This is a little bit outside our area of expertise, so we turned to our panel of house of worship experts – music ministers and worship leaders, volunteer and professional sound engineers, musicians and audio consultants – for successful approaches, based on real world experience.

Our first installment features sound thinking from two audio pros: Portable Church Industries’ senior consultant Bob Smith and author/trainer writer John Chevalier whose accomplishments are so many we can’t even list them here.

Bob Smith
Senior Consultant
Portable Church Industries

“So, the aging sound system in your church needs a serious upgrade. What was installed 20 years ago just isn’t doing the job today, and you need to find the best way to communicate this to your pastor. But most Pastors have a very limited understanding of the technology inside the boxes, and don’t really have the desire (or the need) to learn it; rather, they are life-change agents who are generally more focused on people, and not stuff.

That, my friend, is exactly what you need to focus your discussion around. People who attend your church services need to be able to clearly hear and understand the message being delivered, both the spoken word and through music. Not hearing clearly can be caused by a number of things. Here are a few that come up regularly that could be addressed with new or replacement equipment:

• Inadequate Speaker Coverage
• Incorrect Types Of Microphones Being Used
• Stage Monitor Bleed Into The Seating Area
• Noisy Mixer/Outboard Gear
• Low Quality Wireless Microphones
• Outdated Recording Equipment

Keeping your focus on the benefit for your church’s attendees will greatly improve the chance that your request will be heard and taken into consideration. Obviously there can be budget or other ministry issues to be considered, but it’s a lot more difficult for your pastor to ignore a request of this type when the logic is to help attendees to hear the Word more clearly. After all, isn’t that the heart of why we all serve where we do?”

More about Portable Church Industries here.

John Chevalier
Teacher, Trainer, Producer, Speak and Author

“One question that consistently comes up in Technical Ministries is how we convince church leadership that we need certain pieces of equipment. Whether it’s an equipment upgrade or the need to replace a system, rarely do those in church leadership understand the need and what you’re working with. It’s important to note that the language we speak as a technician and that of your leadership is not the same. On top of that many do not understand the technology or even see the need for it. Let’s a just take a couple minutes and look at some key factors that will help when we communicate with church leadership.

Tip #1:
Clearly Communicate “The Need”

Notice that I didn’t say, communicate, “What you need”. Always start with the reason that you need equipment. When you’re in a situation where you’re using volunteers I always ask myself the question; “Am I trying to solve a training or skill level issue with gear?” Because if I am, the purchase rarely helps. Another thing that I’ve tried to do is to begin by answering the “what and why questions”. “What is it?”, “What does it do?”, “Why is it broken?”, and, most importantly, “Why do we need it now?” Starting off the conversation by explaining to leadership the benefits to the church will go a long way in getting the “yes” answer to a new purchase.

Tip #2
Put It In Writing

One thing that tends to turn off church leaders immediately is being asked for something without a well thought through plan. Taking the time to put your proposal in writing will not only give them something tangible to review, but will communicate that you care about what the church is doing and that you want to make wise purchases. Some thing’s to include in this would be.
A. Anything that solves a problem that has been obvious in the worship service. From pop’s, buzzes, feedback, etc… to a dim or unclear projection screen. Whatever it might be that’s clearly an issue, make sure “the fix” for it is in your request. Generally people feel good about purchases when the results are obvious.

B. Give options if possible. Show your pastor that you have done the research. Include pros and cons of choosing different options. Take the time to list out specific equipment. Make things really clear and explain not only why you need it, but show how making an investment at this time will yield positive long-term benefits.

C. Include the benefits of a better worship experience. Here are a couple of examples. “If we had “professional sound system” we will attract a higher caliber of musicians.” Or “By purchasing an “in-ear monitor system” we will fix the feedback issues we’re having and clean up some of the muddy sound.”

Tip #3
Speak In a Language He or She Can Understand

Before writing your proposal or speaking with your pastor, spend some time thinking about how to effectively communicate your request. One main factor here is knowing what your pastor actually knows about technology. You may have to spend some time educating him/her; however if this is the case you need to be able to do it without making them feel stupid. Sorry to be blunt here, but this is really important. We “tech-types” can easily intimidate others with what we know. I have personally found, on a number of occasions, that if I’ve taken the time to make sure your church leadership understands the need, and if I do it in a way that doesn’t come across intimidating, I have rarely been told “no”.

In Conclusion

The bottom line is still communication. The worship service is about communication and your leaders care about how that comes across to the congregation. If we want an excellent service we are going to have to have excellent gear. Worship sound has tough competition from the world, which has set the bar very high for quality. Like it or not if we are going to play in that world, we will be compared. However, if we take a fraction of the time that it takes to prepare a service and put that effort into learning to communicate with our pastor, this will go a long way toward getting you the equipment that you need for excellence, and building a solid, trusting relationship as well.”

More about John here.

A History

Whether you believe that Todd Rundgren, Stevie Wonder, or the Steve Miller Band was the first to pioneer the use of in-ear monitoring systems, one fact is indisputable: this represented a breakthrough in live sound.

With the earliest systems carrying a price tag — $65,000 by one report — placing them far outside the reach of anything but a globe-trotting touring act or a national sound company serving those artists, their adoption by houses of worship didn’t begin until the late 1990s when Shure and other pro audio manufacturers introduced affordably priced systems.

Fast-forward almost fifteen years and you’ll find personal monitors in wide acceptance, with a wide spectrum of features (full-rack form factor, diversity receivers, auto-scan, with stereo being the standard) at a fraction of the price of their vintage ancestors. There are personal monitors (bodypack receiver, transmitter, and earbuds, but in mono) on the market today for less than $400.

Let’s look at the benefits of personal monitor systems:

• When the entire band or praise team is on “ears,” there is no monitor feedback.
• The absence of clunky stage monitors makes for a cleaner stage.
• Performers can customize their own mixes and hear their own performances much more clearly.
• Stage volume is lower (no more turning up the stage monitors), helping to preserve the performers’ hearing.

Not Just for Vocalists

Personal monitoring offers a degree of control that just isn’t possible with traditional floor wedges: the power to pan, adjust volume, and, in some cases, to choose between multiple mixes on the fly. Wireless systems are more costly than wired systems, but have the added advantage of allowing performers to move freely around the stage.

Along with being able to hear better and control volume, the advantages of in-ear personal monitoring include the ability to individualize what each musician hears on stage. With personal monitors, each musician can have the mix that makes them most comfortable onstage, which makes for a better performance. Best of all, each player can hear his own mix, as loud as he wants, without blasting the other musicians onstage.

“The accuracy in monitoring helps vocalists improve pitch, drummers improve time, guitar players improve tone, etc. You can hear everything — the good, bad and the ugly — and that provides the best platform for improvement.” – Jeff Urke

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. Another option for drummers is the throne- mounted ButtKicker; it allows drummers to feel low frequencies without boosting sound pressure levels.

Bass, keyboard, and, electric guitar can also be taken directly into the mixer if the praise band is 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 and also to hear the pastor more clearly.

“Personal monitoring can provide the band flexibility to incorporate extra elements such as loop/click tracks, and even talk-back mics for band communication.” – Jeff Urke

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 an issue 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 remain in sync with the choir.

For pastors who want a monitor, in-ears are also a viable option. Lavalier microphones, as well as gooseneck microphones found on pulpits, 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 will eliminate those concerns.

What Happened to the Audience?

Let’s talk about psychoacoustics since it’s a factor here.

Here’s a simple definition: it’s the way our brains process and perceive sound, based on spatial information.

“The average in-ear personal monitor can offer anywhere from 7 to 45 DB of noise isolation, which can make you feel just that: a little isolated.” – Jeff Urke

One hurdle that personal monitor systems need to clear is the loss of psychoacoustics – producing an uncomfortable sense of isolation. That’s a problem on the club stage or in the sanctuary where communicating with the audience demands interaction with the audience. Many performers need to recover some natural ambience.

Here’s how to do it:

Ambient microphones are typically placed in a fixed location. They are distant from the listener’s ear and the levels are controlled by the sound engineer instead of the performer. The directional cues provided by ambient microphones (assuming a left/right stereo pair) are dependent on the performer facing the audience. If the performer turns around, the ambient cues will be reversed.

Ambient earphones More natural results can be obtained by using a newer technology known as ambient earphones. An ambient earphone allows the performer, either by acoustic or electronic means, to add acoustic ambience to the personal monitor mix. There are two types:

Passive ambient earphones have a port, essentially a hole in the ear mold that allows ambient sound to enter the ear canal. While simple to implement, this method offers little in the way of control and could potentially expose the user to dangerous sound pressure levels.

Active ambient earphones use tiny condenser microphones mounted directly to the earphones. The microphones connect to a secondary device that provides the user with a control to blend the desired amount of ambience into the personal monitor mix. Since these microphones are located right at the ear, directional cues remain constant and natural. Ambient earphones not only provide a more realistic listening experience, but also ease between-song communication amongst performers.

Happily Ever After: Five Ways to Get There from Worship Director and Educator Jeff Urke

So how do we get the most value out of this versatile tool? Here are five tips that may help you in the transition:

1. Give it some time. The most important thing in making the transition to in-ears is getting adjusted. This could take weeks or months of consistently using them for both performances and rehearsals. It sounds simple but the more you use a tool, the more accustomed you are to it and the more valuable it becomes to you.

2. Use both ears. One of the worst things you can do with in-ear monitors is to use just one ear. This is the common misconception: if I only have one earbud in, I can still hear the congregation. In this case, your other ear compensates for the loss and you end up perceiving the monitoring ear as being too quiet causing you to turn it up to dangerous levels.

3. Don’t skimp. “You get what you pay for.” Generally true with in-ear monitors. One way to avoid dealing with an unnatural, overly contained sound is to purchase some higher quality earbuds (ideally with a dual or triple driver) that produce a fuller, more accurate and open sound.

4. Dig those good vibrations. One of the biggest losses that drummers and bass players experience with in-ears is the loss of the low end “punch” or “rumble” they feel from their kit or amp. There are actually products available now to simulate this vibration and can be mounted to a drum throne or placed on the floor so that they can feel the vibration of their instrument (formerly created by an amp or stage monitor).

5. Use house microphones. Aiming microphones at the congregation is the best (and only) way to keep from feeling disconnected and isolated from the audience.

Depending on the room, this may be a shotgun mic, a large diaphragm condenser, or a small omni mic. I’ve used everything from a Shure KSM 32 (large diaphragm condenser) to a small homemade omni condenser. There are many options and many preferences. This is ideal: two microphones (on either side of the stage) facing the congregation.

Mixing Dos and Don’ts from Pro Engineer John Mills

DO use a separate monitor board and operator if you plan to have more than one person on ears. If the cost is prohibitive, consider one of the new personal monitor mixers such as the AVIOM®, MyMix, or EliteCoreAudio systems.

DON’T use just one earbud. When you have one ear monitor in, you actually have to turn it up about twice as loud to overcome the ambient sound coming in your other ear. One of the key benefits of personal ear monitors is hearing conservation. By wearing just one, you could be causing damage to your plugged ear.

DO mix in stereo , and pan. When you listen to personal monitors in mono, it’s sometimes tough to distinguish between similar-sounding instruments. In stereo, you have the option to pan them a little left or right. The pros know that when you pan something, you make room for something else. Plus, on stage in a live setting, it can give you a very nice “feel” for where that person is standing.

DON’T be afraid to pan something all the way to the left or crank up the audience. The best way to learn something is to grab that knob and twist it. The great thing about a knob is that you can always twist it back. Remember: less is more. Start with an ample amount of your voice and instrument, then fill in the other instruments under those. That way, your stuff stays on top.

DO put the audience in the mix. Add just enough, but remember, like reverb, too much sounds bad. Make sure you can always hear the drums well over the clapping because the audience is almost always off tempo.

A Final Thought

While personal monitoring is no longer new technology, the pain of change is still a factor. Your praise team may have some difficulty adapting to “ears” after years of performing in front of stage monitors.

Then there’s cost. Even though they’ve decreased dramatically, a pro quality wireless system — including a transmitter, receiver and earphones — can cost anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars. And if you already have stage monitors, there may be a sense that personal monitors fall more in the “nice-to-have” than the “need-to-have” category.

It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition, and while less than ideal, 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.

The bottom line: The advantages of personal monitoring extend well beyond the benefits to the performer. They can have a tremendous impact on the overall quality of the service and the worship experience.

About Our Contributors

JOHN MILLS is a veteran of the road and a graduate of the school of hard knocks, providing front of house mixing, road manager, system tuning, and audio training services to the Christian music community for over 20 years. He is currently out on the Kenny Chesney country music tour as systems engineer. To read about his adventures out there, visit www.JohnDMills.com. If you are looking for down-to-earth training for your volunteers, check out his other website www.TechTraining101.com

JEFF URKE is a faculty member at Biola University in southern California, where he oversees worship ministry bands, produces conferences, and teaches sound production courses. He is also the worship director for Pathways Church, a young church plant in Irvine, CA. Jeff has a passion for excellence in worship ministry and technology in the church and hopes to help the church become better prepared to produce authentic, God-centered worship services without distraction.

There was a time when understanding pro audio and having a good pair of ears was enough to handle most church audio challenges. Then, wireless systems came into their own and changed the landscape. Touring acts may have the luxury of a dedicated RF coordinator, but few, if any, churches do. We asked Shure’s Monitor Man Michael Johns for his advice on the essentials, and here’s what he had to say.

Usually the person responsible for getting the microphones or the in-ear personal monitoring systems on air isn’t an RF coordinator. Churches might have a monitor engineer, musical director, or technical director of some sort who is responsible for the audio, but that person might also be a video or lighting person who is responsible for the whole production. More often than not, he or she is a volunteer.

Understanding the basics of RF coordination is a really simple way to become much more comfortable as a user. If you know how the products operate and how they’re supposed to work, then it’s a lot easier to get them to work right. Teams know how to operate mixing boards, they know how to operate most of the audio equipment that they’re using, but wireless systems can mystify even the most experienced audio engineers. They understand the audio side of it, but don’t always know a lot about radio frequencies (RF).

Here are four steps that will help most church audio techs get the most from their wireless mic and personal monitor systems:

1) Understand the Basics

Make sure that you learn how wireless systems work.

First of all, the components:

Earphones – compact, high-fidelity sound-isolating stereo in-ear monitors
Bodypack Receivers – sleek, wearable units that receive sound and give you the ability to adjust your volume and move freely on the stage
Transmitters – usually (but not always) a rack-mounted device which sends audio wirelessly to the receiver

Then, the nature of radio waves:

• Most wireless audio equipment accomplishes its task by converting the audio signal into a radio wave, then back to an audio signal.
• Radio waves travel at the speed of light and are able to travel a significant distance from the source. These characteristics make radio the ideal form of transmission for audio applications, from broadcast radio and television to cordless phones.
• Like sound, a radio wave can be described by its frequency and its amplitude. Frequency is measured in hertz (cycles per second). Frequencies in the radio spectrum range from a few hertz to beyond the gigahertz (GHz) range.
• Most professional wireless audio systems operate in the megahertz (MHz) range.
• Since June 2010, the FCC has ruled that only the 470 MHz to 698 MHz spectrum, shared with television broadcast stations, is available for wireless audio users in the U.S.

2) Select the Right Wireless Products and Accessories

Determine your system needs based on your unique situation. It will inform your purchasing decisions.

• Are your performers stationary or mobile? (Do you need a wired or wireless system?)
• Can monitor mixes be shared? (Will you need a personal mixer, and does your system offer multi-channel capabilities?)
• Do you require a stereo mix, or is mono acceptable? (Mono-only systems are less expensive.)
• What’s your budget? (The less you require, the less you’ll pay.)

More advanced wireless personal monitoring systems offer the ability to combine multiple transmitter antennas (for example, connecting up to four wireless transmitters to one antenna). In these systems, reducing the number of transmitter antennas in close proximity reduces the chance of sound dropouts and is crucial to obtaining the best possible performance. A variety of accessories are available, including different antennas and combiners. Directional antennas can also be used to increase range and reduce the chances of dropouts due to multi-path interference.

3) Properly Select and Coordinate Frequencies

When using Shure PSM® systems, there are three methods for choosing and coordinating frequencies. Which method is best for you will depend on the system features, the number of wireless systems in use, and your access to a computer. No method is foolproof.

Method 1: Use the Frequency Finder on shure.com
If you have internet access, go to the Frequency Finder on the Support page of the Shure website. Enter your city or ZIP code, select the PSM system you are using, and the finder will give you the best options for frequency selection. This is useful if you are using only one wireless model in one frequency band. It cannot accommodate for other wireless microphone or guitar systems in use.

Method 2: Use the Scan function of the PSM receiver (PSM®900 and PSM®1000)
Utilize the scan functions of the receiver to scan for an available frequency or group of frequencies. This gives you a real-time analysis of your operating environment. This method cannot account for all of the potential interactions between your wireless monitor systems in different frequency bands and your wireless microphone or guitar systems.

Method 3: Use a frequency coordination program such as Shure’s Wireless Workbench® Software
This is by far the best method, especially when using multiple wireless systems. Software such as Wireless Workbench will give you the most reliable frequency coordination when using multiple wireless systems regardless of the model, frequency range, or even manufacturer. Wireless Workbench is a free download from shure.com.

Advanced: Use software such as Shure’s recently updated Wireless Workbench 5.0, which you can download for free. This is recommended when a user has a number of wireless systems to get on air, has the means to scan for RF either as a product feature (for example, PSM 1000 or UHF-R®) or through an RF scanner, and needs to coordinate multiple systems.

4) Lastly, There’s No Such Thing As “Set and Forget”

Remember, even if your audio system doesn’t move from place to place, the environment changes constantly. It’s largely true that television stations remain constant, but if there are other wireless systems in the frequency band — whether it’s multiple systems in your own location or interference from the coffeehouse down the street — your wireless frequencies may need to be adjusted. What worked last Sunday (or even last night) may not be failsafe when the service begins. And that’s why frequency coordination is so important.

MICHAEL JOHNS is an associate product manager working in the monitoring category in the Shure Global Marketing and Sales (GMS) Division. Michael worked as the main marketing representative on the development team for PSM 900 and PSM 1000 in-ear monitor systems. His duties also include working on and managing the development of Shure’s pro headphone line. Michael holds a BA in Sound Engineering from Columbia College Chicago and is also a sound engineer and DJ.

Learn More

Here are two downloadable publications with more comprehensive information on personal monitor systems. Both are FREE.

Basic:
Introduction to Personal Monitor Systems (PDF)

Advanced:
Selection and Operation Personal Monitor Systems, Third Edition (PDF)

Also, make sure to check the FAQ section on the Shure site, where you can find 416 questions and answers on the subject just by searching “Personal Monitors.”

The following article is an excerpt from Shure Notes for Houses of Worship, Issue #47 (October 3, 2011).

Running live sound in a church setting can be a very challenging and a very rewarding experience. Every week, the sound crew is faced with a mix of professional, semi-professional, and amateur musicians who all unite together for a common cause. Some understand what they need to hear in their monitor mix, and some have no idea.

My job is to be as helpful as possible, designing individual mixes so that the musicians can be at their best leading the church in worship, not worrying about their mixes. The better the musicians can hear, the tighter the band will sound, and the more inspiring and moving worship will be.

Three Methods for Providing Monitor Mixes for Musicians

1. Letting the FOH sound person dial up multiple monitor mixes utilizing the AUXES.

Advantages: Less costly than the other methods.

Disadvantages: Communication has to be very good between the mixer and musicians. This puts a heavier load on the FOH mixer.

2. Letting each musician dial up his or her own mix using a feed before it hits the FOH mixer into individualized mixer units for each musician.

Advantages: Each musician gets a very personalized mix. The FOH mixer can totally focus on the main house mix.

Disadvantages: Very costly, could be too complicated for amateur musicians who might be fiddling with their mix instead of leading worship.

3. Having a dedicated stage monitor mixing board with a dedicated monitor sound operator.

Advantages: The monitor mixer has total focus on providing stage mixes.

Disadvantages: Very expensive because more equipment is needed, as well as talented and knowledgeable operators.

Lakeside Christian Church’s Method

We have chosen to use method #1 for the time being. It’s simple, clean, and very straightforward. It makes it much simpler for the non-tech oriented.

We use a combination of Shure PSM®400s as well as smaller wedge speaker monitors. We accomplish this by using a FOH mixing board with 10 AUX sends:

We break out the mixes by sending AUX 1 and 2 into one of our five Shure wireless transmitters for our two principle worship leaders, Craig Crynes and Eric Ginder. By sliding the dial to mix 1 or 2 on the Shure P4R wireless IEM (in-ear monitor), they can custom-design their individual mixes even further by adding the other’s mix. I think it’s brilliant that Shure designed this feature into their wireless receivers. It enhances the mixing options in a very useful way.
AUX 3 goes to our five-person vocal team. Everyone on the team slides his or her dial to the same side as mix 3 and receives mainly vocals, piano, and light click track. I can solo any of these individual mixes on the FOH board to check vocal balances. I also make sure to get input from the vocalists as well, to ensure that they can hear themselves.

• AUX 4 is the mix for the electric guitarist, consisting of piano, click track, worship leader, and drums.
• AUXES 5, 6, and 7 feed amplified wedges that we use for various changing band scenarios (choir, extra musicians etc.).
• AUX 8 goes to another Shure wireless unit for the drummer. This mix has lots of click track, bass, some piano, and the worship leader.
• AUX 9 is another spare amplified speaker mix.
• Aux 10 is used for my reverb send.

The key to successful monitor mixing using this method is to keep each mix simple and clean. One of the most important aspects of monitor mixing is to thin the mix out. Each musician needs to hear a specific thing. Identify those important elements, and customize each mix for them. Only the important necessary components are in each person’s ear, while the ambient FOH sound fills out the mix.

One more thing: Using the personal monitoring system really cuts the stage volume down, making for a much clearer FOH mix, and a service full of inspiration and impact.

DAN MURPHY is the Sound Tech Director at Lakeside Christian Church and also owns Group Effort Sound Studio (www.groupeffort.com), which he started in 1976. He is constantly using the natural laws of science, technology, and physics to illustrate how amazing God’s creation really is.

One of the most commonly asked questions in professional audio is “What microphone can I use that doesn’t cause feedback?” The answer is: no such microphone exists. Feedback results from a combination of many factors, including loudspeaker placement, microphone placement, and the frequency response of both devices and room acoustics.

It’s a complicated process. Entire books have been written on the subject and the mathematical formulas that model feedback are quite involved. So let’s summarize the problem.

What is it?

Feedback is an oscillation at a resonant frequency of your sound system and the room. Take a soda bottle and blow over the top. It will resonate at a certain frequency depending on the volume inside. Change the inside volume by adding liquid and the resonant frequency changes. Feedback is analogous to blowing over the bottle top.

Each mic is slightly different; therefore each one will resonate at different frequencies. Each loudspeaker is slightly different and will resonate at different frequencies. Each location in the room has its own resonant frequency. As the gain of your sound system is increased, eventually a common resonant frequency is found and the system (mic – loudspeaker – room) goes into feedback. Change one component, or location, and the feedback will also change. The resulting noise is a sustained, ringing tone, which can vary from a low rumble to a piercing screech.

What causes it?

The root causes of feedback are irregularities in the frequency response and polar patterns of the microphones, the loudspeakers, and the room acoustics. Consider this example: You have three Shure SM58® mics, but the manufacturing tolerance of those mics over the complete frequency range is +/- 3dB. At any certain frequency, two of your SM58s might have an output variation of 6dB. Loudspeakers are even worse with many having variations of +/- 6dB, which equals a range of +12dB. And room acoustics can boost certain frequencies due to room resonance as much as +/- 12dB! This is a range of 24dB. With this much variation, it’s no surprise that mics in a slightly different locations will feed back differently.

Also note that each time the number of open mics in a sound system is doubled (1 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 8, etc.), the overall gain of the sound system drops by 3 dB. This means that more open mics equals less gain in the PA system.

Simply stated, feedback occurs whenever the sound entering a microphone is reproduced by a loudspeaker, picked up by the microphone, and re-amplified again and again. The familiar howl of feedback is an oscillation that is triggered by sound entering the microphone. The easiest way to create feedback is to point a microphone directly into a loudspeaker. (We don’t recommend you try this!) Placing the microphone too close to the loudspeaker, too far from the sound source, or simply turning the microphone up too loud exacerbates feedback problems.

What can I do about feedback?

You can:

• Change the acoustics by adding sound absorbing material walls.
• Change to different mics that have different resonance frequencies.
• Use in-ear monitors to eliminate the feedback path from loudspeaker monitors to mics.
• Employ precise parametric equalization that might add 4 to 6 dB of gain. Change to loudspeakers with a very smooth frequency response at all frequencies and all angles (big money!).

The single easiest way to reduce feedback is to:

• Move the microphone closer to the desired sound source
• Increase the amount of gain before feedback by using a directional microphone (cardioid, supercardioid, etc.)
• Reduce the number of open microphones
• Try to keep microphones and loudspeakers as far away from each other as possible.
• Acoustically treat the room (if possible) to eliminate hard, reflective surfaces such as glass, marble, and wood

But wait – there’s more!

When all of 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 feed back first. After the techniques described in the above section have been applied, 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). 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.

After locating the first feedback frequency, begin turning up the system again until the next frequency begins ringing. Repeat these steps until the desired level is reached, but don’t over-equalize. Keep in mind the equalizers can only provide a maximum level increase of 3 to 9 dB.

Parametric equalizers, though more confusing to the novice user, allow for more precise control of feedback frequencies. A graphic EQ allows the user to cut fixed frequencies with a fixed filter width. A parametric EQ allows the user to isolate specific frequencies and adjust the width and depth of the filter.

Automatic feedback reducers will accomplish the same results. They find and cut the frequencies that are feeding back automatically. The same precautions listed above apply to feedback reducers as well as equalizers. Automatic feedback reducers are very helpful in wireless microphone applications.

Back to basics

Remember that microphone placement is crucial to eliminating feedback, and the temptation to wander away from the ideal microphone position when using a wireless mic 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 human operator.

Proper implementation of these techniques will go a long way toward eliminating feedback in your sound system. Don’t rely solely on equalizers or feedback reducers, and remember that feedback results from more than just the microphone.

How well we remember the days gone by when the airwaves were filled with news of a digital tsunami and the end, as we knew it, of analog television. For consumers, it meant the addition of a set-top box and a never-ending stream of public service and cable provider TV spots. And instead of portending a bright new digital future, there was something about the transition that seemed a little bleak.

In the fall of 2008, this was especially true for users of wireless audio systems. The Federal Communications Commission unanimously passed its long debated “white spaces” rules, paving the way for the deployment of new unlicensed wireless devices (like smartphones, for instance) between the newly assigned digital television channels.

There were serious concerns about interference, licensing, and equipment obsolescence. Led by Shure, the pro audio community went to Washington, debated with a powerful coalition of consumer product manufacturers, retooled product lines, and worked tirelessly to represent the rights of wireless audio users. Those users included everyone from Broadway producers to the National Football League … and you.

Fast forward to June 12, 2009. That’s the date when the analog TV signals officially signed off. Then, approximately one year later, wireless mic systems were no longer permitted to operate in the 700 MHz band.

And here we are. With all the sound and fury, the hand wringing, the lobbying efforts, the white papers and the worry … what really happened? Did churches large and small return to the days of wired sound? Were mobile apps jamming the airwaves? Was interference a fact of wireless life? Did entire systems hit the scrap heap and call for emergency budget meetings to fund new systems? Was the praise band sent home?

For the answers, we talked to experts at two distinctly different churches – Ron Gibson at Eagle Mountain International Church, in Fort Worth, Texas and the Bob Abraham, Shure Associate and volunteer at Vineyard Church (planted in Shure’s former Hartrey Avenue headquarters) in Evanston, Illinois.

First up, Eagle Mountain international Church

Meet Ron Gibson. Along with Robert Price and Paul Hayden, he is responsible for live sound reinforcement in the big room at the biggest church in the Kenneth Copeland Ministries. Across the sprawling Fort Worth campus are eight venues and eleven rooms – all needing audio assistance from a full time staff of three and a battalion of fifteen volunteers.

“Back in 2008, we heard the announcement that there might be some changes – and we really paid close attention to it because here in the northwest Dallas/Fort Worth area, there’s a lot of stuff going on. We realized by looking at the anticipated changes in the frequency band that we were going to get hit pretty hard.

At that time, we were running 27 channels of wireless mics and six channels of IEMs – and that was across our facility. We had 12 channels of wireless in our main sanctuary, and we had three channels of wireless IEMs. We started experimenting with different manufacturer’s wireless systems and even before the transition, were getting hit with interference, not in a major way, but enough to convince us to jump on the bandwagon in December 2008. We didn’t want to have problems.

We changed out our main sanctuary with 14 new channels of wireless mics from Shure (UHF-R®, which we thought were the best we could get for our building) and we also got 14 handheld mics and bodypack transmitters, so we actually bought 28 new wireless microphone systems. This gave us the flexibility to do what we needed to do in terms of performance, too – drama, singing or any combination.

We thought about sharing the outdated 700MHz equipment with some of our smaller churches rather than turning the equipment in for the Shure rebate, but of course, we’d only be putting them in jeopardy with the FCC’s rulings, so we didn’t end up doing that.

Shure had a good rebate program and that helped us to make the change as early as we did. Even so, we ended up spending about $30,000 in the main sanctuary.

Today, we are using 35 wireless microphone channels and about 10 channels for wireless IEMs across our entire facility. These are all Shure systems and we haven’t had one problem. Not one.

We stay on top of it. Every time we turn something on, we’re monitoring it. We actively coordinate frequencies. We scan our microphones every couple of weeks to make sure that nothing else has changed. And even though I’m running 45 channels of wireless, this holds true for the guy that had two channels of wireless in his building. You never know in this technological world we’re living in who has what. The days of just installing something and leaving it alone are over.”
Vineyard Church—Evanston, Illinois

“I started on the team just about the time of the 700MHz transition. Vineyard’s story is pretty typical in that there was no one on the full-time staff aware of the White Spaces issue. These were people who weren’t necessarily hooked in to the audio industry and unless they were subscribed to publications and chat rooms, they had no way of knowing. Still, before I arrived, a couple of volunteers sounded the alarm. At the time, Vineyard had two Shure UHF systems.

On a typical Sunday, we only use about two channels of wireless. The original A/V designers probably wanted to make the system very volunteer-friendly. But now that I’m here, I’m planning to integrate more wireless into our services.

We were in kind of a panic mode in January 2009, because the 12th of February was the original deadline. We had two wireless systems to replace and really had to scramble. I was able to use my Shure employee discount to get two ULX® systems for the church. We still have that old 700 MHz system in a rack somewhere, but, of course, it’s not being used.”
And?

“We’ve been really happy with the ULX system. One of the concerns we had is with battery usage because the system uses standard alkaline batteries. We go through batteries very quickly, so one of the things we did is to switch to rechargeable batteries. That’s saved us a lot of money.

With all the advantages that wireless systems have, there’s also a lot more responsibility on the tech crew because there are more things that can go wrong – from dealing with batteries and interference to sound sources going out of range, even things that you wouldn’t expect to be a problem like two transmitters being too close together. The crew has to know about wireless and not just about audio.

Especially now, spectrum management has to be part of the team’s learning curve, but fortunately, companies like Shure offer all kinds of online resources: how to set up a system, how to do frequency coordination, geographic frequency finders … just a lot of helpful information. In some ways, things really haven’t changed that much. Wireless microphones still operate on many of the same frequencies – it’s just a matter of the other devices in the spectrum.

The wireless transition is in reality a lot less frightening than people may think. It still remains to be seen how many of the White Spaces devices are going to appear and how much real havoc will be created because of them. In the short term, all of the wireless systems are going to work just fine.”

Let’s Compare:

Today there are nine pastors ministering to the needs of a multi-cultural, multi-generational population. In addition to weekly church services and Sunday school, Vineyard runs a teen drop-in center (complete with a drum kit and an XBOX console), as well as The Harvest, a food and clothing pantry that serves 150 local families every week.

There’s plenty of unused space in Vineyard’s present location, but this church likes to know every member of the congregation. That’s why the congregation has successfully planted six new churches in the general area. Here is one of Vineyard’s stated goals:

“We value ministry (giving, relating, and loving) as the primary activity of the church and want everyone to participate in some way.”

We think that Mr. Shure would have liked that.
Church Correspondents

Bob Abraham is manager of Digital Audio Processing at Shure Incorporated, developing DSP and Networked Audio products. He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston and a M.S. in Music Engineering from the University of Miami. He has designed and operated church sound systems for many years and currently leads the audio tech team at Vineyard Christian Church of Evanston.

Learn more about Evanston’s Vineyard Church here.

Ron Gibson is a full time engineer for Eagle Mountain International Church and Kenneth Copeland Ministries. In addition to his duties as monitor engineer for the main sanctuary, he has consulted on the design and specification of the church’s state-of-the art Conference Center. Prior to EMIC, Ron operated Word of Faith Tape and Sound and applied his considerable audio talents to a wide spectrum of national and international events, including the World Cup, Super Bowl half-time performances and the dedication ceremonies surrounding the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library. And as exciting as those gigs may seem to the rest of us, Ron says he’s right where he always wanted to be.

About Eagle Mountain International Church

One of the most challenging tasks for a house of worship audio technician is miking the choir. The right solution requires achieving:

• a good balance of all the voices,
• high gain before feedback, and of course,
• a natural sound

There are two basic decisions to be made that will help you get the best sound for your choir:

• microphone selection, and
• microphone placement

In this issue of Shure Notes, we’ll focus on placement and teach you how to get the best possible sound for your choral ensemble.

How many microphones, and where should they go?
Once you’ve made the decision on which mics to use, you need to consider how many you need and where to place them. Here are some tips:

How many?
The simple answer is: as few as possible. Fewer microphones mean less feedback and an easier job of adjusting for the best sound. A decent cardioid choir mic, correctly placed, will cover 15-20 singers, arranged in a rectangular or wedge-shaped section about 10 ft. wide and 3 rows deep. A choir of 30-45 voices should require no more than two or three mics.

How high?
No hard and fast rule here. Some professionals recommend a vertical height as tall as the tallest singer in the back row. Others suggest that height, plus another 2-3 feet. Raising the mics makes all the singers equidistant and prevents the front row singers from overwhelming the back row

How close?
2-3 feet in front of the first row should give you a balanced sound.

For larger or unusually shaped choirs that require multiple microphones, try to observe the 3:1 Rule:

For multiple microphones, the distance between microphones should be approximately three times the distance between individual mics and the sound source.

For instance:
If a microphone is one foot in front of the front row of your choir, the next nearest microphone should be placed about three feet apart.

Here’s why:
You want to avoid the hollow sound that results from phase cancellation or the comb filter effect. This can happen when too-close mics pick up two vocal signals in the mix – one direct and one delayed. Certain frequencies cancel out, creating a frequency response that looks like an inverted comb – hence the name. And unless you’re looking for that kind of a filtered sound, it’s something you’ll want to avoid.

Seven simple rules:

1. Place the microphones properly.
2. Use the minimum number of microphones.
3. Turn down unused mics.
4. Let the choir naturally mix itself.
5. Don’t over-amplify the choir
6. Try not to sing at the mic.
7. Sing in a natural voice.