December 7, 1977 SUSQUEHANNA TIMES - Page 5 ...David Kalmbach and the Marietta Theater (continued) [continued from page 1] David was doing just what he wanted to. ‘60% of the people in this country are dissatisfied with their jobs,”’ he says, ‘‘because they haven't taken the time to find out what they're good at.” ‘‘I had a good business going great guns,’”’ he says, ‘‘but unfortunately, I wasn’t as good a business man as an engineer — and I wasn’t very good on security. One night a couple of professionals broke in and took every- thing.’’ Everything in a professional studio amounts to approximately $250,000. He didn’t have insurance. It would have taken four months to rebuild. David sold the real estate and remaining electronic gear, and took a job with a studio in Toronto. He turned \I/: — —— \ . . . . . down a more attractive offer in California because of the difficulties of taking the organ that far. ‘“There were many top groups coming to us,’”’ he recalls. ‘‘For two reasons. First, we ran one of the best studios; and second, the Canadian government had passed a law requiring that one third of all broad- cast material had to be written or performed by a Canadian, or recorded in Canada. To get air time on the border stations, whose listeners were mostly in America, the American groups came to Toronto.” David liked Toronto, but was itching to set up the organ. He scanned papers ~ for theater properties, and one day saw one offered in Marietta, PA, for the right price (i.e.,; cheap). He came down to look it over. Sticky carpets ‘‘It was a mess,’’ he says. ‘‘Filthy. My shoes stuck on the carpet.” But the building had excel- lent acoustics. After think- ing it over, he bought the Marietta Theater. The organ, so long homeless, had one final journey to make. More customs officers snickered, and the trip was laborious: 12 trips in the biggest U-Haul David could rent (a 22-footer) The instrument’s console is impressive enough, but the pipes, hidden behind the screen, are something else. The smallest are a few inches long and a fraction of an inch in diameter; the largest are 32 foot high wooden boxes several feet across, which produce notes so low in pitch (16 cycles) that they are inaudible. They are very loud, though, and can be felt. The Marietta Theater isn’t as profitable as his old recording studio in Grand Rapids, and David free -lances as an engineer these days in Baltimore, Toronto, and Harrisburg. “Working in different studios keeps me from getting stale,’’ he adds, ‘and they don’t work you to death. Good engineers under hire work seven day weeks.”’ Besides trying to make the theater a success, David is getting ready to set up another studio of his own, in a year of two. The theater has just the right ““liveness,”’ or reverbera- tion characteristics, for that purpose. He sees his main problem in getting a top group to record there. “They know me, but they don’t know the building,” he explains. ‘‘But if I get just one big group, it’s all downhill.”” David says “‘downhill”” for ‘‘success- ful.” Advice for Stereo buffs MEN'S GIFT SAL 4 DAYS ONLY — WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY David can clap his hands once and tell you from the sound what the acoustics are good for, if anything. He knows enough about acoustics and electronics to have taught courses at a recording school in Boston. Based on his extensive knowledge of recording gear, he gave the Times some advice for the audio consumer, which sounded sound to us. David likes to go into audio equipment stores and play dumb. Usually, he says, the salespeople don’t know what they're talking about, but throw around lots of figures and specifi- cations. ‘‘Naturally, the salesman wants to sell you the most expensive thing he has,’”’ David says. ‘‘But [continued on page 11] Reg. $9.00 $H99 Reg. $21.00-$22.00 $1293 Men's Reg 5 4 i Flannel py Yous Vier?s Men's Sweater : e Orlon Acrylic PAJAM AS en's Sw DRESS SHIRTS Men's Famous Name NECKTIES SOCKS SHIRTS 100% cotton flannel, ie Crew length in popular solid pajamas. Pre-shrunk, ances and Joids in a polyester an Long sleeve, placket swea- Choose from stripes and fancies in colors. Stretchy one size fits coat style. Sizes S-M- 9975 Corton roadcloth. Sizes 14% to 17 ter shirts. Orlon and acry- the latest patterns and colors. Many 10 to 13. L-XL. in medium and long sleeve length. lic in sizes SVL-XL . are washable. ““HEINEMAN'S IT 247 LOCUST STREET, COLUMBIA ... FREE CURBSIDE PARKING Shop Mon. thru Fri. 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. and Sat. 3 A.M. to 5 P.M. REGISTER HERE FOR HAM DRAWING
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