M3000 Repair and Updates report

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
- Romans 10:17

This blog post is dedicated specifically to church sound systems and their need for careful planning, spending and training.  You know that you have a sermon that God has for your congregation and you want them to hear it.  So let’s get started in the right direction to a effective listening environment for your congregation.

Planning is crucial to a church sound system.  A lack of planning can waste a ton of money through poor installs, wrong equipment choices, and potentially having to reinstall equipment.  Make sure you plan what you need as detailed as possible so you can make an informed decision.

Spending too little can cost you more in the long run than spending too much.  If you do not buy the appropriate system for your current and future needs you could spend more money when you have to replace components that do not meet your needs.  Always be always compare costs in conjunction with services, equipment, and quality of work.

Training your staff is very important.  You have just invested thousands in making sure your church can hear the message you have studied, prepared, and prayed over.  You want to make sure the message you know God has given for your people is heard and your people are not distracted by unneeded noises, feedback or other.  You will want to invest time and resources in your people to help them be the best they can be.

Follow these basic guidelines and you will be well on your way to make a wise and successful decision.  If you need help just email me at ryan@brackmanconsulting.com and let’s get started getting you in the right direction!

Purchase tickets online at: http://southernwrestling.eventbrite.com/

A good friend of mine, Chris Hawkins, along with Southern Wrestling Entertainment is doing shows in the local area.  This will be a awesome family fun night.  Come out and have a good time!

Jan 8th, 2011 in Smithfield, NC the SWE will take off with the first show in SWE history and it will be a great one and Look forward to all wrestling fans coming out and seeing some good family entertainment.

SWE would like to thank SRAC in Smithfield for being the host for this great event.

Go to calendar section for all the details for this show and keep a check there for future show dates that will be coming soon.

Band Members

Shane Morgan- Keyboards
Ashton Milliken- Drums
Brett Phillips- Bass
Jimmy Plater- Tenor Sax

I had the opportunity to mix a local Jazz band called The Wrest this weekend at the Gospel Tabernacle Christmas party.  After getting the band plugged in and a quick sound check they were ready to go.

They performed pieces from top bands including The Rippingtons and Van Morrison.  Accompanied by the noteworthy guest soloist, Tom Ferguson, they performed warm, memorable Christmas classics to perfection.

This was an excellent performance filled with smooth drums, peerless piano rifts, solid bass lines and rounded out by a first-class tenor sax.

Booking the Band

If you need a band for your event then The Wrest is an excellent choice and is available for booking.  Contact Ashton at amilliken0109@email.campbell.edu to book them for your next event and help support local talent!

This is the last of my 5 basic questions from my early years learning AV systems.  This will be a list of tips I have learned over the years to help you have a more simplified easy to use system.

Number 1 tip: Keep it simple and labeled

Basic tips

• Whenever possible use matching numbers
  • ex 1:  Snake channel 1 plugs into sound console channel 1
• - Label rack mounted equipment showing what each section is controlling
• - Label all cables, including all cables.
• - Use inserts in their physical order inserted from left to right in order of use.

Real World Example

Ch Desc Insert

• Use Board tape to label monitors according to what output on the console controls them.  This way people on stage can tell you what number they want turned up if the speakers are mixed up.
• Test all multimedia and tracks completely to ensure they do not skip

Best way to set up mains/monitors

The best way to set these up depends on the room and the band.  A good start it to set up your monitors in order from house left to house right.  (this refers to the stage as you see it from the main mixing console)

A mains can be set up in a huge variety of ways.  Left Right, Left Center Right, Mono and each of these can have different variations of what would work best for a room.  Email me pictures of our facility and I can offer some suggestions on what would help provide proper coverage and operation.  ryan@brackmanconsulting.com

Mixing tips

- Remember you are mixing for the audience.  Listen to their complaints and see if it is something that can be addressed.    Some things cannot be addressed easily but

- Listen in other areas of the room for even sound.  Incorrectly setup PA can have large dead spots or areas of phase cancellation and you will want to be aware
- Listen to a wide variety of music styles, and instruments with the EQ set flat.  THis forces you to listen to the mix rather than the tone and help you better understand the mix structure of various styles of music

Extra tips not related sound systems

Video

• Label your A/V inputs on your video switchers.  MOst times these are AV 1, VGA 1, etc.  Label them according to what they are so you can change them knowing what you are changing
• Label output cables
• Know how to blank out and freeze images on the screens
• practice changing inputs so that it is as seamless to the audience as changing a channel
• Avoid having the mouse show up on screen
• Test all DVD clips in their entirety before showing them to find out if they work
• Make sure the projector fills the entire screen.  This will improve the contrast of your video because the black edge of the screen creates an outline that gives a definite ending to the picture.

Lighting
Everything in lighting is all pre-planning.  Changes to your setup cannot be made on the fly.  The main thing here is again label everything plus a few following tips:

• Keep notes on when lamps where changed so that if they get close to end of life during a production you can go ahead and change them to reduce the odds of having a blown lamp.
• Do you maintenacne on the fixtures
• USE SAFTY CABLES ON YOUR LIGHTS.  $10 per light and they can help prevent a light from falling and doing damage or worse yet, hurting someone.
• Make sure all bolts are tighten when setting the fixtures
• if you have subs in your sound system make sure you check your lights regularly for any that may have worked loose from the vibration.

These tips can help you have a more successful and engaging show by reducing the mistakes we all can make.  Have fun, enjoy the show, and send pictures of the show!

Send me some pictures so everyone can see what your show looks like!   ryan@brackmanconslting.com

Emily and Me

Flying!!!

My page is undergoing some changes.  I will be getting higher res photos up better and the blog needs to be linked in but I’m getting there!  Email or post in the comment section below any suggested topics or questions you may have so we can discuss them.