Songchart ‘Maniesto’
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Tips or Tight Teams... an Interview with Sandy Homan
MAY/JUN 2012 Volume 10, Issue 3
74470 58440
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Record Reviews
Christy Nockels
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Passion
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Foursquare United Generation
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Desperation Band
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Fike
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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,youmaywant 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.
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Worship Musician! Magazine MayJun 2012
Worship Musician! Magazine offers practical training for the entire worship team.
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