Raising the Roof: Amplifying the Detroit Pistons Drumline | Shure Blog

A fun look at how the Detroit Piston's drum-line is amplified at games.

Raising the Roof: Amplifying the Detroit Pistons Drumline | Shure Blog:

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Bands Please Supply a Proper Input List and Stage Plot

I don't do a lot of outside shows anymore. My job at Desert Springs Church keeps me pretty busy. When I do have a gig, common issues occur with the input list and stage-plot.  Namely- there isn't one.  Or if there is, it is not up to date.   Stage plots and input lists don't have to be fancy, but they should be correct!  If you are a band that has a booking agency sending out your riders, make sure they have an up to date version. I can't tell you how many times I hear the band in frustration say, "Why did they send you that one?"    It is always a good idea for you to communicate with the sound company, church ,or club ahead of time to prevent unexpected suprises.   (And Musicians:  ahead of time means at least a couple of weeks not just a day or two.) The earlier you speak with them the better your chances of ensuring the equipment you want for the gig. Here is an stage plot I made in a program called StagePlot Pro as an example. 

What My Friends Think I do....

 I got this from the Technical Leader list on The City. It was shared by James Dager.

Rick Nielsen’s Guitar Collection on Display in Rockford | Shure Blog

Shure talks about Rick Nielsen's display of guitars and Cheap Trick history on display in Rockford.

Rick Nielsen’s Guitar Collection on Display in Rockford | Shure Blog:

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Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture Production Blog: 5 Reasons Why Concerts Sound So Bad

I have been reposting from Bobby Owsinski a lot lately. The reasons are I just found his blog and it has lots stuff, and a lot of it is stuff I agree with. Here part of a post he wrote a while back but holds true today. 

I believe that an entire generation of soundmen grew up learning the wrong way - that the kick drum and snare are the most important part of a mix. While that may be true in some small way when mixing a record (it's really important, but not the most important), it's an entirely different thing mixing live sound, where the vocal should be king.

Read more: http://bobbyowsinski.blogspot.com/2012/06/5-reasons-why-concerts-sound-so-bad.html#ixzz2DCbXOjDr
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture Production Blog: 5 Reasons Why Concerts Sound So Bad:

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Church Sound: Church Sound: The Many Advantages Of DI Boxes - Pro Sound Web

Church Sound: Church Sound: The Many Advantages Of DI Boxes - Pro Sound Web

Church Sound: Church Sound: Types Of Tape (And Not The Recording Type) Systems - Pro Sound Web

Nice little article on different kinds of tape we use to label and hold cables and equipment. He also gives you basic console labeling abbreviations.

Church Sound: Church Sound: Types Of Tape (And Not The Recording Type) Systems - Pro Sound Web:

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A USB Flash Drive That’s Harder to Lose | PastorGear.com

A fun USB drive. Just don't lose your keys!

A USB Flash Drive That’s Harder to Lose | PastorGear.com:

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Apple TV as My Projector Interface

Well tomorrow I am teaching the staff at DSC to use our new cloud based calendar and facility request software. The move to the cloud means less paper used to fill out the forms needed to reserve a room at the church. This is exciting but I am have been playing with getting an Apple TV to be my iPad's interface to our projector in the conference room. Anyone using Apple TV in there conference rooms for presentations?

Bobby Owsinski and I Agree: We Both Hate Concert Sing Alongs.

Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture Production Blog: I Hate Concert Sing-Alongs:

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Shure at the CMA’s !! | Shure Blog

Cool look at Shure at the CMA's.

Shure at the CMA’s !! | Shure Blog:

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Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture Production Blog: How To Build A Guitar Amp Isolation Box

Great little video if you need to build an isobox. I also add a fan to help keep the combo amps cool. We lose some of the isolation but not enough to hurt our mix. See my post on our iso box here.
Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture Production Blog: How To Build A Guitar Amp Isolation Box:

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Fact vs. Fiction: Tim Vear Explodes Audio Myths | Shure Blog

Fact vs. Fiction: Tim Vear Explodes Audio Myths | Shure Blog:

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B3 Organ with a Leslie

I thought this was a cool little article on how to mic up a Hammond B3 with a Leslie Speaker. I have had the opportunity to mic a B3 a few times, most notably The Coasters and B.B. King. I never got to be this thorough and can't wait to try these techniques out in the future. This post from ChurchnTech Arts gives a nice look at the B3.

Three Ways to Mic a B3 Organ — ChurchTechArts


 

The Hammond B3 is one of those iconic sounds of modern music. And by modern I mean since about the 1950’s or so. The Hammond B3 was the invention of Lawrence Hammond. A serial inventor, he figured out that the synchronous motor he used in the first electric clock could produce musical tones. In 1934, he unveiled the Hammond model A. They were originally sold to churches as a substitute for pipe organs.

Read the entire post here.


 

 

Pics from Cause for Praise '12

"A" Stage Wide Shot

"B" Stage

"A" Stage Cross View

CFP '12 is in the Bag

Well Cause for Praise 2012 is done and it was a fun night. We had an "A" and "B" stage. The "A" stage was a little rock and roll and the "B" stage was, well it wasn't country but we did go acoustic.

The "A" stage consisted of drums, 2 percussionists, 2 bass players (rotating), electric guitar, piano, cello, acoustic guitar, 3 vocals. "B" stage consisted of percussion, stand up bass, 2 acoustic guitars, and 2 vocals. Here is what the input list looked like: You will notice a lot of shared channels between the "A" and "B" stage on my input list below. This is where having a digital console comes in handy. We had over 42 channels to record and had to fit them into 32. I will explain more in the posts to come.

Church Sound: Everything is Amazing and No one is Happy:

Great article by Mike Sessler. Here is an excerpt:

We do this with other technology as well. Take the iPhone 5, which is, apparently, a “huge disappointment.” It turns out that if you take a picture of the sun, you get a purple lens flare. #epicfail! Never mind the fact that I bought my first digital camera about 10 years ago and it cost almost $300. The pictures it took don’t even begin to compare with the photos I can now take with my phone. The one I carry in my pocket all the time. And can use to check e-mail, surf the web, update Twitter and navigate to anywhere in the country (using Motion-X Drive, of course, because Apple Maps suck).

Everything is amazing, and no one is happy.

Read the entire article here:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/church_sound_everything_is_amazing._and_no_one_is_happy/#When:18:20:51Z

The Three Phases of Ralph, the DSC Studio

Current configuration. 

Before the floors went in.

Recording Sydney's Song. The one that started it all!

Cause for Praise '12 Concert

We will be holding our annual praise concert on October 19th. Check out desertspringschurch.bandcamp.com to hear some tunes from the last couple years.

New Track from Desert Springs Church Music

We recorded this over two days while a pastor's conference was going on. It was kind of the theme song for the week.

My View Mixing Todd Agnew

This was my second time working a Todd Agnew show. He was at FreedomFest here in ABQ in 2006. He brought his band back in '06 and I was running monitors. Tonight I mixed FOH and it was just him and his guitar.

On Tour with Cheap Trick Doing Dream Police in Mix magazine

Those of you who know me know I love Cheap Trick. Here is an article about the gear used during there performances of their Dream Police album with Orchestra and Choir.

Mixing Cheap Trick Live | On Tour with Cheap Trick Doing Dream Police in Mix magazine

Psalterium Volume 2 Tracking Has Started

VBS Images

Here are a couple images from VBS. 

VBS is Coming

Well this week VBS starts here at DSC and the week will be fun. We got skits, a great band, and 300 kids. We have a great crew for set up tomorrow and into Monday. Stay tuned tomorrow for a look at the stage and maybe some tech notes.

Where is the Microphone?

I get a lot of questions about where I place the microphone on our Teaching Pastor Ryan. People notice he does not have a lav. on his lapel, shirt, or tie. He does not have anything hanging from his ear. We tried a bunch of ways to get a more consistent sound when while Ryan is preaching. Using a traditional lav proved to have to many volume and tonal changes depending where the microphone was or where Ryan was looking. We tried a couple options of over the ear microphones like the Countryman E6 and DPA4066. We even tried the E6s which was the short version of the E6, I think they are the E2 now. Ryan was either distracted by the microphone often commenting on his Brittany Spears microphone or the thing just did not stay on his head. One day I was sitting there listening to the inconsistent sound of my lav. which at times sounded great but if Ryan moved his head it would change. I had settled on the Countryman EMW classic lav., it gave the most natural sound on Ryan. While I was listening I thought why not mount it to his glasses. He has pretty thick frames, the microphone is small and flat. We gave it  a try and have not looked back since. Here are a couple of photos with my test glases and the Countryman EMW classic. We just use a little gaff tape to apply.

Input List and Gear for Caitelen CD Release Party

Well as I said I would give you a report on the input list for Cait's CD release. Well here it is.
FOH: Yamaha M7CL-48
           Aviom Card installed for monitoring
          2 Dante Cards installed for recording 32 tracks.
          EAW AS690's, KF260's and SB1000's.
          QSC PLX on the mains, Crown Macro-Tech on the subs.

Input List:

1. Stomp(actually miked up Ian stomping during Take Me Down)- Shure Beta 91

2. Kick(the Donkey, Ian's Slingerland marching bass drum turned kick Awesome)- Audix D6 

3. Snare- Audix i5

4. HiHat Shure SM81

5. Tom 1 Audix Micro D

6. Tom 2 Audix D4

7. Chair Rack and 20ft piece of pipe (see photo, yes actual chair rack)- Shure KSM32

8. OverHead- Audio Techinca ATM450

9. OverHead- Audio Techinca ATM450

10. Chimes- Shure Beta 98a

11. Stand up Bass- (Shen SB200 Willow BassFishman Full Circle.)-  Aguilar tube DI

12. Electric Bass (Regenerate Guitar Works VRB)- Lee Jackson Perfect Connect BP1000 Tube DI

13. Acoustic 1(Taylor 414)- Taylor K4 EQ and Pre

14. Resonator- Radial Pro DI

15. Acoustic 2(Gibson J45 with LR Baggs Pickup) - Radial Pro DI

16. Electric 1- E609

Guitars

PRS Single cut with Bare Knuckle pickups

Telecaster with Klein pickup

Pedals

Fulltone Fulldrive 2

Hermida Zendrive

Skreddy Lunar Module

Barber Tone Press

Line 6 M9

Boss DD-20

Amp

1964 Fender Bandmaster

Avatar 2x12 cabinet with Celestion V30 & G12H30 speakers

17. Electric 2 (Ibanez Blazer from 1999, Line 6 M7, Fender Hot Rod Deville 4x10)

18. Piano (Yamaha G3)- DPA4061. I have the stereo pair but I have been loving just one in a band      setting.

19. Ld Vocal Piano- Shure SM86a

20. Ld Vocal Standing- Shure SM58 on ULX2 transmitter and ULXP receiver

21. BGV 1- Sennheiser E935

22. BGV 2- Shure KSM9

Caitelen CD Release Concert

Here are some images from a concert we did at DSC featuring our own Caitelen Schneeberger. She is a talented young lady and I have had the privilege watching her grow in here musical skills since she was a teenager singing in our youth worship band.  I will post the input list and microphones used in a later post.

Download Cait's music from here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dark-is-light/id537770532

Summer Time Means Recording Time at DSC

As most of Desert Springs Church calms down for the summer months we in the technical and music areas gear up for a heavy dose of recording in Ralph our modest little studio. We just finished a great little EP for long time member Caitelen Scneeberger. Here is a link to hear a couple tracks. If you like buy and help support great music. Friday the disc will be released. We are celebrating the CD with a concert at Desert Springs Church Friday at 7:00pm. Oh yeah and keep a listen out for our next project. We are taking VBS music to new levels.

Youth Room System

Here is a quick run down of the Youth Room system here at DSC. It is a good sounding system for our room and it also can be portable if needed.

Console: 
Yamaha LS9-16

Monitoring

1- Aviom 16/o-Y1 Card

5- Aviom A16II

1- A16 distribution hub

Speakers

Mains:

1 QSC K12 per Side

Subwoofers:

1 per side QSC KW181i

Microphones

Shure:

1- SM 57

3- SM 58

3- PG56

3- PG 81

Sennheiser:

1- e609

Audio Technica:

1- Pro 35

Wireless:

1- Shure PG with PGX1 body transmitter/PGX2 w/SM58

Direct Boxes:

2- Radial ProDI

2- Rapco DB100
1- Radial Pro AV1

A Tool Every Church Techie Should Have

With technology so easily accesible these days a church tech guy needs to be ready for a lot of surprises. One common one is the I have my presentation/video on my computer/iPod/iPad/phone and I need to plug into the sound system. To solve this issue I have a bunch of the Radial ProAv1 for mono, and the ProAV2 for stereo. It depends on which room, and what else is happening on that system if I use the stereo or mono. The ProAV units give lots of connect options and they get rid of that nasty computer buzz when plugging into a sound system.

Redemption Church Rio Rancho

Redemption Church Rio Rancho, the fist church plant of Desert Springs Church in Albuquerque, finally moved into there new worship space this Sunday. I spent yesterday getting the sound system up and running. It has been a long road to get in this space and we praise God for the work this church is doing and is going to do in the future. Here is a breakdown of the sound equipment.

Yamaha MG32/14FX mixer
DBX 231 stereo Equalizer
QSC K12's for Mains
JBL PRX418S Subwoofer
Aviom System for monitors
Shure SM58 vocal microphones
SM57 Instrument microphones

A system that sounds pretty good and gives the some room to grow.

Second Free Download from Cause for Praise Kyrie(Lord Have Mercy)

Barbershop! Got to Love it!

Well my interesting month of extra shows continued. Earlier I mentioned that I go to hang with Robert Scovill as he and his crew set up for the Tom Petty show here abq, then I did a home school talent show here at the Springs. The next night I did house sound for a boxing pay per view for Univision. Well now, as the title of this post shows, I got do a Barbershop choir and some quartets.  The last six or so years I have  been privileged to do run sound for shows for the Duke City Sound and the last couple of years the New MexiChord's. Both choirs are excellent are fun to listen to. Usually their shows they fly in a great special quartet. This year the New Mexichords' had a group that the was here a few years ago called the O.C. Times. They were the 2008 international champions and they are really good. Visit their website and buy some of their music, I think you will enjoy. Here is what gear I used at the New MexiChords' spring show.

Choir: Two Audio Technica ATM 450's on Atlas SMS5B with Atlas Boom.
Quartets: Two Sennheiser E914's. I mounted them in an X/Y pattern using Shure's A27M stereo microphone adapter mounted on a K&M Tripod studio stand.
Monitoring was provided by 4 Meyer UM-1P

Back Stage at Easter

Here is how Easter looked back stage. Lots of cases. Guitar amp, instruments, and wedge cases.

A Look from Above

I was going through some pictures that were taken during the month of Easter. Here is what Easter rehearsal looked like this year rom 25 feet up while changing a stage light.

Cause for Praise '11 first song released for Free: He Hideth My Soul

Clarus Recap

Well Clarus is all wrapped up. It was a busy week. We started Sunday after church to transform the stage to the Clarus look. It took three attempts at the the stage to come up with a final we were all happy with. The band and stage were pretty much done on Wednesday. This was important because Thursday was the big day to install our new projectors, more on this next week. We had a great time. Three band setups, three different speakers, and one tired team at the end. Here are a couple photos from the weekend.

Clarus Day 1

Well we made it through day one. Band was awesome, speakers were awesome, and we had a pretty full house.

Clarus Setup Day 2

Well we are a little behind in our setup for Clarus this year. We had a stage design change, but I think we will still have plenty of time. Here is a photo of where we are now.

Clarus Setup Day 1

Well Clarus is upon us again! Sunday my team and I started tearing down the stage to make way for the Clarus stage design. Josiah, Kenton, and Keanan took care of striking the Youth room stage. The stage in the youth room will become chair storage. The youth room will become the resource area for the conference. Cary, Brent, Brenda, and I took care of the Worship Center Stage. I thank God for all the great volunteers I have serving here at DSC. Stay tune starting tomorrow to see photos of our progress.

Frankendrums

Well let us stay on the subject of drums. Here is a photo of a kit Ian used for a Sunday morning recently. Really two kits. Here is the list of what he used and how we miked it all up.

10x26 Donkey- 1953 Slingerland marching bass drum- Shure Beta 52

18x22 Tama Star Classic kick- Audix D6

16x16 Tama Star Classic Floor Tom- Audio Technica ATM25

5.5x14 Slingerland Snare- Shure SM57

6.5x14 Pork Pie Big Black Brass snare- SM57

Zildjian late 60's 24in ride SM81 Overhead

14in Zildjian original made in Tukey circa 1920's or 30's HiHat- Shure SM81

Zildjian 18in Crash K Custom Dark- Audio Techica Pro 35 underneath

It was a fun day of mixing up this kit. 

Drums Anyone

Thanks to Ian Byrd for helping streamline out drum storage.

Fun Video from Gurus of Tech Conference

"I'm a Guru" - Gurus 2011 Rap from Church Tech Talk on Vimeo.