Sooner or later it had to happen to me. And sure enough it did. I was handed an iPhone and asked if I could plug it in and play the audio from it. iPhone…not a problem, right? If only it was that easy.
As technology changes, you and I have to (MUST) keep up with the changes. Looking at the world of portable digital audio, I can probably safely say most of us could plug in an iPod and play an audio file. But look at all the other possible players out there!
We have the;
- iPod
- iPod Nano
- iPod-styled players
- iPhone
- Android
- Modern Cell Phones
- And the list keeps growing!
How do I…?
Here is where all of these technologies have the potential to get us in trouble; the interface.
It's easy enough to plug a digital device into an open channel on your mixer. But each different device has its own unique interface for stop / play / rewind / fast forward / and volume control.
Your options
There are three ways of looking at the problem of multiple interface designs;
- Buy / borrow them all and study the interfaces. Make notes for reference when you are handed one.
- Learn from the owner. When you are handed a new device, ask for a walk-through of how to use the basic functions.
- Deny it as a form of playable media based on your church audio format guidelines.
Out of these three, I like the idea of number one. Not the buying part, but the borrowing part. It's a great way to spend the time with the device so you know not only how to use the audio player but how to navigate to the application in case you accidently exit the application.
I'm not opposed to number three. However, I see exceptions to that rule popping up, primarily through missionary visitors. For example, your church supports a foreign missionary who has come back to the states for a short time. They walk into the church and say "I need you to play this audio file for me to sing with the native people as a backing track." You just can't say no in that scenario.
Issues
The biggest issue I've faced with using digital audio devices is the screen lock. As long as the owner has turned off the locking feature or has given you the unlock code / swipe movements then you don't have to worry about it locking up midway through the service and you are frantically looking for the owner so they can unlock it for you.
Technology is evolving and you and I are expected to play whatever media is thrown our way. Let's be ready.
Question(s): How do you deal with such requests? What have you been given in the past?
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Dennis says
October 16, 2012 at 3:58 amI’m using Sound Cue to playback tracks from my iPad.
I’m using the Apple Composite AV Cable instead of the headphones output, because the sound is much better.
I would give the Focusrite iTrack Solo a try…
Make sure all eq settings are flat…
jimmy says
January 16, 2012 at 10:55 pmWhat have you found to be the best interface from devices using the 1/8 inch jacks to the board? I bought an interface that included a volume control knob and turns the signal into a mic line. Sorry if all my terms aren’t correct. Not a pro here at all.
Chris says
January 17, 2012 at 8:58 amI saw a device just like that at the Sweetwater Gearfest in 2011. As long as it does the proper conversion without added line noise, then you are good to go.
Dennis says
October 16, 2012 at 3:39 amI think that’s the docking station you talking about: SM-ProAudio DI-Dock
http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/products/di-boxes/di-dock
The other idea is: put a 1/8 jack cable to the lectern, so the person can play the track on their own.
Be careful with Adapters 1/8 jack to XLR.
Phantom Power that goes in to an iPhone, Laptop or whatever can blow the headphone amp or the sound card.
Chris says
October 16, 2012 at 8:01 amDennis, thanks for the note on the phantom power. Yet another reason I’m not a fan of mixers with global phantom power.
Mike Weissmann says
November 30, 2011 at 7:04 pmI had a guest worship leader hand me her iPhone to play a backing track right at the end of the service. I figured “no problem” since I use my own iPhone for bumper music before and after the service anyway. So she gave me her iPhone and I hooked it up no problem. BUT…I have like zero time to do a sound check at my church on her track due to all sorts of reasons I won’t get into here! So the moment arrived for me to play the track…and when I hit play the phone showed the track playin’…but I got nuthin’! I troubleshot and figured out that the silly plastic phone cover was blocking the mini-jack from making the connection to get a signal to the board! Then I ended up with at least 30 seconds or more of dead-air trying to get the cover off the phone before I finally got the track coming through FOH. Boy was I emabarrassed. I got a lot of those “looks” from the congregation and the worship team and leader that none of us behind the mixer like getting. Lesson learned. If I get handed a phone to play tracks before the service 1) I’ll make sure the cover is removed, 2) My preference is that they play their own tracks from the stage! My instrument is the board. That’s what I play. There’s could be a phone or a Kazoo…but I’d rather let them take the heat for their selected way of playing music! And 3) It sure is nice to get tracks way in advance if possible!!!!!!
Chris says
December 2, 2011 at 9:17 amMike, good point about the phone cases interfering with the audio jack. Stuff like that really keeps us on your toes.
Danielng says
August 3, 2011 at 9:06 ami have experience this last few sunday service, when i was incharge of sound, a missionary was require me to play a track instrumental when she was singing, it was quite a stressful, it was interred service when she sing & share her testimony but i learn alot… playing CD track n stop & play from the cd player is not easy but is a learning n study… :-D and also make sure the CD is not scratch, as sometime the cd will not play properly… be careful of that… :-D
Josh Schultz says
June 21, 2011 at 7:23 pmOne of the things I do, is I accept whatever method they give me…usually cd….but then I “complain” to them and state “please send the track to me in an email or USB stick before service or as soon as you walk into church”. Dealing with a digital file is much easier when I can drag it around my desktop….
I do pick up very quickly on any mobile device, but I usually ask for a quick tour….unless service is starting like I don’t know…5 minutes ago….then I say not happening….if someone can’t get me the music or video before hand so that I can test it in the system, they WILL NOT be able to play it that sunday. PERIOD. My rule.
I do have to be understanding….usually I’ll give a warning….deal with it one week then the next time they do it…well….I rule sound….soooo….I win :) you lose :)
lol
Justin says
June 8, 2011 at 7:48 pmMy church doesn’t have a hard rule when it comes to this, it usually depends upon the time when the request is made. If the request is made before 9:45, then the media is copied onto our sound computer and played back from it. After 9:45, there is a high chance that we will refuse to play it. We’re usually scrambling til the last minute.
We once had someone make an announcement and use a song from their phone. They didn’t tell us before hand so we had no clue this was coming. They began playing the song through the terrible phone speaker and held the mic up to it!
Oh the agony!
I’m just glad I wasn’t running sound that day, otherwise I would have been tempted to mute it.
Josh Duke says
June 4, 2011 at 10:17 amI usually go with option 3. We are portable and have zero extra time for fiddling with stuff. If whatever media we need isn’t already in our hands prior to Sunday, it doesn’t get used.