I'd spent a few years touring with various acts and had pretty much stayed with one particular manufacturer, Cooper recalls. But then I started working with Bastille. The band had a constantly changing line-up and I'd find myself being told today we have singing brass players and a string section, two guest vocalists and a percussionist'. This meant they quickly outgrew that console's channel count, even when it was expanded to its max. I needed the flexibility to be able to add to my already complex show files without the desk itself giving me any limitations. It was time to look for a new solution.
Cooper tried out a couple of consoles by other well-known brands, sticking with one until a big issue arose during a sell-out show at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
A lacklustre approach to support from the console manufacturer and starting a 72 channel show again from scratch with 12 minutes left of a changeover, had me thinking about changing again. After chatting to other engineers and friends at different companies, I decided a DiGiCo SD7 was what I needed. And I was right. It didn't baulk at anything we threw at it and has such amazing routing options that it was very easy to switch over. Also, thanks to the SD-Racks, I found myself ditching the plugins I'd been using. I just didn't need any fake analogue warmth and, without the blatant over-compensation and saturation' that some desk manufacturers build in, I quickly found that what goes in to the SD7, is what comes out.
Since then, Cooper has stuck with DiGiCo for every act he works with. For promo rigs, he has opted for the smaller S31 and an iPad which he says, thanks to DiGiCo's amazing support, was a breeze. For American singer/songwriter B rns, he switched to an SD12. It was ideal for him and now, thanks to a recent software upgrade, could even be the desk I'm going to use for smaller region Bastille shows, which have fewer last-minute guests, he says.
For Bastille's 2018 and 2019's festival seasons, Cooper opted for an SD10. It is often been case that we arrive at a festival after the first acts are on stage. I need to have high channel count, but we also need to be quick and the SD10's smaller footprint means it offers a touch more portability breaking the backs of fewer crew is always a nice thing. For our upcoming US run in the autumn, I'm back to the SD7.
We use a lot of digital instruments and with this we have a lot of chances of things going awry. With DiGiCo's macros, I can have a spare line already programmed to line up with spares and if something should happen, I just need to click a button and the audience doesn't notice a thing. It's also useful for reducing repetitive things that have to be done during a show (changing of FX sends, compression ratios, etc.,) down to a single button press, without ruining the flow of the mix.
Cooper also notes that DiGiCo's MADI options are a wonderful tool and has purchased a pair of DiGiGrid MGB interfaces (there is both an A and B rig for Bastille) which allows him to virtual sound check with ease.
They're a real gig-saver for shows with little or no setup time, he explains. With our re-orchestrated' shows at the start of 2018 we were running at 48k and I was able to record up to 128 channels from the SD10. This is the one time I've definitely appreciated the VGA out for an overview screen.
Cooper says that he has needed to make use of DiGiCo support on occasion and from various different territories and has nothing but praise for the company's 24-hour service.
When I've had something urgent, I've either been helped there and then or been called back in a couple of minutes. For none urgent things, some of DiGiCo's top people are on various social media channels and chat boards and are always happy to help. There are a lot of manufacturers that send you to the same support line that deals with their non pro audio items, so you might not get to the right person until the next day. That's not ideal if the issue arises during a changeover or the afternoon of a show, but DiGiCo has never failed to be there for me and that's invaluable.
Press Contacts:
Maria Fiorellino at DiGiCo
Tel: +44 1372 845600
Email: maria@digiconsoles.com
Web: www.digico.biz
Sarah James at Gasoline Media
Tel: +44 1483 223333
Email: sarahj@gasolinemedia.com
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Set up your own private remote collaboration infrastructure
SoundBridge have recently put together a tutorial video that provides users with a step-by-step ...
20/08/2026
New V-Control Pro features restore basic functionality
Neyrinck's V-Control software has long been keeping older Avid control surfaces compatible with n...
20/08/2026
TV, BritBox and Mammoth Screen have announced that filming is now underway on th...
20/08/2026
Thursday 20 August 2026
Nina Sosanya, Rizzle Kicks, Roman Kemp and Paul Whiteho...
20/08/2026
Wuppertal August 20, 2026
Transformation Church Elevates Production Communicat...
20/08/2026
The music between the notes Coming together In the middle of 2026, as conversations around artificial intelligence continue to raise questions about how musi...
20/08/2026
Arvato Systems Brings Together Digital Transformation Leaders in the Manufacturi...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
Company launch with stereo-imaging tool
Panoramic is the debut release from Panorama Labs, a new company formed by mastering engineer Nicholas Di Lorenzo. C...
18/08/2026
Control software now available for older interfaces
Focusrite have just announced the launch of an update that extends Control 2 software support for their ...
18/08/2026
Tuesday 18 August 2026
Sky Sports and The Fast and the Curious announce new partnership
Sky Sports and The Fast and the Curious have announced a new long-term...
18/08/2026
Wuppertal August 18, 2026
Riedel Brings Professional Live Production Into the Classrooms of ECURiedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan Universi...
18/08/2026
Apple today announced changes to its business terms for apps in the European Uni...
18/08/2026
THE HEALY RAES: BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS AIRS WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 ON RT ONE AT 9:35PM
A new documentary The Healy-Raes: Blood, Sweat & Tears airs on RT One and ...
18/08/2026
Stunning Irish performances at European Athletics and Swimming Championships rea...
18/08/2026
The two-part series begins Sunday 23 August at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player
...
17/08/2026
New MIDI processor & macro controller revealed
SHIK have announced that they have opened pre-orders for the S32, a standalone MIDI processor and macro contr...
17/08/2026
Cover extended on innovative motorised pot system
Melbourne Instruments have just revealed that the innovative motorised pot system used in their synths and...
17/08/2026
Latest firmware version now available
1010music have just released a free firmware update that brings some nice new features to their renowned Bluebox digit...
17/08/2026
Rohde & Schwarz showcases integrated defense and test solutions at DALO Industry...
17/08/2026
Calrec's ImPulseV Virtualised Audio Mixing Engine joins NEP Platform, the industry's largest ecosystem of trusted production software, bringing scalable...
17/08/2026
Visitors to IBC 2026 will see how FilmLight is reshaping the modern post pipelin...
17/08/2026
Visitors to Stand 1.C41 can explore innovations in areas such as addressable advertising, hybrid distribution, managed services and operational simplification.
...
16/08/2026
Virtual drummer joins line-up
The latest release from Gospel Musicians adds a virtual drummer to the company's line-up, combining a pair of meticulously...
15/08/2026
In-ear monitoring line-up gains new universal models
In-ear monitoring experts JH Audio have just announced a significant expansion of their Universal-Fit r...
14/08/2026
Latest instalment delivers disco-inspired grooves
The latest addition to UJAM's virtual drum line-up has been designed with contemporary pop, disco, dan...
14/08/2026
Elite range gains giant 24-inch powered sub
The latest expansion of Yorkville's Elite range introduces what the company say is the world's first act...
14/08/2026
Friday 14 August 2026
Breaking news! Sky releases trailer for The Paper, return...
14/08/2026
It's been one year since our client, Cotswolds Designer Outlet, opened its doors and we've loved seeing the scheme come to life. Together, we've hel...
13/08/2026
Company preview bio-interactive' synthesizer
VAEMI have announced the upcoming launch of a new standalone bio-interactive' generative synthesizer....
13/08/2026
Plug-in host gains new Slot Scenes feature
Ravine DSP have recently updated their innovative plug-in host, kitting it out with a new feature that brings yet...
13/08/2026
New U and U&W Documentary Features Kathleen Richards, One of the Last Surviving Witnesses to Fred and Rose West
Kathleen is Reunited with Childhood Friend and ...
13/08/2026
Thursday 13 August 2026
Official trailer released for the return of Tea with Ju...
13/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
13/08/2026
Wenvoe serves over 1 million people across South Wales
13 August 2026, Winchester, UK - Vale of Glamorgan MP, Kanishka Narayan, has praised the engineering exp...
13/08/2026
RT 's Miriam O'Callaghan welcomed a range of specially invited guests to the National Concert Hall last week for a unique event to mark a new season wit...
13/08/2026
August 13 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Seattle Seahawks Become First Team to Bring Dolby O...
12/08/2026
Enhanced DAW & plug-in control for the UC1, UF8 and UF1
The software that powers SSL's range of control surfaces has just received a major update that d...
12/08/2026
In-line preamp features one-knob EQ
In addition to their range of in-line preamps, Triton Audio recently managed to squeeze a compressor into an enclosure t...
12/08/2026
Captures system audio with or without a DAW
Depending on your setup, capturing system audio in a DAW can be a tedious process, so much so that Arvital Audio...
I'd spent a few years touring with various acts and had pretty much stayed with one particular manufacturer, Cooper recalls. But then I started working with Bastille. The band had a constantly changing line-up and I'd find myself being told today we have singing brass players and a string section, two guest vocalists and a percussionist'. This meant they quickly outgrew that console's channel count, even when it was expanded to its max. I needed the flexibility to be able to add to my already complex show files without the desk itself giving me any limitations. It was time to look for a new solution. 
