By Full Compass LiveOkay, we get it...you liked the last article on five live sound accessories under $50! So let’s tighten the focus a bit, and look at sound accessories that are timely candidates for worship sound.
The Very Best Mics for... Someone Else
They say you can never be too rich or too thin—but for worship, you can never have enough mics. There’s the mic the “helpful person” dropped (“Here, I’ll help you set up!”) and no longer works, the one you need to hand to the kid who’s sneezing and sniffling, and the replacement for the mic that was working only a few hours ago. Yes, it helps to have some cheap and cheerful, but still decent, mics handy—so cueDefinition:
1. (verb) Monitoring and getting a program event ready to go, or direction to talent to commence a program or portion of a program. 2. (noun) A particular piece of music in a video, film, or TV score associated with a particular on-screen event. the Samson R21S 3-pack of cardioidDefinition:
A microphone's heart-shaped directional pickup pattern., dynamic, hand-held mics. They have a relatively high output, dual-stage windscreenDefinition:
A foam or mesh filter to keep wind and breath from a microphone. to minimize fallout from p-popping speakers, surprisingly rugged construction, and given that you get three microphones for under $50...well, it’s a no-brainer that the R21S is good insurance when bad things happen to good services.
Sometimes You Don’t Want Radio-Ready Sound
Is your local radio station coming in over the audio line in your church’s electric piano? Did the pastor really mean to say “10-4, good buddy!” at the high point of a sermon? Rapco Horizon’s RFBLOX to the rescue. It has an XLR female input, XLR male output, and RFDefinition:
(Radio Frequency) Electromagnetic radiation through the air, or electrical signals in cable. Typically, RF frequencies are above 100 kHz. frequencyDefinition:
A value, expressed in Hertz, that indicates how many cycles of a periodic signal occur in one second. filterDefinition:
1. (audio) A circuit that reduces certain frequencies, e.g., a low-pass or high-pass filter for audio. See also: Equalizer. 2. (optics) reduces certain color wavelengths or polarizations. to get rid of radio frequencies that can bleedDefinition:
Sound or signal leaking into another track, cable or room. into shielded microphone cables. This isn’t so much a product; it’s a $30.55 insurance policy for when RF sneaks its way into audio lines, and turns into audio somewhere in the process. If you’ve ever had that happen, you know it’s a frustrating problem to solve. And if you haven’t had it happen, this handy little device may keep your “47 services without RF garbage getting into my audio” safety record intact.
Pouch Your Pack
It’s prudent to keep guitar players happy, because that way, they’ll be in a good mood when you ask them to please, please turn down. And if that guitar player uses a wireless transmitterDefinition:
Any device that sends an electrical signal, typically radio waves or by wire., it’s likely the On-Stage MA1335 Guitar Strap with Wireless Transmitter Pouch will be appreciated. The pouch holds typical wireless guitar transmitters up to 1" x 3" x 3.5", and can be worn on the included nylon webbing strap (adjustable from 32" to 55"), a belt, or given that you can’t expect a product that costs $10.95 to incorporate a big-bucks custom leather strap, any other strap that’s not over 1.75" wide. The pouch is made of neoprene and is water-resistant, so whether the guitarist sweats a lot, or takes your comment to “go soak your head” literally, the transmitter has a fighting chance of withstanding the moisture.
Monitoring Gets Personal
Sometimes you want to be a control freak—like when you need complete control over what you hear in your in-ear monitors, and don’t want to wreck your praise band’s sound with wedges that add to the volume levels. Granted, Behringer’s PowerPlay P1 Personal In-Ear MonitorDefinition:
1. (audio) A loudspeaker or headphone/earphone used for accurate reference monitoring for recording or broadcast. 2. (live performance) A device that reproduces sound, like an in-ear monitor or speaker wedge, so performers can hear themselves. See: IEM. 3. (computers) A device that provides a graphic representation of operations occurring inside the computer. 4. (video) A device that enables seeing what is occurring with a video shoot, or program material from a broadcast or other video media source. AmplifierDefinition:
1. A device that increases the voltage or power of a signal. 2. In music performance, a device such as a guitar amplifier that includes speakers and controls to increase the sound level of acoustic or electric instruments. isn’t wireless, which is what allows for the sub-$50 price tag. But if you’re tethered to a mic stand anyway, or to an ampDefinition:
Abbreviation for either Ampere or Amplifier. with cables, then the P1 is an affordable solution for monitor control. It can accept monoDefinition:
Short for Monophonic. An audio program, recording, or hardware device/software routine that produces or processes a signal with only one channel., dual mono, or stereoDefinition:
A two channel signal simulating a sound space, typically played through two speakers. input, with a balanceDefinition:
The ratio of a stereo signal's left channel to its right channel, often controlled with a knob on a mixer. control for the two inputs, and a volume control. And although you can crank up the headphone amp pretty loud, the built-in current limiterDefinition:
A form of compressor with a ratio of infinity:1 above the threshold for both overload protection, or as a sound effect to normalize volume. Some engineers consider a compressor with a ratio of 20:1 or higher above the threshold for a limiter. protects your hearing from sudden volume bursts.
In addition to a belt-pack clip, the P1 can mount on mic stands with a 5/8" or 3/8" thread. A 9-volt batteryDefinition:
An assembly of series-wired cells that provides higher voltages than individual cells. lasts 12 hours, but an optional DCDefinition:
(Direct Current): Current that flows only in one direction, as opposed to AC (Alternating Current). Typically derived from batteries or DC power supplies. adapter is available for $9.99. The P1 is small, built to last, and manages to be both simple and effective—so it’s ideal for making control freaks happy.
Take a Stand, and Deliver
You probably have plenty of conventional mic stands, but a boomDefinition:
A vertical stand or tree on which horizontal boom arm is attached, also handheld microphone (fishpole) arm for overhead recording. stand can be helpful in many ways. Ask any guitar-playing singer how many times they’ve bumped their guitar into a straight stand, and it’s almost certain the answer won’t be “none.” Boom stands are also great with lecterns and podiums if you’re using hand-held mics instead of a specific, podium-style mic. Also, for musicians who are sitting down and singing (drummers, piano players, and the like), a boom stand is pretty much essential.
For $47.95, it’s hard to beat the On-Stage MS7701TB for value. It’s pretty much unbreakable; the only real caution is suitability with super-heavy mics—but it’s fine with standard dynamic mics, like Shure’s venerable SM58. The height is adjustable from 36" to 63", and boom length telescopes out from 19" to 33". Overall, this is a boom that gives bang for the buck.
