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.

View the first article in the Talkin’ Church Mic Basics series (Choosing the Right Mic).

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.

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.

New Product Overview: SCM820 Digital Automatic Mixer
Webinar Description
Built on the reputation of the popular SCM810, the SCM820 Intellimix® Automatic Mixer offers increased functionality, including selectable Intellimix modes, dual mixer capability, and an intuitive, browser-based interface. In addition, the SCM820 integrates Dante™ digital audio networking for simplified connectivity. Join Shure Systems Support Manager Gino Sigismondi for a tour of SCM820 features and applications.

Dates & Times
Monday, February 11, 2013; 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT Register for the 2/11 Webinar

Wednesday, February 13, 2013; 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT Register for the 2/13 Webinar

White Spaces / Spectrum Update
Webinar Description
The FCC continues to seek ways to make more spectrum available for wireless broadband devices in the U.S., some of which will likely come from the TV band. In this webinar, Shure Technical & Educational Communications Manager Chris Lyons will discuss the FCC’s planned Incentive Auction, the ongoing rollout of “White Space” devices, and potential changes in wireless microphone license eligibility.

Dates & Times
Monday, February 25, 2013; 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT Register for the 2/25 Webinar

Wednesday, February 27, 2013; 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT Register for the 2/27 Webinar

After you register, you’ll get a confirmation email that’ll tell you how to join the webinar.

System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 Server. For Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer required.

Happy learning!

View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

Centraverse™ Installed Sound Microphones
Webinar Overview
Our new Centraverse Microphones offer quality, affordable audio for installed sound applications.

Join Shure Systems Support Manager Gino Sigismondi and learn how to choose the right Centraverse microphone for your meeting facility, house of worship, classroom, or other application where high-quality speech reinforcement is required. In this one-hour webinar, Gino will cover:

• How Centraverse differs from Microflex® Wireless
• Centraverse models for podium, tabletop, and overhead microphone applications
• Popular accessories

Dates & Times
Monday, January 14, 2013; 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT Register for the 1/14 Webinar

Wednesday, January 16, 2013; 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT Register for the 1/16 Webinar

After you register, you’ll get a confirmation email that’ll tell you how to join the webinar.

System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 Server. For Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer required.

Happy learning!

View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

THURSDAY, December 6; How to Configure a Personal Monitor System
Overview
While the majority of musicians and monitor engineers are clear on the advantages of personal monitors, the proper ways to configure a personal monitor system are not as well known. Since no two situations are identical, it’s up to the user to decide how to use the system, from selecting the right system, to purchasing the right number of components, to making connections.

In this one-hour webinar, Gino Sigismondi, Shure Systems Support Manager and author of Selection and Operation of Personal Monitor Systems, will cover the critical aspects of configuring a personal monitor system, including tips on successfully transitioning from stage monitors to in-ears, and supplemental equipment that can enhance the experience.

Whether you are a musician considering the purchase of a personal monitor system, a sound system installer for houses of worship, or a sound engineer working with live music, this webinar will arm you with everything you need to know about using personal monitors.

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT   Register for the 10 AM Webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT   Register for the 2 PM Webinar

After you register, you’ll get a confirmation email that’ll tell you how to join the webinar.

System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 Server. For Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer required.

Happy learning!

View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

TUESDAY, November 13; How to Choose a Shure Wireless Microphone
Overview
Given the vast array of choices available in wireless microphone systems today, selecting the right one can be a daunting task. Join Manager of Shure Systems Support Gino Sigismondi for an in-depth discussion of the most important factors when choosing a wireless microphone system.

Selecting the right system involves more than simply determining the best sound or the appropriate range.  Using specific examples from the Shure product line, we’ll take a look at the three most important questions to ask when trying to decide which system is right for you.

We will also explore special considerations, including remote-mount antennas, networking, portable applications, analog vs. digital, and more.

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT  Register for the 10 AM webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT  Register for the 2 PM webinar

After you register, you’ll get a confirmation email that’ll tell you how to join the webinar.

System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 Server. For Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer required.

Happy learning!

 
View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

THURSDAY, October 18; Microphone Techniques for Houses of Worship
Overview
Shure Technical Training Manager Gino Sigismondi will walk attendees through all aspects of microphone selection and placement for House of Worship applications. Topics will include microphone types, polar patterns, frequency response, and how to employ your knowledge of these principles to select the right microphone for the job. The webinar will address podiums, choirs, lavalier versus headset microphones, and how to outfit your praise team with the appropriate microphone.

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT Register for the 10 AM webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT Register for the 2 PM webinar

TUESDAY, October 23; Shure Broadcast and Media Production Products
Overview
Shure Technical & Educational Communications Manager Chris Lyons will explore Shure broadcast and media production products. Whether you’re producing a short film or creating videos to promote a business or capture an event, viewers use audio as an indicator of your program’s overall quality. Using the right audio tools can make your video projects sound more professional. Products that will be reviewed include:

• Shotgun and lavalier microphones
• Portable wireless systems
• Headphones and headsets

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT Register for the 10 AM webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT Register for the 2 PM webinar

After you register, you’ll get a confirmation email that’ll tell you how to join the webinar.

System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 Server. For Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer required.

Happy learning!

 
View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

THURSDAY, September 27; Effective Antenna Setup for Wireless Systems
Overview
One of the key factors in successful wireless microphone operation is proper setup of the antenna system. Selecting the right antennas and placing them properly helps ensure good reception of the radio signal from the desired transmitters, as well as minimize the effects of outside interference.

In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn radio wave behavior, antenna types and placement, tips for properly remote-mounting antennas, cable types, RF amplification, and antenna distribution. The principles covered in this session apply no matter which wireless microphone system you are using.

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT  Register for the 10 AM webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT  Register for the 2 PM webinar

TUESDAY, October 2; Introduction to Wireless Workbench® 6 Beta
Overview
Shure Wireless Workbench® 6 Beta offers a new level of efficiency and flexibility, along with advanced tools for frequency coordination and complete control of networked Shure wireless products.

Join this 60-minute webinar for a comprehensive overview of this powerful software tool and learn some inside tips and tricks for getting the most out of the software. Learn how to coordinate and manage large numbers of frequencies (including non-Shure equipment), or simply squeeze in a few extra channels at your venue.

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT  Register for the 10 AM webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT  Register for the 2 PM webinar

After you register, you’ll get a confirmation email that’ll tell you how to join the webinar.

System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 Server. For Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer required.

Happy learning!

 
View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

You’ve done everything you can think of to keep the levels constant.  You’ve added amps.  You‘ve moved speakers.  Still, the amount of reverberation in your worship space makes intelligibility a real challenge. Then, of course, there’s background noise and feedback.  Believe it or not, there may be a simple solution to combating these sound quality issues.  Three letters. DSP.

Whether audience members are in a theatre, an auditorium, or a church like yours, they have high expectations about sound quality. So if you’re curious about the ability of DSPs to provide the remedy, read on. We’ll cover some of the basics:

• DSP – Digital Signal Processing
• Signs and Symptoms: When It Can Help
• Types of DSPs
• Practical Applications

In this blogpost, Shure’s Gino Sigismondi is here to tell us what Digital Signal Processors can and can’t do. We also recruited expert Jim Brown of Audio Systems Group to share his vast real world experiences.

How They Work

Digital Signal Processing converts signals from real world sources (usually in analog form) into digital data that can then be analyzed. Analysis is performed in digital form because once a signal has been reduced to numbers, its components can be isolated and manipulated in more detail than in analog form.

When the DSP has finished its work, the digital data can be turned back into an analog signal with improved quality. A DSP can filter noise from a signal, amplify frequencies and suppress others.

Types of Audio Signal Processors

Signal processors can be analog or digital, single- or multi-function or integrated with other components in a sound system.  In their infancy, most were standalone devices, but over time, became multi-functional with today’s digital signal processors (DSPs) combining a wide spectrum of functions at a fraction of the cost of individual processors.

Here are some of the problem-solving features you’ll find in DSPs today:

Volume and Gain Control
Filters
Equalization
Dynamics Processor
Compressors
Limiters
Expanders and Noise Gates
Automatic Gain Control (Speech Leveler)
Delay
Automatic Microphone Mixers
Gated Automatic Mixers
Feedback Reducers
Acoustic Echo Cancellers

It is highly sophisticated chip technology, but you can find it everywhere. DSP chips are used in sound cards, fax machines, modems, cellular phones, high-capacity hard disks and digital TVs. According to Texas Instruments, DSPs are used as the engine in 70% of the world’s digital cellular phones, and with the increase in wireless applications, this number will only increase. Digital signal processing is used in many fields including biomedicine, sonar, radar, seismology, speech and music processing, imaging and communications.

What DSP Can Do

To determine whether DSP can benefit your sound system, you need to consider some of the most common problems you face in sound reinforcement.  Assuming you have fairly good room acoustics, here are the problems and the DSP tools that can remedy them.

Shure DFR22 Audio Processor

And What DSP Can’t Do

Adding DSP to your system isn’t a substitute for following accepted sound reinforcement rules.  Reverberation, for instance, can’t be fixed by audio processing.  Once sound energy is released by the loudspeaker, DSP has no effect.  Raising the level of the sound system will only make the problem worse.

Helpful Tips

• Keep unwanted sounds from entering open microphones.
(One way to do this is to make sure your microphone have the correct polar pattern for your application.)
• Turn off microphones that aren’t in use.
• Keep microphones close to the sound source
• Aim directional loudspeakers away from reflective surfaces and toward listeners.
• Reduce room reverberation through structural modifications or acoustic treatments.

Then, We Asked an Expert

Jim Brown, Audio Systems Group

To gain another perspective, we contacted Jim Brown, who is the founder and principal consultant for Audio Systems Group in Chicago. He has published numerous research papers on sound reinforcement and is a contributor to pro sound magazines, including Sound & Video Contractor and Technologies for Worship.

He’s designed hundreds of sound systems for a wide variety of installations and started using DSP in 1995.  Jim hasn’t done a system without one since and here’s why:

Flexibility
“One piece of equipment, often taking up no more than one or two units of rack space, can fulfill my wildest dreams.”

More Capabilities
“I can do a lot more signal processing that I could with separate analog gear.  There’s no longer any excuse for not tuning the send to the ceiling loudspeakers and it’s easy for me to delay them so that they don’t create an intelligibility problem.”

Programming Ease
“For instance, the user interface for an equalizer looks and feels just like the controls of the analog unit it replaces.  I have a real time display of the equalizer’s response as I tune it.  The compressors and limiters give me control of all the setup parameters, showing gain reduction dynamically with signal.”

Documentation and Backup
“I can save the file to my laptop when I’m done.  I can also save different variations.”

Portability
“I can work through a design in my office, understand the free DSP and I/O available for expansion of the system – all without the need to have any contact with the hardware itself.”

Scalability
“Things like “Oh, by the way, you know we need to feed the system from the portable baptismal font that we set up at the back of the church, don’t you?” are easily accommodated.”

Pre-sets
“I can create customized pre-sets and call them up with external control signals in the form of switched contacts, logic signals and user control screens.  This is perfect for churches with a variety of worship services and programs.”

Reduced Noise in the Signal Chain
“Before DSP, we had to worry about the cascading of noise contributed by each and every analog input and output stage.”

Simplified Installation
“With DSP, all we have to do is connect inputs and outputs.  The rest of the wiring all happens on the computer screen.”

Cost
“Installation costs are minimal and hardware costs are much less, too. If we add the costs of a compressor/limiter, equalizer, crossover and delay, we’re even with the cost of a simple DSP that replaces them.   Since the DSP can be used anywhere, the more applications you can find for it, the more you save.”

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Want more information?

Selection and Operation of Audio Signal Processors

Audio Signal Processor FAQs

And if you’d like to learn more about Jim Brown, and the range of his talents, which extend from producing NPR’s “Jazz Alive!” to his 4 1/2 star review in Downbeat for his “Carmen McRae at Ratso’s” CD visit Audio Systems Group .

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23; Frequency Coordination for Wireless Systems
Learn (or brush up on) the basics of frequency coordination for wireless microphone systems, including practice scenarios utilizing the frequency compatibility function of Shure Wireless Workbench® software.

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT  Register for the 10 AM webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT  Register for the 2 PM webinar

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28; Axient® Wireless Management Network Overview
Discover all the new the features that Axient® brings to professional wireless microphone users.

Times
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CDT  Register for the 10 AM webinar
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT  Register for the 2 PM webinar

After you register, you’ll get a confirmation email that’ll tell you how to join the webinar.

System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 Server. For Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer required.

Happy learning!

View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

Tuesday, July 31, 10 AM–11 AM CDT   Register for the 10 AM webinar

Tuesday, July 31, 2 PM–3 PM CDT   Register for the 2 PM webinar

Shure Technical Training Manager Gino Sigismondi will conduct two in-depth webinars covering the following features of ULX-D:

• Improved RF performance in today’s unpredictable spectrum
• Shure lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology
• AES 256-bit encryption
• Frequency diversity
• Networked digital audio

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar. If you’re on a PC, you’ll need Windows 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server. Mac users will need OS X 10.5 or newer.

In the meantime, check out our past ULX-D posts, which feature short videos.

ULX-D Digital Wireless First Look from NAMM

ULX-D Dual & Quad Receivers First Look from InfoComm

View archives of our webinars at your convenience on shure.com.

Part three of a three-part series on wireless microphone technology. In this episode, we help our listeners choose the appropriate antenna and its placement for their wireless system.