“We set up Shure KSM42s for the vocalists and record everything direct to the StudioLive,” says Bilotta. He gives the StudioLive’s XMAX™ preamps particularly high marks. “We started out using outboard preamps but we switched to the StudioLive’s onboard preamps. We’re really happy with the quality of the sound and the recordings we’re getting from them.”
Not surprisingly, VFCC’s mobile studio is exceptionally popular. “We’ve done nearly 200 recordings this week alone,” says Bilotta. “We have students scheduled at 10-minute intervals. So they come in, they get a quick sound check and go for it. The StudioLive is great for setting up multiple monitor mixes, so we can give them good sound in the headphones.”
The StudioLive consoles also made it possible for students to get hands-on experience.
“We were able to set up two 16.4.2 mixers side by side, with identical signal inputs,” says Bilotta. “This allowed one engineer to mix the recording, while another helped students experiment with the StudioLive console and software. It was an eye-opening experience for a lot of visiting pastors and worship leaders to watch us demonstrate the iPad control, QMix, Smaart integration, and some of the other features.”
Bilotta continues, “A lot of these students have never worked with a digital console before, and they’re thinking they’ll have to figure out all these menus. When I show them that it’s basically an analog workflow, and they begin to realize what kind of features it offers and what they can accomplish with it, you can see the smiles come over their faces. And when they find out what it costs, I’ve actually seen some of them get on their phones and start making calls.”
VFCC’s consoles have gotten very little time off. “Whenever we were not on the road with the Command Center last summer, the StudioLive desks were in pretty much constant demand for shows and rehearsals and events at the school,” Bilotta notes. “And we had two touring bands that represent the school, playing summer festivals and concerts across the Eastern U.S., and they used the consoles all summer. These desks got quite a workout.”