Worship Musician Magazine September 2020 | Page 152

FRONT OF HOUSE
IMPROVING WORKFLOW | Kent Morris
There’s an old tech saying, “Everything is fine
until the band shows up.” And, to a large
extent, it is true. However, without the band
present, our job is essentially useless, for,
without someone to serve, there is no point in
tech. Lately, the strains of adjusting to the new
normal have made it clear: we need to improve
our workflow.
Workflow is how we set up our rigs to function
for a given application. In a church setting
with a worship team and speaking pastor,
the workflow should allow for near-seamless
transition from one segment to the next. As
the announcements close, we should be able
to cue the worship leader’s mic and unmute
the band with singular functions separate from
the BGVs. We should have the effects return
on a different mute group to keep ambience
at bay while the worship leader reads a verse.
Then, we should be able to quickly close out
the music portion and have the bumper music
come through at an appropriate level followed
by the speaking pastor’s mic being on just as
the person comes to the stage. We should
also be capable of rerouting during rehearsal
to accommodate an added singer or lay in the
bass track from the stems and route it to the
band ears when the bassist calls in sick that
morning. If this is not the case for you, read on.
If we have Groundhog Day church, that is, the
same exact thing every service, then workflow is
a series of memorized muscle movements. For
the rest of us, things change and do so quickly,
with no prior notice. We must have systems in
place flexible enough to make these transitions
smoothly with no drama. When a leader asks
for a change, they have no idea if the request is
simple or complex. Within reason, we should be
able to make it happen without them noticing a
disruption, which requires us to think about all
the ways “they” can create havoc in our world.
To meet this goal, the best approach is to
build flexibility into the system. At the console,
(assuming it’s a digital desk) lay out the layers
with the most used channels on the top: pastor,
WL, BGV, keys, acoustic guitar, kick and snare.
Next layer down, put the electric guitar, bass,
percussion and other instruments. Third layer
will be the rest of the drums and ancillary
inputs. Always leave a spare channel open on
each layer for the surprises. Set up the mix like
it happens.
Become familiar with the patching scheme
of your console. Know how to quickly route
around something or double something up.
Keep a written list of how to patch for the
day you are out of town. Know how the stage
boxes are tied into the floor pockets and where
the spare patch cables reside.
If you normally require six wireless channels, go
ahead and dial in eight, just in case. For IEMs,
have a spare pack designated as the cue mix
so you can dial into anyone’s mix and hear what
they are hearing in order to address any issues.
Buy and keep spare batteries and at least one
spare wireless mic element plus a decent pair
of ears at the ready. Have a back-up headset
mic plus the breakable items which so often
disrupt a service such as clips, ear pieces
and cables.
Get ahead of the curve by actively pursuing
the next week’s requirements now before the
rehearsal starts. Be persistent and ask the
worship leader for any BGV changes they
intend to implement. Engage the musicians
and ask them to let you know when they buy
a new keyboard or swap from a guitar amp to
a pedal set-up so you can be prepared when
they walk into the sanctuary.
Lastly, keep your wits about you. Sometimes,
leadership asks the impossible and unwittingly
throws you under the bus. Do not react in the
moment. Work the problem. Find some way
to accomplish at least part of their request
and then debrief when the pressure is off.
Remember; be the professional they think
you are.
Kent Morris
Kent is a 40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by
passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge
digital is a temporary state.
152 September 2020
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