Form Factors – Narrowing the Field

The sound reinforcement requirements of a church are different than those of more typical live performances, so once you’ve decided what type (dynamic or condenser) and polar pattern (omni or uni) you’re going to need for each application – pastor, soloist, choir, worship leader, praise band – there’s the form factor to consider.   This is actually pretty simple because the solutions are fairly straightforward.

We’ll look at them one by one.

Lectern Mic

Lectern

One of the most common microphones used in houses of worship are lectern or podium microphones.  Gooseneck microphones are recommended since they position the mic up high and close to the speaker’s mouth.  These are usually cardioid condenser microphones since they are very small and unobtrusive and also since their greater sensitivity allows the microphone to be positioned 10”-14” and a little off-center from a speaker’s mouth.

One of the reasons that the mic is positioned off-center is the undesirable popping sound of plosives (p’s and t’s).  When the mic is off to the side, the air blast that causes those plosives will go past the microphone rather than right into the microphone.  Using a windscreen also helps.

Tips:

• Make sure you only have one microphone on at the lectern, to minimize comb filtering
• Use a pop filter and a shock mount to minimize unwanted sounds.
• Turn off unused microphones

Boundary Mic

Altar

The altar is another area that you may need to mic.  In that case a gooseneck microphone may not be aesthetically pleasing, so boundary microphones – usually condenser types – are the typical solution.

Tips:

• Try not to place them too close to the edge of the altar since they’re limited to a 60o vertical pick-up angle.   If the microphone isn’t placed deep enough into the altar, you run the risk of the speaker talking over the microphone instead of into it.
• Turn off unused microphones.
• Position speakers within 24”-36” of the mic.

The low profile of boundary mics also subjects them to the risk of having speakers place objects over them and since they’re typically sensitive condenser-type mics, they’re susceptible to noises like page turning.   Still, they’re usually the best choice for altar applications.

Lavalier Mic

Lavalier

One way to make sure that the pastor or worship leader is heard clearly is to use a lavalier microphone where the speaker or singer can move around freely without concerns about being picked up by the mic.    Here’s where you want to think about polar patterns

Tips:

• My choice is the omnidirectional lavalier microphone because you don’t need to be as concerned with placement – you can aim it in any direction and there’s no proximity effect.    There’s minimal pickup of wind or cable noise – and they are less susceptible to plosives. Omni lavaliers sound natural and they’re the easiest to place.
• On the other hand, if you’re experiencing gain before feedback problems, you may need to go with a unidirectional lav microphone, sometimes with a cardioid or even a supercardioid pattern   It will also help to reduce background noise in a nosy environment. Remember that they’re more susceptible to cable noise, plosives, wind noise, proximity effect and other things that will color the sound quality and add more artifacts than you desire.

If you can make the omni work, that’s the way to go.   Placement is usually about 8” below the mouth in the center, because the pickup will be affected if the speaker moves his head from side to side.   That’s a common problem with any lav mic. If possible, it’s also beneficial to use a windscreen.

Tips:

• Secure the cable to the wearer’s clothing to eliminate cable noise.
• If multiple mics are used when the speaker approaches the lectern or alter, remember to turn unused mics off, otherwise comb filtering may result.

Countryman Mic

Headworn (Headset)

The headworn mic is by far preferred over lavaliers in most church applications these days, though some people don’t like to wear anything on their heads. There are some very tiny headworn microphones that hook over one ear and are barely noticeable.

They take care of just about all the problems experienced with lavalier microphones and offer some significant advantages:

• Gain before feedback is much better – the mic is right next to the speaker’s mouth. Since the mic moves with the speaker’s head, the sound level and quality don’t change.
• They are omni condenser mics with multiple color options so skin tone can be matched – with single ear and dual ear options.
• Placement is easy – left or right side doesn’t matter.
• Overall, you’ll experience more consistent sound quality, fewer feedback problems and better gain before feedback.

The Choir and the Praise Band

Here are a few quick tips for miking the choir and members of your praise band. Volumes can be – and have been – written on various techniques for achieving a specific sound, but this overview will get your started.

The Choir

Stand-mounted or hanging mics can be used to pick up the choir. In almost all cases, these are condenser mics.  They have a flatter, natural frequency response and are sensitive enough to work well at a distance.

Try to mic the choir as if it’s an acoustic instrument.  It’s the same way you’d mic an orchestra.   You’re trying to capture the ensemble without coloring it too much.  Most often, these are unidirectional condenser mic.

Tip:

• The 3-to-1 rule applies. Typically you’re going to position the mic 2-3 feet in front of the choir with the most sensitive point of the mic aimed toward the back row of the choir, and adjacent mics about 4 – 6 feet apart from each other.   That helps provide even coverage because the most sensitive point of the mic is aimed at the singers who are furthest and the singers who are closest are positioned at a less sensitive point, so you’ll get nice, even coverage.

Tip:

• If you’re using hanging mics, you need to be careful not to hang the mics over the heads of the singers, rather than 2’-3’ in front of their mouths, aimed at the back row.  Failing to do that will results in a dull, dark sound with very little sound level reaching the microphone. You need to be able to mic their mouths (the sound source) and not the top of their heads.

Tip: 

• It is best to use as few mics as possible and avoid as much overlap as possible.   If you need to use more than one and the first one is 2’ away from the choir at an 130o angle, the way to position it is to follow the 3-to-1 rule and position the next mic 6’ away.   And if that’s not enough, place another microphone 6’ feet away.

The Congregation

Miking the congregation isn’t a musical application but it is something that comes up since adding ambient sound creates a more natural mix for broadcast feeds or recording.    It’s similar to choir miking since you can think of the congregation as a large ensemble.

Tips:

• You will probably want to use some type of unobtrusive unidirectional microphone and only for recording or broadcast purposes where you need to add some ambience.
• Don’t mic the congregation for sound reinforcement purposes.   If you need to hear an individual in the congregation, the best way to do that is with a wireless handheld.

The Praise Band

Here are some basic member-by-member suggestions:

Vocals

• Handheld or headworn mic.
• Unidirectional – dynamic or condenser – depending on the sound quality you’re trying to achieve.

Look for a good shock mount that eliminates some of the handling noise. The SM58, for example, has a very good shock mount. You can tap on the microphone and you won’t hear very much.  A cheap mic can sound like a freight train when you do the same thing.

Electric guitar amp

• Dynamic or condenser
• Make sure the sensitivity of the condenser mic is designed for the application.

Beta 181 is a good choice. You can hang it over the top of the guitar amp in front of the speaker without needing a mic stand.

Drums 

• Dynamic mics for snare and tom-toms, which handle the high SPLs in these applications.
• Condenser mics are useful for overheads and cymbals.
• Percussion mics might be condensers as well for general area miking applications.
• Kick drum: Beta 52A is the Shure mic designed specifically for use as a bass drum mic, but a Beta 91A boundary microphone can also be a good choice for its low-profile design and set-up ease.
• Snare drum: Good choices include SM57 or Beta 57A mics.  Place the boom-mounted mic in front of the kit, a few inches from the snare drum edge, next to and just above the high tom head for a natural sound.
• Toms: Beta 56A or Beta 98AMP mics can be used.  For the best isolation, consider placing a microphone inside each tom-tom.
• Overheads: A Beta 181/C or PG81 mic can be positioned about a foot above the drummer’s head or a matched pair of either model can be used for stereo miking.

Grand or upright piano

• Condenser mics for flatter, more natural frequency response.
• Stand-mounted or boundary mics are also good choices. Boundary mics can actually be taped inside the lid of the piano.
• KSM137 is a good choice for a stand-mounted mic.  It can withstand high sound pressure levels and it’s also available in a stereo kit, making it ideal for X/Y configuration miking preferred by many live sound engineers.
• For mounting inside the piano, you can use a Beta 91A cardioid condenser microphone. This microphone will work for both a grand and upright piano.

It all comes down to this

What’s really important is knowing how the mic sounds, using your ears to chose the right one and then knowing where to place it.  Moving the microphone just a few inches in one direction or another can improve the sound quality dramatically. Time for experimentation is time well spent.

One way to do this at home is to check out the Mic Listening Lab where you can listen to many different types of mics on many different instruments (including vocals) so that you can hear the differences for yourself. You’ll also find an “Audition This Mic” link at the bottom of product pages on the Shure site.

Choose the right mic, put it in the right place, keep it as close to the sound source, use as few mics as possible, turn off unused mics and trust your ears.

ABOUT GINO SIGISMONDI: Gino Sigismondi has been active in the music and audio industry for nearly twenty years. Currently managing the Systems Support department, Gino brings his years of practical experience in professional audio to the product training seminars he conducts for Shure customers, dealers, distribution centers, and internal staff. He is the author of the Shure educational publications “Selection and Operation of Personal Monitors,” “Audio Systems Guide for Music Educators,” and “Selection and Operation of Audio Signal Processors.”

Gino spent several post-college years as a live sound engineer for Chicago-area sound companies, nightclubs, and local acts. He continues to remain active as a musician and sound engineer, expanding his horizons beyond live music to include sound design for modern dance and church sound.

Shure has been a sponsor of the East Bay’s Soundwall Music Camp, a non-profit organization that runs two one-week sessions for campers aged 12-17 on the campus of UC-Santa Cruz.  When Music Director (and drummer) John Xepoleas contacted our editorial staff for a gear assist, we were able to come through for the teen campers.

The campers were there to learn.  But did John discover anything?  Here’s his story:

Shure SM27 Multipurpose Microphone

“About a year ago, Shure sent me a box of microphones to use for the recording classes we offer at the Soundwall Rock n’ Roll Summer music camps. I received the mics in April and since the camps don’t take place until July, I was compelled to check out the goods.

The job at hand was to see how well the mics worked for recording a rock drum set.   I was already using a Beta 52 to mic the bass drum, an SM57 to mic the snare and a set of SM81s as overheads. The box contained three SM27 large diaphragm condenser microphones.  I’d never used or even heard of an SM27.

Round One: The first order of business was to use the SM27s as overheads on a basic 5-piece drum set.  I kept the switchable frequency filter flat and placed the mics about 3 feet apart and 18” or so above the cymbals.  (Figure 1)  I put the Beta52®A inside the port-hole of the bass drum facing the bass drum beater and placed an SM57 about 2 fingers distance off the snare head. I put a couple of Beta 98s on the rack toms, the third SM27 on the floor tom and added an SM 81 to the hi-hat.  All pretty basic drum miking techniques.

Figure 1 – Round One

My next order of business was to fire up my Pro Tools® rig and see what these babies sounded like.  I hit the record button, laid down a couple of simple rock grooves, gave the hi-hat and cymbals a workout and played a few fills around the set.  After about 10 minutes of doing what I love most to do – playing the drums – I put down the sticks, turned on the studio monitors and sat back to hear how it sounded.

To start with, I just listened to the SM27 overheads. To my great surprise, everything sounded really good.  I was missing the punch from the bass drum, so I brought up the channel with the Beta 52A into the mix.  At this point I was only listening to three mics and the drums sounded fat, full and crisp.  I wanted a bit more crack from the snare, so I brought up the snare channel.  And that was it!

With only four mics, I had just about everything anyone could want in a drum sound. The cymbals sizzled and I was hearing plenty of hi-hat.  The toms sounded so full that I thought I left the tom tracks on by mistake.  The snare drum had a nice crack and presence and the bass drum had the perfect amount of attack and bottom end.  I couldn’t have been happier.

For the final step, I added a taste of the tom mics into the mix for a bit more clarity and separation plus a little more bottom end on the floor tom. I also added a tiny bit of the hi-hat channel to the mix with a bit of EQ for some extra sizzle.  This worked nicely to polish and refine the really nice sound I was getting with just four mics.  Success.

Round Two: For this round, I swapped the SM27 on the floor tom for a PG56.

I took the SM27 and placed it at the opposite end of the room – about 12 feet away – facing the kit.  I added some compression to the channel.  In fact, I compressed the heck out of it at about 100:1, then I bashed away for another ten minutes.

When I first listened back, the beautiful drum sound I was hearing before now sounded really crappy.  I realized that the room channel was blasting through the mix with its raw, over compressed sound.  I brought it way back in the mix and was able to find a perfect point where it gave the drums a really nice full open sound and a welcome option to the close miking sound I was getting before.  Another success.

Round Three: Now it was time to put the mics to work on a live jazz recording session.   For this session, the group included acoustic bass, guitar, trumpet and drums.

The drums were a classic Gretsch be-bop set with an 18” bass drum, 12” and 14” toms, snare, and a beautiful set of Zildjian Constantinople cymbals and hi-hats.  (Figure 2) Once again, I used the SM27s as overheads, an SM57 on the snare and the Beta 52A on the bass drum.  For this session, I placed the Beta 52A about 4” away from the bass drum facing the right side of the drum. (Figure 3)

Figure 2 – Round Three: Jazz Set Miking

We sound-checked the drums and they sounded great.  In fact, we only ended up using the snare channel for one song where I played brushes.  The cymbals sizzled, the toms cut through and the snare fit perfectly into the mix.  With the mic placement described above, the small jazz bass drum sounded round and full.

Figure 3 – Round Three: Bass Drum Miking

Miking the rest of the group.  We were all recording in the same room at the same time, so we needed some isolation.  We faced the guitar amp away from the drums and miked it using an SM57 facing the speaker.  The trumpet player was on the other side of the room also using a 57.  The bass player played through a small amp using his pick-up. But in addition to that, we used an SM27 placed directly in front of and about six inches from the strings, with the capsule halfway between the bridge and the bottom end of the fingerboard.  The bass sounded great.  Plenty of bottom end yet plenty of articulation.  When mixing, we were able to find a really a nice blend of the pick-up and mic sound.  Later, a seasoned jazz musician friend of mine heard the recordings and was amazed at how good everything sounded. He said, “I’ve recorded in some of the best studios in the world and haven’t heard the drums and bass sound this good”.  I guess the proof is in the pudding.

Round four: A much different type of session.  This time it was a young talented saxophonist playing along with pre-recorded tracks for his college auditions.

I have a few mics that I would normally use on a saxophone, but I thought I would try the SM27. He played for a few minutes, and then we gave it a quick listen.  He absolutely loved the sound of his saxophone.  No EQ, no fuss, no muss, just his tenor and the SM27.   We both agreed that there wasn’t even a need to listen to any other mics.  I’m not saying it was because of the microphone we used, but he did get into the college of his choice.

Final Round: Recording a twenty-piece big band in a concert hall.  Needless to say, I had to use just every microphone I own.  This time I used a couple of SM81s for drum overheads along with the Beta 52A on the bass drum and a Beta 56®A on the snare.  We used a couple of small condensers on the piano, the bass went direct, and we used a ‘57 on the guitar amp.  We used SM57s for the trumpet, trombone and sax soloists.  (They seem to isolate the sound in this type of setting much better than the large diaphragm condensers)  We also placed two large diaphragm condensers about 10 feet in front of the horn section.  For our room mics we place two SM27s on the concert hall’s back wall – about 70 feet from the front of the stage.  Once again, the SM27s did a great job.  When mixed in with the close-miked instruments, they gave the band a full round live sound with plenty of definition.

And there you have it.  In a short period of time the SM27 has gone from a microphone I’d never heard of to my microphone of choice for many different applications.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUNDWALL MUSIC CAMPS, right here.

ABOUT JOHN XEPOLEAS: John started performing and teaching in 1970 and has been an active part of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene ever since. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Music Performances in 1978 and published his first book, Studies for the Contemporary Drummer” in 1991.  He also authored “Lessons with the Greats” in 1993 and was appointed Music Director at Soundwall Music Camps in 1995.  Her performs with The Fundamentals and Fundz Jazz and is available for private and Skype lessons.  More about John here.

Different Transducer Types

A transducer is anything that can take one form of energy and convert it to another form of energy. That’s what a microphone does.

A mic measures the variations in air pressure that we recognize as sound waves and changes them into electrical signals that can be manipulated for sound reinforcement, for recording purposes or for broadcast.  The acoustic wave is converted into an analogous electrical signal. All microphones do this, but they do it in different ways.  So a microphone is really just a measurement device – measuring variations in air pressure and providing a corresponding electrical signal.

As the front end of the audio system, the microphone is one of the more important elements in the signal path.   If you don’t capture the sound accurately before it gets into the electrical domain, there really isn’t a great way to fix it later on. The more of that you do on the back end with processors and other tools, the more work is involved and the less natural it will sound.  If you choose the right mic and put it in the right place, everything that follows will be that much better.

Dynamic and condenser mics are most popular types.  There are other types – ribbon mics, crystal mics, control magnetic, and carbon mics, for example – but those are largely historical, so we won’t cover them here.

The most popular is the dynamic mic.  It’s a very simple device – rugged, reliable and in most cases, not very expensive.   Sound waves move a thin, lightweight diaphragm, typically a very thin layer of a Mylar®. The physical energy required to make this diaphragm move is not very great.

Cutaway of a Dynamic Microphone

The diaphragm has a coiled wire attached to it and is suspended in a magnetic field.  A basic property of electricity is that when a wire cuts through a magnetic field, a current is induced in that wire.  As sound waves strike the diaphragm and move it back and forth, the coil also moves back and forth in the magnetic field, inducing current and a corresponding varying voltage in the wire.   Those wires go out to the connector at the bottom of the mic. Some microphones might have an output transformer to step up the impedance and provide a little more signal, some don’t. That’s the basic structure of a dynamic microphone.

It’s a completely passive device, so there’s no additional power needed to get it up and running.  Plug it into your system and you’re good to go.  Because they are such simple devices, they’re not very expensive, they’re very reliable and they’re hard to kill.  Think SM58® and SM57.

There are some limitations, of course.  They’re not very sensitive.  It takes more energy get that mass of the coil that’s attached to the diaphragm moving so they’re better for up-close applications and loud sound sources.  They’re not very good for miking sound sources from far away, like a choir for instance.

They’re nearly impossible to overdrive.  A human being can’t create enough sound pressure level to overdrive a dynamic microphone.  There is no way, for instance, that a singer can destroy an SM58 by singing too loud.  There may be some distortion at the input of the mixer if its gain control is set too high, but the problem is not happening at the microphone.  You’d have to mic the space shuttle for something like that to happen.

Most dynamic mics sound pretty good, but there’s a limitation in frequency response in terms of how much high and low frequency it can pick up.

Cutaway of a Condenser Microphone

Condenser microphones are a little more complicated.

One critical difference is that the diaphragm of a condenser mic does not have the mass of a coil hanging off of it.  The actual diaphragm is metalized, usually gold-layered or gold-sputtered and the diaphragm is tensioned over an air gap above a charged metal backplate.

When the sound wave strikes the diaphragm, it doesn’t have to work as hard to move it because there’s no mass of coil attached to it – and that’s one reason why condenser microphones are more sensitive.   They’re designed for quieter sound sources.

The output of a condenser microphone is much lower and the impedance is much higher, so there are some additional electronics – specifically, a microphone pre-amp – that’s part of the mic design. The pre-amp requires phantom power, supplemental voltage that powers up the electronics of the condenser microphone.  Phantom power is typically supplied by the mixer the microphone is connected to.

If you don’t provide a condenser microphone with phantom power, it simply will not work.   It’s a call we often receive at Shure from people who are accustomed to using a dynamic mic like an SM58 but purchased, for the first time, a $300 condenser mic.   They plug it into their sound system and it doesn’t work.   This leads to a longer discussion of phantom power and a suggestion that they turn on their mixer’s phantom power switch.   It’s an important detail to remember. There are a few condenser microphones that will run off a battery, but this is far less common.

They’re more sensitive to environmental conditions and they’re more expensive than dynamic mics because there are many more internal electronic components in their design.   But on the flip side, they’re more sensitive and offer a wider frequency response so they’re more natural sounding.   However, due to the active electronics that are part of condenser mic design, it is possible to overload or cause distortion in the microphone. Some condenser microphones are equipped with a “pad” that can be engaged to reduce the sensitivity of the microphone when used with loud sound sources.

Frequency Response

This can be divided into two categories – and really, it’s just about how the microphone sounds:

Shaped Response – can take many different forms.

The X-axis in this diagram shows the frequency of human hearing, from 20 Hz to about 20,000 Hz.  The Y-axis shows the output level of the microphone. You can look at the different frequencies to determine how much signal that particular mic is putting out.   You’ll notice at some frequencies, the output of the mic is lower or less sensitive and on others, the output of the mic is higher.   This can provide an advantage in certain scenarios.

For example:  If you’re looking at the 2-6 KHz range, the SM58 mic is more sensitive and has more output.  This is good because this is the range of most human speech where consonants can be heard.  Consonants define speech intelligibility.   In a church application, the message is the most important thing – so it’s important to have a microphone with good sensitivity in this range.

Now, look at response in the range below 100 Hz. The response drops off pretty dramatically.  In the case of the human voice, that’s OK unless you’re trying to mic a bass singer in a gospel quartet. What happens in that range is mostly unwanted noise, wind noise, handling noise, vibration, so if you have a mic that rolls off a lot of that, it’s beneficial for cleaning up the overall sound quality.   Response below 100 Hz is usually unnecessary unless you’re miking a grand piano, bass drums or the occasional bass singer.

Flat Response – is just what it sounds like.  The output of the microphone is pretty much the same across all frequencies.

It will pass everything along, whether or not it’s needed or desired.  It’s a very natural sounding and very uncolored frequency response.   For acoustic instruments, for example, where you don’t want to alter the sound in any way, a flat response mic might be the best choice.

Which response you need really depends on what you’re miking.  A wide-ranging flat response mic will pick up sounds that you don’t necessarily need and it won’t color the sound coming out of it.

Directional Response- This is how the microphone responds to sounds coming at it from different directions.  There are two categories:

Omnidirectional – sound coming from all directions
Uni-directional – sound coming from one direction

Bi-directional is another, less common category that refers to a mic that picks up sound from two directions, but we’ll focus on two that you are most likely to encounter.

Omnidirectional (“omni”) mics are sensitive to sounds coming from all directions.   They have a coverage angle of 360o so it doesn’t matter where the mic is pointed.   The response will be the same. Omnidirectional microphones are good for speech applications, as lavalier or headset microphones. In this case, they offer the most “uncolored” response (see proximity effect below), and since you don’t have to worry about picking up the drum kit, the lack of off-axis rejection isn’t really a concern.

Unidirectional (“uni”) mics take on a couple of different variations, the most popular of which is the cardioid pattern. It has a heart-shaped pickup pattern; that’s where the “cardio” comes from.  When you look at the diagram, you’ll see that there’s very little pickup 180o off the center.

The cardioid pattern is designed to capture the sound source you want to capture and reduce pickup of everything else, since it effectively rejects off-axis sound.  On a stage with a lot of sound sources and a lot of noise, it’s very beneficial compared to an omni which will tend to pick up everything. Since the cardioid mic is less sensitive to other sounds, like the sounds coming out of loudspeakers, it allows you to get more gain before feedback than you would with an omni.

Like everything else in audio, there are some trade-offs.  One of these is proximity effect, something that every unidirectional mic exhibits. That’s the boost in low frequencies as you move closer to the microphone.  Sometimes people like this effect and other times that bass response will muddy things up.   Omni mics don’t product this effect since the frequency response is the same no matter how far the sound source is from the mic itself.   Cardioid mics are also more susceptible to handling, wind noise and vibration.

Supercardioid and hypercardioid are even more directional.  There’s even greater rejection at the sides but a little bit more pickup in the null area (at the back of the microphone).   The overall sensitivity to ambient sound is less than even a cardioid mic.   An experienced vocalist in your church can really benefit from this type of tight polar pattern, but a less experienced singer who moves the mic around in a theatrical fashion will run into problems.

Keep in mind that there’s never a one-size fits-all option.  It all depends on what sounds best for your application.

The Myth of Microphone Reach

One common misconception is that directional microphones reach like a zoom lens on a camera – that you can take your viewfinder and focus on something far away and bring it closer. Microphones don’t work that way.

Sound waves are much longer than light waves and microphones are not able to bend those waves to bring them closer. Microphones don’t have a reach associated with them. What that means is that you need to get the mic as close as possible to the sound source for a couple of reasons:

1. The microphone is not going to go out and isolate a particular sound.
2. Sound waves follow the inverse square law.  That says that the energy of a sound wave drops as it spreads out in space. Every time you double the distance between the sound source and the microphone, you lose 6 dB of signal, which is quite a bit. If I move the microphone one foot away, the drop is sound is noticeable. If I move it from 1 foot to two feet away, that’s a 12 dB drop which will be perceived as more than half as loud.  So be aware that when you’re moving microphones further and further away, you are losing a lot of the direct signal.

What this graphic shows is that there’s a certain amount of noise and reverberation in any given room. That’s a concept known as critical distance which is the distance at which the direct sound of what you’re trying to mic and the ambient noise and reverberation become equal.  When your microphone is beyond that critical distance, you’ll hear all the ambience in the room at a level equal to the direct sound.  It’s the sound that some people describe as being in the ‘bottom of a barrel’ or sounding like a ‘tin can’. Every room will be different and if you don’t want to have to calculate what the critical distance is for every worship space, just try to remember to keep the microphones as close to the sounds sources as you can.

Another phenomenon you may experience is comb filtering which is where the audio signal takes multiple paths to reach the microphone, possibly reflecting off a tabletop or a lectern and having those reflections combined back in the microphone itself.    When that happens, the frequency response graph looks like a comb – that’s where the term comes from.   It has a very hollow, phase-y sound that’s not very natural and can really be distracting at times.   It’s another reason to keep the microphone close to the sound source, so that the direct sound will be much louder than the reflected sound.  It’s also a good argument for longer gooseneck microphones in lectern application because it keeps the mic further away from surfaces and closer to the speaker’s mouth.

You can also experience electronic comb filtering.  This happens when there is more than one microphone picking up the same sound source.  It can easily happen in a choir application.  When the same sound source goes to two different microphones and those mics are combined back in the mixer, you end up with the same comb filtering frequency response effect.

How you deal with electronic comb filtering is by following the 3-to-1 Rule.   It’s a good rule to remember in sound applications where more than one mic is being used.  It states that for every unit of distance from the mic to the sound source, the next microphone should be three times that distance away.

Feedback

It’s a common problem in many sound systems.  But it’s not the fault of the microphone. Feedback results from the interaction of all the components in the sound system.

Here’s what’s happening: the sound source goes into the microphone and the microphone signal goes into an amplifier and then a loudspeaker where it’s made louder. That same sound comes out of the loudspeaker and is picked up by the microphone again – it forms an audio loop that results in the sound or sounds we know as feedback.  You can’t buy a microphone that “doesn’t have any feedback in it”.

Tips for avoiding feedback:

• The way to combat feedback is to keep the microphone as close to the sound source as possible.
• Keep the mics as far away from the loudspeakers as possible.   If you can keep them separated from the loudspeakers, it’s less likely that they will pick up the sound and create a feedback loop.
• Lower the speaker output.
• Move the loudspeaker farther away from the microphone. Each time this distance is doubled, the sound system output can be increased by 6dB.
• Move the loudspeaker closer to the listener. Each time this distance is halved, the sound system output will increase by 6dB.
• Use in-ear monitoring systems in place of floor monitors.
• Acoustically treat the room (if possible) to eliminate hard, reflective surfaces like glass, marble and wood.

Some people think using unidirectional microphones will solve their feedback problems, but it’s actually less effective than many of the suggestions above. EQ can also be used and room acoustics are also a factor, but in most cases, following the first three tips here will go a long way in reducing feedback problems.

ABOUT GINO SIGISMONDI: Gino Sigismondi has been active in the music and audio industry for nearly twenty years. Currently managing the Systems Support department, Gino brings his years of practical experience in professional audio to the product training seminars he conducts for Shure customers, dealers, distribution centers, and internal staff. He is the author of the Shure educational publications “Selection and Operation of Personal Monitors,” “Audio Systems Guide for Music Educators,” and “Selection and Operation of Audio Signal Processors.”

Gino spent several post-college years as a live sound engineer for Chicago-area sound companies, nightclubs, and local acts. He continues to remain active as a musician and sound engineer, expanding his horizons beyond live music to include sound design for modern dance and church sound.

Just when we all adjusted to 2009’s FCC regulations involving the use of wireless microphones and mobile devices in the TV band, along comes a new wrinkle: the incentive auction.  This is not, repeat not, cause for alarm.  In this post, we’ll break it down into its simplest elements – explain the basic concept, survey the changing landscape, share the expected timeline and diffuse some common misunderstandings about how a spectrum change is likely to affect you and your wireless gear.

The FCC is under intense pressure to reallocate even more spectrum for mobile broadband. The rising popularity of smartphones and tablets has placed an additional strain on the currently available spectrum.  Consider, for example, the fact that smartphones use 35 times more spectrum than traditional cell phones and tablets use 121 times as much.  So the FCC is looking for innovative ways to open up additional spectrum, with the loftier goal of “spurring economic growth and maintaining the country’s mobile leadership.” Legislators are aware of these issues and recently took action to address them.

The bill granting special authority to the FCC was signed into law on February 2012.  It gave them permission to launch a one-time incentive auction that will repurpose some of the broadcast television spectrum. The basic premise is pretty simple: broadcast stations can elect to give up some of their assigned spectrum (either by moving to a different channel, sharing a channel with another station, or going off the air entirely) and offer them, through the FCC, to the highest bidder.  When the incentive auction is complete, the FCC will reallocate the cleared portion of the TV band spectrum to the auction winners.

How it Works. Courtesy: FCC LEARN site

Forward, Reverse and Repacking

Here are some terms you are likely to run across in coverage of the incentive auction.

Reverse Auction

The reverse auction is where broadcasters will establish their price to voluntarily relinquish spectrum rights in exchange for a portion of the proceeds from the forward auction.

Forward Auction

The forward auction is where the potential users of repurposed spectrum bid for new flexible-use licenses. The FCC is familiar with forward auctions in the spectrum context, and has been conducting them for nearly two decades.

Repacking

Repacking involves assigning channels to the broadcast television stations that remain on the air after the incentive auction… This process considers only a reassignment of channels, not geographic moves of stations; however, a station that opts to channel-share may have to move its antenna to a new geographic location – i.e., its sharing partner’s tower.

NRPM

This is the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that forces government agencies (FAA, FCC, EPA for instance) to listen to comments and concerns of people whom the regulation will likely affect. The Notice detailing the FCC’s options for the auctioning of TV band spectrum “Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions” runs 200 pages and included milestones shown in the timetable below.

Incentive Auction Timeline. Courtesy: FCC LEARN site

The Major Players

Wireless carriers are the primary proponents of the repack and auction plan, and, as the forward auction bidders, will be the likely beneficiaries.  Not to be overlooked is a profit opportunity for TV stations and the government. Some of the auction proceeds (estimated at approximately $25 billion) will be shared with TV stations participating in the reverse auction, some will be used to build a nationwide public safety communications network in the 700 MHz Band, and costs incurred to broadcasters from repacking will have to be reimbursed. The remainder of the proceeds will be deposited in the U.S. Treasury.

On the other side, the tech industry – Google, Microsoft, the WiFi Alliance, among others – cite the danger of putting power in the hands of a very few, very large companies who can afford to license their slice of the spectrum and use it for only those devices and services they market.  This group believes that free and open access stimulates innovation, investment, and job creation, as companies of all sizes develop new products and services.  They are lobbying for portions of the Band to be set aside for unlicensed use — similar to the allocation of the 2.4 GHz band for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and the recent White Spaces initiative.

Professional audio interests, from trade organizations such as the National Association of Broadcasters to the country’s major sports leagues to the largest content producers, speak to the impact on wireless microphone users.  These entities remain vocal in their position that they have recently given up over 100 MHz of spectrum during the 700 MHz band reallocation, and that wireless microphone operation in the TV Band must be protected going forward.

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022130172

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022130256

Shure is at the forefront of efforts to maintain adequate spectrum for professional audio and is actively involved in the Incentive Auctions proceeding.

How It Affects the Wireless Microphone User Today

Since there’s a risk of confusion for wireless users, Shure Notes asked Chris Lyons, who has been leading training sessions at Shure on the general subject of spectrum issues, for his insights.

Which spectrum will be auctioned?

The FCC has suggested a few different sections of spectrum for the auction.  The most likely is a section in the upper part of the existing TV band, beginning at TV channel 51 and extending downward.  How much spectrum is auctioned depends on how many TV stations volunteer to participate, which will likely vary in different cities.

When will the auction take place?

The FCC hopes to conduct the auction in 2014, but has not announced a specific date.  Commissioners have stated clearly that this is the most complex spectrum auction in world history and could be subject to unforeseen challenges.

Assuming that enough TV stations participate and the incentive auction takes place, how long will it take the FCC to repack the TV Band?

Repacking the TV stations into a smaller TV band is the hard part of the process, and could take a few years.  The repacking process is as complex as the DTV transition was, which ended up taking 10 years.

Will any pro audio manufacturers take part in the forward auction?

No, it’s not feasible (financially or technically) for a manufacturer like Shure to own and administer a piece of spectrum solely for its own users.

In 2009, wireless systems that operated in the 700 MHz band were no longer allowed.  Could reallocation of the TV Band make today’s wireless systems obsolete?

Wireless microphones (as well as personal monitors, production intercoms, and similar gear) that are in the spectrum that is auctioned will have to stop operating at whatever date is set by the FCC.  This means that those systems will need to be replaced with units that operate in the spectrum that is still open for wireless mic use.  Failure to comply with FCC rules (just like IRS or EPA rules) is illegal and subject to enforcement action.

Should I be doing anything now to get ready for post-repack landscape?

At this point, the most valuable thing to have is information.  Every facility or venue that uses wireless microphones needs to appoint someone to keep up with this issue as it progresses.  If you own equipment in the upper part of the TV band, it would be wise to begin budgeting for replacement equipment, so that you’ll be ready to act when the available TV channels in your area are finalized.

How can I stay informed of what’s going on?

The FCC’s LEARN Program is quite user-friendly, and spectrum issues are always reported on their blog.  Shure’s website and publications also report significant developments.  And our Product Support department is always a good resource for guidance.

To address some of the common situations videographers face when creating corporate or online videos, we have launched a three-part video series. The topics include: How to Mic Someone at a Computer; How To Sync Audio and Video; and How to Mic a Walk -and- Talk.

How To Mic A Walk-and-Talk

The “walk-and-talk” video featuring a company spokesperson is a popular way to help people engage with your brand.  In this video, we’ll show some ways to record professional-sounding audio in an office or industrial environment – even when the subject is moving.

To address some of the common situations videographers face when creating corporate or online videos, we have launched a three-part video series. The topics include: How to Mic Someone at a Computer; How To Sync Audio and Video; and How to Mic a Walk -and- Talk.

How To Sync Audio and Video

One way to improve the sound quality of your videos is to use an external audio recorder.  But how do you synchronize the recorded audio track with the video from the camera when editing?  In this video we demonstrate an easy method whose roots go back to the early days of talking pictures.

To address some of the common situations videographers face when creating corporate or online videos, we have launched a three-part video series.  The topics include:  How to Mic Someone at a Computer; How To Sync Audio and Video; and How to Mic a Walk -and- Talk.

How to Mic Someone at a Computer.

Miking someone sitting at a computer for a podcast or webinar seems simple, but mic choices and room noise often conspire to deliver poor sound.  In this video, you’ll be able to compare the sound of different types of microphones, and learn how to overcome the effects of a noisy room.

That something will go wrong seems to be the motto of most audio teams in the Church, as well as any other form of live and recorded music. Whether at the stadium, restaurant or other social gathering; it’s not so much the question “if” things go wrong, but when. For volunteer audio teams, musicians and singers in the church, knowing the five signs of a technically challenged team can make all the difference between ship-shape and ship-wreck. Here’s how to navigate through the storms at sea and chart a course for team success.

Branon Dempsey leading worship with a Shure ULX-S/SM58 Wireless Mic.

No Navigation Plan

Symptom: The easiest thing to do is throw caution to the wind, begin the service and catch things on the fly. If you do this, you will catch more than what’s on the fly as it will hit you over the head.

The cure: Preparation, as simple as it sounds is often the most overlooked and under-thought. Go figure. You rush up to the church or venue, wherever you came from. Quickly flip on the power, roll out a few lines, climb back on your stool and wait for the band to show: this is procrastination.
One safe way to help you prepare for your team is to create a checklist before every service. In this list, I include things like:

• power supply and audio processors
• check cables and connectors
• test mics and check capsules/cartridges
• test the signal chain overall
• check wireless components
• locate the headphones to help test channels
• put in an mp3 and test the mains and monitor systems
• digital scene tweaking, gain structures and so forth

You’re really preparing before you prepare. We need to be ready, before the worship team arrives, not during their set up. When you’re prepared, you can spend that extra time serving the band by checking on their logistical needs, helping with load-in and being a servant.

No One at the Helm

Symptom: Communication is the number one failure for most audio/media teams. Whether it’s changing the rules or players in middle of the game or not appointing a leader who calls the shots, miscommunications lead to huge shipwrecks.

The Cure:  When the worship leader or pastor plans the set list, it needs to also go to the Audio Team before the rehearsal and/or service. This enables the team to be in the know to prepare set up, lines, mix and space on the stage. Keep your game plan consistent, on time and unchanged as much as possible. When change does occur, you’re able to roll with the punches.

• When there is an on-the-fly change, it first needs to be discussed with the Audio and Media Team and Lead Engineer ASAP.
• Changing players is also a big deal. It’s common to have a musician or singer to be replaced and/or missing for the weekend. If it’s somebody like the drummer or bass player, this is a huge adjustment in the respect of equipment and sound needs. If you have a new player who shows up, unannounced on a service/event without communicating first, you’re in for a shark bite.
• My head AE and instructor Kent Morris (Editor’s note: Kent is a frequent contributor to Shure Notes) has an awesome approach. He will go down to the front of the stage and ask the guest musician to share his or her exact needs. If the guest brings in a piece of gear that is not the right application or fit, he will work toward a positive solution.
• Another key factor is channeling the verbiage through one person on stage. Whether it is the MD or Worship Leader, the Engineer can hear one complaint / sound need at a time and not five people all at once. Say no to the choirs.

Attitudes That Run-Aground

Symptom: Uncommunicated last minute or unspoken changes between worship staff, pastoral staff and the audio team

The Cure: If communication doesn’t sink your ship, attitudes will.

• Work with the Worship Leader toward a model that curbs unwanted personalities. How, you say? It begins with you. The more professional, calm and polite you can be, the more people notice and will respond by adjusting their behavior to yours.
• Attitudes need to walk the plank in order to get the positive minds back on deck. I don’t suggest posting a sign that says ”Thou Shalt Not Whine.” Although, it may be effective for some, but for others, they just need a good kick in the kindness. A soft answer truly does turn away wrath.
• Real teamwork is about learning how to serve others. For example, when you have really great service at a restaurant, your dining experience is enhanced. The same is true at worship services.  The worship team is like wait staff – serving a meal to enjoy for a common goal.
• Listen and follow through when leaders give direction – even if you disagree. It’s about the team, not about you.
• Know your position on the ship and do your part.
• Avoid telling others how to do their jobs. Let the leader do it.
• If there is conflict either go directly to that individual privately, or work it out with the leader of that ministry. All in all – serve one another.
• A happy team is also a productive team. Like any job or volunteer position elsewhere, your collective positive attitude as a team will keep you on course. You’re able to think clearer and respond more quickly because you’re focused on the plan and not the drama.

Storm at Sea – No Disaster Plan

Symptom: Things will go wrong. When they do, what’s your plan?

The Cure: Expect the best and plan for the worst.

• Years ago, I posted up an Emergency Procedure list in the audio booth. Things like: what to remember or do when a wireless channel fails, a mixing scene freezes, a battery goes out, etc.
• I also provided my own version of product CliffsNotes for the board, amps and other audio/media components. Velcro not included.
• The best pro-action is to have a strategy in place and be ready to employ it. An audio team is working best when it’s solving problems, not creating nor avoiding them.
• Character under pressure is another life preserver. All eyes are watching you. How you handle a stressful situation will help you land in a good place.
• Trust me; no one has ever died as a result of worship service snafus. It may feel that way, but the sun still comes up on Monday. You as the leader or team member are committed to the mission – don’t abandon ship!

Land Ho: Putting Praise in the Praise Team

Symptom: Where is the love?

The Cure: The hallmark of a great service? When no one complains about the sound. A bonus is when people thank each other for their time, effort and goal-focused energy.

• Thank members of the worship team. When’s the last time you did that?
• Another great indicator that the audio and worship team has done their job: the congregation, singers and other participants can hear themselves clearly without any audio difficulties. They too, were able to focus on what is happening service-wise and not the technical errors.
• Think about who the winner is at most meetings. It’s the person who brings the food. Try it. You’ll never lose when you play as a team.

You’ve Got to Serve Somebody

Our technology tools, whether a headset microphone or a digital mixing board, serve the users. The praise band serves the song and the congregation by engaging them in a personal and profound worship experience. The Audio Team serves everyone by delivering great sound. This is one way to honor the Lord who gave us these talents and treasures.

Technically, we can learn all the new tricks on the board, in the mix or at the rig, but the most difficult task requires good old-fashioned people skills.   The pay-off of preparation, leadership, communication, teamwork and careful planning will help you reach the shores of performance paradise.   Make sure you and your people paddle on both sides of the boat; otherwise, you’re just going in circles.

Fast thinking:  Proof that the SM58 can be a vocal mic and an instrument mic – at the same time.

There was a time when a mic failed on stage and the audio team was quick to the rescue. We were running two mics: one for acoustic guitar and one for voice. When my guitar mic failed, I had to maneuver my vocal mic to pick up both my guitar and voice.

Thanks to the trusty Shure SM58^®, all sound levels were saved. Thanks also to the skilled engineer who kept his cool. Just one more reason why the SM58 and the ULX-S/SM58 are my personal go-to mics for worship leading.

About BRANON DEMPSEY: He is the CEO, Founder and Training Director of Worship Team Training® a ministry providing workshops and online resources to over 400 churches across North America.  Branon writes a monthly column for Worship Musician and is a training partner with Yamaha Corporation of America.  For Live Workshops, Online Mentoring and Streaming Education for Worship Teams and Leaders, visit: www.WorshipTeamTraining.com

“Trust your ears.”  “It’s what sounds right to you.”   These are popular refrains that you’ve read in just about every article (many of them right here) about choosing microphones, positioning them and mixing sound.  But if you’re going to rely on your ears to hear and identify the essential features of a well-balanced and professional sounding mix, you may need to train them first.  Hearing and listening is not the same thing, as any parent of teenagers will tell you.

Can you detect the difference between a Telecaster and a Les Paul?  A Vox Continental and a Nord Electro? Tremolo versus vibrato?  Fact is whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner, there’s a wide range of resources available to help you develop and fine-tune your critical listening skills.  This article may help you get started.

Michael White and students

Necessary Equipment: Your Ears

Let’s start with a simple definition, courtesy of recording engineer/producer and instructor Michael White, whose credits include everything from redesigning Whitney Houston’s studio (he was also her chief engineer for 15 years) to ‘behind the glass’ mixing for David Byrne, The Rolling Stones and dozens of others:

“Critical listening primarily comes from the engineer’s point of view.  You’re listening to the physical details of the music – frequency response, dynamic range, tone, imaging, and how instruments are blended together.”

Now, let’s contrast that with analytical thinking, also a factor in creating a professional mix:

“Analytical listening is all about feeling and meaning.   It’s important to understand that the emotional intention of a musical performance is reflected in the sound.”

How to Improve Your Mixes

We’ll trust your heart to decode the meaning of the music and concentrate, for now, on a few fundamentals and exercises that will help you boost your critical listening confidence.  For this, we’ve turned to Canadian neighbor, writer and recording whiz Mark Garrison who starts us off by deconstructing the elements of a mix and challenges you to tackle a critical listening exercise.

Before we start, though, let’s look at the components that make a great mix. When teaching mixing, Mark likes to use a variation on the elements Bobby Owsinski outlined in The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook.

Balance
Do all instruments feel like they have appropriate weight in the mix? Are any instruments lost in the mix because they’re overpowered? Are some instruments more prominent then others? (The answer may often be ‘yes’ to the last one, but that should be a deliberate decision and not an accident.)

Panorama
Do instruments sit at various points in stereo field (left to right speakers)? Does the point of interest shift within this field?

Frequency Range
Are all frequencies represented somewhat equally? Is there something happening in all frequency ranges? (There are times when we deliberately have little happening in a specific frequency range – a violin concerto would sound ridiculous with pounding bass. Again this should be a conscious decision.)

Dimension
Do some instruments sound closer or farther away than others? Is there a sense of movement in the mix?

Dynamics
Does the song change over its duration? Most often in recording we use the term dynamics to refer to changes in volume, but we need to consider other dynamic changes such as tempo, time signature, key, or major/minor tonality.

Interest
There are two important sides to interest. First is the hook – is there something memorable about the mix? This could be a melodic hook, or a memorable tonality (think Cher’s “Do You Believe” or Smashmouth’s “Walking On The Sun”).

The second, and less thought-about consideration is this: What pulls the listener through the song? When the lead instrument stops playing, what takes over as the focus of the song? The analogy I like to use is a TV show or play. If the characters leave the stage, other characters must enter right away to keep the viewer’s interest. If a TV show had long gaps of just background between dialogue and action everyone would get bored and change the channel. Music isn’t any different.

Got all that?

Good quality headphones like Shure SRH440 retail at about $100.

Try This at Home: An Exercise in Critical Listening 

Everyone agrees that training your ears by studying music production and engineering is an important part of becoming a better engineer, producer or artist. According to Michael White, “Most people do this naturally by listening to loads of music, but fail to study as deep as what is necessary.   Audio ear training involves learning how to listen to a music production and what to listen for.   This is the most beneficial method for achieving better results with your own music.”

Here’s a helpful exercise that our Canadian friend Mark uses with his students.

What you’ll need:

• A good pair of earphone or headphones
• Sun King” (from Abbey Road) by The Beatles

Let’s start with one just about everyone knows. “Sun King” by The Beatles.

Producer George Martin and Abbey Road sound engineer Geoff Emerick

Here’s a little background: According to The Beatles Bible, “The Beatles began recording Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard on July 24, 1969. They taped 35 takes of the basic track: Lennon played rhythm guitar and sang a guide vocal, McCartney played bass, Harrison was on lead guitar and Starr on drums. The next day the group overdubbed vocals, piano and organ, the latter played by George Martin. They then finished the two songs five days later, with the addition of more vocals, piano, organ and percussion.” (The producer, of course, was Sir George Martin and the house sound engineers were Geoff Emerick and Phil McDonald.)

This is what Mark hears:

Balance: Note how the kick and the bass are distinct, as are the two guitars. In the second half of the song, the vocals are big and prominent without drowning out any of the other instruments.

Panorama: From the hard panning to the moving instruments, this mix takes great advantage of the stereo field. When the vocals come in they are everywhere, rather than singular.

Frequency Range: Each instrument has its own place; nothing gets in the way of anything else. Thick lows and sparkling highs.

Dimension: In a reversal from the usual way of doing things, the bass and kick are right up front with the guitars and keys farther back. When the vocals come in, they are farther back still.

Dynamics: Subtle at first, though big when the vocals come in.

Interest: The interplay between the instruments grabs you at the beginning and leads you right to the vocals that take their place as the focal point.

You Can’t Listen if You Can’t Hear

We all know musicians who regard their hearing loss as a kind of merit badge. Blame Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) – the result of repeated – or even accidental (think explosion) – exposure to high SPLs.  Standing in front of stage monitors night after night, turning your iPod up to 11, spending hours in an ear-blasting concert venue are examples of situations that can damage your hearing.

Just 15 minutes of exposure to high-decibel noise or music can cause permanent hearing loss.  That’s right.  Permanent. Research indicates that 30% of rock musicians have a measurable hearing loss.  Classical musicians fare even worse – with up to 52% experiencing hearing impairment.

The good news?  Hearing loss can be prevented. Keeping your hearing sharp can be as easy as:

• Being aware of the problem and potential risks to your hearing
• Giving your ears a rest by taking short breaks
• Keeping volume levels down
• Limiting the amount of time you spend in a loud environment
• Wearing hearing protection when involved in a loud activity.  Check out musician earplugs when you’re playing or if you’re in a loud concert hall.
• Be alert to noise levels in your environment
• Increasing the distance between you and the sound source – this means standing at an angle from the source – not in front of it.
• Listening to your own ears and being aware of changes in your hearing
• Visiting an audiologist

One for the Money, Two for the Show

With a good pair of ears and your own critical listening experiments (deconstructing Mumford & Sons, Mos Def or better still, your own recordings), you’ll have all the equipment and the skills necessary to listen critically.  Do it regularly and before you know it, it will become such a natural process that your mixes will improve and your creativity will soar.

ABOUT MARK GARRISON: Author of The Encyclopedia of Home Recording, Mark is a recording engineer and multi-instrumentalist from British Columbia, Canada.  For the past decade, he has taught recording through classes, workshops, articles, and as a contributor to AudioTUTS+. He focuses on how to create better recordings through a greater understanding of the tools and techniques of the studio.

ABOUT MICHAEL WHITE: L.A.-based recording engineer and producer Michael has handled mixing, mastering, tracking and editing for the recording, broadcast and film industries. With a career that took off at NYC’s fabled Electric Lady Studios, he has lent his talents to over 35 gold and platinum records. He is an independent producer and shares his audio expertise on his website and at his online music production school.

Whether you believe that God or the Devil is in the details, the fact is that no matter how hard you try to honor one or drive the other away by paying attention to the smallest things, stuff happens.

Our music teachers always taught us to play through mistakes.  But what can you do when you’re a Worship Leader and one sunny morning, you’re faced with an unrelenting series of tech troubles that seem to get in the way of delivering the message?

Meet a man who knows how that feels and what to do about it. His name is Sandy Hoffman and he is serving the worship community at Christ Church Santa Fe. Here’s his story:

“Just about anything that could go wrong during worship did go wrong. The day started out predictably enough. That incredibly blue Santa Fe sky greeted me as I walked out the front door to head for the church. The engine of my fine old Ford fired right up, and for some Sunday-morning worship inspiration, I tuned the car radio to the local black gospel station. Oh, happy day.

How could anything spoil this perfect morning?

As always, we conducted our weekly worship team tech rehearsal on Thursday afternoon. That’s the point in the week when we go through the worship checklist. From batteries to lyric projection, lighting and stage setup, we try to get everything just right before the team shows up for Thursday evening rehearsal.

After making sure that the charts were accurate and available for each worship song in the set, we welcomed the team members as they showed up for “P and P” (prayer and polish). The rehearsal proceeded without a glitch.

Then Sunday came.  Apparently, Worship Gremlins had been hard at work over the weekend.

For Starters

It began during the very first song of the first service. Inexplicably, a middle-aged light bulb in one of our three video projectors died on the spot. (We have since replaced the projectors with flat screens!) The instantaneous blackness of the screen, lit up only moments before with the morning’s first glowing words of praise, jerked the attention of the worshipers from the eternally Divine back into the momentarily mundane. Sometimes it only takes one small stone to start an avalanche.

And Then

Right on the heels of the video bulb debacle came the wireless mic muting mishap, proving how much damage can be caused by one stray index finger on a Mute button. That’s all it took to accidentally render two perfectly new AA batteries useless. This was distraction number two, and it wasn’t diagnosed until the end of the first service.

No Charm the Third Time

When our bass player arrived for the second service that morning, he was greeted by the total re-tweaking of all the settings on his stage amp. Who changed it? Who knows? The Gremlins? He spent the rest of the morning trying to arrive back at that low-frequency sweet spot he had so carefully dialed in at rehearsal just three days before. Distraction number three was in full swing.

But Wait!  There’s More!

It was then that the Gremlins launched their most insidious attack.

It’s our habit to check and replace batteries every Thursday for the following Sunday. This time, what we thought was a brand new 9-volt battery in the internal preamp of my Taylor T5 was actually a used one, just waiting to disrupt worship with a final choke and wheeze of DC output.

This turned my beautifully clear signal into a dynamically distorted distraction. “OK,” I thought, “it’s time for the people out there to meet and greet one another. I’ll just discreetly change the battery while they’re not looking.” I signaled the sound tech to mute my guitar channel, and in seconds I had a brand new 9-volt battery in the T5. “Finally,” I thought, “after a morning of multiple distractions, we’re back on track, ready to lead the people into the Promised Land!”

Coup-de-Grace

Not so fast! Yet one more hurdle remained and this was a good one.

No sooner did we begin the next praise song than we noticed a hideous crackle and spit coming from my guitar channel. Arrggghh! The battery was fine now, but sometime during that short welcome break, the Gremlins had made their final move.

The XLR cable between the guitar direct box and house snake had chosen that moment to cease making a solid connection. For the next 20 minutes or so, there were milliseconds at a time of pure clarity, interspersed with eardrum-wrenching electronic outbursts. My worship leader focus was gone. Demoralized, I grimaced through the remainder of the set, and then slunk off the stage with my head hung low.

The Path of Prevention

We learned that day that not every worship distraction can be avoided. In spite of the technical challenges we faced that day, I actually received one surprisingly wonderful comment from someone who never even noticed any of the worship distractions.

Here are a few suggestions that may not eliminate all of your technical challenges, but if applied, will send your Gremlins a clear message that you’re on the offensive.

1. Regularly replace batteries, strings, bulbs, and anything else that has a short, unpredictable life span. This will help you avoid lots of embarrassment and distractions. Make and stick to a regular, consistent schedule of replacement.

2. Keep consistent records. Keeping a written log of your amp, instrument, and sound reinforcement settings will make it easy to reset them to your favorite sweet spots. Also, remember to keep an eye on how many hours any gear that has its own internal clock has been used. Too many hours can be a warning sign of impending problems. Stay vigilant.

3. Have supplies on hand. Always have extra fresh batteries, cables, bulbs, strings, picks, sticks, and anything else you can think of. You never know when you might need to make a quick switch right in the middle of a worship service. By diminishing the number of potential distractions, we increase the level of focus on the worship experience.

4. Finally, fluidity is the key! I’ve often heard it said, “Be fluid, because flexible is too rigid.” These profound words of wisdom, applied to worship preparation and mixed with faith, will enable us to deal with anything that could possibly go worng— I mean, wrong.”

ABOUT SANDY HOFFMAN:  An accomplished musician, Sandy’s road has taken him from the touring company of “Godspell” in the late 1970s to a 31-year run leading worship. In addition to his role at Christ Church, Sandy is a featured instructor at the Youth with a Mission Schools of Worship and Schools of Music in Missions worldwide.  He writes a regular “Tips for Tight Teams” column for Worship Musician magazine.

Find more stories like this, plus tips and techniques on the art of 21^st century worship in Sandy’s new book from Hal Leonard Publishing.  It’s widely available online as well as on the publisher’s website.

http://www.halleonardbooks.com

Listen to Sandy’s 12-track acoustic guitar recording Sereno on iTunes or visit WorshipTeamWork to order a copy of this inspiring and personal CD.

http://www.worshipteamwork.com

While you often see microphone techniques discussed for specific applications, another approach is to learn some general principles that you can apply to any situation. Before we can get into that though, we have to choose the proper mic first. Lynda.com’s Bobby Owsinski, author of the site’s online video series Audio Recording Techniques and the Audio Mixing Bootcamp leads the way.

Let’s take a look at how that’s done.

Choosing The Right Mic

While there may be a mic that works well for many applications, no single mic works great on everything. In fact, thanks to parameters like diaphragm type, polar pattern, and sensitivity, having a nice variety of mics can really make a difference in the final sounds that you’re recording and how they blend together in the mix.

It’s safe to say that most engineers rely on their experience when choosing microphones, but there’s also some sound reasoning behind their preferences. Here are a few things that you might want to consider when selecting a microphone to record with.

Does the microphone complement the instrument that you’re recording?
For instance, if you have an instrument that has a very edgy top end, choosing a mic that also has that quality may have those frequencies further emphasized when recorded. You might want to choose a mic that’s a bit mellower, such as a ribbon. This is one of the reasons that a ribbon mic works so well on brass, for instance.

Will the mic be overloaded by the source?
Some mics just can’t take an extended amount of sound pressure level without generating some sort of distortion. A ribbon mic or many condenser mics won’t work on a snare drum with a heavy hitting drummer for just this reason. That’s why the level of the source always has to be a consideration when choosing a mic.

Does the mic have the right polar pattern for the job?
The directional pickup of the mic needs to be considered before making a mic selection. For instance, if leakage is a consideration, then you may want to try a mic with a tighter directional pattern, like a hypercardioid. If the instrument you’re miking radiates in multiple directions (like an accordion, dulcimer or bassoon), sometimes an omni pattern works wonders. Either way, don’t overlook the polar pattern when choosing a mic.

Is the proximity effect an issue?
If you’re going to be close-miking, will the low-end buildup from the proximity effect of a cardioid mic change the sound too much? If so, this also might be a good place to try an omni, or at least move the mic away from the source a little.

Now that we’ve covered some of the parameters that go into choosing a microphone, mic placement is the next area that can affect the sound you capture. Let’s take a look.

Secrets Of Mic Placement

Quickly finding the optimum position for a mic is perhaps the single most useful talent an engineer can have. You should always trust your ears and begin by listening to how the instrument sounds, find the sweet spot, and begin your microphone placement there. If you don’t like the resultant sound, then move the mic or swap it with another.  EQ should be the last thing you touch.

Microphones can’t effectively be placed by sight alone, which is a mistake that’s all too easy to make. That’s why it’s important to actually listen to the instrument before you place the mic and find the place where the sound has the most balanced representation of the instrument, or the “sweet spot.”

How To Find The Sweet Spot

Depending upon pickup pattern of the mic you’ll be using, you’ll have to approximate the way it captures audio when you’re listening. Here are some tips on just how to do that.

• To correctly place an omni microphone, cover one ear and listen with the other. Move around the player or sound source until you find a spot where the frequencies from the instrument are the most balanced and place the mic there.
• To place a cardioid microphone, cover one ear and cup your hand behind the other ear and listen. Move around the player or sound source until you find a spot where the frequencies from the instrument are the most balanced.
• For a stereo pair, cup your hands behind both ears. Move around the player or sound source until you find a spot where the frequencies from the instrument are the most balanced.

The Sound At The Source

Contrary to what many might think, just having great recording equipment doesn’t automatically guarantee that you’ll capture great sounds. The problem is that you can’t really quantify how much each variable in the recording process contributes to how a recording ultimately sounds, since each situation, even within the same project, is unique. That said, you can generally break it down to something like this:

• The player and the instrument contribute at least 50% to the overall sound (sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less – but always the greatest portion). Simply put, it’s got to be in the fingers (or embouchure, or vocal chords, etc.) first.
• The room contributes about 20% to the overall sound. Even on close-miked instruments, the room is far more responsible for the ultimate sound than many engineers realize.
• The mic position contributes about 20% to the overall sound. Placement is really your acoustic EQ and is responsible for the instrument’s blend in the track.
• The mic choice contributes about 10% to the overall sound. This is the last little bit that takes a good sound and makes it great.

If something doesn’t sound right, there are a lot of things to change before you reach for the EQ. Try the following in this order:

1. Change the source, if possible (the instrument you’re miking)
2. Change the mic placement
3. Change the placement in the room
4. Change the mic
5. Change the mic preamplifier
6. Change the amount of compression and/or limiting (from none to a lot)
7. Change the room you’re recording in
8. Change the player
9. Come back and try it another day

General Mic Placement Principles

Instead of looking at the mic placement used on specific instruments, here are a number of guidelines that work in almost any situation.

• One of the reasons for close-miking is to avoid leakage into other mics so that the engineer can have more flexibility in balancing the ensemble in the mix. If at all possible, give the mic some distance from the source in order to let the sound develop, and be captured, naturally.
• The best mic position cannot be predicted, it must be found. It’s OK to start from a place that you know has worked in the past, but be prepared to experiment with the placement a bit since each recording situation is different. The song, arrangement, player, instrument, recording environment, and signal path all have a bearing on the final sound, and chances are that at least one of those parameters has changed since the last time you recorded.
• If the majority of the sound will come from the room, start getting sounds from those mics first, and then add any other mics that act as support.
• The 200 to 600Hz range is where the proximity effect often shows up and is why many engineers cut the EQ in this range. If a number of directional microphones are being used at the same time in a close-mic situation, they will all be subject to the proximity effect, and you should expect a buildup of this frequency range in the mix as a result. This is another good reason to use a variety of mics and different directional patterns, so that the proximity effect buildup is diminished.
• A huge sound is a larger than life sound, but that doesn’t always come as a result of something being loud. One way to accomplish a larger than life sound is by recording a sound that is softer than the recording will most likely be played back. For instance, sometimes an electric guitar run through a 5 watt amp with an 8-inch speaker can sound bigger than a 100 watt Marshall stack.

The above guidelines can be used in just about any recording application and will help you deliver a sound that goes way beyond the normal cookie-cutter “this is where to put it” mic placement. Good recording!

ABOUT BOBBY OWSINSKI: He is the author of 16 books on recording, music and the music business as well as several outstanding, step-by-step video courses for Lynda.com, including Audio Recording Techniques, Audio Mastering Techniques, Mastering for iTunes and the Audio Mixing Bootcamp.

Learn more at:

http://www.lynda.com/Audio-tutorials/Audio-Recording-Techniques/95612-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Bobby-Owsinski/1149115-1.html

Contributors:

John Chevalier
Bill Gibson
Frank Gilbert
June Millington
Dan Murphy

“John had a semi-acoustic Gibson guitar.  It had a pickup on it so it could be amplified. We were just about to walk away and listen to a take when John leaned his guitar against the amp. He really should have turned the electric off.  It was only on a tiny bit and John just leaned it against the amp when it went ‘Nnnnnwahhhh!’  And we went, ‘What’s that? Voodoo?’. ‘No, it’s feedback.’  ‘Wow, it’s a great sound!’ George Martin was there so we said, ‘Can we have that on the record?’ It was a found object, an accident caused by leaning the guitar against the amp.”   

- Paul McCartney
(Source: Many Years From Now, Barry Mile)

It’s pretty much common knowledge among students of pop music that The Beatles’ 1964 recording of “I Feel Fine” was one of the first known examples of feedback as a recording effect, even though The Kinks and The Who reportedly (and intentionally) used it in live performances.   For most musicians and engineers, though, audio feedback is something to avoid.

In this post, we’ll cover some of the fundamentals – what causes feedback and how to avoid it – along with tips from some of our favorite audio pros.

What is acoustic feedback?
Acoustic feedback occurs when the amplified sound from any loudspeaker re-enters the sound system through any open microphone and is amplified again and again and again.  We’ve all heard it – it’s that sustained, ringing tone, varying from a low rumble to a piercing screech.

And what causes it?
The simplest PA system consists of a microphone, an amplifier and one or more speakers. Whenever you have those three components, you have the potential for feedback.  Feedback happens when the sound from the speakers makes it back into the microphone and is re-amplified and sent through the speakers again, like this:

Here’s an example: Let’s say that that you place the microphone in front of the speaker as shown here. If you tap the microphone, the sound of the tap goes through the amplifier, comes out the speaker and re-enters the mic.  This feedback loop happens so quickly that it creates its own frequency, and that produces the howling sound — an oscillation triggered by sound entering the microphone. Placing the microphone too close to the loudspeaker, too far from the sound source, or simply turning the microphone up too high all raise the likelihood of feedback problems.

Pro Tip #1: “The worst is vocalists who cup the mic capsule (e.g. rappers who put their hand around the grill of the mic because they think it looks cool). This invariably makes the mic sound horrible and very susceptible to feedback.  More importantly, it changes the directional nature of the microphone, changing it to essentially an omnidirectional microphone. One trick is to cut everything from 800 Hz to 2 kHz, compress it, and hopefully the horrible howling sound will go away and the vocals will still be intelligible. But don’t forget, the best thing to do to control feedback is turn everything down.”

- Frank Gilbert, FOH Engineer
Park West, The Vic Theater, and The Mayne Stage – all in Chicago

How to avoid it
Here are some suggestions on how to interrupt the feedback loop:
• Move the microphone closer to the desired sound source.
• Use a directional microphone to increase the amount of gain before feedback.
• Reduce the number of open microphones – turn off microphones that are not in use.
• Don’t boost tone controls indiscriminately.
• Try to keep microphones and loudspeakers as far away from each other as possible.
• Lower the speaker output. Move the loudspeaker farther away from the microphone. Each time this distance is doubled, the sound system output can be increased by 6dB.
• Move the loudspeaker closer to the listener. Each time this distance is halved, the sound system output will increase by 6dB.
• Use in-ear monitoring systems in place of floor monitors.
• Acoustically treat the room (if possible) to eliminate hard, reflective surfaces like glass, marble and wood.

Pro Tip #2: “In a well-designed system, the irritating high-pitched brand of feedback isn’t much of a problem unless someone points a mic into a monitor. So long as the performers are careful to always keep their mics pointed away from the monitors, or specifically to point that tail end of the mic at the monitor at all times, that shouldn’t be an issue.

- Bill Gibson, author of over 30 books, producer, performer and Berklee School of Music faculty member

When these solutions have been exhausted, the next step is to look toward equalizers and automatic feedback reducers.

A common technique used by sound engineers is “ringing out” a sound system by using a graphic equalizer to reduce the level of the frequencies that feedback:

1. Slowly bring up the system level until you begin to hear feedback. Now go to the equalizer and pull down the offending frequency roughly 3dB.
2. If the feedback is a “hoot” or “howl”, try cutting in the 250 to 500 Hz range. A “singing” tone may be around 1 kHz. “Whistles” and “screeches” tend to be above 2 kHz. Very rarely does feedback occur below 80 Hz or above 8 kHz. It takes practice to develop an ear for equalizing a sound system, so be patient.
3. After locating the first feedback frequency, begin turning up the system again until the next frequency begins ringing.
4. Repeat the above steps until the desired level is reached, but do not over-equalize. Keep in mind the equalizers can only provide a maximum level increase of 3 to 9 dB.

Pro Tip #3: “The last time I experienced feedback was in a small venue where I was onstage. As a musician and an audio tech, I’m a sound guy’s worst nightmare.  During rehearsal, my headset mic was feeding back and the audio tech kept turning my volume down and telling me that I couldn’t move around. I knew the problem was midrange feedback, so I explained to him that if he just lowered the midrange on the EQ, the problem would go away. He ‘passionately and firmly’ explained to me that the only way to get rid of feedback was for him to lower the volume and for me to stand still.

After enduring the first song, I walked back to the board, reached over his shoulder and dropped the midrange. I sang a couple notes, looked at him, smiled and walked back onstage. (Did I mention I was wireless, too?) The problem was solved and we didn’t talk after the set, but I know he learned something that night.”

- John Chevalier, pro audio/video expert, writer and speaker at InfoComm, NAB and other industry events

Pro Tip #4: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years of playing, it’s that the sound engineer has to be extraordinarily vigilant   even about protecting the performers’ hearing.

My last bad feedback incident was caused by gain stage being manipulated by the engineer without telling us – after we’d gotten to a good place.   The resulting, shrieking feedback changed everything – there was nothing but pain filling up space between our ears. Many people forget that EQ’ing something can cause a volume change – right in that frequency.

Of course, EQ can remedy volume problems quite easily. Just take a moment to ferret out the offending frequency or cluster of frequencies – band members protecting their ears, of course – and “forensically” attenuate, which will immediately solve the problem.  A hall of mirrors, isn’t it?”

- June Millington
FANNY frontwoman, musician and songwriter, co-founder of IMA

Automatic feedback reducers are very helpful in wireless microphone applications. Remember that microphone placement is crucial to eliminating feedback, and the temptation to wander away from the ideal microphone position when using a wireless is great. If the performer gets too close to a loudspeaker, feedback will result; a good feedback reducer will be able to catch and eliminate the feedback faster than a sound engineer.

And finally …

Pro Tip #5: “The best ‘gear’ a sound person has is his or her ears. Learn to identify the ringing frequency by doing blind ‘what is that frequency?’ tests using a sine wave generator or test tone generator. Have someone dial up a tone and see if you can identify what frequency it is. This is great training to identify the problem frequency during feedback howl and how I learned how to tame feedback.”

Dan Murphy, Sound Tech Director, Lakeside Church

NOTE: Don’t rely on an equalizer/feedback reducer alone to provide sufficient additional output in a sound system where the microphones and loudspeakers are too close together. You probably won’t get the results you need.  For more information about EQ, see this Shure Notes blog post.