Perhaps the mix just wasn’t good, or maybe the loudspeaker system wasn’t tuned very well, but more than likely, it just wasn’t an acoustically pleasing room. Sometimes there’s a combination of all three of the above, but more often than not, acoustics are the last thing considered in a worship space. It’s a popular belief that good gear and good ears will overcome a bad room. Although quality equipment and an experienced mixing engineer can make a huge difference, if the room sounds bad inherently, then you’ll never overcome it without addressing acoustic issues.

Depending on the size and shape of your room, your worship style, floor, wall, and ceiling finishes, there are actually quite affordable ways to rid your congregation of nasty acoustic demons. Great professional solutions can be attained by engaging our partner Jeff Hedback, Principal of Hedback Designed Acoustics. Jeff has designed hundreds of spaces with tremendous results. Off-the-shelf acoustic treatment products from Auralex, Primacoustic, Perdue and others can be quite effective when used properly – contact us for a free room analysis. Even if you can’t afford professionally manufactured products, that doesn’t mean you won’t have great success with cost-effective D.I.Y. solutions.

We started this conversation with the scenario of being in an acoustically bad space. But if you’ve ever been in a place that was designed from the ground up to sound good, or if the room shape and size was less than desirable but the problems were overcome with good acoustic treatment, then you know how much more pleasing that can be. Wherever you may be in your journey toward better sound, we encourage you to thoughtfully consider the importance of acoustics in your decision making.

Photos courtesy of Primacoustic.

Audio Quality. Ultimately, it’s all about audio and what it sounds like. With that in mind, regardless of all the snazzy features on a mixer, what really matters most is how good it sounds. If a console doesn’t have good preamplifiers, then regardless of all the other cool features and pretty lights, no one will be pleased with what comes out of the speakers, through monitors, or on a recording. Fortunately, almost all modern consoles, whether digital or analog, provide acceptable preamp circuits.

Number of channels. It’s important to consider where you are in your church’s growth curve. What might be just fine now may or may not last for a significant season. If you’re a start-up, or fairly new church with big plans to grow quickly, then you might want to go smaller to start with so you can move your console downstream to the youth, children or fellowship area. The reverse is true as well. If you’re growing rapidly, you might want to get more channels that you need right now to future-proof your main room setup

Presets, Scenes, and DSP. The main difference between a digital console and a traditional analog console is that digital consoles have lots of processing power in addition to the preamplifiers, subgroups, and auxiliary sends. Most have a strong complement of presets and scene memory along with multiple bands of equalization and effects processors. The presets alone make it worth purchasing a digital board for many churches. Imagine the ability to set a Sunday morning, Wednesday evening, funeral, and wedding preset. These can make midweek or Saturday events much easier when a trained sound tech can’t be there. Most digital consoles have moving/automatic faders as well. Some consoles, like the PreSonus StudioLive series, have presets and great DSP, but they don’t have moving faders.

Worship Style is Key. If you have numerous worship services and they vary with different styles of worship, or if you have another congregation meeting in your facility, then a digital console can be a huge advantage. Each service can be customized and saved as a preset for easy recall and less headaches. This is particularly helpful if you have multiple worship team members who rotate throughout your seasonal schedule. Saving a particular vocalist’s or different preacher’s/teacher’s eq settings can be a lifesaver and really streamline the sound check process.

Control Freaks in the House? Sometimes tactile control of the console is not enough control because your mixing location is not in an ideal place. That NEVER happens in a church, right? So, many consoles have the capacity to actually control them wirelessly with an iPad or tablet computer from anywhere in the room that your wireless connection can reach. What you hear and what the rest of the congregation hears are not always the same. This can be particularly helpful if you run traditional monitor mixes from the house console and you need to adjust them from the stage. You can actually walk onstage and make adjustments wirelessly while simultaneously amazing your worship team with how tech savvy you are! Even personal monitors can be controlled wirelessly by the team members or the sound tech can control for them as well.

The Bottom Line. If you don’t need all the whistles and bells that a digital console provides, then your analog desk options are varied in channel count, features and price. They range in price from under $500 up to five figures. Digital consoles range in price from about $1000 up to even six figures, depending on what your needs are. In alphabetical order, here are some of the top digital and analog console manufacturers: Allen & Heath, AVID, Behringer, Midas, PreSonus, Roland, Soundcraft, and Yamaha. Of course, there are others, but these are the most well-known and have been around the longest.

Need Help? Sometimes making these choices can be like going through a super-mega buffet line for lunch. There’s just too much to satisfy at your disposal. If you need some help making a wise decision, we’re here to help. Just send us an email or give us a call and we’ll lend a hand. Until next time, happy choosing!

1. Know the reason for the project. Remember the verse “Without a vision, the people perish/cast off restraint” (Proverbs 29:18)? Don’t just record a project because you want to or can; do it because you SHOULD do it.
2. Choose your material wisely. If you only have 5 or 6 great songs, just record them as an EP. Don’t add “filler” songs. If they need re-writing, don’t be proud and act as if they’re equal to scripture; the best songs are usually the result of 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
3. Make sure you plan the project well. If you’re going to try to pull off a live recording, it takes much more preparation than you might think. A live worship project Is best done when you’ve “road tested” your songs. Trying to fake the congregation singing to keep it real is difficult at best. If the church knows the songs, then it makes a difference in the authenticity of the finished recording.
4. Budgeting – say it ain’t so! Most of us musical types don’t typically lean toward number crunching, but it’s quite necessary if you don’t want to get fired for spending too much. Do your research and do the math. Decide if a live or studio project makes more sense for the cents.
5. Decide who will play and sing on the project. This is perhaps the most divisive and potentially dangerous component of the process. If you’re doing a “church” project, make sure you consider all of the ramifications. If you’re not going to release the project beyond your immediate church family and friends, this is not quite as difficult as if you want to have a broader reach. If wider distribution is desired, then it’s important to make sure your singers and players are the best you can get. It might mean you’ll need to spend some money to compensate them for the added value they’ll bring.
6. Get your arrangements down cold. This is particularly true if you’re doing a live project, but also true if you’re in the studio. It’s always been my practice to rehearse more than you think you need to, then RECORD THE DRESS REHEARSAL! Sometimes it’s the best take because the pressure isn’t on.
7. Have the right space, the right gear and the right people.The mechanics of recording have improved greatly and become more simple and affordable in the last 20 years, but there are some things that never change. Here are a few points to remember:
   • Is your room conducive for a live recording? If not, consider improving the acoustics before you push the “record” button.
   • Do you have the equipment to do it right? If not, rent, borrow, or buy what you need. Remember, like everything, if it’s God’s will, then it’s God’s bill…
   • Do you have qualified personnel to engineer the recording? You’ve heard the adage “a defendant who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer.” This is not far off the mark when it comes to recording. No matter how good your house engineer is, he or she might not be adept at mixing a recording project. If he or she is, then you’re truly blessed. If not, which is the more likely case, you’d be wise to consider paying a skilled mix engineer to take your project to the next level. Then, if you can afford to have a pro mastering engineer do the final master, you’ll get the best result.
8. Church Audio Video can help. If you need specific guidance, equipment recommendations, advice on recording techniques, or any other assistance, contact us – we’re happy to help.

Jeff has just released a 30-years-in-the-making Christmas recording with 12 original songs entitled Worship The King. The project was recorded in his 1,200 sq ft studio and remotely in Indiana and Arkansas. It features 9 musicians, 7 lead vocalists, a voiceover artist, and more than 20 adult background and children vocalists. It is available at www.flametender.com on CD and mp3 downloads. Choir arrangements, lead sheets and chord charts are also available.

Photo courtesy of Eastern Heights Church.

A word from Managing Director, Jeff McLeod

Is the expression “thank you” often on your lips? In Luke 6:45, Jesus said that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” I’ve learned through the years that the more thankful I am, the more I express it to God and the amazing people He has put in my life. I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and appreciation to these outstanding individuals with whom I get the privilege to work with.

John Paul Kimzey, our founder and President. A true visionary who started our company back in 1971 as a broadcast consulting firm. Who would know that as a 12-year-old back then just learning to solder XLR and 1/4″ connectors that I’d get to make my living directing and managing a great group of people at CAV? Thanks for resourcing us to do the best job we can for our invaluable customers! Without your insight, there would be no Church Audio Video.

Mark Bradford, our Vice President and General Manager. You have made it possible for me to see a vision to help advance Christ’s Kingdom come to pass through our work with churches. Your commitment to the Lord Jesus inspires me and your consistency, honesty, and integrity are rare these days. It’s an honor to work for you. You also let me have fun doing it! Thank you.

Mark Helms, one of the sharpest and most gifted people I know. You’ve brought WAY more than engineering chops to our firm. You’re a great father, designer, businessman, devoted follower of Christ, and just lots of fun to be around. Thanks for all you do.

Stephanie Glockzin and Alexis Petruso, you sisters are the marketing and graphics dynamic duo! We couldn’t do a thing we do without your smarts, skills, and excellence. Thank you.

Our installation team, particularly Chris James, Brandon Murphy, and Jer Helms. You guys rock and are invaluable to us. Thanks for always going the extra mile – particularly to LA, CA!

Our ProAudio.com family. Becky, Debbie, Kara, Kathy, Marie, Chris, Michael, Jimmy, Blanca, and Price. Without your support and taking care of everything behind the scenes, we couldn’t do what we do.

Our ProAudio.com sales team. Barry, Gary, Kevin, Lee, Matt, Todd, Scott, Fletch and Juan. Thanks for all your knowledge and desire to do a great job for our customers like you each do.

Rick Masden, our most excellent IT and network guru – you keep the information highway traffic on time and as clear as humanly possible. Thanks.

Leslie Vail, thanks for keeping our accounting software up to date and bug free! We’re so glad you’re still with us.

Of course, we exist for our customers’ well-being and success in accomplishing their visions. Without you, we wouldn’t have a reason to be in business, so you deserve our greatest gratitude. Thank you for trusting us with the technology decisions and solutions you need to worship, teach the Word of God, and your outreach ministries. May God increase your tribe.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say this, so at the risk of waxing melancholic, I’m so grateful that we live in the best nation in the world. Our founders were guided by God to create the American experiment, and regardless of the divisiveness and messiness of our political system, it’s still the best system in the world. I’m thankful for the way we can express our values and desires through our civil and political process.

Finally, words aren’t adequate to express my gratitude to The Lord. Like David wrote in the Psalm 106:1, “Oh give thanks to The Lord, for He is good. His mercy endures forever!”.

Before you break out the toolbox (or the checkbook), here are some basic troubleshooting steps:

1. Identify your symptoms. This might seem more than obvious, but because components are interconnected with wires and powered by electricity, there are a number of places that your system might be failing. For example, have the Rice Krispie Brothers (Snap, Crackle, and Pop) and their idiot Uncle Hummer decided to take up residence in your system? Do wireless microphones drop reception? Have your high frequencies pulled an Elvis and left the building? Knowing the symptoms is most important, then you can deal with the fixes needed to tune the room up well.
2. Assess your timing. How long has the system been misbehaving? Have you made any significant changes in your instrumentation or microphones? Have you added or removed a piece of equipment recently? Do you plan to stay in your current facility for quite a while longer? In the grand scheme of things, you might only need a temporary fix for now because you’re planning to upgrade equipment or move into a new facility in the near future.
3. What is the REAL problem? Sometimes, we jump to conclusions and make the problem bigger than what it actually is. Are your microphone, drive lines, and equipment rack cables terminated and labeled correctly? Maybe you have electrical lines and audio lines too close to each other or they might actually be strapped together, which is an almost guaranteed problem waiting to happen. Is one or more of your speakers not functioning?
4. Documentation and diagrams. If you don’t have an accurate hook-up diagram of your system, then you can’t really troubleshoot the system well. As previously mentioned, even if your entire system consists of a single powered speaker with an on-board mixer, there can still be an issue with electricity or a cable that has gone bad. Getting your documentation together is very important for your current system, particularly if you need to add more equipment to get the best performance.
5. DSP. The most common problem in sound systems is the equalization of the loudspeaker system. If you’re still using an analog crossover or graphic equalizer, then your system could be in need of some upgraded processing. If your loudspeakers are still in good working order, the new DSP can make a huge difference in your system performance.

If you’ve followed these steps and still need some help pinpointing or fixing your problem, we offer a flat-rate Tune-Up service that can get your audio system in shape fast – just in time for those quickly-approaching Christmas services. Contact us today to make an appointment!

	Behringer X32	Line 6 StageScape M20d	Mackie DL1608
Audio Inputs/Preamps	32 XLR (Midas preamps) + 6 ¼” TRS	12 XLR + 4 ¼” TRS	16 XLR (Onyx preamps), 4 are also ¼” TRS
Audio Outputs	16 XLR + 6 ¼” TRS	6 XLR	2 XLR + 6 ¼” TRS (Aux)
Recording	On-board 32 x 32 channel Firewire/USB interface	16 channels to USB/SD Card or direct to Mac/PC	via iPad®
Built-In DSP/FX	Full processing + virtual FX rack	Dynamics, EQ, FX and feedback suppression	Dynamics, EQ, Reverb, Delay
Display	7″ LCD TFT	7” Touchscreen	iPad®
Remote Control	via iPad®	via iPad®	via iPad® (multiple)
Networking	Ethernet (for remote control/setup) plus expansion port for audio interface cards or digital networking bridges	to L6-LINK enabled StageSource speaker systems	No
Personal Monitor Mixing	with optional Powerplay P16-M system	No	via iPad®
Digital Snake	48-channel digital snake ready	No	No
Size/Weight	35.4” W x 20.8” D x 7.9” H / 45.4 lbs	16” W x 13.3” D x 4.7” H / 12.3 lb	11.5” W x 15.4” D x 3.7” H / 6.9 lb
Street Price	$3,000	$2,500	$1,000 (iPad® not included)

If a digital, “all-in-one” type of mixer is what you are looking for I would easily recommend any of the above. The Behringer X32 can be used for larger venues and permanent installations, while the Line 6 StageScape M20 and Mackie DL1608 are much more portable and useful in smaller venues. The Line 6 and Mackie would both be good solutions in a youth room, children’s area, or anywhere that doesn’t require a large mixing desk. With that being said, any of these consoles would be a wonderful way to capture the upcoming events at your church. Go all out with the Behringer X32 and it’s companion personal monitoring and digital snake system, or if that’s too much for your current needs, invest in the Line 6 StageScape M20 or Mackie DL1608 for a smaller space or portable system. With these new consoles and the technology they possess at their price point, the possibilities are endless.

All three of these highly anticipated mixers are now shipping. Contact us if you are interested in seeing a demo, or if you want to learn more about how a digital mixer could benefit your church.

StudioLive for Worship Webinar

If you own a PreSonus StudioLive console, or if you have your eyes on one, then don’t miss the ProAudio.com StudioLive For Worship Webinar coming up next week. StudioLive consoles have broken the barrier between analog and digital, making it easier than ever to “go digital” with more fun and features than you can imagine. There’s so much horsepower under StudioLive’s hood that you’ll be hard-pressed to tap all of its capacity. Join us for this informative and fun (and free!) presentation to get the most out of StudioLive in your church. We’ll even be giving away an AudioBox 1818VSL worth $500 to one randomly chosen participant.

• When: Tuesday, August 21 at 3:00PM CDT
• Where: Online at www.proaudio.com

Registration is closed. Click here to view the archived webinar.

American Christian Songwriter’s Association Summer Training Conference

The relatively new American Christian Songwriter’s Association is very different from most organizations for songwriters. With an emphasis on the relational, collaborative, and supportive roles members share with each other, and with annual dues of only $25, it’s the best deal around for learning how to become a better songwriter and extending the reach of your music. ProAudio.com is proud to once again sponsor the ACSA’s Summer Training Conference held August 24 – 25 at the beautiful Texas Rangers’ Ballpark in Arlington, TX. Nationally-known presenters will bring more information and inspiration than a person should be allowed to experience, and they make the very affordable $79 registration fee seem like mere pennies. As a bonus, we’ll be giving away a POSSE personal monitor system to one fortunate participant.

• When: Friday and Saturday, August 24 – 25
• Where: The Ballpark at Arlington – Arlington, TX

Experience Conference

ProAudio.com, Church Audio Video and Elite Core Audio are delighted to exhibit at the Experience Conference, taking place September 4 – 7 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. Experience is a conference for worship leaders created by worship leaders. This transformative four day event covers almost every issue imaginable and will help equip worship leaders with practical, biblical, and life changing perspectives to bring more joy to the journey. The pre-conference audio intensive workshops will also help techs get the most out of their church gear. To top it all off, Chris Tomlin, Yolanda Adams, Casting Crowns, and Brandon Heath will perform at the Night Of Joy concert.

• When: Tuesday – Friday, September 4 – 7
• Where: Walt Disney World – Orlando, FL

Says Doug Hood, president of CSD, “We are in the business of helping our clients deliver their Message with excellence. Creating an outstanding customer experience is something we take very seriously. Since the Dallas area is one of our most important markets, we consider it a real blessing to be able to draw from the talent at ProAudio.com. Each company has already enjoyed success working individually. However, I believe that working together, we are even stronger and uniquely positioned to take care of our friends in the House of Worship market better than anyone.”

CSD will also partner with ProAudio.com’s design/build division, Church Audio Video, aligning their resources to serve the needs of more worship facilities across the nation. Church Audio Video’s foothold in the expansive Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex combined with CSD’s experience working with large churches will strengthen the portfolios of both companies, offering a wider range of products and services to their mutual customers.

Jeff McLeod, managing director of Church Audio Video, says “We’ve known Doug Hood and CSD for a number of years and their excellent reputation mirrors ours in many ways. We look forward to helping Churches and Ministries nationwide with their AVL needs.”

www.csdus.com
www.proaudio.com
www.churchaudiovideo.com

Now imagine you are the person who has been appointed to bring in a guest worship leader. Do you have everything you need, and does it all work efficiently and effectively? If not, make a checklist. If so – make a checklist. There is nothing more embarrassing than inviting a guest to lead your congregation in worship only for it to end in disappointment because they did not have the right equipment. Make ABSOLUTELY sure you have everything you need, everything you think you will need, and everything you think they are going to need. In this case, MORE IS BETTER!

Let’s take a look at the essential items we need to pull off such an event. A church with a small budget does not need to go crazy buying equipment they don’t have, but there are a few items in particular needed by any church or venue with the desire to host guest musicians.

1. 

   Surge-X power conditioners are some of the best on the market for protecting your sensitive electronic gear.

   Power, Extension Cords and Power Strips – This sounds like a no-brainer, but without power there is no show. Make absolutely sure that 1) there are enough plugs for everybody on the band, 2) that you have adequate power conditioning, and 3) that you are not overloading any circuits. How embarrassing would it be to blow a breaker in the middle of the set? I have seen it happen! Try to conceal the cords and power strips or tape them down with gaffer’s tape to help prevent the band members from tripping if they tend to move around.

2. Monitors – If you want it to sound GREAT, make sure they have monitors and can hear themselves sufficiently. Whether you have a fully integrated in-ear system or a few wedges on the stage, make sure the monitors work and can be adjusted appropriately. If you’ve not yet invested in an in-ear system but are considering it, read our article for some tips.
3. DI boxes – Don’t take for granted that the acoustic guitar player and/or keyboard player will have a DI box (direct input box). Also check with the band to see if they need a DI to play tracks through an iPod, CD player or laptop. Don’t feel like you have to blow your budget buying DI boxes. Just to give you an idea, a good entry-level direct box starts at about $30. A excellent direct box starts at about $100, and a premium direct box is $200 and up. It’s safe to go with brands like Whirlwind, Pro-Co, Horizon, or Radial.
4. 

   The Heil Sound PR 22 is an exceptionally versatile dynamic microphone that is equally at home on stage or in the studio.

   Extra Cables – Cables can bite the dust at any moment. Have plenty of spare cables on hand in case something happens. Make sure no cables are frayed and the inputs hold the cables tightly and securely. If you have cables that are bad, you are better off buying new ones than trying to solder and repair your bad ones. Good instrument cables start at about $10, and microphone cables start at about $12.

5. Quality Microphones – This is another one that can be easily be taken for granted. Many artists prefer to use their own microphones, but in case they forgot theirs or are depending on you, have a good quality mic on standby. I like the Heil Sound PR 22 and the Sennheiser e835, or you could always go with the industry-standard vocal mic, the Shure SM58, for $100.
6. Stands (Microphone, Instrument, and Music) – Make sure there are enough stands. More than likely the guitar players will have their own stands, but again, don’t take it for granted. Mic stands start at about $25 and guitar stands start at about $12. Also, if the band is leading worship, they may want music stands to hold their set lists and chord charts if necessary. These start at roughly $20.

More than likely, you will already have most of these items. Check your inventory and stock up on the essentials now so you will not be caught off guard if you are responsible for equipping the guest artist.

Photo courtesy of Eastern Heights Church.

We have used the Aviom Pro16 digital snake and personal monitoring system for the last 8 years or so. I have used a number of different earphones from both Shure and Westone, both universal fit and also custom-fit molds from Sensaphonics. Currently, I am using a pair of Shure SE425CL dual-driver earphones with the stock gray soft rubber tips and I’m happy with that combo.

For me, there are two key elements that make personal monitoring work. First, the earphones need to be good quality and they need to seal well, ideally giving you 30 dB or more of isolation. Most earphones come with several different types of tips and a user must experiment with size and type to find what works best in terms of comfort and performance. For me, to get the best isolating seal, I use a medium tip in my right ear and a large tip in my left. Find what works best for you.

Aviom Pro16

The second important consideration is how you mix the sound in your ears. The PAN control is very important in creating a good, usable in-ear mix. Build your mix up from the kick, snare drum, and bass guitar so that you have a solid rhythmic foundation. Using the PAN control, I like to locate them center and center left. I always locate myself in center right with nothing else in the same space. I mix the worship leader’s vocal in the center, fairly hot, since that is where most of my musical cues will come from. After that, I locate other guitarists and keyboardists to the left or right at moderate volumes. Depending on the song choices and who is in the band that week, I will mix them up or down. If we are using drum loops, click, or a sequenced track, I like to have that up strong in the center of the mix.

Shure SE425 (Clear)

Experiment to find what works for you, but remember the “less is more” approach is usually best. Include what you need and exclude what you don’t need since this will help you play or sing better. As a guitarist, it is rare that I really need to hear the background vocalists and having their mics turned up unnecessarily muddies my in-ear mix. Consequently, I usually turn them down very low and I pan them either hard left or hard right. The same is true when we have a choir or string/horn ensemble. If you don’t need it to do what you do, then don’t clutter up your mix with it. (I don’t usually tell the BGV singers this, though, as it can cause some hurt feelings.)

Finally, for the sake of my hearing, once I have a good mix set up, I then try to turn the Master Volume down a little. It should be only as loud as necessary and no louder. Ear fatigue is bad for your health and will shorten your musical life. Turn it down.”

Photo of Barry Pike © Shane Grant