.....

At its heart Wide Open Space is about creating a place of intercultural dialogue and inspiration through the shared language of music, the arts, entertainment, and camping. Wide Open Space is also a forum and showcase for sustainable desert living and celebrating. The focus is on a safe and healthy social and natural environment, minimizing ecological footprint, and promoting local issues and initiatives.

Tickets for the Wide Open Space festival are $60 plus booking fee and are available online from Greentix (http://www.greentix.com.au/evinfo.php?eventid=33358). Single day/night tickets are available at the door for $40.

For more information go to www.desertdoof.com/festival.

CONTACT: Milyika ScalesWide Open Space
T: 08 89519707
M: 0424694693
E: festival@desertdoof.com
www.desertdoof.com/festival.

Music NT Alice News

Welcome to the new Music NT Alice Springs news page. Keep checking back here for the latest news from Alice and the centre.