Tim Vear, also a guitar wizard, before Shure’s Annual Holiday Show in 2012.

One of the ways that we zero in on what you want from us is to check in with Senior Applications Engineer and Shure Answer Man Tim Vear.

Not only is he a featured speaker at countless workshops and seminars, he wrote the book on Audio Systems for Houses of Worship which many of you probably have in print or digital form.    This booklet is constantly in update mode, explaining its fifteen versions.  So far.

Tim, who can describe the physical characteristics of wavelengths and make it both understandable and interesting, was the lucky fellow we tapped just a few days before Christmas to share some of your most recent church audio-related questions and concerns.

Here are the top six, not only from his phone, email and online encounters with you at Shure headquarters, but from his recent audio seminars at Worship Arts Technology Summit and other events.

How do I mic the congregation (for recording or broadcast)?

Generally, it’s desirable to have some direct pickup of the congregation to add ambience and energy to a recording or broadcast of your service.

The usual technique is to treat the congregation as a very large choir: place one (or two for stereo) microphone(s) above and somewhat in front of the congregation.

Just as for choir applications, a flat-response, cardioid condenser microphone is recommended. Aim the microphones at the faces of the people and away from the main PA speakers as much as possible.  This will insure that the resulting sound is mostly from the audience and not from the PA.

During a broadcast, the sound from these microphones can be brought into the overall mix at the desired level, typically lower when the pastor or worship leader is speaking and higher for musical sections, particularly when the congregation is singing.  For recording, it’s sometimes useful to record the congregation mic(s) on separate track(s) for sweetening of the final mix.  Note that the congregation mics should NEVER be routed to the main PA mix.

One example of miking the congregation in an auditorium setting to add a pinch of spice to the recording or broadcast mix.

How can I pick up individual congregation members who need to speak?  

If you’re trying to pick up the sound from an individual congregant, it may be possible to use the technique above – but ONLY for recording or broadcast.  Since the congregation mics will usually be at some distance from any individual talker, the engineer will have to bring up the level of the nearest mic to pick up that source. Even then, the sound quality from the distant microphone is likely to be poor.

A better technique is to bring a microphone (usually wireless) close the individual. This requires a microphone “wrangler” (and sometimes multiple microphones) to get the mic into position quickly.  Just as for other close-up vocal applications, a shaped-response, cardioid microphone is recommended.  If you plan to amplify the congregant in the main PA, then ONLY the close mic technique will work.  A distant microphone (greater than a couple of feet away) cannot achieve usable gain-before-feedback when it’s amplified through the main PA system.

Headset mics like the Countryman WCE6 place the mic within
inches of the speaker’s mouth

Why doesn’t the pulpit microphone sound the same as a lapel or headset microphone?

The reason that these microphones have different sound qualities is almost completely dependent on the distance from the microphone to the mouth of the talker.  The closer the microphone, the better the signal-to-noise ratio, the better the gain-before feedback, and the better the low-frequency response (for directional microphones).

The signal-to-noise is improved because the level of the voice increases by 6dB each time the mic-to-mouth distance is cut in half while the background noise stays constant.  The gain-before-feedback is improved in a similar manner, resulting in either higher level with the same feedback potential or the same level with lower feedback potential.  The low-frequency response is improved because the closer placement increases proximity effect for a directional microphone.  Overall, a close microphone placement will give significantly better performance, particularly in live-sound applications.

Is it safe to use a wireless microphone in a baptistry?

Sometimes there’s a need to use a microphone in a “wet” environment such as a full-immersion baptistry.  Although a properly grounded sound system and baptistry installation should be safe even for use with a wired microphone, a wireless microphone eliminates any possibility of a ground-fault that might be hazardous to the wearer.

The only suggestion would be to protect the microphone and/or transmitter electronics from direct contact with water as much as possible.  Such contact is not dangerous, but the microphone (particularly a condenser type) and/or the transmitter may stop working if water intrudes into the mic element or the electronics.  There are waterproof pouches and even waterproof microphones that can be used in this case.

Can I use rechargeable batteries in my wireless systems?

Rechargeable batteries can be cost effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to single use devices.  The principle considerations are the operating voltage, the run-time, and ultimate lifetime capability of the rechargeable.  Here’s how the different types of rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries compare. 

The table above gives typical capacities of popular 9V batteries.

The table above gives typical capacities of popular AA batteries.

These characteristics depend on the specific chemistry of the battery.  For transmitters that use AA batteries, both nickel-metal-hydride (Ni-MH) and nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) types may be suitable.  Though they have somewhat lower operating voltage than alkaline types (1.2 V vs. 1.5 V) their run-times are fairly similar.  However, for 9-volt size applications, the run-times are much less than with the equivalent alkaline.  For this reason, we suggest using a Lithium-polymer (Li-Polymer) chemistry.  This battery has an operating voltage and run-time similar to an alkaline 9-volt type.  Note that the Li-polymer chemistry is not available in AA size cells.  Any of these batteries should be used only with their specific chargers and operated with regard to manufacturers suggestions in order to get the maximum life.

A properly maintained rechargeable should be capable of up to 500 charge/use cycles.

Are directional antennas always the best choice for my receivers?

Shure UA874 directional antenna – antennae like these can be stand-mounted, wall-mounted or suspended.

Directional antennas are usually recommended for specific applications only.  These include operation over long transmission distances (greater than 150 feet) and/or operation in the presence of localized interference sources.

Directional antennas typically exhibit increased sensitivity in one direction and less sensitivity in other directions.  The most common directional antenna is the log-periodic type, often called a “paddle” antenna because of its shape.  In the direction of increased sensitivity, the antenna can deliver a stronger signal to the receiver, which can increase the effective range of the system.  At the same time, the antenna can offer some rejection of interfering signals coming from other directions.

However, most directional antennas are wideband devices.  They are equally sensitive to all frequencies in their operating band.  This means that a directional antenna aimed at an interfering source will increase the level of that interference as well as whatever desired signal may be in that same direction.  Finally, too much antenna sensitivity (gain) may result in overload of the connected receivers.  This can aggravate intermodulation and actually desensitize the receiver.  For most applications omnidirectional antennas are still the norm.

Download the current edition of Audio Systems Guide for Houses of Worship right here.

Worship Technology Solutions, Markey’s Rental and Staging

“The point is this: good sound is good sound. A church building is really a performance space, and all of the rules of sound reinforcement apply.”    

Josh Isenhart is a freelance audio engineer and consultant for church technical ministries.  Having sat through many a budget discussion, we knew he’d have some sound opinions about building a solid system to share with our readers. This is what he had to say.

1. Old Isn’t Necessarily Bad
Before you start drafting that shopping list, take the time to assess the equipment you have on hand.  Just because it’s old, it doesn’t mean it isn’t serviceable.  (Think of all the consumers who trashed their tube amplifiers for solid-state stereos thirty years ago only to find audiophiles preferring that warm sound later.)

Examine your gear.  Is it worth repairing?  Can it be repurposed?  Is there another ministry that can use it?

2. Look at Backbone Issues
Scrutinize the system that’s in place and deconstruct it, link by link:

Speaker selection and placement

• Do you have the correct kind and number of speakers?
• Are they installed properly?
• Do they adequately cover the space?

Power

• Is there sufficient power for the number of speakers in place?
• Are the amplifiers properly installed, with good ventilation and appropriate A.C. power?

Mix Position

• Is the soundboard in a location that allows the operator to properly hear what is going on in the room?
• Is there enough physical space for all of the equipment and the personnel required?

Wiring

• Has the system been wired in a neat, logical manner?
• Were block diagrams and wiring layouts created during installation?
• Can any competent technician walk in and repair the system – or – is it only understood by the person who has been running it for the last 30 years?

3.  Evaluate your current needs. Then, develop a 3-to-5 Year Plan
The best investment you can make is an investment of your time in developing a strategic plan that is based on the present and future needs of your church.  The best sound systems are built on a foundation of communication – with your church’s leaders, administrators (for instance, the budget committee) and the worship staff.

• Determine short-term goals.  What do you want to be doing differently by the end of the year?
• Examine your long-term goals and begin developing the necessary system over time.
• Establish a budget for maintenance, upgrades and training.   Systems and individual components don’t represent one-time purchases.  (When your church budgets for new computer systems, for example, it’s always with the understanding that the network and the workstations will need to be upgraded on a consistent basis.)

4. Buy smart, not cheap.
You get what you pay for.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.     You’ve heard it all before, but it’s still true.  Good equipment costs money.

Don’t buy anything – cords, cables, mics, speakers, mixing boards, really anything in your system – on the basis of low price.  Buy it because you believe it will perform the task most effectively and reliably.  There’s a lot of product experience out there.  Talk to colleagues at other churches, read any number of publications designed exclusively for church and production technology, attend seminars and workshops.

Once you understand exactly what you need and which product is most likely to fulfill it, you’ll be ready to start shopping.

5. Think Visual.
Church AV is no longer a luxury.  As you think about retrofitting a tired system or installing a new one, think about how you will be integrating screens, projectors and the whole pantheon of multimedia.  The size of the congregation is no longer the tipping point here – it’s the impact of the message on a community raised on fast-moving images.

Now, How Much Should You Pay

It’s not the eternal question but it’s still a big one: How much should you budget for a sound system?

There is no simple answer to this question. You need to take the time to evaluate all of your ministry’s goals. A good place to start is to base you budget on the number of people sitting in the seats, for instance:

Number of Seats                                                           Budget

200-300                                                                         $10,000-$15,000

300-500                                                                         $15,000-$20,000

500-1,000                                                                      $40,000-$80,000

1,000-5,000                                                                   $60,000-$100,000

Over 5,000                                                                     $100,000+

Budget-Saving Tips from Josh: How to Control P.A. Costs

Here are Josh’s tips for optimizing quality and budget control:

• Don’t be afraid to try new things.
• It’s OK to buy used.
• Cover your basic needs and worry about bells and whistles later.
• Don’t get sold.  Arm yourself with the facts.
• Look for packages.  Some companies will reduce their prices based on a bundle of gear.
• Build relationships with local dealers, contractors and repair shops.
• Don’t skimp on anything, especially the soundboard, speakers and amplification.
• Get durable, all-purpose microphones.

“I rely heavily on Shure microphones. Not because they’re affordable, but because they are some of the most reliable products on the market. If you’re starting out with a small budget, buy as many SM57s and Beta 58s as you can. You can use them for anything and they last forever.

Regardless of whether you’re a church of 20,000 or a church of 200, look seriously at the entire Shure line. Having toured and recorded with wireless systems that cost far more, I can tell you in all honesty that nothing sounds as good or is as rock solid as Shure wireless systems.”

Thanks to Josh Isenhart for sharing his approach to tackling a seemingly overwhelming task.  To contact Josh, email him at: j3isenhart@gmail.com.

The guitarist, in order to hear himself better, turns his amplifier up. The singers need more monitor level to compete with the rest of the praise band. The cycle of escalating stage volume begins again – reducing the overall sound quality and worship experience, especially in a high-ceilinged, hard surface environment designed for choirs and acoustic instruments.

An article in Millimeter quoted worship leader Craig Sibley as saying “Stage volumes in churches have gotten out of control. In church, suddenly you have a heavy metal concert going on. People are literally leaving the church because of the volume. The minute you introduce drums, the guitarist turns up his volume so he can hear himself, then the vocalist needs more volume. Next thing you know, it’s volume wars, with unfortunate impacts on worshippers.”

Today’s systems are far more advanced and far less expensive than those appearing on stages and in sanctuaries just a few years ago. But if you lack the luxury of a professional sound crew that includes a FOH engineer and a monitor engineer and more likely, rely on a resourceful staff of sound vets and volunteers, we can guide you through some of the basics and help you identify a system for your church.

Who will benefit from a personal monitor?

Personal monitors are not just for vocalists. Drummers with personal monitors tend to play quieter. When the loudest instrument onstage gets quieter, everything else can follow suit.  Some churches take this a step further by using electronic drums that create little, if any, acoustic noise.

Bass, keyboard, and electric guitar can also be taken directly into the mixer if the players are using personal monitors, eliminating the need for onstage amplifiers. The end result is a cleaner, more controlled congregation mix.

Many other uses are possible for personal monitors. Choir directors use them for cues, or to hear the pastor more clearly.

The isolation provided by personal monitors can be of great benefit to organists, especially when they are located at the opposite end of the sanctuary from the choir.  Timing can be problematic due to the often-lengthy delay times caused by this separation. If the choir microphones are fed into a personal monitor system worn by the organist, the time delay is eliminated, and the organist is able to keep in sync with the choir.

For pastors who want a monitor, in-ears are also a viable option. Lavalier and gooseneck microphones are especially prone to feedback issues with a floor monitor due to their increased sensitivity and greater distance from the sound source. A personal monitor eliminated those concerns.

Is wireless necessary or will a hardwired system serve your needs?

Personal monitor systems come in two basic varieties – wireless or hardwired.

A hardwired system requires the performer be tethered to a cable, which is not necessarily a negative. Drummers and keyboard players, who remain stationary, or even back-up singers, can take advantage of the lower cost and greater simplicity of a hardwired personal monitor system.

Advantage: Hardwired systems also work worldwide without the hassle of finding clear frequencies or dealing with frequency coordination  with wireless microphone or intercom systems. And if several performers require the same mix, hardwired systems can be daisy-chained together without experiencing significant signal loss, if the input impedance is sufficiently high to allow multiple systems to be connected to a single output with Y-cables.

Wireless equipment requires special consideration and attention to detail.  But the advantages many times outweigh the increased cost and complexity.

Advantage: One of the main benefits of personal monitors is a consistent mix no matter where you stand; going wireless allows you to exploit this advantage to its fullest extent. And when several performers require the same mix, hooking them up is even easier. You can use as many wireless receivers as you need to monitor the same mix with no adverse effects. Plus, there aren’t any cables to trip on!

How many mixes do you need?

The answer to this question depends on how many people are in your band, and their ability to agree upon what they want to hear in the monitors.

One Mix for All In a perfect world, everyone wants to listen to the same mix, so the answer to this question is: one mix. Of course this defeats the primary benefit of “personal” monitors (each performer hearing himself).

Vocals and Instruments An inexpensive configuration uses two mixes; one consisting of vocals, the other of instruments. Using a system that features dual-mono operation, the performers individually choose how much of each mix they wish to hear (see Figure 1). This is a cost-effective way to get into personal monitors, but it still requires a fairly good degree of cooperation among band members.

Drummer Separate Another scenario gives the drummer a separate mix (Figure 2 below). This option works well for two reasons: Drummers, in general, want to hear considerably more drums in the monitors than other band members, and drums can be heard acoustically, especially in bands that perform on small stages. Drums may not even be necessary in the other mixes.

The “More Me” Syndrome We’re assuming that the vocalists are able to agree on a mix of the vocal microphones. While forcing singers to share the same mix encourages a good vocal “blend”, this theory often falls apart in practice.

Separating out the lead vocalist to an individual mix will address this issue. Here’s how to accomplish it in three mixes:

Place some of the backup vocal mics in the “instruments” mix, and adjust the “vocal” mix to satisfy the lead singer, even if that means adding some instruments to the “vocal” mix. This provides:

•  An individual mix for the lead singer

•  A mix for the guitarist and keyboardist that includes their vocals, and

•  A drum mix (The bass player can drop in here, too)

How many mixes are available from your front of house console?

Monitor mixes are typically created using auxiliary (AUX) sends from a mixer, either the front-of-house console or a dedicated monitor console.

A typical small-format console will have at least four auxiliary sends. Whether or not all these are all available for monitors is another matter. AUX sends are also used for effects.  Available sends are the final determinate for the number of possible monitor mixes.

If your answer to our first question (How Many Mixes?) is greater than the answer to this question (How Many Mixes Are Available from the Front of House Console?), you have two options:

Stereo or mono?

Most personal monitor systems allow for monitoring in either stereo or mono. At first glance, stereo may seem the obvious choice, since we hear in stereo, and everything else these days features stereo sound.

Stereo requires two channels of audio. What this means for personal monitor users is two sends are required to create a stereo monitor mix – twice as many as it takes to do a mono mix (see Figure 3). Stereo monitoring can quickly devour auxiliary sends.  If your mixer only has four sends, you can only create two stereo mixes.

While not quite as “realistic” as stereo monitoring, mono allows more mixes from a smaller mixing console – and sometimes fewer transmitters. If you only need one mono mix, these mono-only systems can save you money.

Some stereo transmitters can be operated in a “dual-mono” mode, which provides two mono mixes instead of one stereo. This can be a great way to save money. If you only need one mono mix, these mono-only systems can save you money.

How many components will you need?

After you have answered these questions, plug the numbers into the following equations to determine exactly how many of each component you will need.

Good earphones are an essential component

The key to successful personal monitoring lies in the quality of the earphones. All the premium components in the monitoring signal path will be rendered ineffective by a low quality earphone.  There are three types:

Earbuds While inexpensive, the kind that came with your MP3 player have the poorest isolation and are not designed to withstand the rigors of a working musician’s environment.

Custom molded earphones offer exceptional sound quality and isolation, a considerably higher price tag, and are difficult to test before buying since they’re made specifically for one person’s ears by an audiologist.

Universal Earphones combine the superior sound quality and isolation of the custom molded designs with the versatility, “out-of-the-box” readiness and affordable cost of the consumer phones. Interchangeable sleeves of foam or flexible rubber are used to adapt the earphone to the performer’s ear canal.

Personal Monitor mixers are an optional component Personal monitoring gives the performer an unprecedented level of control. But for the performer who desires more than simple volume and pan operation, a personal monitor mixer can be added.

These are especially useful for praise teams that either have a limited number of available auxiliary sends on the console, or lack a monitor engineer to operate the console.  A small monitor mixer allows the vocalists or players to customize their mixes themselves to hear exactly what they desire.

Theoretically, any mixer can double as a personal monitor mixer, but most lack one key feature; the input signals needed to find their way to the main (FOH) mixer. Large sound systems with separate monitor consoles use transformer-isolated splitters to send the signals to two places, but these are prohibitively expensive for most worship teams. Y-cables can be used to split microphone signals, but they can get messy and are somewhat unreliable.

A few manufacturers have introduced mixers with integrated microphone splitters. These can range from basic four channel mixers with volume and pan controls to larger, more fully featured monitor console.

And one more thing … make that two more things

The pain of change is still a factor.  Your praise team may have some difficulty adapting to in-ears after years of performing in front of stage monitors.

Another concern is cost.  A good wireless system – including a transmitter, receiver and earphones – can cost anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars.  One way to get started is to introduce personal monitoring gradually – one member of your praise team at a time.  You’ll eliminate at least one floor monitor, contributing to a quieter stage and give others performers (at rehearsal) a chance to try them out and experience the difference.