was in the midst of a main campus building way to “train up” from smaller formats [WM] Be it streaming or on YouTube,
project, that also coincided with a fully to larger desks very quickly, and with a 're-purposing' live content is key these days.
depreciated main auditorium front of house virtually identical approach to control and What were some of the key things your team
audio console. The desk was well used and in mixing. Combine that with offline session learned in the early days, and what advice do
desperate need of being replaced. We needed building and sharing across the different you have for teams who are just getting started
to make some decisions with a future main console models, and training experienced with this?
campus, and expanding a model of multi- and inexperienced operators became very campus churches in mind. That console was a productive.
[Andy] Measure, Audit, and do it again,
Yamaha PM1D, and it was still on a (very) few
and often!!
touring riders, but it wasn’t sustainable for us to [WM] Can you tell us about your process continue, so we were seeking to replace that for raising up and training techs (sound, light, We have a few resources that we have acquired
with a viable option. We had many variables projection etc.) at your satellite campuses? over time, because of the size and scale of all
to consider, and in those days, Yamaha didn’t
that we do, but if you break down the parts (I
have, and couldn’t commit to the replacement [Andy] It’s not unlike the on-boarding and keep preaching scalability, right?), the basics
of that large format desk. So, the search volunteer process previously shared. Every apply to any stand-alone church of any size.
happened elsewhere with our variables in campus operates in a scalable version of If you make it a point to provide resources for
mind. In short, we went with Digico because this system. Each campus has its own your team to improve, they will. Specifically, we
of sonic comparisons, features, scalability, and community and group of technicians that archive every service. It’s a recording of the “live”
trainability. We don’t regret it, and across all report to a local campus technical leader, and service at any and all campuses. It isn’t a post-
campuses (large and small format), we have he or she shepherds this flock. They have a production masterpiece, but it’s rather good.
more than 30 Digico consoles, and more than local orientation, and specific training to that More than capable in a playback of whatever
32 Digico racks of different styles. campus’s operating positions. This leader you are doing – stream, YouTube etc. But… we
grows the team, and provides the care and use it as a teaching tool too. Even if that’s all it
A few of the important things we considered: feeding. I would like to point out that these is, it’s worth the investment. Think about it, it’s
1. We were (and still are) recording live leaders have great servant’s hearts. They are more than a tool for the tech teams. Worship
albums frequently, and the Digico pre- humble and sincere leaders looking to advance teams, Oversight Pastors, and all involved with
amps sounded great and provided a God’s kingdom, and I’m truly proud of them. getting the service done, they will benefit from
multi-channel recording and pre-amp split
2.
3.
4.
“checking” and learning from what was done in
option that was appealing. A fiber network We do have a few resources beyond the that service. It’s likely going to be rough at first,
backbone meant less copper concerns campus by way of a select group of centralized but it will become a tool for others to improve,
too with a clean digital system. “core” technicians (specialists of their craft and and it’s a measuring tool, not to condemn, but
The pre-amps were sharable, controllable, discipline) that help us monitor, sustain and to openly communicate, and to look back on
and had assignable control that allowed maintain processes that keep us looking and where you’ve come. There are 1,000 ways
sharing in a healthy way across the feeling like Gateway Church. You should be to accomplish this, so I’m not going to point
network with many consoles. Also, this able to go into any of our campuses and feel to any specific equipment (even just an audio
was a realized cost savings. like you are home. The beauty of the satellite or recording can help the team grow), just know
The convenience of gain sharing (#2 “extension” campus is that it has the ability to that in the end, the usefulness of the media
above), as a cost savings was nice, but be a stand-alone church, and like the weekend over time will be multi-dimensional, provide
gain tracking across the consoles sharing services, it can function as a campus receiving many with a great resource, and could be the
the pre-amps was exceptionally smooth a message from the main campus. Likewise, most productive gateway (sorry, couldn’t resist)
and audibly transparent. Digico also we also have the ability for a campus to be to an online audience.
provided the greatest amount of available the “sending” location with content being trim adjustment (plus or minus 24dB of delivered out to all other campus. It can be [WM] Thanks so much for joining us. Is there
control), just in case you needed the extra. the origination point of a message, just like our anything else you'd like to add?
The consoles we went with were not only Southlake “main” campus. We still treat all of on many touring riders (and still today), these campuses with the technical ability to [Andy] Just that I’m very blessed to be here,
but we were able to demo and hear be a stand-alone church with full production and thank you for asking my perspective.
this format. Additionally, Digico offers a available for a local Worship experience, and a I’m honored!
scalability that provides a cost-effective local Pastor overseeing his/her campus life.
January 2019
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