Hello from Chicago

[jaddie]

First time I've ever "introduced" myself on a forum...so here goes.

I'm a broadcast engineer, still, after 54 years. I have both FM and AM radio stations to take care of now. Many decades ago I did a lot of custom audio design for a particular FM station, but the current economy of broadcasting doesn't support much custom/DIY anymore. I've also owned a video production company, a home theater company, and I fly drones.

Hope that's enough! I hate blowing my horn.

 

[Barry Hufker]

That's not blowing your horn, that's allowing everyone to get to know you. I spent 17 years in FM (classical station, now news) before moving into education. I don't think I'd recognize the radio industry (or the station I worked at) any more.

I sometimes watch people fly drones...

 

[jaddie]

Hey, what does an Audio Educator do? I mean, where? Never a greater need! I not seeing evidence of massive education on some other forums, just a lot of pop culture, misconceptions and waist-deep mythology.

You have your work cut out! More voltage times current to you!

 

[Barry Hufker]

Well... I guess I should say university professor who taught audio production. In 1989 I began the Audio Production program at Webster University, St. Louis, MO and headed the program for about 20 years. It is still in very fine hands with the current department chair. https://www.webster.edu/communications/academics/audio/index.php

I was there for 30 years total and retired 7 years ago. But I also record music on location -- classical, jazz, folk, etc, during those years up to the present. I have very fond memories of a lot of great students who have gone on to accomplish wonderful things.

Now I'm lucky and glad to hang out with people like you and the other good folks here.

 

[jaddie]

Did you ever meet Bill Hoekstra who recorded the Saint Louis Symphony in the 1980s?

 

[Barry Hufker]

Yes, I knew both Bill and Robert. They were nice enough to hire me to be second engineer on a number of SLSO record projects during the Slatkin years. Bill was a wonderful engineer. I liked them both very much. The icing on the cake was that I also got to work (during those sessions) with my favorite producer, Joanna Nickrenz. Halcyon days.

 

[jaddie]

When Bill took on the job at Powell Hall (mid 1980s?), I flew down for a weekend to line up the Studers. I went down again later, with my wife, for another line-up and weekend at SL. Saw the gardens, zoo, arch, all the touristy stuff. Bill and Robert were perfect hosts. I new Bill from when he worked in Chicago. He'd come into my office and chat. We also went to the same high school though I didn't know him then. Small world!

One more anecdote re: Bill. The orchestra was preparing to perform the Alpine Symphony in the 1980s, and wanted a recording of a real thunder storm to take the place of the Donnermaschine in the score, and Bill knew I recorded SFX as a kind of hobby. I was able to record a few crashes during a thunderstorm from my front porch (in the middle of the night, so it was all in the clear) on a Nagra (with Dolby A NR), and sent it to him. The story was covered in local papers, something like "Chicago engineer records thunder from his front porch" for the Orchestra. I guess it was a hit, never heard the performance or tape. Kind of wish I had a copy of the story somewhere.

 

[Barry Hufker]

That's a great story! Do you know Larry Rock? Every once in a while he used to come down and assist Bill on large projects.

While I have many fond memories of Bill and Robert, my visits to recording sessions at Powell Hall began with Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz -- Elite Recordings, NYC. They were kind enough to let me sit in during their sessions when I was just starting (college student). Marc would record on his Scully 280 using a mixer he'd built from a kit. This was later replaced by a Studer mixer. For one session, Ray Dolby came to lend Marc the prototype of Dolby SR cards.

I was also lucky enough to sit in on a couple of Telarc sessions. One had Dr. Tom Stockham there operating the Soundstream recorder.

 

[jaddie]

Wow, Great Stuff! I never met Ray Dolby in person, though the company had quite an excellent relationship with him, being the first station with Dolby FM (their admitted one "failure"), but I have met Craig Todd who worked on Dolby FM and the steering logic for Dolby Stereo film matrix and ProLogic, as well as many other things. I got a tour of Dolby a while back. I spoke to Jack Renner several times by phone when I was producing Jazz, and Tom Jung too. Jack loved Neotek consoles, which we had several of. Yes, I knew Larry, worked with him for almost 15 years (now you know where!). I probably met Marc along the way, it's a bit foggy now. I'm still in regular contact with Mitch. Scully 280...well, I hope it was a 280B! I know both versions all too well. I owned a full track, a stereo, and a 4 track 1/2" 280B at one point. And cared for an original 280-SP14 long ago enough to be another lifetime (google that one). Nothing beats a Studer except another Studer. I have two Otari MTR10 machines now, one is perfect, and both are looking for a loving home because I'm out of space.

Sorry, got my head into the tape-dump mode.

Dr. Stockham! Yeah. The man who originated digital audio recording (fair credit or not, he deserves it). PCM was hard back then.