My mom used to say, "never assume anything." This is never truer than with audio production. I've made many a costly mistake because of an assumption. I made one just last wee...um, never mind I said that. I'd normally jump in with a story but today, I'm getting right to the details! The ... Read More
Audio production has long included choir miking and that's where the problem started. Miking a choir requires proper microphone placement and the 3-to-1 rule is often referenced. It's also where the myth was birthed. The myth is this: The 3:1 microphone placement ratio extends to ALL ... Read More
You could put a lapel mic on anyone in seven seconds. An ear-worn microphone might take a little longer. But this isn't a rodeo. You don't win anything for the fastest time. Most of all, the person being miked is already uncomfortable and a quick accosting just makes it worse. Let's jump into ... Read More
"Why does my new Shure Beta 87 lack the warmth of my old Shure Beta 58?" This was the basic question to me in an email last week. The answer begins with a glance at our old friend the regular ol’ Shure SM57. Over the weekend, I visited a church which had recently migrated from an electronic ... Read More
If you think you have more time to replace those 600 MHz-band wireless microphones in the sanctuary, think again. Your wireless microphones might stop working as soon as tomorrow. In some cases, it's already a problem. Backstory Originally, the United States Federal Communications Commission ... Read More
Looking beyond just a bad mix, there are several reasons for a bad sound. Primarily, it's because modern praise music is just plain wrong. Just kidding. There are a variety of factors that can kill any attempt at creating a beautiful sound for the congregation. Let's ... Read More
In a grand hall, a huge coliseum, and even a huge sanctuary, the more likely our mentality is "let's do this the right way." Running sound in large venues drives us towards excellence. Now what is your mentality in a very small room? If you're not careful, you'll find yourself slipping into five ... Read More
Running sound at church can be like running sound for a variety show. You never know what will next come your way. Today, you walk into the church and find out a singing quartet is on the roster. Their only request: only one microphone for all four of the singers. Let's investigate your ... Read More
