Field Recordings, Part 2

Here's part two of my article on field recordings - part one of which can be found in the archive. This will give you an idea how much work goes into preparing the sounds I've collected for use in audio projects.

Once I have the raw recordings transferred from the Zoom H1 to my hard drive, it's time to edit them. Because I record a lot of sounds these days, I've made it a habit to announce what I'm recording at the beginning of each file. Before I started doing this I had trouble keeping track - especially if I didn't get around to editing files right away.


Step 1: I load the raw file into Sound Forge, my audio-editor of choice. I then trim the ends a tiny bit to remove the click noises produced by the Zoom's record button. When recording, I take special care to make sure the audio doesn't 'peak' (a techy term for overloading the mic, resulting in a distorted recording). As a result, the raw recording is often very quiet. So I normalise (increase the volume of) the file to 98% (2% below 0db or maximum).

Step 2: I remove any rumble from the recording if it requires it. Some of the lower bass frequencies can muddy a recording, so as a rule of thumb I EQ out anything below 80hz, which is about as low as the human ear can hear. If there's traffic noise in the background or particularly troublesome bass frequencies I'll go as high as 225hz. Mild wind noise can sometimes be scrubbed out in this manner too.

Step 3: Dynamics/compression. Oftentimes with digital recording the sound you capture is but a shadow of what was heard at the time. Compression allows an increase in volume while preventing the high peaks (the parts of the sound that have hit the 98% volume ceiling) from distorting. It also lifts subtleties such as ringing sustains, reverb, etc... that are naturally present but too quiet to discern in the recording's raw state. The downside to this process is it makes the background noise louder as well. But luckily there's a secret weapon to deal with that in step 4. Compression works best for very loud sounds, such as metallic objects being struck. Softer sounds, such as birdsong and streams, etc... are usually left as-is.


Step 4: Noise reduction. Once I have my file optimised for volume, it's time to scrub out some of the annoying background noise. I use a program called Goldwave for this. Its noise reduction filter allows you to feed in a sample of the unwanted background noise and magically scrub those frequencies from the recording. It requires some restraint, though, because being heavy-handed with this feature can harm the recording rather than improve it. I listen carefully to each file and adjust the settings to reach a natural-sounding balance. In some cases I'll apply a preset called 'gentle hiss/rumble reduction' if noise reduction affects the sound too much. Unless the sound is too problematic to clean (in which case I fall back on some extra EQ or discard it) the end result is a nice clean-sounding file.

Step 5: The final step is to load the cleaned file back into Sound Forge for final editing. I cut out parts of the file that have microphone or wind noise, or other unwanted sounds that haven't been completely removed by the scrubbing process. This is also when I cut files containing multiple takes into single pieces or 'one-shots.' These can then be used as-is, or loaded into a sampler and played as an instrument.

I've worked with these techniques on and off over the years, but this is the first year I've combined them as an archival process. I'm learning things all the time about how certain sounds respond: how much compression to use here, and how much noise-reduction to use there. There's still no substitute for capturing the cleanest sound possible in the first place, but when you're at the mercy of a noise-polluted environment or a sudden gust of wind, a little software can do wonders.

General Update

So here's what I've been up to. Work continues on the soundtrack project. Some really good songs are coming together after a bit of an uneven start.

I hope to start mixing Episode 1 of Tales in December. In the meantime, I'm concentrating on getting the last three scripts finished and editing sound effects. With winter setting in, I won't have access to the woods for much longer. More sounds are needed for the new scripts that I could have been collecting in the summer. There will likely be a fair bit of cheating in the studio!

I also hope to find the time to write a short story to submit for a collection called The Bell Club.

The Saga of the Typewriter

Introduced in the first episode of Tales of Elves and Trolls is a contraption called a 'type-writter.' In essence, it's a typewriter to the Nth degree: a steam-powered lump of metal, pistons, cogs, and keys. In order to create the sound of this beast, I set out to find a typewriter to record in-studio. This was easier said than done!

I've frequented thrift shops, flea markets, and garage sales for years. A lot of the electronic toys that I turned into circuit-bent instruments have been sourced from them. And, yes, I've seen my share of typewriters in them too. But when it came to actually needing one, none were to be found. I came close: I found a monstrosity of a thing at the Re-Use Centre, which looked like it came from a WW2 army hospital. Unfortunately, it didn't sound as big as it looked, so it remained hidden away on its dusty shelf.

Months passed. I located no less than two electric typewriters, and had a local antiques dealer keeping an eye out for a mechanical one. It was time for plan B. I sent my aunt an e-mail. She teaches at the local college, so I figured if anyone could find me a typewriter it would be her. Lo and behold, a few weeks later I was loaned this 1925 Remington 12:


It weighs as much as a small planet, but fulfills all the requirements and is blessed with a wealth of character. Just gazing upon it is a treat. I gave it a rudimentary clean and set about working out what sort of microphone configuration would best capture its sound.

After a little experimentation, I settled on placing my contact mic beneath it (it's open at the bottom) and suspending the CAD GXL1200 above it on a gooseneck stand. The typewriter produces an incredible amount of vibration despite its weight, so the stand had to be placed on a separate surface to the one supporting the typewriter to avoid unwanted 'mic stand wobble' noise. There wasn't much choice with the contact mic (which in this case is acting as a pickup rather than being attached to the surface of the sound source), so a towel was placed underneath.


As with my breeze block experiment some weeks ago, I recorded using both mics at once, on separate channels. My plan is to mix both recordings together after I've edited and pitch-shifted them. There's a surprising amount of variation in the sound of each keypress, so I recorded the entire sequence I need for my production (two takes) as well as additional sounds such as carriage return, bell, paper-winding, etc...

My only worry at this point is the length of the recordings. Not counting the extras, they add up to several minutes. The scene in the story should realistically be under a minute. I have a feeling I'll need to speed the typing up or edit keypresses closer together or ... something. Oh, the joys of real life vs. fiction! At any rate, there's a lot of other work to be done on these recordings before I reach that stage. The GXL1200 source will need compression, to bring out the nuances lost to the low headroom of digital recording, and the contact mic source will need noise reduction and possibly EQ. I'll explain that process in more detail in 'Field Recordings Part 2,' whenever I get around to posting it.

You may be wondering why I've gone to so much trouble when I could just as easily have used a couple of generic typewriter sounds from a sound effects collection. Well, for one it's a lot of fun, and as I mentioned before: each keypress has a unique sound depending on which bit of the antique mechanics it activates, and how hard you press it. There are also subtleties such as parts of the typewriter vibrating from the sheer momentum behind the tension of the carriage. All these things, I hope, add up to a unique and expressive 'performance' rather than a stale computer-generated facsimile (not that there's anything wrong with the latter).

New Equipment

In anticipation of the soundtrack work and the sound effects I'll be doing, I've picked up some new bits and pieces for the studio:


CAD GXL1200 pencil-style condenser mic. I already had a vocal mic by CAD, the GXL2200, but it's an upright mic and not very practical for positioning in front of instruments or devices. This one is tailored for instruments and acoustic sounds. I bought a gooseneck for it as well, so it can be positioned with some degree of precision.


ElectroHarmonix Small Stone Phaser (Nano). I've wanted one of these for ages, and finally found an excuse to buy one. This is the Nano version, which is technically the same as the vintage model only smaller. It has a unique sound and was famously used by Jean Michel Jarre on his 1976 album 'Oxygene,' to process synthesized strings and rhythm boxes, among other things. I have pretty much the same use in mind.


Danelectro Spring King. I have something of a fascination with the sound of springs. I even went so far as to build my own spring reverb out of a small slinky and a poster tube once, but it didn't work very well without amplified input and I never got around to building an amp for it. So, I bought this instead. It has its own built-in amp circuit, some real springs, and a digital delay circuit inside: all to emulate spring reverbs found in vintage guitar amps (and, as a friend of mine reminded me, found in the ARP-2600 synthesizer). I doubt very much if a guitar will be going anywhere near this. It will mostly be used with my synths, keyboards, drum machines, and circuit-bent devices.

New Soundtrack Project

Well, things have been a little quiet here but I've not been idle. I have several posts in the drafts folder awaiting completion, and have been busy behind the scenes on several projects.

I'm about to start work on a soundtrack project, for a show to be released by Gypsy Audio. Beyond that I can't really say much, as I don't wish to give away any spoilers. Suffice to say that everyone involved with the project is excited about it and anxious to get started. As with Tales I'll be keeping records of my work, but won't be posting about it until the project sees a release.

Wish me luck!

Tales: Casting Update

The first auditions for the Tales Audio Drama are now over, and all roles for episodes 1-3 filled. I won't say it was an easy process. There were times I felt a cast wasn't going to gel. But overall it's been a success and the scripts have all been sent out.

Having characters that are very close to my heart brought to life is a mixed blessing. They've been part of my life now for almost ten years. I've come to know them inside and out; to hear their voices in my head. To match an actor to the voice is no mean feat - especially with a limited number of applicants. I've been very lucky though to attract some amazing talent to the project. The voices might not match my vision 100%, but the characters will forge new and exciting paths, in the hands (mouths?) of their new caretakers.

Tales Music: Turned To Stone

Another transition piece for Tales Episode 1, 'Turned To Stone' marks the demise of the Troll Tree Removers after they're petrified by the sun's rays. I wanted it to have a haunting quality. The first idea that came to mind was the sound of tingsha (Tibetan prayer cymbals). These are small cast bronze cymbals on a leather strap which produce a high-pitched ringing when struck together. They're more like bells in that respect. Each cymbal is supposed to sound identical, but possibly mine are slightly out of whack because they produce some harsh harmonics. This just adds to the character though, making them all the more suitable for this track.

I started by recording several takes into my CAD mic and selecting the best ones. If the cymbals wobble about too much you get a wobbly-sounding recording, so after some experimentation I got some clean takes. You can be sure I kept the wobbly ones too, though - you never know when they might come in handy!

I loaded the sample I was happy with direct into Sonar (my multi-track software) and repeated it every couple of bars. I applied reverb to soften the sound a little, but had to tweak it quite a lot. Certain frequencies were bouncing around and sounding horrible. This served as my guide for adding other instruments.

Next I added a plucked spring sound, sampled from my 'Spring Thing' which is nothing more than two dishwasher springs mounted on a board. But hooked up to a contact microphone it sounds fantastic. This already had a reverb all its own, but I added extra software reverb and it totally stole the show.


For the third element I turned to the K-Station synth, with the intention of adding a slow, bright, metallic arpeggio. My tweaking produced a detuned sound - not unlike bells that have been really messed up - more suited for melody, so a melody it was. In an attempt to fit melody to tempo, I threw in a bass-drum sample to play to. That lead to the mimicked sound of a slow hearbeat, which echoes the plight of the poor trolls and further enhances the track.

Oh yes, I almost forgot about the growls. I took a sound from my modified Yamaha PSS-140 FM keyboard and pitch-shifted it way low in shortcircuit. To me it sounds like the growl of an alien animal. No real reason for adding it except that it adds some spookiness.

By then the track was pretty much finished, to my mind. But there's always the temptation to add more, and later on I thought of some string parts and had to try them out. I called upon my trusty Crumar Performer analog string synthesizer for this. I dropped the bottom and mid-range out via the on-board EQ, and modulated the pitch. The latter is a trick I used on the Doctor Who: Mechalution soundtrack / Let's Build Mecha e.p. to give the strings a wailing, melancholy quality, not unlike tape-wobble.

The final element I added was a Chinese woodblock (also called a 'wooden fish'). This was again recorded using the CAD. It sounded too bright in my first version so I pitch-shifted it about an octave lower and EQ'd out some high-end.

Footstep Effects Box

I don't know what the proper term for one of these is, assuming there even is one, so I've dubbed it the Footstep Effects Box. I need the sound of footsteps on gravel, with a particular tone and feel, so I sought out some gravel and took my feet with me (I take them everywhere). The perfect gravel turned out to be crusher fines. It's rock crushed into pieces tiny enough to still be considered gravel, but large enough that it compacts when it settles. For this reason it's perfect for pathways or rough-and-ready parking spaces. I lined my garden path with some this spring, but unfortunately the sound of traffic is so abominable here that recording clean gravelly footsteps on my path is out of the question.

So I thought outside the box and decided I'd bring the gravel path into my studio - well, a bit of it, at any rate. I figured all I'd need is a shallow wooden box large enough to accommodate both feet, so I cut some scrap 1x4" lumber left over from a concrete pour, and a piece of scrap 5/8" plywood 18 inches square. A few drywall screws and Bob's your uncle's third cousin twice removed. Not bad eh? And it's made from recycled materials!

I've yet to test this contraption, but I've collected enough crusher fines to line it about an inch deep, given them a wash to get rid of the dust and dirt mixed in with the rock (the worst of which was sieved out first) and have them drying in the greenhouse. I expect you could line it with anything - dried leaves, for example - to create your own custom footstep sounds.

Tales Music: 'Evening Descends'

Yesterday I took a break from editing field recordings long enough to finish the first piece of music for Tales of Elves and Trolls. I had a few pieces started before I decided how to approach the soundtrack as a whole, but I had the theme song to guide me (it can be heard in the promo video at the start of this blog).

One thing I'm keen to do with this soundtrack is combine electronic sounds (chiefly created with analog and pseudo-analog synthesizers) with acoustic sounds. I don't necessarily mean acoustic instruments, but any sound produced acoustically. This could be anything from a dripping tap to a metal object being struck. The kind of sounds chosen will vary depending on what I'm trying to convey.

Some pieces will also use orchestral elements, albeit from a virtual orchestra: a VST called EastWest Orchestra Silver (I was going to include a link, but the software appears to be discontinued). I've used this for several years now, chiefly for its grand piano sound and a few violins. It accounts for about 75% of the instruments on the Tales Theme music.

For now I'm only concerned with music that bridges the gap from one scene to another: the transitions. Incidental music that plays during scenes will come later. When a transition appears in the script, I give it a simple title so I have something to work with.

The first transition of Episode 1 I've named 'Evening Descends + The Alarm Rock.' It signifies the passing of time as Agnor and Runkthussle, the Troll Tree Removers, await the setting of the sun. Once it sets they can emerge from their sun shelter and go about their business. In the novel, there's also a line that reads: '... the alarm rock thudded into place ...' Rather than script it as a sound effect, I chose to incorporate it into the transition. So, as the music unfolds, clock-like sounds come in, culminating in the thud of the alarm-rock itself. My trolls are simple creatures, so I imagined that rather than a traditional time-piece they might have something rudimentary built of clockwork and stone.

For some reason, the melody of Evening Descends turned out to be a rising scale. Don't ask me which scale though, as I couldn't tell you. It's accompanied by a sweeping synthesized bass drone which also gives the illusion of rising/falling. These sounds, as well as some rudimentary bass and bass drum sounds were created on my trusty Novation K-Station.

For the 'Alarm Rock' I spent an afternoon in the studio with a breeze block and a stone. I struck both together, scraped one across the other, and also dropped the stone onto the block to capture the resulting percussive sounds. I recorded with two different microphones at once: my Shure SM58 (traditionally used for vocals), and my Buffered XLR Contact Mic. The SM58 was placed in close proximity to the block, and the Contact was sellotaped directly to the surface. I found that the SM58 resulted in sounds that were bright and trebly (is that even a word?) and the Contact gave me duller, bassier sounds. In the track I used a mixture of the two, but favoured those recorded with the Contact mic.

These recordings, or I should say a tiny percentage of these recordings, were loaded into the Shortcircuit VST sampler, and used an octave below their natural pitch to make the clockwork sounds. Shortcircuit v.1 is my sampler of choice since my Akai S1000 developed a fault. It's also free, I might add :)

Interesting though the breeze block was, I realised it sounded a little weak with just a tiny pebble rattling around on it. So for the Alarm Rock thud, I selected the sound of a more sizeable rock from my recent quarry recordings. This was also loaded into Shortcircuit, pitched down somewhat and given a touch of EQ.

This may sound like an awful lot of work for a piece of music only 30 seconds long. But to me, all this fiddly stuff is one of the reasons I create electronic music in the first place: the process. Creating sounds from what amounts to a pile of circuitry, and making the everyday sound otherworldly.

Field Recordings, Part 1

Not a lot to report at the moment. I've been engaged in the tedious work of cleaning up the backlog of field recordings made over the spring and summer so that they're ready for use in the Tales Audio Drama, music, etc... So I thought I'd write a post about what that involves, what kind of sounds I've been collecting, and how I go about it.

I've made my own field recordings and collected 'found sounds' for years now, mainly for use in music. I started out capturing them with a mini-cassette recorder, which I still have floating around the studio somewhere - it's good for achieving a phone-like effect on spoken word samples. Eventually, though, I saw the need for stepping up the quality, so I switched to a Sony MZ-NH700 minidisc recorder. This served me well for many years, but many a recording was ruined by the sound of the motor on the thing, which kicked-in every few minutes to write data to the disc.

Now there are a host of pocket-sized digital recorders available that offer 16 to 24 bit stereo recording with no moving parts, and after much deliberation I settled on the Zoom H1. I've had it since the beginning of the year, and have found it to be invaluable. I use it with a specialised 'wind-screen' outdoors, and also have a custom-made hydrophone I use with it for underwater recordings.



I take the Zoom with me pretty much everywhere. My job as a renovator gives me access to some interesting places, such as industrial buildings, and I live in a semi-rural environment with plenty of hiking trails. Unfortunately said trails are not far from mill yards, the main highway, and the train station, so there's an ever-present layer of noise pollution in the background at varying degrees. Most of this can be scrubbed out, or at least dampened - something I'll cover in Part 2. But certain sounds are particularly stubborn. I've learned to avoid making any recordings if a lawnmower can be heard, for example. Another trick is finding natural noise dampeners, such as a hill or bank between you and the unwanted noise.

On my hikes, once or twice a week, I keep in mind some of the sounds I need for my production and make use of what I find at hand. I needed the sound of trees being destroyed, for instance, and was able to find several trees ranging from saplings to much larger ones that had blown over or fallen from the weight of last year's snow. These could be easily lifted and let drop to achieve the effect.

As well as these kinds of engineered sounds, I've recorded the likes of streams, birdsong, and squirrels. I've recorded extensive metallic sounds in a junk-yard in the middle of the woods (this was a very lucky find!), and rock and gravel noises in two different quarries. On one occasion I was even caught in a thunderstorm with the Zoom to hand. Bliss!

The one problem with this undertaking is that sounds are relatively easy to capture; they pile up, a bit like digital photographs, in no time at all. But editing and archiving them is a long and drawn-out process. I'll take you through the editing stage in Part 2.

Tales Casting Call - Block 1

I'm now accepting auditions for several characters that appear in Tales of Elves and Trolls, episodes 1-3 of Series 1. Here are the details:

Please audition with the lines below, and send as 192kbps MP3 to: ManitouProductions@gmail.com

Please remember to label your MP3s as follows:

BSAP_Elves&Trolls_(EpisodeNumber)_(CharacterName)_(YourName)

Auditions close on August 14th.

Episode 1 “Troll Tree Removers”
Troll tree removers Agnor and Runkthussle receive a suspicious scroll from an elf named Sydor Goldenleaf, asking them to remove a tree in the Sighing Forest. Despite their reservations, they jump at the chance to cut down a tree in elven lands. The tree turns out to be a sentient oak named Faarenmul, who won’t be felled without a fight.

Agnor
(troll tree remover, 30-40 years old)
Agnor is the quintessential gruff and bad-tempered troll. He loathes anything to do with elves, especially the trees he spends his time removing. He considers himself the smarter of the two brothers. He calls the shots with the tree removal business and doesn’t suffer fools. Like all trolls in Tales, he refers to himself in the third person.

Audition Lines:
“We’re in elven lands now. Agnor’s not seen trees like dese, and neither have you, you unobservant lump of rock.”
“Agnor can and will fell you, demon tree! Behold, his juggernaut!”

Runkthussle
(troll tree remover, 30-40 years old)
Agnor’s younger brother, and partner in the tree removal business. He’s considered the less intelligent of the duo, but actually has more sense than his brother thanks to his inquisitive nature. He is constantly brow-beaten and doesn’t stand up for himself. His manner is far less gruff, almost endearing.

Audition Lines:
“Dere’s magic in dese trees, Brother. Runk doesn’t like it.”
“I wonder how many drakes it took to carry it all.”

Faarenmul
(sentient oak, many centuries old, recurring character)
Having existed since the glory days of magic, Faarenmul is knowledgeable in ancient lore. He has grown insular and harbours contempt for the lesser creatures (except for the birds – his only companions). He dislikes trolls to the point of luring many to their deaths and carving their petrified corpses into decorative standing stones. He enunciates his words with care and his voice is deep and booming.

Audition Lines:
“Your names, trolls, and business here!”
“I existed long before trolls came down from the mountains to move like a blight across this land. Yet you think you can fell me like so much timber?”

Sydor Goldenleaf
(elven sorcerer, 30+ years old, recurring character)
Sydor starts out as a cold, calculating dark magician obsessed with reclaiming a lost magical artefact. Years of absorbing dark magic into his body have locked away his compassion and moral scruples. Sydor is eventually cleansed of dark magic and becomes a fragile, damaged creature. His quest for power is replaced by the drive to protect his orphaned niece, Lora – irregardless of his own well-being.

Audition Lines:
(evil Sydor)
“Agnor and Runkthussle. Good ... day to you.”
“You trolls have always been a greedy, ignorant bunch. But even I misjudged the depth of your stupidity.”
(good Sydor)
“I’ve suffered much these last eight years. To learn that my niece still lives lightens my heart no end.”

Episode 3 “To Go In Search of Trolls – Part 2”
Sticky and Lora have captured Gnorr the troll, only to discover he hasn’t any treasure.
Gnorr leads them to the lair of the Fellthorn Trolls, which is brimming with gold. But the bandits prove tough adversaries.

The Fellthorn Trolls
(troll bandits, any age)
This quartet, consisting of Amrok, Gan, Quern, and their leader Hobold, are all that remain of a once-mighty band of ruthless bandits. They refer to each other as brothers, but it’s unlikely they’re related. They are battle-scarred and ugly, with matted hair and zero personal hygiene. Gan, at least, walks with a limp. It’s theorised that Hobold became leader because he’s uglier than the others. Somewhat past their prime, they still strike fear into the hearts of elves with their reputation. Their speech is guttural and ill-educated. Hobold and Gan have the most lines, but four are needed for walla.

Audition Lines:
“Wha’s dis? An imp! Our luck improves by the second, Brothers!”
“Grab it! It’s good luck!”

SFX Session

Thinking in terms of sound effects, you tend to listen to the world a little more intently. I've noticed, over the last few months, just how noisy the world is. Even when I'm walking in the woods, the background hum of the town can still be heard, and birds and breeze and squirrels. Fine if that's what you need, but these and myriad other sounds can intrude on an otherwise perfectly good recording.

This morning I set out to capture some studio-based sounds. Now, my studio is a large room in the basement. It's packed with junk so there's practically no reverb. The ceiling and walls are insulated, and I can close windows to keep the bulk of the traffic sound at bay, but it's not sound-proofed by any means. I turn off my PC and record with my netbook and USB Preamp to ensure the least amount of noise on my recordings. But today I was hampered by several factors, including: the sound of heavy rain, the council trimming grass along the highway with weed-whackers, someone mowing their lawn nearby, a noisy crow outside my window, and, most annoying of all, the neighbours nailing siding to their woodworking shop. Having recorded the bulk of what I wanted today and turned my PC back on, the pounding of nails and the cawing crow seem to have vanished. Oh well, them's the breaks.

Back to what I was saying about listening. I require a particular sound for my first episode of Tales, and hadn't quite worked out how to achieve it. Then last night while making a salad, it hit me. Not the salad - but the sound. So this afternoon I could be found squeezing what remained of a head of romaine lettuce in front of my CAD GXL2200 microphone.

Other objects I had in the studio today include a four-foot length of 6" duct pipe, a cardboard postal tube with end-caps, and some wind-chimes. What possible use have all these things in a fantasy adventure set in a quasi-medieval world, you may ask? Well, you'll have to wait and see....

It Begins...

Welcome to my new blog! As I'm about to embark on the most challenging creative project I've yet undertaken, the production of a full-cast audio drama, I've decided to chronicle its development here. You can expect everything from progress reports to detailed technical geek-speak about the production process (for which I make no apologies!).

The series in question is called 'Tales of Elves and Trolls,' based on my novel of the same name. Both the novel and the series is suitable for all age groups, but I'm uncertain as to whether the show will be given a G or a PG rating. It will be produced for Brokensea Audio Productions, who host a variety of highly entertaining audio dramas that are free to stream or download.

As of this posting, I have the first three scripts (of eight) of the first series prepared, and am in the process of collecting, creating, and editing original sound effects. I've also begun work on the music for the show, and will be covering that in more detail in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, here's the book trailer my good friend Stevie at Brokensea produced for me earlier in the year. It'll give you an idea what to expect from the finished show (if I can live up to his excellent production standards!):