Getting into that sound
Suresh Perera is at the tail end of a day-long lecture. “Do you see what I mean,” he checks among his roomful of students, after each slight tweak to a knob on the sound mixing console.
Coming with only a basic grasp of the sound mixer, some in the room take down notes as the master mixer with over 20 years of experience behind him demonstrates the method behind each calculated move.
For the benefit of those who handle sound systems on volunteer basis, Suresh, together with Back to the Bible scheduled a two days training during his vacation recently. Currently residing in Australia with his wife, “I work as an auto-electrician” for a day-job.
His passion however led him to the Hillsong College, from where he graduated with a Higher Diploma in Sound Technology and much free time is now spent volunteering his expertise in the field.
“Now if you want to try any of these things,” he warns his Colombo audience, to experiment with their parish’s consoles “before Sunday.” Setting the class up for practical outcomes, he says getting things right in the first go is far-fetched.
“Also” he tells the gathering which is ready to spill out of room where the two-day seminar was held, “record what the board looked like before you start.” In the eventuality that a mistake is made, that way “you can go back and start again.”
At 4pm, he announces “That’s it guys, have a good rest and I’ll see you tomorrow” but only a few gather their things to leave. The rest stagnate around him with their various questions.
It takes another 10 minutes for Suresh to settle down and pack-up.
In many of his students he recognises his own introduction to the world of sound technology. “I come from a family of Anglican priests” he shares.
Boyish fascination with his father’s job left him wanting to “become a priest” when he was much younger.
Even in his teen years when Suresh played bass guitar in a band, “I was more interested in the gospel side of things,” he tells us. Rock bands “back in the 80’s” had very basic sound-tech to back them up he recalls.
Although the concept of enhanced sounds were not unheard of, “bands generally hired sound guys,” who would appear, do a pre- show sound balance and promptly pack-up once the event was over. Fiddling -around with sound desks of the 80’s, a new interest began to take root.
Learning about the Hillsong College through a magazine, the desire to learn more became increasingly urgent.
“Sometimes I feel foolish to have left the country with just 1500 Australian Dollars in hand.” At 28, and qualified in automobile technology, he left for Sydney in 1998, with only enough cash to cover his first semester fees.
This donation came from “my father’s savings” which were emptied-out “from an account at aJa-Ela branch, it was all he had.”
Graduating 3 years later with a Higher Diploma he says “Hillsong was not authorised to award international students with degrees at the time.”
Initially he says it was tough to keep up with the standard of work they required, “but I learned, and got used to it,” he recalls having adapted well.
His focus wasn’t merely on education, working night shifts so that he could afford tuition, life at this point was tough. “I remember walking,” rather than bussing his way around if only to “save 50 cents.”
Things worked out for the better though, he’s happy to note. “If you have a passion,” he says chasing it at any cost will yield results, however herculean it seems.