Genelec helps Lennon Bus inspire students
- Details
The Lennon Bus - a mobile audio and HD video recording and production facility - regularly provides free digital media production workshops to schools across the US and Canada, enabling students to learn how to write, record, and produce original songs, music videos, documentaries, and live multi-camera video productions.
The bus’ two onboard studios have recently been upgraded to Genelec’s The Ones coaxial three-way point source models.
“We go to a lot of under-served schools and a lot of communities that are under-resourced, so bringing something that really represents the best of the industry is eye-opening and can be life-changing for kids and communities,” explains Brian Rothschild, co-founder and executive director of the Lennon Bus. “Having the new studio monitors onboard continues that trajectory for us.”
Genelec has been a long-term sponsor of the Lennon Bus with the two-way 8240A Smart Active Monitors and 7260A subwoofer having originally been installed in each of the Bus’s 5.1 studios. “When we installed those Genelecs, the difference in the sound was just readily apparent and really impressive, and we thought that it had to be as good as it could get,” recalls Jeff Sobel, creative technology director for the Lennon Bus.
“Then when The Ones came out and we had the opportunity to use the 8341s, we thought we would give it a try. I think we were all expecting there to be a subtle difference in the sound, and we didn’t really see how it could be too much better. But it was remarkable. The first time that we played some music through them after installing them, it was really eye-opening how much clearer they sounded and how much better the imaging was.”
The upgrade has seen the US Lennon Bus move to the same technical setup as its European counterpart, with all 10 of the original 8240As having been directly replaced by 8341A coaxial studio monitors, with the 7260A subwoofers being retained.
With the new monitoring system in place, the Bus is well positioned to keep inspiring the next generation of recording musicians. “What we really like to do on the Lennon Bus is to demonstrate industry-standard, professional quality systems,” explains Sobel. “When students or artists come in, they are impressed. It’s the same things that they’ll find in the best recording studios in the world. It just has that credentialed atmosphere to it, which puts people in the ‘We can do anything here’ mindset.
“The Bus is a living legacy of John and Yoko’s work and everything we do is ultimately to set the conditions and encourage people to imagine, work for and spread peace.”
(Jim Evans)
