Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tech Tip Of The Day: Using EQ To Conquer Hum
Is there any way to remove the hum from bad power using just EQ?
Q: I recently made a very mediocre recording (I’m very ashamed, really) on location which has some serious issues.
The problem is that while most bands just end up taking their “live recording” home and never listening to it again, my client would like to clean it up and put out a live release.
This is all well and good because I’m happy to have the work, however I wish I’d know the greater plan going into the gig because I would have planned.
So, I’m now saddled with “cleaning up” this recording, which really is just riddled with hum from bad power.
I know there are specialized plug-ins which can do the job, but is there any way to accomplish this using just EQ?
A: Sorry to hear about your recording woes!
By nature, hum-causing electricity in the United States has a fundamental frequency of 60Hz (hence the name 60-cycle hum) and harmonics of different volume at 60Hz intervals such as 120Hz, 180Hz, etc., running throughout the frequency spectrum.
EQ set to any harmonic frequency of 60Hz can be used to filter out offending frequencies.
It should be noted that the narrowest Q possible should be used in order to cause as the least amount of damage to the overall sound quality of the audio.
Using a high-pass filter dialed in to 60Hz or 120Hz you can effectively reduce a good portion of the hum. Of course, on bass-heavy instruments, the high-pass filter could remove crucial low frequencies, and must be used cautiously.
On a single-coil equipped electric bass, setting the high-pass filter to 120Hz would pull a substantial amount of the low end out, causing a weaker bass sound.
But since it’s not uncommon to cut the bass at around 50Hz, a cut a 60Hz would probably handle any hum issues with little impact on the overall integrity of the tone.
On the other hand, with an electric guitar equipped with single-coil pickups, the high pass filter could be set to 120Hz without causing substantial damage to the sound.
Your best bet would be to try these various EQ techniques and then if it seems as though there is more hum to remove, consider third party plug-ins.
As always, we welcome input from the PSW community and would love to know how you would handle this situation. Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
For more tech tips go to Sweetwater.com
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AMX Named A “Best Place To Work In America” Fifth Year Running
For the fifth year straight AMX has been selected for this prestigious award by the Great Place to Work Institute.
AMX has announced today that it has been named a “Best Place to Work in America” for 2010.
This is the fifth consecutive year AMX has been selected for the prestigious national award by the Great Place to Work Institute, who oversees the annual rankings.
This year’s list was published in partnership with Entrepreneur.
The Great Place to Work Institute compiles the list based on their analysis of each company including confidential employee surveys to determine its “Best Companies” rankings for Fortune 100 Best and 50 Best Small & Medium honors.
The survey gauges factors such as a company’s culture, values, quality and effectiveness of practices and programs, internal communications and more.
“As a leader in the control and automation industry it’s important to recruit extraordinary employees and our unique work environment is a distinguishing factor in making AMX an attractive place to work,” said Rashid Skaf, AMX president and CEO.
“When you provide employees a culture that sets them up for success, both professionally and personally, it’s not only immensely rewarding but enables us to continue serving as a best partner to our dealers and customers while driving innovation in the industry.”
AMX was named ninth among this year’s list of the top 25 mid-sized companies in the U.S.
AMX Website
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L-Acoustics System Supplied For TV Show In Mauritius
The Zee TV directors were impressed with the high SPL provided by the small and compact KUDO boxes.
Rental company Damoo Sound and Music has supplied an L-Acoustics KUDO line source system for Zee Nite in Mauritius.
The live show, being filmed for Zee TV, featured more than three hours of live music and dance from top Indian artists, with a tropical stage set to illustrate the sun, sand and sea of Mauritius.
The KUDO system provided sound for an audience of 3,500 people at The Swami Vivekananda International Conference Centre.
The left/right arrays of six cabinets per side provided more than adequate sound coverage for the room, impressing Zee TV directors who had traveled from India for the event.
Familiar with L-Acoustics from their previous use of V-DOSC systems, they were particularly impressed with the high SPL provided by the small and compact KUDO boxes.
“We were getting good SPLs right at the back benches, and the same clear and punchy sound throughout the venue,” said Mr Djameel Damoo, owner Damoo Sound and Music.
“These are the best sounding speakers available on the island and we have been proud to use them for artists including Sean Paul, Tiesto, Julien Clerg, Francis Cabrel, Yannick Noah, Shaan, Emile et Image, Martin Solveig, etc.”
L-Acoustics Website
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EAW MicroWedges Chosen For Modest Mouse World Tour
The size and weight of the MicroWedges are ideal for when ModestMouse plays small venues.
The popular indie rock band Modest Mouse has been relying on the EAW MicroWedge MW12 Stage Monitors for their current world tour.
The band has been using the monitors on their busy itinerary of music festivals and other concert venues throughout North America and Europe this summer.
David Campaniello, the band’s monitor engineer, reports that mixing monitors for Modest Mouse is a challenge.
“I’ve tried many different monitors and have always struggled with maintaining tonal quality at loud volumes.”
“The MicroWedge is the first monitor I’ve used that provides the volume that’s required without compromising sound quality and natural tone,” he says.
Campaniello is using four MW12s on two mixes for singer, lyricist and guitarist Isaac Brock – an inside pair solely for vocals and an outside pair for an instrument mix. Lab.gruppen 6400 amplifiers provide power to the MicroWedges.
According to Campaniello, one pair of MW12s is actively bi-amped using the EAW UX8800 digital processor.
“I initially ran all four MicroWedges passively crossed over but then switched the vocal mix pair to active operation. The high end is smoother and more stable,” he says of the change.
Outside of the festival circuit, the compact and ultra-low-profile MicroWedge, just 12 inches wide by barely 23 inches deep and only 13 inches high, has proven especially beneficial.
“Modest Mouse sometimes plays small stages, so the size and weight of the MicroWedges are ideal,” explains Campaniello.
“The band has been happy, and this is the easiest time I’ve had on any of the tours so far. In my opinion, the EAW MicroWedge out-performs all other professional stage monitors available on the market today.”
“I would definitely use these wedges all the time and recommend them to everyone.”
EAW Website
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010
DPA Microphones Selected For The First UK Tour Of Chess
The tour needed microphones which worked equally well on voice and instruments, and found the solution in DPA microphones.
Sound designer Colin Pink has specified DPA miniature microphones for a new UK tour of Chess, the opus of Tim Rice, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.
The UK tour opened at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle in late August featuring a cast of West End stars, and continues into 2011.
Pink explains that there were some unusual considerations to take into account when specifying the mics for the tour.
“This is an actor/musician production, which means there are 30 performers on stage who sing, play and dance, often all at the same time,” he says.
“With this in mind, I needed mics that would work equally well on voice and instruments.”
“The DPA 4061 miniature omnidirectional mic seemed to be the perfect choice for the job, as it is equally at home with vocals and instruments and is very open sounding, with a good dynamic range.”
Pink experimented a little with mic placement, starting with the mics in a ‘normal’ forehead position, biasing the left side for the violins and the right for flutes.
For clarinet and brass player, Pink kept the mics in a central position, which he found surprisingly picked up instruments better than the voice.
“I ended up moving all the mics nearer the mouth, and swapped six of the vocalists’ mics for DPA 4066 omni headbands,” he explains.
“This method, in conjunction with some grill choices, including high boost grills on the brass to make them ‘cut through’ a bit better, worked very well and gave me a great balance between voice and instruments, with good separation between performers.”
In addition to the 25 headworn mics, Pink used DPA 4061s clipped onto two cellos.
“I’m very happy with the full and rich sound of the show,” concludes Pink. “I’m able to get a lot of control from the DPA microphones, which also provide the show with a very natural sound.”
DPA Website
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The World’s First Martin MLA Sale Goes To Germany
Complete Audio is proud to now own a truly unique system after becoming the first global customer for MLA.
As soon as Martin Audio’s Multicellular Loudspeaker Array (MLA) had completed its world debut with German rap band Fettes Brot, the band’s Berlin-based production company, Complete Audio, became the first global customer for the new system.
They wasted no time in placing an order for the rig, which included 20 x MLA, 2 x MLD enclosures and 14 x MLX subs (along with Merlin network management system, rigging and peripherals), with Martin Audio’s German distributor, Atlantic Audio.
Complete Audio MD André Rauhut remarked, “I now own a system which is truly unique.”
The MLA boosts the rental company’s cutting-edge inventory, which already includes Martin Audio’s W8L Longbow, W8LC and W8LM conventional line arrays.
“The MLA is a genuine technological advancement — far exceeding the commonly-hyped systems in the market, and the next step in the genealogy of line array-based systems,” he said.
“Martin Audio has taken an entirely revolutionary approach to designing a sound system.”
André Rauhut and Fettes Brot’s FOH engineer, Oliver Voges, had jumped at the opportunity to beta-test the system, discovering that by applying these principles and system components, MLA would deliver exceptionally consistent sound up to 150 metres — translating the engineer‘s mix throughout the audience with a precision, power and clarity not previously possible.
At the same time they noted how small and lightweight the MLA system is – despite the onboard amps and DSP – a factor that makes the system economically attractive.
“This was the proof I needed,” said Rauhut. “Before touring with Fettes Brot I only had the opportunity of hearing the MLA under controlled circumstances, but out on the road everyone — the sound engineers, venue promoters and audiences — were all amazed at the sound clarity and consistency.”
“With conditions changing daily from venue to venue, the MLA mastered even the most stringent challenges — and this ability cannot be offered by any other system worldwide.”
“All the promises which had been made by Martin Audio worked in reality.”
Backing the performance and speed of set up was the support provided by the manufacturer and the German distributor, Atlantic Audio. “As a team we relied on this to learn about the new technology handling. This played a crucial role in the buying decision.”
Commented Wolfgang Garçon, managing director of Atlantic Audio: “We are delighted to have extended our relationship with Complete Audio, and are proud that they have purchased the first MLA system in the world.
“Many manufacturers have jumped on the line array bandwagon and Martin Audio could simply have developed a next generation version; but with an amazing R&D team headed by Jason Baird they have come up with a totally different principle.”
“Their goal has been to create a coherent wavefront at the listener’s ear rather than the conventional method of providing coherent waves emanating from the speaker.”
Further work is already lining up for the MLA/MLX system, and André Rauhut confirms that following the Fettes Brot tour the new rig has already reinforced Klassik unter Sternen (Classic Under The Stars) at Berliner Waldbühne and Dieter Thomas Kuhn’s Schalala tour in the same location.
Meanwhile, the system is being noticed in other parts of the world where It is presently on tour with the Zac Brown Band in the States, having recently completed the 31-day iTunes Festival in London.
Martin Audio’s Website
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Selecting The Right Preamp For Your Microphone
Once you've chosen what microphone to use there's still work to be done ensuring that the preamp properly matches the needs of the microphone.
While selecting a power amplifier for a specific loudspeaker is often rather easy, selecting a preamp for a specific microphone is not.
Terminology is the problem.
At one end we find power amplifier and loudspeaker manufacturers speaking the same language, or at least using the same vocabulary.
Power amps are rated in watts and ohms, while loudspeakers are rated in ohms with a maximum power handling capability stated in watts.
Unfortunately, at the other end, microphone and preamp manufacturers do not speak the same language or use the same vocabulary. One is rated using sound pressure level (SPL) while the other rates itself in volts (dBu).
This note explains how to convert microphone specifications into preamp specifications, making selection and comparison easier. No math is involved since handy look-up tables do the math for you. Key terminology is explained and cross-referenced.
Worrisome Things
Buyer’s guides will generally list microphones that range anywhere in price from $50 to $8,000, and microphone preamplifiers from $150 to $4,500.
Whether you spend $200 or $12,500 for one microphone and a preamp to go with it, it pays to make sure they are compatible. Luckily, knowing how to do this skillfully depends not on your budget—but rather on this free tech-note.
Selecting the right preamp for a given mic, or conversely selecting the right mic for a given preamp, involves two major things (and a bunch of minor ones):
• Input headroom—Do you have enough?
• Noise—What will the preamp add to your mic?
You need to determine whether the microphone under worst-case conditions is going to overload the preamp input stage and whether the preamp is going to materially degrade the noise performance of the microphone.
Actually, microphones have few specifications. Most are sold on sound, reputation and price. Specifications rarely enter into it. Even so, enough exist to make the right decision.
Other issues include the proper input impedance. Recently the trend is toward higher input impedances than classic designs, with many now rated 2 kilohms and higher.
Since the connected impedance (i.e., mic plugged into the preamp) determines the noise performance, and the microphones are low impedance (150 - 200 ohms) then there is no noise penalty for providing higher input impedances.
Another thing to examine is phantom power. Is it provided? Do you need it?
Is it the correct voltage, and does it source enough current for your microphone? This is an area where you need to make informed decisions.
There is a huge myth circulating that microphones sound better running from 48 volts, as opposed to, say, 12 volts, or that you can increase the dynamic range of a microphone by using higher phantom power.
For the overwhelming majority of microphones both of these beliefs are false. Most condenser microphones require phantom power in the range of 12-48 VDC, with many extending the range to 9-52 VDC, leaving only a very few that actually require just 48 VDC.
The reason is that internally most designs use some form of current source to drive a low voltage zener (usually 5 volts; sometimes higher) which determines the polarization voltage and powers the electronics.
The significance is that neither runs off the raw phantom power, they both are powered from a fixed and regulated low voltage source inside the mic.
Increasing the phantom power voltage is never seen by the microphone element or electronics, it only increases the voltage across the current source. But there are exceptions, so check the manufacturer, and don’t make assumptions based on hearsay.
Final selection details involve checking that the preamp’s gain range is enough for your use, that there are overload indicators or metering to help in set up, that the plumbing is compatible with your wiring needs, and that the color doesn’t clash with your tour jacket.
Preamp Input Overload
Determining input headroom compatibility requires knowing the microphone sensitivity rating and the maximum SPL allowed.
The sensitivity rating is usually the easiest and least ambiguous number to find on the data sheet, rated at 1 kHz and expressed in millivolts per pascal (mV/Pa).
One pascal is the amount of pressure resulting from a loudness level of 94 dB (written as 94 dB SPL).
For example, a sensitivity rating of 20 mV/Pa tells you that when a sound equal to 94 dB SPL strikes the microphone element, it results in an output voltage of 20 millivolts.
The sensitivity rating gives you a voltage level at one reference point; now all you need is the mic’s maximum SPL and you can calculate the maximum output voltage.
Then you use this to compare against the maximum input voltage rating of the microphone preamp.
The maximum allowed sound pressure level is stated in several ways: Maximum SPL (often with a stated THD level), Max Acoustic Input, Sound Pressure Level for X% THD, all are variations for the same rating.
With these two specifications it is a simple matter to calculate the maximum output level in volts and convert that into the familiar dBu units found on microphone preamp data sheets.
To make this even easier Table 1 is provided. To obtain the microphone maximum output level in dBu, find your microphone’s sensitivity rating on the left side and then move right until you are directly below your microphone’s maximum SPL rating.
As an example, for a microphone with a sensitivity rating of 20 mV/Pa and a max SPL equal to 130 dB, Table 1 tells us that the maximum output voltage is +4 dBu. You now have what you need to compare preamps regarding maximum input level.
Table 1. Microphone Maximum Output Level (dBu)
Another example using Table 1 is to block out all possibilities that could overload a specific preamp.
For example, the red triangle area represents all those combinations that could overload Rane’s handy-dandy MS 1S Mic Stage.
The MS 1S’s maximum input level is rated at +10 dBu, therefore all microphone sensitivity and max SPL combinations resulting in greater than +10 dBu are excluded from consideration. Used this way, any new microphones can be quickly checked for overload threat.
Caveats: Remember though, that this output level only occurs under the worst-case condition of sound pressure levels equaling the maximum allowed by the microphone.
This means that if your application has sources that cannot achieve the maximum sound pressure levels, then you can relax your input overload requirement accordingly.
For instance, if you know your source is never going to exceed, let’s say, 110 dB SPL, and your microphone is rated for maximum levels of 130 dB, then you can take 20 dB off the levels shown in Table 1, and widen your preamp choices considerably.
Note also that input overloading is a strong function of the preamp’s gain control setting. Most preamp manufacturers measure the maximum input level with the gain control set at minimum.
This means there is a real danger that after carefully matching the output and input levels of a microphone and preamp, you find that the mic still overloads the preamp.
This happens when the system needs the preamp gain turned up (correspondingly reducing input headroom) and the microphone is used for a wide dynamic range source.
Unless there is a person riding gain, or some provision for automatic input ranging, overload is still going to occur. This means that not only do you have to worry about matching your mic and preamp, but also about real-world sources and gain settings.
Noise
Microphones and preamps each have their own noise floors.
When selecting a mic preamp you want to know to what degree the preamp’s noise degrades the noise of your microphone.
Different microphone technologies use different terminology to describe noise.
Dynamic Microphones: Dynamic microphone data sheets rarely list noise as a specification since there is no active circuitry to generate noise; there is only a magnet and a coil.
This category of microphone is properly called electromagnetic or electrodynamic. The output noise is very low—so low they just don’t list it.
However, they do generate some noise and it is calculated by knowing the microphone’s impedance.
Obtain the dynamic microphone impedance rating from the data sheet and use Table 2 to convert that into units of dBu, A-weighted.
This noise is the white noise generated by the resistance of the wire used to create the coil, plus a correction factor of 5 dB for A-weighting. (This is somewhat arbitrary, as true A-weighting may decrease the level anywhere from 3-6 dB depending upon the nature of the noise, but agrees with Holman’s article and measured results).
Table 2. Output Noise for Dynamic Mics (20-20 kHz, 20 °C / 68 °F)
The noise of the measuring standard 150 ohms (200 ohms for Europe) source resistor makes a good noise reference point. From Table 2, find that it equates to -136 dBu (A-weighted; -131 dBu when not).
This means that you cannot have an operating mic stage, with a 150 ohm source, quieter than -136 dBu (A-weighted, 20°C/68°F, 20 kHz BW). Looking at Table 2 confirms that dynamic microphones, indeed, are quiet.
Condenser Microphones: Condenser, capacitor, or more properly, electrostatic microphone technology involves a polarizing voltage network and at least a buffer transistor built into the microphone housing, if not an entire preamp/biasing/transformer network—all of which contribute noise to the output.
Electrostatic microphones are quite noisy compared to dynamic designs, but are very popular for other reasons.
Different manufacturers use different terminology on their electrostatic microphone specification sheets for noise: Self-Noise, Equivalent Noise SPL, Equivalent Noise Level, Noise Floor, and just plain Noise all describe the same specification.
Microphone noise is referenced to the equivalent sound pressure level that would cause the same amount of output noise voltage and is normally A-weighted.
This means the noise is given in units of dB SPL.
A noise spec might read 14 dB SPL equivalent, A-weighted, or shortened to just 14 dB-A (bad terminology, but common).
This is interpreted to mean that the inherent noise floor is equivalent to a sound source with a sound pressure level of 14 dB.
Problems arise trying to compare the mic’s noise rating of 14 dB SPL with a preamp’s equivalent input noise (EIN) rating of, say, -128 dBu.
Talk about apples and oranges!
Luckily (again) tables come to the rescue. Table 3 provides an easy look-up conversion between a microphone’s output noise, expressed in equivalent dB-SPL, and its sensitivity rating, in mV/Pa, into output noise expressed in dBu, A-weighted.
Using Table 3, a direct noise comparison between any microphone and any preamp is possible.
The example shown by the blue column and row is for a microphone with a noise floor of 14 dB-SPL and a sensitivity rating of 20 mV/Pa, which translates into an output noise of -112 dBu, A-weighted.
Table 3. Output Noise for Condenser Mics (dBu)
Similar to Table 1, you can use Table 3 to map out a preamp’s A-weighted noise to show the combinations that add insignificant noise.
If you use a -10 dB difference figure as a guide, then the preamp’s noise amounts to less than 0.4 dB increase. The red-shaded triangle area in Table 3 shows an example of this.
The areas not shaded represent all possible combinations of microphone sensitivity and noise specifications that can be used with Rane’s MS 1S Mic Stage, for instance, without adding significant noise.
Doing the Two-Step
The following procedure summarizes this note for evaluating the compatibility of any microphone and any preamplifier. The sample data sheet referenced in the steps is embedded below.
Step One: Evaluating Input Overload Compatibility
1. Locate the microphone Sensitivity rating on the mic data sheet.
2. Find the Maximum SPL from the mic data sheet.
3. Using Table 1, find the microphone Sensitivity rating down the left side.
4. Find the Maximum SPL rating along the top of Table 1.
5. Move right along the Sensitivity rating row and move down the Max SPL rating column until they intersect and note the number—this is the microphone’s maximum output level expressed in dBu.
6. From the microphone preamplifier’s data sheet find the Maximum Input Level (in dBu).
7. Compare the mic’s maximum output level obtained from Table 1 against the preamp’s maximum input level obtained from its data sheet to determine compatibility.
Example Using Sample Data Sheets
1. Microphone’s Sensitivity rating is 20 mV/Pa.
2. Microphone’s Maximum SPL rating is 130 dB.
3. Table 1 shows the Sensitivity row marked 20 mV/Pa shaded.
4. Table 1 shows the Maximum SPL column for 130 dB shaded.
5. The intersecting point is at 4 dBu—this is the maximum output level of the example microphone.
6. The MS 1S Mic Stage data sheet lists the Maximum Input Level as +10 dBu.
7. Since this mic’s max output level is +4 dBu and the preamp can handle +10 dBu, then this mic will not overload this preamp (when set for minimum gain).
Step Two: Evaluating Noise Performance
Dynamic Mics
1. Find the impedance specification on the data sheet (use “actual” instead of “rated” if given the choice).
2. Use Table 2 to find the Output Noise in dBu, A-weighted, by finding the closest impedance listed.
3. Find the EIN (equivalent input noise) in dBu rating on the preamplifier’s data sheet.
4. Reduce the preamp’s EIN by 5 dB to approximate A-weighting.
5. Compare the two to see if the proposed preamplifier degrades the mic noise appreciably.
Condenser Mics
1. Find the Noise rating on the microphone date sheet (this is stated as Equivalent Noise Level, Self-Noise, Equivalent Noise SPL, or Noise Floor), expressed in dB SPL, A-weighted.
2. Locate the microphone’s Sensitivity rating on the data sheet.
3. Using Table 3, find the microphone Sensitivity rating down the left side.
4. Find the Noise rating in dB SPL, A-weighted along the top of Table 3.
5. Move along the Sensitivity rating row and move down the Noise column until they intersect and note the number—this is the output noise converted to dBu, A-weighted.
6. Find the EIN (equivalent input noise) in dBu rating on the preamplifier’s data sheet.
7. Reduce the preamp’s EIN by 5 dB to approximate A-weighting.
8. Compare the two to see if the proposed preamplifier degrades the mic noise appreciably.
Condenser Microphone Example Using Sample Data Sheets
1. Microphone’s Equivalent Noise Level is 14 dB SPL, A-weighted.
2. Microphone’s Sensitivity rating is 20 mV/Pa.
3. Table 3 shows the Sensitivity row marked 20 mV/Pa shaded.
4. Table 3 shows the Noise column for 14 dB SPL, A-weighted shaded.
5. The intersection point is at -112 dBu, A-weighted: this is the output noise of the microphone.
6. The MS 1S Mic Stage data sheet lists the Equivalent Input Noise as -128 dBu (no weighting).
7. Reducing this by 5 dB yields a preamp EIN of -133 dBu, A-weighted.
8. The difference between the microphone’s output noise of –112 dBu A-weighted and the preamp’s EIN of –133 dBu A-weighted is –21 dB so the preamp’s noise will not degrade the performance of the mic.
This article would not exist had it not been for an article authored by Tomlinson Holman, published in the September 2000 Surround Sound Professional magazine, titled “Capturing the Sound, Part 1: Dynamic Range.”
In that article Tom deftly demonstrated the difficulty in properly matching microphones and preamplifiers. His article motivated me to do this expanded and generalized article.
Download a copy of this article. (pdf)
Editors Note: This and other educational articles are available in the RaneNote Library, a subset of the Rane ProAudio Reference.
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Church Sound Operators & Musicians: Paid or Volunteer?
Our newest content contributor, Mike Sessler of ChurchTechArts, brings us a thoughtful analysis of whether musicians and technicians should be paid for their service to the church.
This is one of those, “Thinking out loud” posts for me, which seemed a good way to introduce myself to the ProSoundWeb community.
It’s been a topic of conversation at our church for the past several months, particularly as budgets have been cut (again).
Actually, I’ve been thinking about it on and off since I moved to Minneapolis in 2007; that’s when I first encountered paid musicians and techs in the church.
Prior to that, all the musicians and techs I’ve worked with had been volunteers. Honestly, it’s one of those topics that has left me still working on a position.
Before I dive into my still-forming conclusions, let’s consider both sides of the debate.
The Case for Paying Musicians (I’ll get to techs in a minute)
Those that support paying musicians in church are likely to point out that the church has a long history of supporting the arts and should continue.
Paying the band—that is, artists who make their living playing or teaching music—is a continuation of that tradition. Supporters would also agree that the musical worship time of the service is important, and paying for professional musicians will deliver better results with less rehearsal time.
It’s also important to note that a band that’s paid is under a little tighter control of the worship leader or music director. They tend to show up closer to the call time (or they don’t work as often), and it’s easier set and enforce expectations.
As a general rule, the quality of musicianship tends to be higher with a paid band, and that even makes it a lot more fun for the FOH engineer (who may be paid or volunteer).
I’m sure there are other reasons to pay musicians, and the ones I just mentioned are all good ones. Honestly, I don’t really disagree with any of them.
On the other hand, where does it stop? Surely the FOH or monitor position requires just as much skill and training as does a band member, so should we pay those positions?
Over the history of my current employer, Coast Hills Community Church, that’s been the tradition. However, based on my budget for the year, that tradition is coming to an end.
When I was in Minneapolis, I always found it odd that the musicians were paid but the FOH engineer was not. But what about the guy who helps out doing graphic design for the church?
If he’s a freelancer, he’s an artist making his living doing design; if we want to support the arts, do we pay him as well? What about the teacher who leads a kid’s Sunday School class? Do we pay her also? Or the carpenter who helps out building sets for the Christmas production?
I’m not trying to be overly dramatic, but at some level, you can make the case for paying almost everyone who volunteers their time at a church.
Might we get friendlier ushers if we paid them? Maybe, but at what point does paying people to “serve” turn church into an attraction to be visited rather than a body that serves?
Part of the equation that further muddies the water is the distinction between bringing in outside musicians and contractors and people from the body. In our case, we have both serving every weekend.
Actually, we often have three classes of musicians; outside contractors who don’t call Coast Hills their home; professional musicians that are part of our body, and are paid; and volunteers who may be project managers or firemen but also play a mean instrument.
This strange mix has never been a source of consternation (at least that I’ve seen), which is a testament to our team’s leadership. However, it is interesting.
What is more interesting is seeing what happens when budgets get cut and people who used to be paid can’t be paid any longer. Some keep on playing, others sit out.
Read on for the case for volunteers!
The Case for Volunteers
The other side of this coin is to use all volunteers—that’s been my experience for most of my church life.
In fact, I’ve been a volunteer TD far longer than I’ve been a paid one.
I made my living working in the professional production world and gave my time at church.
The way I saw it, I’m not good with kids, I don’t like to greet people and I can’t sing.
But I am a good tech, so that’s where I served.
I’m sure I’ve given thousands of hours to the churches I’ve been a part of over the years, and loved (almost) every minute of it.
We talk a lot about putting ministry back in the hands of the people at my church. When I use that phrase, I mean trying to find people who are gifted in various areas (in my case, tech) and empowering them to serve.
For me, it’s not about saving the church money (though that is a nice side benefit) it’s about giving people the opportunity to serve. It’s like giving of our finances; when we give, we benefit more than the church does.
There is no better way to grow in our walk with Christ than to serve, and a big part of me thinks that when we bring in paid people from the outside, we deprive those in our midst of growing in their walk with Christ.
So where do I land on all this? Honestly, I don’t know yet.
I see the case for paying musicians, especially the ones in our midst. I love those guys and I know how hard it is to make a living as a musician; I want to support them.
I also know that the positions we’re talking about (musicians & FOH engineers) take highly specialized skill sets. You can’t just cut a budget and say, “The band and FOH have to be volunteers from now on.”
I figure it takes a solid year to train someone to mix FOH at the level we expect at our church (unless the volunteer is committed to doing it every week, then it goes faster). And truthfully, few are cut out for it.
At the same time, some of my greatest experiences in life happened when I was volunteering at church.
I want to open as many doors for that to happen as possible. On the other hand (I told you this was a complex issue…), everyone—and I do mean everyone—have to be willing to accept the compromises that come with non-professional talent on stage and behind the board.
It’s not going to be perfect. Notes will be missed, mics will be muted when they should be on. We all have to be willing to live with that.
What is your take on all of this? Are musicians and techs paid at your church? If so (or not) how do you feel about that? Feel free to let me know in the comments below!
Mike Sessler is the Technical Director at Coast Hills Community Church in Aliso Viejo, CA. He has been involved in live production for over 20 years and is the author of the blog, Church Tech Arts . He also hosts a weekly podcast called Church Tech Weekly on the TechArtsNetwork.
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Blue Microphones Announces Expansion Of Professional Sales Team
Company adds two independent sales representatives for managing continued growth of professional sales in Western U.S. markets
Blue Microphones has introduced Eric Boyer of Audio Agent and Thomas Mitchell of Flipside Sales as new members of the company’s expanded professional sales team.
Boyer is managing sales in the states of Washington and Oregon, as well as Northern California. Prior to joining Audio Agent, he was a vice president of manufacturing at Blue Microphones, along with a successful term at Presonus.
Mitchell is managing sales in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. Prior to working with Flipside Sales, Mitchell was a sales representative at Signal Marketing, which handles leading pro audio brands such as such QSC Audio and Audio-Technica.
“Blue Microphones has been very deliberate and selective in adding sales representatives to its sales team,” said Dino Virella, Blue professional products sales director. “It takes a unique combination of passion, drive and creativity to represent Blue Microphones. Both Eric and Thomas possess these attributes in abundance, and Blue dealers will be more successful having immediate access to these resources.”
Blue Microphones Website
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Audio-Technica Microphones Chosen By L.A.’s Historic Troubadour Club
A-T microphones have become crucial to keeping this club's classic sound alivenight after night, show after show.
For over six decades, Doug Weston’s The Troubadour has been a flagship venue of the American music industry.
The famous club on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood has been the site of legendary performances by top artists through rock history, including James Taylor, the Eagles, Elton John, Metallica, Franz Ferdinand, the Strokes and Guns N’ Roses, who, like many classic artists, got their careers going as a result of performances there.
The Troubadour continues to be a vital link in the evolving American music industry and culture, and microphones from Audio-Technica have played a key role in keeping it that way.
Bobby Crown, the FOH Mixer, Production Manager and System Engineer for The Troubadour for the last seven years, brought an all-A-T package of microphones into The Troubadour in 2008, and ever since they’ve been the first line of great sound every night for each artist.
Crown, who at one point was simultaneously an engineer at four of L.A.’s leading venues, including the Whisky a Go Go and the Viper Room before settling in at The Troubadour in 2003 for what he calls its “magical positive energy,” has found the ideal A-T microphone for every application at the club.
Electric guitars and basses benefit from ATM650 Hypercardioid Dynamic Instrument Microphones, ATM250 Hypercardioid Dynamic Instrument Microphones (on the rear of the amp cabinet) and ATM250DE Dual-Element Instrument Microphones; acoustic guitars get great sound and pickup from AE5100 Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphone; vocals are captured using the ATM610 Hypercardioid Dynamic Handheld Microphone.
Crown has found that the Audio-Technica PRO 35 Cardioid Condenser Clip-on Instrument Microphone, which excels in high-SPL applications and is ideal for active stage performance, has become his all-round go-to microphone for drums and other percussive applications.
“I tried it out on the kick now and it’s an amazing sound, so I’ve started using it on the toms, and the whole kit sounds fantastic,” he says. “The PRO 35 is a small condenser mic so it has a lot of headroom for the pre-amp and a lot of bottom-end roundness. You can just bring up the gain and it sounds great. It’s a flat-sounding microphone that lets the drums sound very natural and takes advantage of the great sound of the wood ambience of the room. In terms of overall functionality, it’s the best multi-purpose microphone I’ve ever used.”
Crown also uses the ATM650, ATM450 Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphone and AE5100 on the snare and the ATM450 and ATM650 on the high-hat. The ATM450 also works superbly in pairs as a room microphone, capturing the essence of The Troubadour’s warm, intimate sound even as the room itself has evolved, with recently added balconies and an upstairs bar area.
“Every night we have a different artist, and over time the room will adjust as the size of the crowd changes, but the A-T microphones remain the consistent thing about the sound,” says Crown, who estimates that he’s mixed over 5,000 bands at the Troubadour.
“We get a lot of guest engineers in here and I’ve found that they really appreciate the comfort zone they feel when they find out we’re using the same Audio-Technica microphones that a lot of them already use on the road.”
“The A-T mics help in so many ways.”
Audio-Technica Website
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Gefen Launches The New GeffenPRO Product Line
The GeffenPRO line will include 24/7 technical support for professional installations.
Connectivity solutions provider Gefen today announced the release of a new product line called GefenPRO.
All GefenPRO products are designed to be professionally installed in broadcast, rental/staging and post-production environments.
Products within the line include 24/7 customer support from trained technical service representatives available at Gefen.
This enhanced customer service is ideal for highly demanding industries such as broadcasting and the rental/staging markets.
GefenPRO products also feature a more rugged construction and internal power supplies using industry standard AC cords to improve performance in the field.
The GefenPRO product line offers advanced matrix systems with 16x16 and 32x32 switching systems supporting more sources and displays.
Additional products in the line include longer distance signal extenders based on fiber optics and a mix of converter/scaler products converting the 3G-SDI standard to HDMI, DVI and vice versa.
Most GefenPRO products include an easy to use front-panel for switching, IP control with a webpage layout and rack mountable enclosures designed to withstand demanding environments.
“GefenPRO is a direct response to our integrator customers, who appreciate the Gefen engineering and wanted some new features added to assist their performance during the installation,” said Hagai Gefen, president and CEO, Gefen LLC.
“Offering 24/7 technical support goes above and beyond the high levels of support Gefen has always provided, and we are confident these features will be assets for integrators worldwide.”
Current GefenPRO products available:
16x16 DVI Matrix
8x8 DVI DL Matrix
10x4 DVI DL Matrix
8x8 DVI DL KVM Matrix
DVI to HDSDI Pro
3GSDI to HD Scaler
HD Scaler to 3GSDI
3GSDI Fiber Optics Extender
Extra Long Range Extender for HDMI over CAT-5 with POL
Extra Long Range Extender for HDMI over CAT-5 with POL II
GefenPRO Website
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Kramer Introduces The VS-3232A 32x32 Stereo Audio Matrix Switcher
The high-performance, balanced unit simultaneously routes any and all inputs to any or all outputs.
Kramer Electronics has announced the introduction of the VS-3232A Balanced Stereo Audio Matrix Switcher.
The Kramer VS-3232A is a 32x32 audio matrix switcher for analog balanced audio stereo signals on 5-pin detachable terminal block connectors.
It is compatible with both balanced and unbalanced inputs, and provides both balanced and unbalanced outputs.
It is a true matrix switcher, allowing the user to route any or all inputs to any or all outputs simultaneously.
The VS-3232A has 32 balanced stereo inputs and 32 balanced stereo outputs on 5-pin detachable terminal block connectors. The input level is +/- 20dB for each input, and the output volume is 0 to -100dB for each output.
The VS-3232A has a excelent signal-to-noise ratio and linearity performance, as well as a flat frequency response from 20Hz to 20kHz. The VS-3232A features clean, noise free switching, zero cross detection, soft mute, and has level controls for each input and each output.
Digital input sampling and routing ensures zero crosstalk and high-quality audio, to guarantee that it remains transparent in almost any audio application.
The unit provides convenient features for easy operation including a front panel lockout button, and a TAKE button for executing multiple switches all at once and confirming the actions. The unit has 60 memory locations to store the machine’s full status, as presets, providing quick access to the most frequently used configurations.
The VS-3232A can be controlled via the front-panel touch switches, by its serial RS-232 and RS-485 ports (with Kramer 2000 and Sierra ASCII protocols (partial)), Ethernet, or the included IR remote control. The unit also includes K-Router Windows-based control software.
The VS-3232A can operate as a standalone audio router, or as a companion router to Kramer’s VS-3232V and VS-3232Vxl. When connected to these models the VS-3232A can operate in audio-follow-video or breakaway mode.
The VS-3232A operates with a worldwide power supply, comes with a null-modem adapter, and is housed in a 2RU standard 19” rack mount, with “ears” included.
Kramer Electronics Website
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The MUSIC Group Appoints David Foote As Chief Technology Officer
Brings more than 18 years of executive level IT and IS operational experience as an entrepreneur, CTO, and CEO to the position
The MUSIC Group has appointed David Foote to the executive role of chief technology officer for the group’s audio and music brands, including Behringer, Bugera, Midas and Klark Teknik.
Foote has more than 18 years of executive level IT and IS operational experience as an entrepreneur, CTO, and CEO. He brings The MUSIC Group a diverse management background in which he spearheaded multiple technology startups, served as an advisor to “angel” investors, developed complex enterprise software and lead the implementation of Tier 1 enterprise systems. He also holds several patents as a primary inventor.
Foote studied at the University of California, Berkeley and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cellular and Microbiology, with an emphasis in Neurobiology.
“I am looking forward to working with CEO Uli Behringer and The MUSIC Group to enable the company’s vision of pushing the boundaries of automation and efficiency to deliver high quality and cost competitive pro audio products,” Foote states. “It’s an exciting time in the pro audio market place, as technology innovation, mobile computing, and social networking are transforming the industry.”
He continues, “At the same time, advances in enterprise software and cloud computing provide significant opportunities for IS and IT to drive bottom line business value. It is my privilege to be able to execute Uli’s vision and work with the team at The MUSIC Group on initiatives spanning back office business transformation to consumer facing innovation.”
Chairman and CEO Uli Behringer notes, “I have known David for many years, and he is one of the most capable and well-rounded individuals I have ever met. David has a keen ability to understand both the commercial and technological aspects of a business. Technology is most effective when it provides the efficiency required to free up time for human beings to focus on creativity.
“The MUSIC Group has very aggressive goals in implementing state-of-the-art ERP/MRP systems that are linked to Product Life Cycle and Content Management systems,” Behringer continues. “This will allow us total visibility into every aspect of our business, and our end customers will have insight right down to the production floor where his/her product is manufactured. We are extremely excited about the implementation of our new Group Vision and David is the perfect man for the job.”
The MUSIC Group Website
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Buzz Audio Introduces Series 20 QSP 4-Channel Mic & Instrument Preamplifier
Couples direct to Class A (BE41) amplifier modules with high-quality WIMA capacitors, presenting a much less reactive load to the microphone and allowing it to "breathe" better
Buzz Audio has announced the release of the Series 20 QSP, a new 4-channel microphone and instrument preamplifier.
The QSP utilizes the Buzz Audio proprietary BE41 True Class A amplifiers coupled to Lundahl audio output transformers, a combination that produces a clean and open high end with a nice touch of bass warmth.
The transformerless non-reactive input means the QSP interfaces well with all microphone types and yields a multi-purpose preamp that delivers sound always complimenting the source. Up to 70 dB of low noise gain is available with a maximum output level of +26 dBu.
A HI Z - LO Z switch allows the changing of the load the microphone sees, which can produce subtle tonal changes depending on the type of microphone.
Each channel is equipped with an instrument (DI) input, 20 dB pad, high/low input impedance switch, polarity reverse, mute and phantom power functions.
The QSP is made by hand with non-surface-mount serviceable components.
The Series 20 QSP is the first of a new range of Class A analog recording tools to celebrate 20 years since the first Buzz Audio product was manufactured.
Features:
—The vivid sound of discrete Class A amplifiers
—The lush tone of Lundahl audio output transformers
—Up to 70 dB of gain
—+28 dBu output headroom
—Robust chassis construction
—On board linear power supplies (no wall warts)
—Easy to use control layouts
Buzz Audio
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Listen To The Artist, Not Just The Music
While you may be skilled at listening to the audio coming out of the monitors, how good are you at listening to the artist
Telling an audio engineer to listen is like telling a doctor to heal.
Of course we’re going to listen!
How else do we get a great-sounding recording?
You’re good at listening to the music, but how well do you listen to the artist?
I recently produced an EP for a really talented singer-songwriter named Whitney Winkler in which she asked me to play acoustic guitar on the project.
Once we had the guitar and scratch vocals recorded, she went home and left me to add various elements to the songs to fill them out.
Her songs have a great groove to them, so I naturally felt some light drums would be perfect.
I worked for a few hours, programming a quirky little drum groove and recording some extra percussion.
She had mentioned (off the cuff) that she like liked a particular track from my album, which features a blend of acoustic instruments with a hip-hop-sounding drum loop/percussion. So, when considering how to handle her mix, I thought I’d take it in this direction.
The song quickly took on a very different feel. I kinda liked it, but before I dove in and booked a bass player and really committed to the arrangement, I emailed Whitney a bounce of what I had done so far.
She wrote back that she really wasn’t crazy about it.
As it turns out, she wanted the EP to have more of a “coffee-shop” feel than a produced, full-band feel. She didn’t really want drums or lots of extra production.
She felt like the songs needed to maintain an acoustic feel.
What would you image my response to be?
Did I get all defensive and angry that she would dare to question my production prowess?
Heck no.
These are her songs. I want her to be absolutely thrilled with the finished recording. The ideas I proposed were fairly over-the-top. I had a feeling she might not like them, but I gave it a shot anyway.
Did I then give up all creative input? No, not at all. In fact, this process really helped us focus.
Up until that point, I hadn’t done a great job of asking her what exactly she was wanting out of this EP.
That was my fault. Once we’d heard an example of how she didn’t want it to sound, we were able to hone in on exactly what her goals are, and things then came together very nicely.
What is the moral of this story?
Be creative. Take chances, but don’t alienate the artists. Including them in the decision-making process is a wise move, and it makes the entire process more productive, more creative, and more fun.
As always, don’t forget to let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Joe Gilder is a Nashville based engineer, musician, and producer who also provides training and advice at the Home Studio Corner.
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