{"id":48234,"date":"2023-01-13T12:45:05","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T12:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.synthax.co.uk\/latest\/?p=48234"},"modified":"2025-01-28T11:40:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T11:40:00","slug":"alex-turner-gravity-rigs-rme-ferrofish-directout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.synthax.co.uk\/latest\/2023\/01\/13\/alex-turner-gravity-rigs-rme-ferrofish-directout\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing live playback rigs with Alex Turner of Gravity Rigs (Pet Shop Boys, Chemical Brothers, Disclosure)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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\"Gravity<\/h3>\n

Alex Turner of Gravity Rigs on designing live audio playback rigs with RME, Ferrofish & DirectOut.<\/h3>\n

Alex Turner is one half of Gravity Rigs<\/a>, a UK-based partnership with Matt Cox. The company specialise in the design of custom-built playback and live music performance rigs.<\/p>\n

Alongside their work as live engineers for some of the biggest names in the UK music scene, the pair have been the brains behind cutting-edge systems for a number of high-profile artists including The Pet Shop Boys, Chemical Brothers, Orbital, Disclosure, Keane, Eric Prydz and Kygo.<\/p>\n

We sat down with Alex to find out more about the design process, and why his builds regularly include gear from RME, Ferrofish and DirectOut.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"GravityAbout Gravity Rigs<\/h3>\n

\u201cGravity Rigs is me and Matt Cox,\u201d Alex explains. \u201cWe\u2019re both very experienced technicians, with a shared mission in designing ultra-reliable playback rigs. It became a bit of an art form and a craft, and we finessed our skills into a business.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do bespoke playback and keyboard rigs for artists and bands – mainly DJs and electronic duos. Last year we did Pet Shop Boys, Overmono, Prospa, Kygo and Eric Prydz, and right now Sam Smith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt and Alex know exactly what\u2019s needed to create reliable, rugged playback solutions that can withstand the rigours of a worldwide tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stopped touring in 2017,\u201d Alex continues. \u201cMatt tours with Chemical Brothers and New Order. He keeps a real eye on what\u2019s happening in the music technology world, and what\u2019s happening in the music tech industry, appraising new tech with the highest of high standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m trained in 3D design and PRINCE2 project managing, so the physical aspects of each rig come naturally, squeezing everything into a rack that\u2019s flyable, fits all the requirements, and that\u2019s not going to fall apart. That\u2019s what Gravity Rigs is really good at.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the client gets is a bespoke system, with everything tailored to what the artist wants. Within reason of course – we\u2019ll say no if needed, e.g. if the client asks for something that we know is never going to work, or will be too unreliable.<\/p>\n

\u201cGenerally the first thing is to sit down – mostly virtually these days – with the artist, tech or PM, figure out what they want, and capture all of their requirements. Then we go away and work out what\u2019s the best and most cost effective outcome.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spend a lot of time prepping, working out whether something can be built or not within the confines of a fly rack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

On designing rigs for The Pet Shop Boys<\/h3>\n

One of Gravity Rigs recent designs was for The Pet Shop Boys. A name that should need no introduction, the synth-pop duo\u2019s records have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.<\/p>\n

\u201cPet Shop Boys was a big scale project,\u201d Alex says. \u201cThey\u2019ve got five RME Fireface UFX+ interfaces in total. Basically it\u2019s 7 MADI streams, going into a box that mixes them all into one. It\u2019s all digital \u2013 everything goes to front of house digitally via optical – and doesn\u2019t go to analogue until it hits the speaker cable. So it\u2019s pretty sharp!<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s also RME MADIface XTs. Four of those, plus some older RME gear. Then three computers for the band, with the drummer triggering MIDI stuff on stage, which is all happening in Mainstage. And then two keyboard players, with dual systems each.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe schematic for the pet shop boys actually ended up as the centrefold for the tour programme. Which made me think all my time at art college wasn\u2019t wasted haha.<\/p>\n

\"Gravity\u201cDisclosure was a similar size, back in 2015. That was RME and Ferrofish-based as well, and DirectOut.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alongside larger projects for the likes of The Pet Shop Boys, Gravity Rigs also work with smaller electronic music projects, as well as DJs looking to transition into live shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the rigs we do are fly-packs,\u201d Alex continues. \u201cOnce we started using MADI – \u00a0everything just got so small \u2013 so our main concern is making sure everything is really nicely cased, with lots of foam, which a lot of others will try and skimp on. My rule of thumb is that I\u2019ve got to be confident enough to throw it down a flight of stairs. I\u2019ve never actually done that haha, but I\u2019m 100% confident it would be okay.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Prospa it was a large array of large tabletop electronics, we managed to fit it all into 5 pelis, and lots of custom foam to make everything secure. Overmono was also really interesting, because it\u2019s a similar rig, but all of their tech items were small, so we put it onto these boards and wired it all up. And then we got a case made up, with shelves within the cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach one of those boards goes into the case on top of one another, so Overmono pretty much had all of their gear in a single case, with only a few connections to make it situ. A lot of people come to us asking the impossible, but on that one we pretty much achieved it, people’s eyes pop out when they see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\"Gravity\n

On RME, Ferrofish and DirectOut<\/h3>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t use anything else, I really don\u2019t,\u201d says Alex on the subject of RME. \u201cI\u2019ll use DirectOut, Ferrofish and RME.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s everything \u2013 the build quality, the sound quality, and the drivers. I\u2019ve been using RME pretty much exclusively since 2015, when I did the build for Disclosure. I\u2019ve used all sorts \u2013 RME MADIface USBs and XT\u2019s, UFXs, UFX+s, UCs<\/a>. A bunch of the converters as well. TotalMix is always handy, and it\u2019s fairly easy to use, unlike some of the other routing software that\u2019s out there.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t use anything else\u201d<\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe drivers have to be good, and they have to be kept up to date. Because Apple will make changes, and some manufacturers don\u2019t keep up. And I know of techs who are always having problems with drivers. I won\u2019t put a tech in that position. And that\u2019s why I tell them we\u2019ve got to have RME in here, it\u2019s worth the expense.<\/p>\n

\u201cSame for Ferrofish. I\u2019ve been using them ever since 2015, and was happy to get my new A32pro Dante<\/a> recently, which I\u2019m planning to use for a carry-on playback and keys rig. It\u2019s going to have MIDI Ins, and both MIDI and audio will be switchable. A dual redundant, 32 in \/ 32 out, MADI-compatible playback rig that fits in a single carry on case.<\/p>\n

\"Gravity\u201cThen the DirectOut MADI switches<\/a> are fantastic. We\u2019ve never had a problem with them. I mean all of this gear \u2013 Ferrofish, RME, DirectOut \u2013 I\u2019ve just never had a problem with any of it, ever. That\u2019s what we want, and that\u2019s why we use them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn fact, any issues that have come up turn out to be solvable. Either TotalMix has allowed us to get round it, or there\u2019s been another way to connect to the unit. We\u2019ve never had a problem that\u2019s not been easily solved. So yeah, that\u2019s why we use those companies.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“All of this gear \u2013 Ferrofish, RME, DirectOut \u2013
I\u2019ve just never had a problem with any of it, ever”<\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve also always had a great relationship with Synthax, everyone there\u2019s fantastic. Luke and Martin are always flexible, and really helped my business grow. I wouldn\u2019t go anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\"Gravity\n

What\u2019s next for Gravity Rigs?<\/h3>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking for more MDs, more musical directors to work with. Right now we mostly specialise in DJs and electronic duos – Bicep, Kygo and Overmono for instance. Although we have a good history with bands like Keane and Snow Patrol as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you come to us you go through the process, you get your requirements met, the ones you know and the ones you didn\u2019t! And we work creatively together. We\u2019ll get you on stage reliably, get you to festivals – we\u2019ll get your gear through that transit process without issue, and it\u2019ll be easy for any engineers to set up.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur books are very much open right now, but everyone has to think in advance, don\u2019t leave it too late. A month is too late \u2013 if you come to us with 4 weeks to go, it\u2019s not going to happen. People need to get in early. Get in now! If you want it done for May and festival season, and you\u2019re thinking about it, then get in now. Any later than January we\u2019re probably fully booked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our thanks to Alex Turner & Gravity Rigs. If you\u2019d like to get in touch with Gravity Rigs, visit www.gravityrigs.com<\/a> .<\/p>\n

You can also see more of Alex and Matt\u2019s designs on the Gravity Rigs Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

See the full range of RME Audio Interfaces<\/a><\/p>\n

See the full range of Ferrofish AD\/DA Converters<\/a><\/p>\n

See the full range of\u00a0DirectOut Solutions<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Synthax<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to know more about any of the playback systems produced by RME, Ferrofish or DirectOut, give us a call on 01727 821 870<\/a><\/strong> to speak to one of our team or to arrange a demo.<\/p>\n

You can also contact us here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n