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 . 4 . SIZE AND PORTABILITY

maintaining a first-class playing experience . 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 .

Shure QLX-D .........$ 1072 00 More info on pg . 63

RECEIVERS

4 . TURN IT ON .

5 . RESET THE MIXING BOARD .

MINIMIZING PROBLEMS

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 .

THE RIGHT SYSTEM FOR YOUR NEEDS

Call us today at ( 800 ) 222-4700

Roland VR-09 ............$ 899 00

Portable performance keyboard with Sweetwater-exclusive sound library ( pg . 41 )

Nord Electro 4D .......$ 2199 00 outstanding pianos and organs plus excellent playability ( pg . 42 )

Presonus SLRM32AI ..$ 1999 95 More info on pg . 89

Korg Kross 88 ............$ 999 99

Fantastic live keyboard also lets you create great accompaniments ( pg . 44 )

6 . BEGIN TESTING EACH SOUND SOURCE 11 . IT ’ S TIME FOR THE EQUALIZERS . THROUGH THE MAINS .

Up to this point , we haven ’ t touched the equalizers ( tone Have the main vocalist speak or sing into his or her mic . Bring controls ) on the mixer . If you find that the sound is getting too up the volume slider until you can hear the vocals in the main bassy or boomy , use the “ low ” or bass tone control to reduce speakers . Turn up the auxiliary or monitor sends until the vocalist the bass frequencies a small amount on instruments such as can hear himself or herself in the monitors . As you verify that bass guitar , keyboards , and piano . Vocalists , especially male each mic or source works , pull its volume fader back down to vocalists , may also need their bass reduced a small amount . zero . You can leave the aux ( monitor ) sends turned up so that To increase the clarity of a vocal or an instrument , add a small the singers can hear themselves . To prevent feedback , don ’ t run amount of treble or high frequencies by using the tone controls the stage monitors too loud . on that mixer channel . Be careful with the tone controls , as overuse can lead to feedback !

Watch for red overload or “ clip ” lights on the mixer . If you see these , turn down the gain controls at the top of that

Adjust volume levels so that instruments and vocals are source ’ s channel . balanced , and adjust the bass and the treble controls on channels as necessary to prevent boominess , harshness , or spikes in sound . Ask each worship team member what he or she needs to hear from the monitors — one at a time so that everyone doesn ’ t speak at once — and adjust the auxiliary

Start with the bass drum and the bass guitar , turning them up sends accordingly . to a comfortable level and balancing them against one another . You may need to adjust the level of the master volume fader to get the overall level to the right point .

Set things up so that they are clean and clear , and at a comfortable , conservative volume level . Then stop ! Once you get to the point where it sounds okay — this should happen

Now focus on the vocals . Set them to a comfortable level , fairly quickly — stop tweaking the knobs . It ’ s easy to lose balanced against the bass guitar and the bass drum . The lead perspective and get lost in knob turning , even though the goal vocalist needs to be the loudest , with the background or has already been achieved . harmony vocals filling behind .

When in doubt , focus on making the vocals , whether spoken or sung , clearly audible . The congregation is there to hear the

One at a time , begin turning up the other instruments . Start message , which is contained the words and lyrics . The music with the rest of the drums , then the guitars , the pianos , the keyboards , and any other instruments . Adjust the volume as

Roland Integra-7 .....$ 1999 00 over 6 , 000 Roland sounds plus incredible effects ( pg . 43 )

7 . HAVE THE WORSHIP TEAM BEGIN TO PLAY A SONG .

12 . FINE-TUNE THE MIX AND THE MONITORS .

8 . BUILD THE MIX BY BRINGING UP THE VOLUME FADERS FOR THE BASICS FIRST .

13 . DON ’ T TRY TO OVERTUNE THE MIX , AND DON ’ T MAKE IT TOO LOUD .

9 . TURN UP THE VOLUME FADERS FOR THE VOCALS .

14 . HERE ’ S A FINAL TIP .

10 . TURN UP THE VOLUME FADERS ON

THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS .

Samson Synth 7 .....$ 349 99 More info on pg . 69

Roland FA-08 ..........$ 1799 00

Premium keyboard workstation with tactile controls , pads , and over 2 , 000 great sounds ( pg . 43 )

Kawai MP7 ...............$ 1799 00

Great-playing stage piano with hundreds of sounds , incredible effects , and controller capability ( pg . 47 ) is inspiring and essential to a great service , but it plays just a supporting role in the grand scheme of things . Ensure that the needed . Balance each one against the vocals , the bass drum , vocals are heard , and the service will be a success ! and the bass guitar . This is a place where you can err on the side of being conservative . The vocals are the main focus , and you want to ensure that they are clearly audible . Use the other instruments to fill around the vocals , without obscuring them . As you go , adjust the master volume fader to control the overall level .

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THE WORD !

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Worship Sound Pro 101 Guides

Hammond Sk1-88 ....$ 2995 00 More info on pg . 41

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 ,

3 . ARRANGING / RECORDING CAPABILITIES 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 ?

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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VOluNTEER-FRIENDlY

101 GuIDEs

our guides help you make better mixes , choose the right wireless systems , and much more !

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