sound quality is determined by mic selection , mic placement , EQ , compression , the actual PA , etc .
Of course there are examples where the source sound quality does matter . It is difficult to imagine an acoustic guitar with buzzing frets and dead strings resulting in a crisp and well-defined sound in the mix . A vocalist with bad technique and intonation may be beyond saving even with the snazziest of mics and postprocessing . If we are to be the best stewards of church resources that we can be , it will be important to get our head around where we might prioritize upgrading source instruments and microphones and in-console or outboard live sound gear .
DRUM ROLL , PLEASE … In my experience , most of the issues with live worship sound reinforcement tend to relate to the drum kit . Or at least the worst sonic gremlins spawn from the drums . As I noted earlier , some of the source drum components may not need to be the most perfect sonic specimens right at the source . Bass drums often exhibit the greatest difference between the acoustic signature on stage ( un-amplified ) and the end result that is desired in the PA mix . That often means that as long as we ’ re ‘ close enough for jazz ’ we can get a workable bass drum sound .
One thing to watch out for is an overly ‘ live ’ kick drum that lacks definition and may tend to bleed into other elements of the kit . I ’ d tend to err on the side of being too muffled vs . too open .
If I was forced to present an equation of sonic quality contribution for bass drums between the acoustic source , the mic , the mic placement and console processing , I ’ d probably go with something like 20 %, 40 %, 10 %, 30 %. Using a tiny mic three feet away from the batter head is not going to be a good result no matter how good the drum sounds itself . But even a somewhat wacky sounding acoustic drum with a bass drum mic in an optimal position and with good EQ will work .
Toms are a similar story in most cases . Unless you are Dave Weckl or you have a very specific style in mind , super live and resonant toms are usually a recipe for disaster . Shoot for a good fundamental and use gels or some sort of muffling to remove any strange ring or overtones at the source . Then use EQ and compression and maybe even a light gate at the console to bring things into focus . For toms the acoustic source , the mic , the mic placement and console processing contribution split is roughly 30 %, 30 %, 20 %, 20 %.
As we move to the snare drum things get tricky . Rather than the 20 % or 30 % portion
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