A Visual, Yet Sound, Issue

It is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to the work our new art director, Jennifer Kampinen, whom we whisked away from another of our Penton offices to join us in New York in order to tackle the challenge of designing a magazine for the discerning readership of Live Design.

While you may not necessarily meet her in the near future, rest assured she is, like any good designer, behind the scenes, making everything look good. I think you will agree that her influence is already apparent in these pages, and with just a few weeks under her belt, her work is already something we're eager to flaunt. Our former art director, lucky devil Earl Otsuka, was promoted and is safe and sound in our Emeryville-CA office, taking the reins on one of our sister pubs, Electronic Musician.

This is a sound issue, in more ways than one. There's the design, of course, not new but under Jen's talented and watchful gaze. But we've also focused on, well, sound in these pages. There was a lot to discuss, especially given the focus on sound at the upcoming USITT trade show in Houston. Between the award for sound designer Abe Jacob and a tribute to the Meyers (both covered herein), it's a veritable audio feast.

And lots to discuss, to be sure — check out our 2008 Rising Star (the first time it's been awarded to a sound designer) Elisheba Ittoop (p. 88) for starters, but also get the scoop from sound designer Shannon Slaton on DTV and white space issues (p. 60) and how you'll fare with your wireless mics in about a year — tricky stuff.

You'll also find a rather intriguing discussion among five set designers about projection, thanks to a roundtable hosted by writer Iris Dorbian (p. 36). I look forward to next month, when Bob Bonniol hosts a roundtable discussion about design instinct with projection designers Caryl Glaab, Tim Girvin, and Michael Cotton.

But before next month rolls around, still lots to do. I will see you in Frankfurt at Pro Light + Sound or in Houston at USITT.