S tev e W i g gin s
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R a n d y W i l l i a m s D a v i d A l a n
S te v e Da l e
the Art of Re-Assembling a Band
Big Tent’s Revival
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Dropoutisjustasbadaseedback.Evenintermittentdropoutcanruinanotherwisewonderulservice.Anunbrokenlineosightbetweenthetransmitterandthereceiver’santennasisideal,butseldomisthatpossible.Moretimesthannot,thewirelesssignalmustreboundoowallsandothersuracestoreachthereceiver,andthatincreasestheriskodropout.Iyouputabodypacktransmitterinyourbackpocket,thesignal(unabletopassthroughyou)willhavetofndanalternativepathtothereceiver.So,tominimizetheriskosignaldropout,keepyourbodypackinyourrontjacketpocket.Anothermajorproblemisbroadbandnoiseandradiointererence.Iyourchurchisinacity,chancesarethataninexpensiveentry-levelwirelesssystemsimplywon’tworkoryou.Thesameprecisiontechnologyresponsibleorthehighsimultaneouschannelcountcommontomosthigh-endproessionalwirelesssystemsisresponsibleorshuttingoutnoiseandradiointererence.Digitalwirelesssystems,whichrejectnoiseandothernondigitalsignalsoutohand,areexcellentcost-eectivealternativestotraditionalwirelesssystems.Allproessionalwirelessreceiversare“truediversity”receivers,whichmeansthattheyusetwoindependentantennas.Thatway,ithewirelesssignaldoesn’treachoneantenna,itcanstillreachtheother.Qualitywirelessreceivershaveantennasthattwisto,allowingyoutomountthemonstandsandspreadthemout.Separatingyourantennasvastlyincreasestheireectiveness.Evenspreadingyourantennasoutjustaeweetandmovingthemawayromyourothergearwillvastlyimproveyoursystem’sperormance.Also,iyouhaveamultichannelwirelesssystem,youmayalsoneedanantennadistributionsystem,whichwillallowyoutoconnectonlyasinglepairoantennastomultiplereceivers.Whetheryouruturewirelesssystemisasingle-channel,single-speakersetuporalargersystemorthewholeworshipteam,itshouldeectivelyandaccuratelyspreadthemessage.Unortunately,manybudget-pricedwirelesssystemsmaymakeitdifcultandunpleasantoryourcongregationtohearthatmessage.Ithenumberoqualitywirelesssystemsyouneedisbeyondyourcurrentbudget,practicewisestewardshipandsaveyourmoneyuntilyoucanaordthesystemthatyourhouseoworshipdeserves.Thereareexcellentsingle-channelwirelesssystemsthatyoucanstartwithandexpandlater.YourSweetwaterSalesEngineerwillbehappytohelpyoufndtherightsystemoryourchurch.
Therearetwobasictypesowirelesstransmitters:handheldunitsandbodypacks.Handheldunitscombineamicrophoneandawirelesstransmitterintoonedevice.Theyareextremelyconvenientorworshipleaders,andevensomepastorspreerthembecauseyoucanmoveahandheldmicrophoneawayromyourmouthiyouneedtocough.Wirelesshandheldmicrophonesarealsolesssusceptibletodropout,becausethetransmitterpartotheunitnaturallypointsouttowardthereceivingantennas.Bodypacktransmittersallowyoutopluginalavaliermicrophoneoraguitarcable,givingyoubothwirelessandhands-reeconvenience.Iyouaregoingtousealavaliermicrophone,you’llmostlikelywanttochooseonewithacardioid(unidirectional)pickuppatternratherthanonewithanomnidirectionalpattern.Cardioidlavaliersrejectsoundthatdoesn’tenterthemdirectly,makingthemlesslikelytocreateeedback.Justrememberthis:nomatterhowmuchreedomwirelessmicrophonesgiveyou,youstillcan’twalkinrontotheloudspeakerswithoutcausingeedback.
Wirelesstechnologycanbealittledauntingatfrst.Butdon’tworry,wirelesssystemsaremucheasiertounderstandtodaythaneverbeore.Mostwirelesssystemssetthemselvesuporyou,andonceyou’vesetthemup,youdon’tneedtotouchthemagain.Here’sasimpleoverviewowirelessmicrophonetechnology,howyoucanputittoworkinyourchurch,andhowtoavoidsomecommonpitalls.
Takealookattheinstrumentswe’vehighlightedinthisguide,includingRoland’sBK-5,theaordableCasioPriviaPX-830,andthepiano-likeKurzweilPC3K8.You’llalsowanttocheckouttheNordC2D.
Whilestreamlined,piano-likeinstrumentsareidealoranumberoworshipleadersandchurchpianists,manyotherhousesoworshiprelyonkeyboardsormuchmorethanjustpianosounds.Inact,iyou’reapiano-centricworshipleader,youmayverywellbeabletoperormandproduceyourentireservicewithasinglepowerulinstrumentcalledakeyboardworkstation.Morethanjustkeyboardswithhundreds,sometimesthousands,oinstrumentsounds,theseinstrumentsoteneaturemultitracksequencers,soyoucanlayerallthedierentinstrumentpartsintoaullorchestration.It’sverysimilartoworkingwithaudioeditingandproductionsotware,onlyyou’renottetheredtoacomputer—andyoucaneasilyplaythesebackingtracksrightromyourkeyboardduringservices.Andeveniyoudohaveacompleteworshipband,youcanuseaworkstationtoaddaewchoicebackinginstrumentstoflloutyoursound—perhapsasecondtrumpetpart,astringsection,orevenanextrakickdrumsoundormorepower.
Iyoudon’tneedtheall-outpoweroaworkstation,butyou’dstilllikeahandulocutting-edgecapabilities—maybebuilt-indrumpatternsorrehearsalsandalightersequenceroraquicksongwritingsketchpad—thereareanumberooptionsthatallsomewhereinbetweenthetwocategorieswe’vealreadymentioned.Insteadochoosingan88-keyoption,whichhasthesamenumberokeysasaullpiano,youcanselecta76-key(orsmaller)version.Theseinstrumentstradeaslightlyreducedrange(manykeyboardistsneverusethehighestandlowestkeysanyway)orlighterweightandamoreportableormactor.Youcanstillgetullyweightedkeysona76-keypiano,oryoucanchooseasemi-weightedversionthatworkswelliyouperormablendoclassicandmoderninstrumentsounds,ratherthanstrictlypiano.Increasinginpopularityarekeyboardsthateatureabuilt-inmicrophoneinput.Theseareperectortheperormingworshipleaderandgreatorscaled-downyouthservices.Thevocalmicrophonegoesrightthroughthekeyboard’soutput,soyou’llneedtoampliyonlyonesignal.Betteryet,thereareproessionalvocaleectsbuiltin,soyoucanrefnethevocalsoundwithouthavingtopurchaseanextrapieceogear.
Theorganisstillaverypopularinstrumentorworshipservices.Andwhilemostothekeyboardswecarryeatureabuilt-inorgansound,youcangetthatorgan-playingexperience—completewithdrawbars—bychoosingadedicatedinstrumentorthetask.Havemorequestions?OurSalesEngineersareheretohelpyouchoosethebestkeyboardoryourchurch’sgoals.Inact,whatyouseein
Ideal forContemporaryWorship SongsAmazing Feel andPiano SoundsPerformanceReadywithPowerful FeaturesBreakingThroughthePrice/PerformanceBarrierPerfectBlendofEaseofUseandDeepFeaturesTheLookandFeelofanAcousticUprightPiano
Manychurchpianistsweworkwithoteneeloverwhelmedbythenumberochoicesoutthere—andevenmoresobythenumberoknobs,buttons,andcontrolsonkeyboards.“AllIneed,”theytellus,“isaninstrumentthatplayslikeanacousticpianoandhasaantasticnaturalpianosound.”Ithissoundslikeyou,you’llwanttoselectwhat’scalledastagepiano—andideallyonewithaullseto88weightedkeys(alsocalledweightedaction).Thesekeyboardsactuallymimictheresponseoagrandpiano’skeybed,wherethelowestkeysrequiremoreorcetostrike,andtheupperkeyseellightandairybeneathyourfngertips.Tonailthesoundoanacousticpiano,today’stopkeyboardmanuacturershavegonetogreatlengthstorecordsomeothefnestgrandpianosintheworld,puttingthesesoundsrightinsidetheinstruments.NotonlycanyougetthesoundoaclassicSteinway,butonmanyyoucanalsopushasinglebuttontogetthesoundoaBosendorer,aYamahaC7,oracharacter-flledupright.Iyou’rereplacinganacousticpiano,youshouldconsidertheimportanceoaestheticstoyourchurch.Iyouhavemore-traditionalservicesorareseekingareallynaturallookupontheplatorm,thenyoumaywanttochooseamoreauthentic-lookingstagepiano.Wehaveoptionsavailablewithwoodencabinets,inavarietyofnishes,soyoucanchooseaninstrumentthatmatchesthedecoroyourchurch.
Whetheryou’relookingorasimpleinstrumentthatjustplaysandsoundslikearealacousticpiano,oryou’reseekingapowerulcenterpieceorallyourworshipteam’sambitions,there’sadigitalpianothat’srightoryourchurch.Tohelpyouzeroinontheperectkeyboardoryourneeds,let’stakealookatthedierentkindsokeyboardsavailable,aswellastheimportantactorsyou’llwanttoconsiderwhenmakingyourdecision.
As youtake a look at the keyboards eaturedonthe nextewpages,these fve actors willhelpyoustart narrowingdownyour decision:
Doyouwant keys that are weightedtoeelandplay justlike anacousticpiano’s? Or doyouwant keys that glidebeneathyour fngers sothat youcaneasily play synthandorganparts?
Doyouprimarily needanauthenticacousticpianosound,orwouldyoulike tohave other sounds suchas strings,synths,electricpianos,organs,andmore?
Willyoube composingsongs withyour keyboard? I so,youmay want tohave a built-insequencer,onboarddrumsounds,anda direct-to-computer connection.
Choosinga76-keykeyboardinsteadoaull-size88-keyinstrumentcanbeagreatwaytocutdownonweightwhilemaintainingafrst-classplayingexperience.
Howimportant is it that your church’s keyboardresembleanacousticpiano? Doyouwant anintegratedstand,or wouldyoupreer touse a more portable stage-stylekeyboardstand?
Watchorredoverloador“clip”lightsonthemixer.Iyouseethese,turndownthegaincontrolsatthetopothatsource’schannel.
Startwiththebassdrumandthebassguitar,turningthemuptoacomortablelevelandbalancingthemagainstoneanother.Youmayneedtoadjustthelevelothemastervolumeadertogettheoverallleveltotherightpoint.
Nowocusonthevocals.Setthemtoacomortablelevel,balancedagainstthebassguitarandthebassdrum.Theleadvocalistneedstobetheloudest,withthebackgroundorharmonyvocalsfllinginbehind.
Oneatatime,beginturninguptheotherinstruments.Startwiththerestothedrums,thentheguitars,thepianos,thekeyboards,andanyotherinstruments;adjustthevolumeasneeded.Balanceeachoneagainstthevocals,thebassdrum,andthebassguitar.Thisisaplacewhereyoucanerronthesideobeingconservative.Thevocalsarethemainocus,andyouwanttoensurethattheyareclearlyaudible.Usetheotherinstrumentstofllaroundthevocals,withoutobscuringthem.Asyougo,adjustthemastervolumeadertocontroltheoveralllevel.
Uptothispoint,wehaven’ttouchedtheequalizers(tonecontrols)onthemixer.Iyoufndthatthesoundisgettingtoobassyorboomy,usethe“low”orbasstonecontroltoreducethebassrequenciesasmallamountoninstrumentssuchasbassguitar,keyboards,andpiano.Vocalists,especiallymalevocalists,mayalsoneedtheirbassreducedasmallamount.Toincreasetheclarityoavocaloraninstrument,addasmallamountotrebleorhighrequenciesbyusingthetonecontrolsonthatmixerchannel.Becareulwiththetonecontrols,asoverusecanleadtoeedback!
Adjustvolumelevelssothatinstrumentsandvocalsarebalanced,andadjustthebassandthetreblecontrolsonchannelsasnecessarytopreventboominess,harshness,orspikesinsound.Askeachworshipteammemberwhatheorsheneedstohearromthemonitors—oneatatimesothateveryonedoesn’tspeakatonce—andadjusttheauxiliarysendsaccordingly.
Setthingsupsothattheyarecleanandclear,andatacomortable,conservativevolumelevel.Thenstop!Onceyougettothepointwhereitsoundsokay—thisshouldhappenairlyquickly—stoptweakingtheknobs.It’seasytoloseperspectiveandgetlostinknobturning,eventhoughthegoalhasalreadybeenachieved.
Whenindoubt,ocusonmakingthevocals,whetherspokenorsung,clearlyaudible.Thecongregationistheretohearthemessage,whichiscontainedinthewordsandlyrics.Themusicisinspiringandessentialtoagreatservice,butitplaysjustasupportingroleinthegrandschemeothings.Ensurethatthevocalsareheard,andtheservicewillbeasuccess!
Thoughcreatingtheperectsoundmixoraserviceisatrueart,asoundpersonwithlittleornomixingexperiencecanstillachievegoodsonicclarityanddeliverthemessagewithpleasantandeectiveaudio.Herearesometipsorsavingthedaywithaquick,last-minutemix—whetheryouareworkingthesoundboothyourselorhavethehelpoavolunteer.
Unortunately,mixemergenciesrarelyoccurwhenyouhaveloadsosparetimetoworkonasolution—italmostalwayshappensminutesbeoretheserviceissupposedtostart.Whileyoursoundboothmayhaveracksoprocessorsandsophisticatedaudioequipment,nowisnotthetimetoexperimentwitheectsortorandomlystartturningknobs.Focusonthebareminimumyouneedtogetthejobdone.Leavethespecialeectsoranothertime.
Hopeully,yoursoundsystemisalreadysetup,thecablesandthesnakeareruntothemixer,andthemonitorsaretunedintopreventeedback.Plugthemicsintothemixerorsnakeintheirusualpositions.Trytousethesame“oldstandby”microphonesandothergearyouusuallyuse—again,nowisnotthetimetoexperimentwithnewgear!
Explaintoeveryonethattheregularsoundpersonisnotavailableandthathelpisrequiredtohavetheservicegowell.Thismeansguitaristsneedtoturndown,drummersneedtocontrolvolume,andsoon.Explainthatthemonitorsystemmaynotbeperect—orewarningtheteamthateverythingmaynotbeidealwillgoalongwaytowardeasingtheprocessoreveryone.Atleasttheywillknowwhattoexpect!
Beginbypullingallthevolumesliders(aders)downtozero.(Usuallytheseareoundatthebottomoeachchannelonthemixer.)Setthechannelgaintoamidposition(Usuallythisknobisoundatthetopoeachchannelonthemixer.)Next,resetalltheequalization(tone)controlsonthemixertotheircenterposition,whichisessentiallyo.Turntheauxiliaryormonitorsendso.Makesurethatmuteorsolobuttonsaredisengaged.(Usuallythesebuttonsareointheupposition.)Setthemastervolumeadertoabout50%.
Havethemainvocalistspeakorsingintohisorhermic.Bringupthevolumeslideruntilyoucanhearthevocalsinthemainspeakers.Turnuptheauxiliaryormonitorsendsuntilthevocalistcanhearhimselorherselinthemonitors.Asyouveriythateachmicorsourceworks,pullitsvolumeaderbackdowntozero.Youcanleavetheaux(monitor)sendsturnedupsothatthesingerscanhearthemselves.Topreventeedback,don’trunthestagemonitorstooloud.
It’sboundtohappenatsomepoint:themixdisaster.Maybeyourchurch’sregularsoundpersoncallsinsickatthelastminute.Maybethenewvolunteersoundpersondoesn’tknowavolumesliderromaslidingdoor,oramixingboardromamixingbowl.Whateverthecircumstance,somethinghastobedonetosavetheservice.Withoutdecentsound,thecongregationwon’tbeengagedorinspiredbythemusic,andthemessagemaybecompletelylost.
Try out Pro Worship Music for free — with no obligation!Download “Before the Morning” for absolutely no charge.This is a limited-time oer. Get your download now!
Audix is the industry leader in drum and percussion microphones and was the first to introduce professional mic pack assortments to the market. It is within this spirit of innovation that Audix is proud to launch 6 new and unique packs.
Now, there is a mic pack for the entire band. Four differentmodels offer the selection and price point you need to equip yourband with the essential dynamic microphones required for vocaland instrument miking.BP7 PRO: A seven piece professional microphone packagecontaining: two OM2s, one OM5, one D6 and three i5s.BP5 PRO: A five piece professional microphone packagecontaining: two OM2s, one OM5, one D6 and one i5.BP7F: A seven piece microphone package featuring our Fusionmicrophone series containing: three f50s, one f6 and three f5s.BP5F: A five piece microphone package featuring our Fusionmicrophone series containing: three f50s, one f6 and one f5.BP7PROBP5PROBP7FBP5FDPQUADFPQUAD
DP QUAD: The essential combination of microphones needed to effectively mic your kit! Contains two ADX51s, one D6 andone i5.FP QUAD: Like the DP QUAD, the FP QUAD is also thesimplest combination of microphones needed to effectivelymic your kit but does so by utilizing our lower priced, yetextremely impressive Fusion Series. Contains two f9s, one f6and one f5.
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Christian Musician Magazine - MarApr 2012
Improving Musicianship / Inspiring Talent
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