Experience
This following section contains audio created for the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater from 1976 to 2015.
From 1983 to 2016 I was the audio engineer, and I recorded and edited the narrators and character actors.
I created the sound effects and mixed the music, sound effects and voice actors together onto a 35MM tape for playback in the Planetarium.
I composed music for some shows too.
I also built space themed special effects and programmed the R.A. Grey media control computer to control those special effects that re-created the Universe under the dome. These productions were called Multi Media shows.
Read more about the history of the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater (Now called the Heikoff Dome Theater at the Fleet Science Center) at Mary Andersons fine blog on it here: Underthedome.
Of course I did not do this alone!
There was an entire department of writers, photographers, artists, technicians and astronomers.
An especially skilled group of technicians presented these productions in the Planetarium.
They setup and introduced the shows, watched over them and nudged them back on course if they went off,
and ran movie after movie.
These people were the Console Operators. Together we were called The Starmakers. Read on, dear reader.
After 34 years maintaining the IMAX sound system and recording studio at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center, I built my OWN studio 2 hours from San Diego in a quiet and inspiring location.
I provide studio recording with quality equipment in a low pressure situation that will make you feel at home.
This work is done is at a reasonable rate with high production values. Although the room is small, and can not fit a band, it is perfect for individuals, duos and mixing.
TOOLS
I use Reaper, Ableton Live, Focusrite PRO 40 and many software synthesisers.
I use quality keyboards such as the Hammond XK-2, Arturia 61, and the Yamaha P-90 for an excellent collection of composition and performance tools.
The Emu Vintage keys and Emu E6400 samplers with their extensive orchestral library add depth to your sonic palette.
The studio includes a large sound effects collection, Leslie speaker, several reverbs, Arturia Spark percussion device, theremin, kalimba, rain stick and other methods of vibrating air molecules!
I have a large collection of software synthesisers.
I can put your music on iTunes at a very reasonable cost.
Many artist choose CD Baby for duplication and distribution.
I’ve helped Didjeridu master Mitchell A. Walker sell his music on itunes and CDbaby, as well as the incredible Mark Goffeney.
Life Coach Candi Freed recorded her meditations series here in the studio.
In 1994, for the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center I recorded and edited actor Patrick Stewart for the production entitled “To Worlds Beyond”.
Patrick Stewart is better known as Captain Jean Luc Piccard of the starship Enterprise, and Professor X on the X-Men films.
I also recorded and edited Spanish narrator Hector Molina for the Spanish version of “To Worlds Beyond”.
I was sole audio engineer on many in-house soundtracks for the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.
Lightning Blue recordings performed on and engineered by John Young
Big Boss Man
Cross Cut Saw
Drowning on Dry Land
Nice and Warm
Am I too White to play the Blues?
Audio Engineer for Reuben H. Fleet Center projects:
Multiple planetarium shows from list below are on my Soundcloud and are linked in blue
A blog featuring my audio engineering work and discussing the history of multimedia at the Fleet.
Individual planetarium shows
The Comet is Coming
To Worlds Beyond
Hacia Mundes Distantes
Behind the dome
Geysers and the Galaxy
Masterspace Theater
Night on Dream Mountain
Are we alone ? / Estamos a Solas ?
Mars
The Flying Blue Marble
The Wind From the Sun
Eclipse!
The Journal of Voyager II
Stars over China
Star Tracks
Thundering Waters
Pacific Journey
World Winds
The Wind From the Sun
Starlight
The Time Keepers
The Summer Sky
Comets
Through the Eye of Hubble
Holiday Sky Show
Halley watch 1,2 and 3
Polar Skies
Cycles
From Here to Infinity
Dimensions
Restless Planet
Halloween 2002
Holiday Sky show 2002
The Transit of Mercury 2003 and 2006
Live and Solo presentations
The Science Of Rock Science behind modern music production.
Behind the laser Educational program preceding laser shows.
Laserium Laser show operator 1997-2000.
Live concerts including visual programming and audio engineering
Concert under the stars 5/19/88
Artist Chamber Ensemble
Romance under the stars – a live concert series on 11/3,4,5, 1995
with new age composer John Serrie
When day gives way to night 11/18/1996
Steve Roach/ David Helpling concert for Spotted Peccary Records
The Romeros 6/1/2014
Wah Devi 10/1/2014 and 2015
NWEAMO 2015 Full Dome festival
Two AD
Radio Head “Kid A”
Excursions in Ambiance 6/24/93 Spotted Peccary Studios
Also numerous concerts, civic, corporate and educational presentations.
Installations
SciTours 1996 Mars Cueing area audio.
Mars Cueing area video and original music composition.
Mars hall and elevator lighting and sound effects.
Mars Pre-elevator briefing video and Secret Sound installation
1998 The Ultimate roller coaster hallway sound effects.
2001 Digistar II digital star projector installation and programming to present
2002 Impact cueing area video.
Impact hall and elevator sound effects.
2007 Escape from Dino Island hall and elevator sound effects & promotional
video creation
2007 redesigned theater control console and worked with Sky-Skan to install and program SPICE control system system and LED lighting.
2009 worked with Professional Sound and Installation of Pro Tools HD into both recording studio and Reuben H. Fleet Heikoff Dome IMAX theater.
I converted a large library of IMAX sound tracks from 35mm sprocketed analog tape to digital.
Programmed computerized audio system on a daily basis for public IMAX and planetarium shows.
In my 34 years as theater technician for the Fleet Science Center, I created practical projection special effects, motion control systems, audio visual installations and productions and much more. My co-worker Mary Anderson has created a blog documenting the Fleet’s history. She kindly allowed me to contribute a lengthy article on Multi Media production, linked below.
