More info on pg. 41

WHEN LESS IS MORE

Many church pianists we work with often feel overwhelmed by the number of choices out there— and even more so by the number of knobs, buttons, and controls on keyboards.“ All I need,” they tell us,“ is an instrument that plays like an acoustic piano and has a fantastic natural piano sound.”

If this sounds like you, then you’ ll want to select what’ s called a stage piano— and ideally one with a full set of 88 weighted keys( also called weighted action). These keyboards actually mimic the response of a grand piano’ s keybed, where the lowest keys require more force to strike, and the upper keys feel light and airy beneath your fingertips. To nail the sound of an acoustic piano, today’ s top keyboard manufacturers have gone to great lengths to record some of the finest grand pianos in the world, putting these sounds right inside the instruments. Not only can you get the sound of a classic Steinway, but on many you can also push a single button to get the sound of a Bosendorfer, a Yamaha C7, or a character-

If you’ re replacing an acoustic piano, then you should consider the importance of aesthetics to your church. If you have more-traditional services or are seeking a really natural look up on the platform, then you may want to choose a more authentic-looking stage piano. We have options available with wooden cabinets, a variety of finishes, so you can choose an instrument that matches the decor of your church.

filled upright.

Worship Sound Pro 101 Guides

TO CONSIDER your decision: 1. ACTION

2. SOUNDS

electric pianos, organs, and more?

and a direct-to-computer connection.

maintaining a first-class playing experience.

4. SIZE AND PORTABILITY

5. APPEARANCE

2. USE WHAT’ S ALREADY THERE.

Though creating the perfect sound mix for a service is a true art, a sound person with little or no mixing experience can still achieve good sonic clarity and deliver the message with

Hopefully, your sound system is already set up, the cables and pleasant and effective audio. Here are some tips for saving the the snake are run to the mixer, and the monitors are tuned day with a quick, last-minute mix— whether you are working in to prevent feedback. Plug the mics into the mixer or snake the sound booth yourself or have the help of a volunteer. in their usual positions. Try to use the same“ old standby” microphones and other gear you usually use— again, now is not the time to experiment with new gear!

Unfortunately, mix emergencies rarely occur when you have loads of spare time to work on a solution— it almost always happens minutes before the service is supposed to start. While your sound booth may have racks of processors

Explain to everyone that the regular sound person is not and sophisticated audio equipment, now is not the time to available and that help is required to have the service go well. experiment with effects or to randomly start turning knobs. This means guitarists need to turn down, drummers need to

Focus on the bare minimum you need to get the job done. control volume, and so on. Explain that the monitor system

Leave the special effects for another time. may not be perfect— forewarning the team that everything may not be ideal will go a long way toward easing the process for everyone. At least they will know what to expect!

Turn on the speakers or the amplifiers last; this prevents loud thumps and pops from coming through the system.

Begin by pulling all the volume sliders( faders) down to zero.( Usually these are found at the bottom of each channel on the mixer.) Set the channel gain to a mid position.( Usually this knob is found at the top of each channel on the mixer.) Next, reset all the equalization( tone) controls on the mixer to their center position, which is essentially off. Turn the auxiliary or monitor sends off. Make sure that mute or solo buttons are disengaged.( Usually these buttons are off in the up position.) Set the master volume fader to about 50 %.

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Behringer X32 Compact..$ 1999 99

More info on pg. 87

Worship Sound Pro 101 Guides

Wireless technology can be a little daunting at first. But don’ t worry, wireless systems are much easier to understand today than ever before. Most wireless systems set themselves up for you, and once you’ ve set them up, you don’ t need to touch them again. Here’ s a simple overview of wireless microphone technology, how you can put it to work in your church, and how to avoid some common pitfalls.

TRANSMITTERS

3. HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE

WORSHIP TEAM.

There are two basic types of wireless transmitters: handheld units and bodypacks. Handheld units combine a microphone and a wireless transmitter into one device. They are extremely convenient for worship leaders, and even some pastors prefer them. Wireless handheld microphones are also less susceptible to dropout, because the transmitter part of the unit naturally points out toward the receiving antennas. Bodypack transmitters allow you to plug in a

lavalier microphone or a guitar cable, giving you both wireless and handsfree convenience.

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More info on pg. 63

RECEIVERS

4. TURN IT ON.

5. RESET THE MIXING BOARD.

MINIMIZING PROBLEMS

Samson Synth 7.....$ 349 99

More info on pg. 69

Feedback is always a concern during services and performances. Using a microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern will help to minimize feedback. This is especially critical for lavalier mics, which are often available with either cardioid or omnidirectional capsules.

Signal dropout is just as bad as feedback. Even intermittent dropout can ruin an otherwise wonderful service. An unbroken line of sight between the transmitter and the receiver’ s antennas is ideal, but seldom is that possible. Most often, the wireless signal must rebound off of walls and other surfaces to reach the receiver, and that increases the risk of dropout. To minimize the risk of signal dropout, keep your bodypack in your front jacket pocket.

Another major problem is broadband noise and radio interference. If your house of worship is located in a city, chances are that an entry-level analog wireless system simply won’ t work for you. Digital wireless systems, which reject noise and other nondigital signals, are excellent, cost-effective alternatives to traditional wireless systems.

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The Basics of

Building a Mix

Choosing the Right Keyboard

It’ s bound to happen at some point: the mix disaster. maybe your church’ s regular sound person calls in sick at the last minute. maybe the new volunteer sound person doesn’ t know a volume slider from a sliding door, or a mixing board from a mixing bowl. Whatever the circumstance, something has to be done to save the service. Without decent sound, the congregation won’ t be engaged or inspired by the music, and the message may be completely lost.

Whether you’ re looking for a simple instrument that just plays and sounds like a real acoustic piano, or you’ re seeking a powerful centerpiece for all your worship team’ s ambitions, there’ s a digital piano that’ s right for your church. to help you zero in on the perfect keyboard for your needs, let’ s take a look at the different kinds of keyboards available, as well as the important factors you’ ll want to consider when making your decision.

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5

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MAIN FEATURES

As you take a look at the keyboards featured on the next few pages, these five factors will help you start narrowing down

Do you want keys that are weighted to feel and play just like an acoustic piano’ s? Or do you want keys that glide beneath your fingers so that you can easily play synth and organ parts?

Do you primarily need an authentic acoustic piano sound, or would you like to have other sounds such as strings, synths,

Will you be composing songs with your keyboard? If so, you may want to have a built-in sequencer, onboard drum sounds,

Choosing a 76-key keyboard instead of a full-size 88-key instrument can be a great way to cut down on weight while

How important is it that your church’ s keyboard resemble an acoustic piano? Do you want an integrated stand, or would you prefer to use a more portable stage-style keyboard stand?

3. ARRANGING / RECORDING CAPABILITIES

All professional wireless receivers are true-diversity receivers, which means that they use two independent antennas. That way, if the wireless signal doesn’ t reach one antenna, it can still reach the other. Quality wireless receivers have antennas that twist off, allowing you to mount them on stands and spread them out. Separating your antennas vastly increases their effectiveness. Also, if you have a multichannel wireless system, adding an antenna distribution system will allow you to connect only a single pair of antennas to multiple receivers.

Whether your future wireless system is a single-channel, single-speaker setup or a larger system for the whole worship team, it should effectively and accurately spread the message. If the number of quality wireless systems you need is beyond your current budget, practice wise stewardship and save your money until you can afford the system that your house of worship deserves. There are excellent single-channel wireless systems that you can start with and expand later. Your Sweetwater Sales Engineer will be happy to help you find the right system for your church.

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