Stage Electrics

Fredrick Bentham

The cosole gave the operatore a single on or off switch to each stage lighting circuit, the name of the curcuit being clearly engraved on each switch operating lever or tablet. The dimmer levers, position indicatores, full on switches, blackout switches, master locking devices and colour filter switches instead of being repeated for each lighting circuit are repeated only a few times as group and colour masters. For every lighting change, great or small, the requiried lighting curcuits, be they one or many, are locked to the master controls - operated and then unlocked to remain as they are untill locked on for further change. The curcuit selectore switches are easy to put on or off- a sweep of the hand and all are on,for example. Devices are fitted to move preset combinations of these switches, cancel them, etc. As there is only one switch(simply on or off)per lighting curcuit, plus a set of masters used all the toime, the console desk is very compact and the state of the controls clearly shown to the operatore.With other systems be has to take in at a glance the state of affairs by looking at a hundred or more dimmer levers, circuit switches, etc, plus the master controls which are necessary for simultaneouse dimmer movement and to witch the individual controls may, or may now, be locked at that time.

Typical instilations include;

Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1950 Empress hall in 1950 London Palladium 1949 Palace Theatre,Manchester in 1949

Graham Blyth

Co-ofounder Soundcraft Electronics Limited

Born 1948 Raised and educated, Epsom, Surrey, England Played piano since age 4 Junior music scholarship to Trinity college London Studied Piano and Organ Interest in electronics from taking apart electric organs. Went to Bristol University in 1966 to study electrical engineering. Graduated and got a job with Comptons Organs

Met Bill Kelsey together helped build Sound desk for Emerson, Lake and Palmer at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival

Suposedly Jimi Hendrix asked to use the desk when his sound equipment was delayed in traffic.

Got a job kelsey and morris Building desks that they had Designed.

Wanted to branch out and design his own but had no sound engineering experience. Met Phil Dudderidge of Rotary Speaker Development. together in 1973 they set up Soundcraft Electronics LTD.