SOCIETY OF SOUND

Society of Sound is a premier recording and post production company primarily focused on classical music. Since 1987, it has prided itself on producing the highest quality recordings for orchestras, choral and chamber groups and instrumental and vocal soloists. Contact Society of Sound to find out how to make your next project a great recording.

Founded in 1987 by engineer and producer Robert M. DiVito, the company had its start in the early stages of the burgeoning digital revolution and, as such, contributed substantially to the changing audio community while maintaining a firm understanding of traditional technology.

Having recorded countless live concerts, label recordings, sound for film and music videos, Society of Sound is a hybrid digital and analog recording and post production company. Specializing in natural and accurate sound recordings of acoustic music our process continuously strives to artistically balance realism with an added larger than real life quality.

Society of Sound's Toronto studio is a large and comfortable space that lends a unique quality to voice overs, dubbing, vocals and acoustic recording. It is also ideally suited as a post-production house and mastering facility. The studio is located in the Junction District and is an integral part of a vibrant arts community.

Working with orchestras, chamber groups and soloists, Society of Sound's core strength is in the field of eBroadcasting. Developing large scale media strategies through archival recordings, repurposing live performances for commercial release, internet radio and download/streaming technology are the areas of future growth and position Society of Sound as an industry leader.

Society of Sound's recordings and film work have been heard on the major public and private radio and television broadcasting stations in Canada, the United States and Europe.

AUDIO ENGINEER, ROBERT DIVITO

| BIO |
People know Robert for many different things. Most know him as a fine musician. Some know him as a recording engineer, while others know him as a photographer and designer. He's done all those things. But at the centre of it all, at the core of what drives him, is art - whether it be audio or visual. Trained as a classical musician, Robert learned from early on that focus and commitment can achieve something great. He brings this same passion, to learning, practising and refining his craft. Whether it's recording a new cd or live concert, shooting a magazine cover, editing a music video or designing a new website and print campaign, he is always striving for excellence.

But it is not just about the skills, using a new program or piece of gear, or even scouting locations and knowing when the light is best. While these are all important, it is not what sets him apart. Robert is a passionate people-person. For him, it has always been about taking care of the client and connecting with people. None of his projects, whether collaborative or commissioned, can achieve something special unless subject and artist can achieve a sense of connection. This is as true with photography and design as it is when allowing a recording session to find its natural rhythm.

Robert is an ideas man with little time for sleep. His mind is always at work learning new techniques, finding inspiring art and coming up with new ideas that are sometimes a bit over the top but too great not to try. This is why I look forward to working with Robert. Continuously moving forward is what being quality, reliable, creative is all about and that is what Robert strives to do each and everyday.

Bio by Darlene Kulig | www.darlenekuligartist.ca

| INFO |
Robert's work has taken him all over Canada, the United States, South America and Europe. His talents have allowed him to collaborate with some of the brightest names in the music and entertainment industry as well as the corporate world. He has completed corporate work for Universal Music, BMG Music, Sony Music, EMI, and worked for clients such as iFuriosi, XBOX, the Canadian Brass and Adobe. As an active contributor to the field of audio engineering, research and development, Robert is a member of the Audio Engineering Society. He is currently serving as the Chair of the Toronto Section of the AES, which is among the largest worldwide.

Robert also loves to give back. He has been the catalyst for change on many community issues that have helped shape the quality of life for thousands of people. Whether its organizing tree planting with Arbor Mission, creating safer streets with DriveSafe, volunteering at food banks, delivering gifts at Christmas, cooking for the Out of the Cold program or serving as a Scout leader, he has given back with his time and through his art to make a difference.

Robert is also a father. He lives in Toronto and finds great inspiration from his four kids, Benjamin, Cecilia, Emma and Thomas.

| CORPORATE |
Universal Music, BMG Music, Sony Music, EMI, Koch Entertainment, Bungalow Records, Marquis Records, Opening Day Recordings, ODEG, Corus Entertainment, Bell Globe Media, CBC, CTV, BBC, MTV, HGTV, Shift Magazine, Professional Sound, Norris-Whitney, X-BOX User, MarketNews, Toronto Life, En Route Magazine, Sound and Vision, TorStar Corp., SunMedia, Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Flare, ToneAudio, HiFi, Gramophone, Music America, Columbia Artist Management Inc., IMG Artists, S.L. Feldman & Associates, API, Trawick Artists, Livent, Richard Paul Artists, Adobe, Apple, Epson Corporation, Yamaha, Volvo, Fiat.

| ARTIST |
Canadian Brass, John Beckwith, Janina Fialkowska, Valdy, Julie Nesrallah, Penderecki String Quartet, Alfie Zappacosta, Leslie Newman, Jacques Israelievitch, Joaquin Valdepenas, Aris Argiris, Iseler Singers, Amici Chamber Ensemble, Toronto Symphony, Eleanor Daley, Bowfire, David Hetherington, Peter Desotto, Sarah Jeffrey, Kristina Reiko Cooper, Kerry Dorey, Ensemble Vivant, Steven Tsitsos, True North Brass, Alexander Sevastian, Lush, Gary Roberts, Mendelssohn Choir, Lenny Solomon, Lara St. John, George Gao, Carina Reeves, iFuriosi, Curtis Metcalf, Phil Smith, Hannaford Band, Lydia Adams, Johnny Cowell, Mandy Patinkin, George Meanwell, Hamilton Philharmonic, James Curnow, Serouj Kradjian, Bruno Aprea, Joan Watson, James Sommerville, Felix Deak, Denise Djokic, Robert Silverman, Aisslinn Nosky, Jens Lindemann, Al Kay, Gabrielle Mclaughlin, Wallis Giunta, Joseph Petric, National Ballet of Canada, Daniel Warren, Julia Wedman, Nadina Mackie, Three, Sabina Cvilak, Guy Few, Jennifer Snow, Stephanie Cadman, Barton Woomert, Catherine Wilson, Dave Young, David Jalbert, Daniel Bolshoy, Andrew McCandless, Neil Deland, Nicolo Eugemi, Jacqueline Smith, Susan Heoppner, Canadian Opera Company, Jasper Wood, Wendy Soloman, Chiara Taigi, Fine Arts String Quartet, Marie Berard, Mark Gould, Guido Basso, Steve Koven, Camille Watts, Ray Cattell, Plakaso, Doug Miller, Chuck Dallenbach, Ray Legere, Shane Cook, Caroline Leonardelli, David Pomeroy, Attila Glatz.

| PUBLISHED IN |
CBC.ca, CVT.ca, TIME, Shift Magazine, Professional Sound - Norris Whitney, X-BOX User, MarketNews, Toronto Life, En Route Magazine, Sound and Vision, Here's How, Home Entertainment, Stereophile, Widescreen Review, CEPRO, Quebec AV, Canada HiFi, Absolute Sound, The Toronto Star, The Toronto Sun, The Globe and Mail, Twice, Chatelaine, Flare, ToneAudio, Gramophone and Music America.

SOUND MIXER AND SOFTWARE ENGINEER, PAUL MARANGONI

| BIO |
Paul is widely know for his eclectic taste in all genres of music as well as his exceptional musical sense. Prior to his work at Society of Sound he was lead sound engineer at Triton Sound in Toronto where he a earned a well deserved reputation for developing new artists and repertoire. As an artist, Paul has worked with countless great musicians in a variety of genres.

He is also an accomplished software engineer and has designed and implemented software systems for a variety of corporate clients including Universal Music, Toyota Motor Company, UCLA and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Paul has also designed and built custom software systems at Society of Sound and is responsible for maintaining studio intranets and custom applications. Paul is an exceptional editor and mix engineer and works closely with artists to ensure all projects are meticulously edited and mixed for accuracy, musicality and transparency. Paul is also an experienced and accomplished Barrista. Contact Paul at [pmarangoni at societyofsound dot ca]

MEDIA MANAGER AND EDITOR, MARCUS VENABLES

| BIO |
Marcus Venables comes from a solid musical and composition background. As an accomplished composer and arranger Marcus has highly developed skills at score reading and interpretation and utilizes these talents at mapping complex edits when working with producers and artists in post production. Intimately familiar with a variety of digital audio workstations his duties include managing all digital assets and creating non-redundant data backup strategies.

Marcus began composing at an early age and has over 100 compositions to his credit. His work has been featured on many seminal recordings and in major concert halls around the world. He has been commissioned by professional organizations here in Canada and abroad and recently won the prestigious UniBrass 2012 competition in composition held yearly in the United Kingdom. Contact Marcus at [mvenables at societyofsound dot ca]

HARDWARE DESIGNER AND STUDIO TECH, ROCCO DIVITO

| BIO |
Rocco has 30 years of engineering experience in the fields of system integration, power conversion, and power distribution. He joined Honeywell in 1982 as an Electronics Design Engineer where his responsibilities included power conversion, digital/analog-based electronic controls and systems engineering activities for various aerospace development programs. A graduate of the University of Waterloo in Electrical Engineering, Rocco is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario.

Another engineering passion is in the audio field covering various areas such as the design and build of boutique audio hardware including microphone preamps and audio compressors. Rocco is also responsible for all custom modifications and maintenance of existing mixing consoles, audio hardware, custom cabling systems and breakout panels used in studio and on location. Rocco is an avid road cyclist. Contact Rocco at [rpdivito at societyofsound dot ca]

This portfolio is a small sampling of Society of Sound's recordings and mastering work taken from various live concerts, commercial recordings and music video projects completed over several years.

| PRODUCTION |
[production at societyofsound dot ca]

| STUDIO |
1444 Dupont Street, Suite 41, Toronto, ON M6P4H3 [T]416-534-1000 [M]416-937-5826


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LIVE AND COMMERICAL RECORDING

| LIVE RECORDINGS |
Society of Sound specializes in taking the recording process to where music happens and every effort is taken to ensure the most natural sound is captured from each location. We bring our own equipment, some of which is custom built in house, and a variety of acoustic materials specifically designed to achieve optimum sound in each venue.

As a company focused on mobile recording, a good deal of our time is spent on location in live concert situations. Capturing the energy and excitement of a live concert is a challenge for any sound engineer and ultimately the goal of the process. Careful consideration is taken to achieve a thoughtful balance between striving for the highest standards of sound quality while not detracting from the concert experience for the paying audience.

Location or remote recording companies offer archival recording services in a wide ranging spectrum of quality and price. At the least expensive end you will most likely get a simple set up including a single pair of microphones, a recording device and a machine operator who may very well set up in the hall and monitor with headphones. While this may be cost effective for some on a tight budget the results may ultimately be less than broadcast standard.

Society of Sound prides itself on providing a more comprehensive service that, in many cases, involves a multiple array of both single pair and spot pickups to achieve a balanced recording. These decisions are based on many years of experience in evaluating the venue, the ensemble and the genre of music being recorded and the relationship these three variables share. This, coupled with the myriad of available microphones, pre-amps and acoustic treatments enable the engineer to sculpt the overall sound. These techniques are similar to the practises developed and made popular by the great recording houses of the BBC, Decca, EMI and Deutche Gramophone and incorporate all the standard stereo techniques such as ORTF, NOS, MS, XY, Spaced Omni and Phase Array. They have all been adapted and further developed using modern advances and Society of Sound prides itself on utilizing a hybrid process of analog and digital technology. Although at a higher price point our archival recordings are broadcast quality and offer great value.

In recording live performances every effort is made to be discreet in the placement of all microphones and cables to minimize any possible detraction from the concert experience. We typically use the dress rehearsal to test microphone placement and fine tune balance. We also record rehearsals, and/or multiple performances, to have additional material for editing if necessary. Society of Sound utilizes a multitrack approach for all archival and commercial recordings allowing further adjustment to balance in our studio during the mastering process. Our archival recording service includes the editing of all excessive pauses and unnecessary content to create a finished master that plays like a live concert start to finish.

| COMMERCIAL RECORDINGS |
Commercial recordings are similar to archival recordings in many ways and share the same principle of achieving full, spacious and engaging sound quality. They do, however, differ in a few key areas. Without the necessity for discretion, as in a live concert situation, there is greater flexibility for venue treatment, artist placement, microphone technique and noise considerations. There is greater effort placed in setting up a proper monitoring booth for the balance engineer and producer and a talk back facility put in place to aid in communication between artist, producer and engineer. Overall the set-up is much more complex and detailed. There are also many more sessions. Traditionally sessions are blocked in three hour segments with two sessions booked per day. This format is highly dependant on the musicians and any reasonable variation to this is easily accommodated. The general rule of thumb for estimating the number of sessions required to cover the material is 20 minutes of finished music for every three hours or recording time. Therefore 60 minutes of material will most likely require 3-4 sessions over two days. Again this varies from artist to artist as some are more efficient than others but this a good starting point for planning purposes. Sessions are most often scheduled on consecutive days but not always necessary. We implement detailed session documentation which includes microphone placement and mix information for recreating recording sessions even months later. Society of Sound can also produce video recordings of all recording sessions for use in 'making of' DVD productions and promotional purposes. Please ask for more information.

| EDITING AND MIXING |
Digital editing is one of the key components to a great record. With the advent of non-linear digital editing the post production and assembly of music has been elevated to a whole new level of precision, control and creativity not previously possible. Once in digital form, and on hard disc, various takes can be auditioned, compared and assembled based on their musical merits and suitability. This process is non destructive and can be revised right up until the production date. Our music editors have highly developed audio listening skills and read and write music fluently. They also have a well developed relationship with the producer, ensuring that all score markings and intentions are understood and followed. Society of Sound prides itself on seamless and transparent editing and works with the artist and producer to ensure that all the best material is used in the final recording. After the first edit draft is created the artist or group is asked for feedback. Once the comments are returned a second edit round is completed and the artist is invited to the studio to audition the revisions. Once approved by the client the editing process is completed, although further edit and mix changes are possible until final production.

During the mixing process the ensemble, music and venue most often dictate the complexity and scale of the mix. At this stage of the production creativity really has a dynamic opportunity to add complex colours and unique signatures to the recording. The Society of Sound mixing team has considerable experience in this creative process and is highly skilled at optimizing and delivering pristine audio with unique sonic signatures. Our mixing process can assemble all the various elements into a final mix that retains complete flexibility until the final stage of mastering. Society of Sound uses a hybrid process of analog and digital techniques to add dimension and euphonic qualities to each recording that are as unique as the artist themselves. This attention to detail is particularly useful when mixing our surround sound programs which follow the ITU BS.775-1 standard in 5.1 Surround Sound Monitoring.

| PRODUCING AND ENGINEERING |
A typical recording session involves three distinct roles. The producer who, along with the artist, makes decisions regarding musical interpretation, coverage of all music passages, and the general flow of each session. The sound engineer, traditionally known as the balance engineer, is responsible for microphone selection and placement, preamps and, together with the producer, sets the overall mix of the program. The final role is that of the tape operator. In the modern tapeless environment that is our current digital audio workstation (DAW), this person now operates the DAW, logs all takes and manages all media backup and storage.

In an effort to streamline costs it has become commonplace to have one individual perform all these duties. While this is certainly possible it is our belief that every recording is better served when producer and balance engineer are left as separate roles. Society of Sound encourages each artist to work with a producer they are comfortable with and who is intimately familiar with the responsibilities of a recording session producer. Society of Sound also has available an exceptional roaster of talented producers.

| VIDEO SERVICES |
Society of Sound also provides the same level of audio quality with added video for DVD and online media content delivery. We can provide High Definition capture and/or live streaming of your event with either single or multi-camera pickups. These multi-camera streams can be mixed live at the event using a producer and mixer operator. Alternatively all camera streams can be captured and mixed later at our post production facility with mastered audio applied in the final stage. This content can be repurposed in all popular codecs such as H.264 HD format and ready for online broadcast with YouTube, Vimeo and all other popular video sites.

| DEMO DISCS |
Society of Sound's Junction District studio is an ideal and cost effective solution for creating short demonstration discs for promotional purposes, auditions, pre-session recording experience or for garnering professional representation. These sessions are usually 3 hours in length covering a maximum 20 minutes of recorded material and include engineer/producer, editing and a final master disc. Video recording is also available if required. Please ask for details.

| RECORDING VENUES |
We work closely with the artist in selecting the most appropriate venue that best suits the material being recorded at the most reasonable rates. Venues vary widely and Society of Sound is intimately familiar with a large number of local as well as international venues available for recording. The selection process involves a number of factors including:

• Location and access for musicians and crew.
• The size of the hall compared to that of the ensemble.
• Availability of a proper piano or the possibility of having an instrument brought in.
• Extraneous noises both internally and externally to the building.
• Acoustics and how this compliments program material.
• Availability and usage as most halls require special accommodation.
• Suitable monitoring room.
• Security for instruments and recording equipment.
• Temperature and lighting. We can accommodate a variety of locations with our portable light and heat systems.
• Cost of the venues vary tremendously and depending on the instruments available, time of day and popularity.

• The artists, venue and unionized stagehands need to be informed and the appropriate fees negotiated well ahead of the recording date.
• Society of Sound is familiar with many of the concert and recording venues and whenever possible will pre-visit a new venue to access its suitability at no cost to you.
• Society of Sound is well known for its efficient set-ups and tear-downs leaving no mess or additional cleanup to attend to.
• For commercial recording projects Society of Sound will record a pre-session concert or rehearsal to use in evaluating balance, performance and venue options if possible at no additional cost.
• For archival recordings every effort is taken to ensure recordings of both audio and video are visually discrete.
• Archival recordings are edited to remove unnecessary silences and noises and are all broadcast ready delivered on CDR masters. Additional copies can be ordered.
• Conventional stereo, surround sound as well as high definition video are additional options Society of Sound offers.
• We follow all health, safety and fire regulations and are fully insured and bonded for public liability.