ProAudio Review - November 2008 - (Page 52)

opinion worship audio by Dan Wothke Loudness In Worship: Taming Guitar Amplification For my last installment of Worship Audio In Other Words, Leave [“Taming The Driving Factor—Drums” in Those Speakers At Home PAR July 2008], I focused on the topic of Bass amplifiers are notorious for creating sound pressure level (SPL) and making muddiness in the house; this can be adjustments to help reduce the overall vol- taken care of with a good DI. The use of ume to create a better atmosphere for wor- something from the Line 6 POD family or ship. The first hurdle was combating the some other type of amp simulator can nature of drums and some creative ways greatly help with achieving a quality tone to isolate the drums while retaining good while not having the amp overtake the site lines for communication. That column house mix. From time to time, I have the generated a helpful e-mail—which ran as a pleasure of filling the role of bass player, letter to PAR in the very next issue— so I speak with some authority on this specifically addressing the advancement subject and have talked with the other of electronic drums and their viability in bassists in the Nashville area—all have the House of Worship (HOW) market. easily adapted to this mantra. Should a bassist insist their sound Once we have corralled our drum levels, it is time to move onto the next greatest relies heavily on their trusty amplifier, the simple solution is to unplug their speaker SPL creator in the modern and take a direct out. Throw a HOW: the instrument good tube preamp in line like amplifier. I am most Applied Microphone Technology M40 acoustic piano microphone system an Avalon, Summit Audio, or s p e c i f i ca l l y similar manufacturer’s prodreferring to uct, and the warmth speakers and punch of the hooked up to amplitone will be even better. Amps for bass have fiers, which their place and may even be really detract welcomed to add some lowfrom the sound of the mix especially when there is range frequencies in an envimusic under someone ronment where there are no speaking. It can be such a dedicated subwoofers, but I battle to obtain a good level have found this is rarely the case. for the voice, as the congregation Most often, bass amps in HOWs end up hears with the amplified instruments is creating 80 - 200Hz mush buildups. the distant and indirect sound coming off of the amp. The end result is a muddy, dis- Pianos Can Be Loud, tant rumble with a mild semblance of Amplified Stringed melody. This is a 180-degree result from Instruments, Too what should be a clear, distinct sound, one Should your HOW be so fortunate to have that enhances the intent of the spoken an acoustic piano, closing the lid is a simword. Look at this through the lens of a full- ple solution but closing it and still geton worship band and the challenges are ting a good sound is another story. For increased, proportionate to the SPL level at this problem, Earthworks offers its highwhich the worship music is taking place. quality PianoMic system [reviewed in the Sept. 08 issue of PAR], which includes a mounting bar, two Earthworks microphones and a small cable to allow for closing the lid. If its cost is outside of your budget ($4,495 list), check out the Applied Microphone Technology M40 acoustic piano microphone system, a high-quality bargain ($556 list). Additionally, with a little intuitiveness, I would bet that a custom bar fitted with your favorite microphones is achievable with the ultimate goal in mind: close the lid, which can provide a clean sound without bleed from the piano or into piano microphones. If your HOW leans on the more flexible solution of electric piano, then a DI (or line out, if equipped) is a great solution. The only purpose for an amp at that point would be for monitoring and that can be better addressed with a good monitor mix. Jumping into an orchestra pit can introduce challenges of their own but the plus of doing so is that the majority, if not all, instruments are strictly acoustic there and do not require their own amplification. Further, a true pit can serve as a natural sound barrier which helps isolate the instruments. Six-String Takeover Time after time, the biggest culprit of troublesome SPL in the world of amplifiers is courtesy of the beloved electric guitar. Many modern acoustic guitars are designed to use some type of DI for amplification (if no DI, then a mic has to be used so the need for an amplifier does not apply). I have used many amps for acoustic guitar and although they serve as a good “hot spot” type monitor, they hardly add anything that could not Dan Wothke is media director at Belmont Church in Nashville, and he welcomes your comments at dwothke@yahoo.com. 52 ProAudioReview | November 2008 www.proaudioreview.com http://www.proaudioreview.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - November 2008

ProAudio Review - November 2008 Contents Technically Speaking First Look 2008 PAR Excellence Awards New Studio Products Studio Sense Review: Solid State Logic Matrix Review: Arsenal Audio by API R24, V14, and R20 Mini-Review Review, Second Opinion, and Benchtest Review: A-Designs HM2EQ HAMMER Review: Sontronics Sigma Phantom Powered Ribbon Microphone Analog In The Studio: Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be New Live Products Worship Audio Review: Community VERIS Series Loudspeakers Installation Profile Single Slice

ProAudio Review - November 2008

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