Topics suggestions for advanced system tech and tuning class

Re: Scheduling Update

Phil Graham said:
Tim,

I honestly don't know how long we'll wait. Candidly, both Bennett and I find our plates full with work that has better ROI at the moment.
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One thing that a lot of people have no idea about, is how hard it is to actually do something like this.

Everything from setting a date-to getting a venue-to laying down what will be covered-and how it will be covered (course outline), what is relivant and so forth takes a LOT of work.

I know-I have tried to do it on various occasions and other real work kept getting in the way.

It is one thing to just have a "get to gather" and talk aobut measurements and do some etc. It is quite another to have a specific course outline for a wide array of attendies with varying knowledge/experience and try to give them all something worthwhile to make it benificial to them When you consider the cost of a course-tranportation/hotel etc and the TIME (often the biggest problem), it is asking a sizable investment on the attendies part.

So you want to be sure it iwi worthwhile. And that is not easy to do-especially the first time. Later courses of the same thing are not so bad-because the foundation is already laid out-but starting from scratch is a challenge.

Don't believe me? Try to do it yourself.

Our industry needs a lot more of these types of courses/events to be able to reach out to users and help "raise the bar".

Hats off to Phil and Bennett for trying to get something like this together.
 
Re: Scheduling Update

I'm not disputing any of that, Ivan, and I'll try to attend when the course finally becomes available. I also know that training pays less than gigs do so I find it difficult to fault the presenters.

Like presenters, potential attendees have "real work" that gets in the way. The New England SFN/PSW get-together is one such event for me; by the time it happens, our festival and outdoor season is up and running and as the 'senior guy' I can't get away. Shit happens, I just wish it happened on other dates.

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc
 
Re: Scheduling Update

Philip LaDue said:
We need to work on moving that this time.
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It is extremely unlikely that I will have the time available to do that event in 2012, and if I do it will definitely not be in the northeast. I think the Parsons Expo is a very reasonable stand in, and plan on contributing my time and energy to that in the future.
 
Re: Scheduling Update

IIRC, the issue with moving the date earlier is that usually ski season is still running and the host hotel can get prime season rates. That's business.

So changing venues might be possible, but the current hosts have been exceptionally accommodating and replacing their hospitality and rates will probably be a challenge. No matter what, I hope to make it in 2012. What actually happens... we'll just have to wait and see.

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc
 
Re: Scheduling Update

I have a lot of the same issues. Our busy season is from September through May. Sometimes the summer can get hectic, but I general have more ability to take off then than the rest of the year. And so far the building hasn't been willing to pony up for any kind of training or travel. Hopefully next year that will change, but I generally have to know at least rough dates and expenses a year ahead of time. So, unfortunately, I think I'm going to shoot for BSMC and either AES or USITT.
 
Re: Scheduling Update

Jason said:
Maybe you need some sponsors offset you opportunity cost?
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That's an interesting thought Jason...

Given their original intention of (20) attendees, maybe they could figure out the overall cost and set a deadline (Dec 10th?) for everyone to send in the loot.

If it costs $5,000 to make it happen, that'd be $250 each. Of course that would not cover the attendee's room, food, travel and Bennett's bar tab.

If there isn't enough interest and Dec 10th happens without the full $5,000 coming in, they'd just refund whoever did pay...
 
Re: Scheduling Update

Langston Holland said:
That's an interesting thought Jason...

Given their original intention of (20) attendees, maybe they could figure out the overall cost and set a deadline (Dec 10th?) for everyone to send in the loot.

If it costs $5,000 to make it happen, that'd be $250 each. Of course that would not cover the attendee's room, food, travel and Bennett's bar tab.

If there isn't enough interest and Dec 10th happens without the full $5,000 coming in, they'd just refund whoever did pay...
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Certainly pre-registrations would be good (and would put the pressure on to pull things together) but I was thinking more along the lines of product sponsors.. since the purpose of the class is to learn measurement techniques etc. it wouldn't be so bad if a few brands chipped in some dough in exchange for some good exposure in front of 20 technicians.. and that money could be an incentive to the instructors to make it more of a priority..

btw: I totally understand the whole time thing. I think it's been almost 3 years now that I've been saying "only a few more months of work booked and then we'll probably starve for a while

Jason
 
Re: Scheduling Update

I can appreciate the efforts involved of both Phil and Bennett, on top of a busy schedule with regular work that pays the bills. Keeping a balance between the two is not easy. Now if only I can find the time to update my Smaart training materials with all the new cool stuff in Smaart 7.3 and 7.4! Smaart training season (winter) in Canada is soon approaching! :)

Regardless, when the time is right for you guys, I look forward to attending this class.
 
Re: Scheduling Update

Jason Lavoie said:
I was thinking more along the lines of product sponsors.. since the purpose of the class is to learn measurement techniques etc. it wouldn't be so bad if a few brands chipped in some dough in exchange for some good exposure in front of 20 technicians.. and that money could be an incentive to the instructors to make it more of a priority.
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The only problem is finding a brand foolish enough to believe the exposure would be good... we're going to be doing a lot of very low level loudspeaker work, and any flaws will be exposed pretty quickly. A manufacturer would have to have big brass balls to be OK with us tearing their products apart like that, and of course if the gear isn't mostly good we'll waste valuable class time working around its limitations. Neither Phil nor I is out there to publicly piss in any manufacturer's pool, but the benefits of that kind of exposure would only be for a high tier manufacturer who probably has plenty of less risky exposure anyway. I only know one or two smaller manufacturers that have their shit sufficiently together that their products would come out in a positive light.
 
Re: Scheduling Update

Bennett Prescott said:
it will definitely not be in the northeast.
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Exactly what i've been saying for a few years now.
I want to go someplace warmer and we could use some new manufacturers and attendees.
As great as the New England gang has been it's just time for a change and a broadening of the audience.

The ball is officially rolling on 2012.
 
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