Church Sound: Building A Portable Sound System

Okay, here is an article written by Mike Sessler about how to build a portable sound system for church. Of course, this would also work for any kind of group or use.
Click the link to view the article:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/church_sound_building_a_portable_system1/P1/

This article is a great find for me personally as I am helping out with a small project at my kid's school. The school currently has a portable, rolling rack sound system that is in need of some TLC and upgrades. I will be working with the teacher who is the "tech person" at the school to help solve the problems with the current system to make things work better.

Since most schools have limited funds for purchasing things like new sound gear, we are going to do a little searching to see what kind of quality, used gear is available that would work for the upgrades and fixes to the current system. The sound system will remain as a portable style setup to keep things simple for the time being. In the future, the school would like to consider a permanent sound system installation once funding can be allocated to do so.

Both my kids attend the public school which has a standard gymnatorium venue which is essentially a gymnasium with a proscenium style stage at one end. There is so much potential for this venue and I am going to volunteer my time with the school to help them out with their sound system issues.
Here is a picture of the gymnatorium at the school.

Professional Sound - Genelec Monitor Sweepstakes

Professional Sound magazine is hosting a sweepstakes for a chance to win a pair of GENELEC M040 2-way, Active Nearfield Monitors. Value of: $2500.00

Last day to enter is May 31, 2014

 To Enter, Like our Facebook Page, Click on the Sweepstakes tab, and fill out the entry form.

Good Luck!!!!

Record Store Day 2014 - A Great Success!

Today, I worked as sound tech for 3 bands playing at Cheeky Monkey in downtown Sarnia, ON for "Record Store Day 2014". This year's in store concerts was another great success! The Cheeky Monkey had a steady flow of customers through the doors and the bands entertained them well.

Featured bands for the day of entertainment were:

Borderlite Trio

Virginia Plain

Erika and Sara

All local musicians from the Sarnia area.

Here are some pictures from the performances at Cheeky Monkey for Record Store Day:

Borderlite Trio

Myself Mixing for Virginia Plain

Virginia Plain

Erika and Sara

Thanks for the Borderlite Trio for providing the sound system for the event.

Thanks to Maryanne and Roland, owners of the Cheeky Monkey for hosting an excellent event this year.

Lets see everyone out next year for Record Store Day 2015.

Wiring Guides 1 and 2

Today, I wanted to share two diagrams of wiring connections for pro audio cabling. The Wiring Guide 1 and Wiring Guide 2 illustrate the correct way to wire audio cables together. All combinations of connections are featured. Check out the two diagrams below:

Powered Mixer For A Simple Gig

For the simpler kind of sound gig, you can make use of a powered mixer to handle the work!

In a world full of huge sound systems, there are those gigs where "less is more". Coming up I will be mixing sound for 3 bands at the back of a record store. This kind of gig requires minimal equipment so, using a powered mixer is a great choice. Everything I will need is inside the box which allows me to keep the cabling to a bare minimum. Only a small number of inputs will be required for the vocal mics and few instruments. This is where a powered mixer makes light work out of a small gig like this. Below is the powered mixer that I will be using for the gig. I worked the gig last year and it worked so well for the setup.

You Never Stop Learning How To Be A Sound Tech

Recently, I was viewing a group page on social networking site pertaining to the bad installation of sound systems from around the world. One post showed a mixing console that was covered in plexiglass sheets preventing users from getting at all the controls except for the faders. The comments on this page were mainly about how the mixing console was all locked up preventing the sound techs or any other users from messing with the controls.

When I saw the picture, I immediately thought "why don't they just train the sound techs how to operate the gear correctly?". Someone else mentioned that the venue probably didn't want to spend the money on training. Maybe that is true but, it is still a good idea for the venue to make sure that the sound techs know how to use the system properly.

For a sound technician to perform their job correctly, they do need to have the proper training to work with the sound system in the venue. I know there are great sound technicians out there that would be willing to help train a newbie sound technician even without a pay cheque! The newbie sound technician must be willing to learn and not be "know it all" kind of person. It would be worth the time for the sound tech to get trained properly on the sound system to become a proficient operator.

Personally, I am always learning how to be a better sound technician. I started when I was teenager back in my high school drama club. I am 45 now and I am still learning more sound knowledge from industry professionals and other fellow sound technicians in my area. I have been using social networking to connect with industry professionals seeking sound tech advice and tips on how to be a better sound tech. 

You would be surprised how much knowledge can be obtained by just contacting a industry professional and asking for help. Most industry professionals are more than willing to share their acquired knowledge with another person who wants to learn the craft. Contact you local theatre or performance venue and contact the house technician to see if they would be willing to help you with your sound training. You never know if you don't ask!

If you get the chance to work with industry sound professionals on a gig, don't be afraid to ask for help. Ask that person to teach you how to do something you are not sure of. Ask them for their time before or after a gig to show you a sound mixing technique or a trick of the trade. Offer to take that person out to lunch or for a brew and ask them for sound tech knowledge from their years of experience. You will glad you did!

Record Store Day Canada April 19, 2014

Here is a post describing my next live sound gig for Record Store Day April 19th, 2014 at The Cheeky Monkey in Sarnia, ON. Featured in-store entertainment provided by local area bands and artists. I will be mixing the sound for the performances. It is going to be another great Record Store Day once again!

Here is the lineup of entertainers for the day:

11am - BORDERLITE TRIO
1pm - VIRGINIA PLAIN
2pm - ERIKA & SARA

Click here to check out the link at the Cheeky Monkey website for details:
http://www.cheekymonkeysarnia.ca/2014-record-store-day/

My Public Profile on LinkedIn.com

Today, I have just finished updating my profile page on LinkedIn.com and I have decided to post the link here to share it with everyone. I have the basic LinkedIn account and it works well for my particular use.

If you are on LinkedIn and would like to connect with me, please click on the following to view my public profile page.

My Public Profile on LinkedIn.com