While we can’t hook you up with a Meyer Sound rig of your own, you can buy some of Metallica’s gear! A replica of Kirk Hammet’s original 1979 Flying V is now available through Gibson’s Custom Shop (at a price!). I’m not an expert when it comes to the intricate physics of sound propagation! However, moderate winds, cloud cover and a PA system designed for perfect sound coverage over a wide area? Well, perhaps this is the answer to the complaints! Wake up the Neighbours

These two meteorological effects can contribute to sound propagating much further than usual. I looked online for weather forecasts for the Download weekend and two things caught my eye: Firstly, reports of cloud cover and secondly, “moderate winds”. I live 30 miles from the festival I didn’t hear it, but I have heard a lot of local complaints! Sources report that the show was heard clean and clear miles from the venue. The big controversy, however, has been that the sound was clean and clear not just at the festival site, but for the surrounding towns and villages, too! I read one first-hand report saying the sound was “like wearing a pair of stereo headphones everywhere I walked”. Even so, those at the festival are writing about the great coverage and sound quality. If you were at Download, you’d see that the headliners perform on a traditional stage setup. If you’ve seen pictures and footage online of the latest Metallica tour, you’ll see that Metallica doesn’t use a traditional stage at all! That’s one reason why a line array system made perfect sense for the M72 tour. That’s a crucial reason Metallica chose the Panther system for their current M72 tour. The idea behind a line-array system is that wherever you might stand in an audience, you should get the same sound. Meyer Sound describe the Panther as a “large format line-array” loudspeaker system. It’s a choice which has led to lots of discussions online… Meyer Sound Panther Notably, the band specified their own Meyer Sound Panther line-array system for the main stage. This year’s headliners were Metallica, and as you might expect, the band brought with them various demands of their own. Download follows in the footsteps of the original “Monsters of Rock” festival, which first began back in 1980. If you’re a fan of rock and metal in the UK, you’ve probably made the annual pilgrimage to Donington at some point. Download Festival takes place every year at Donington Park Raceway in Leicestershire, England.

Download native instruments maschine 2