Kyle McMahon - Tim Vear - John Mills - Randy Weitzel - Mike Overlin - Peter Robinson
Bootcamp
SIGNAL FLOW
Jacob Cody – Lecture 90 minutes
A solid understanding signal flow is the key to developing great mixing skills and the ability to troubleshoot problems. In this course we work step-by-step through the signal chain of the sound system.
Digital Mixing 101
Jacob Cody - Hands – on session
* MIXING Consoles Analog vs. Digital (1hr) Jacob Cody
Analog vs. Digital is a workshop that will give the student a working overview of the concept of digital mixing using Yamaha’s legendary M7CL as the example. In this class, we debunk the myth that a digital is difficult to learn. We will explore layout and functions of the console as well as related topics such as; digital snakes, digital effects processors, digital multi-track recording, and much more. Whether you are currently using an analog or digital mixer, you will find this class to be informative and useful for your church's current setup and plans in the future.
** The audio classroom will remain open throughout the summit. Students are encouraged to practice what they have learned. Audio will be fed to the consoles from and during the worship sessions. Students can mix the band live and recorded after.
Audio Fundamentals –
When you see those ubiquitous audio terms in the literature or on a spec sheet, do you really know what they mean? Can you explain the difference between dBu and dBv and why it matters? And, what’s a ‘Pascal’ anyway? Sure, someone once told us that a doubling the power of your amplifier will result in a 3dB rise but do you know why? And, can you prove it? And by the way, will doubling that power equate to the system being twice as loud? (it won’t and we’ll show you why)
The fundamentals session will present a non-mathematical (almost) overview of the physical and psycho-acoustic properties of sound that every mix engineer must know. Audio standards, terms and practices will be explained.
Then, never again will you be embarrassed in front of your friends when someone dares you calculate the loss in dB from one level to another by using the 10log p2/p1=ndB formula! You’ll do it with ease and a smile.
Speakers 101
Peter Robinson -
In this class the student will have a working overview of speakers and amplifiers. This class will have everything you ever wanted to know about the output side of your sound system. Topics discovered will be: how speakers disperse their sound, how to aim them, the correct way to power them, how to avoid damage to your system (and possibly yourself!), and much more. Bring dimensions of your mixing environment to get a real world look at speakers in your room!
Microphones Part 1
This is a class for the novices and the experienced as well. It will cover the differences in the most popular microphone types used in the church with a focus on dynamic and condenser types; how microphones hear: Polar Patterns; rules that you must know for live sound: Inverse square law, three-to-one rule, proximity effect, and more. All class attendees will receive printed books from Shure that cover the subject much at a deeper level.
MIXING Practicum -
Guided Mix Tour (we provide step by step instruction in printed form)
Practice, Practice Practice. Students apply what the they learned in Digital Mixing 101 in a real-time, hands session on the M7 console. Raw audio tracks recorded from the WATS band are routed to console. We take you step by step through setting up the console, creating mix template, assigning and routing input and output channels, setting gain structure, getting a basic mix, setting up and aux mix and much more.
*The console room will remain open after dinner. Students are free to explore and play. Last person leaving, lock the door on your way out!
WATS Day 1
Soundcheck– 1 hour 45 minutes
Audio-Musician-Vocal This is a combined audio and musician track class and can be lead from the audio side by Kyle and from the musician side by Carl. In the spirit of trying to get all sides to understand what the other goes through, they can each approach the various aspects of getting a good sound check and setting up good monitors. We will feature the entire band who will to demonstrate the techniques and we can even start off with how NOT to do a sound check…always very effective.
Microphones Part 2
Tim will demonstrate how we mic’d the band for Sound Check. Alternative mics and placements will be shown and compared. We will continue the topic delving into applications and techniques used for various sound sources: vocals, spoken word, choir, drums, guitars, string instruments, horns, etc; differences in mic choices for Live Sound and Recording techniques.
Recording Basics – 90 minutes
Audio-Musician This is the last class with the band. Mike will lead with team support and we will do an actual recording of the house band including basic tracks and overdubs.
Art and Science of the Mixdown 90 Minutes
Mike Overlin
Audio-Musician We will do a mixdown of the project that the band had just recorded.
PARALLEL COURSE Loudspeakers 201
Peter Robinson
In this class, the student will get a real world look at how to tame their mixing environment. Here we will discuss reflections, phasing, aiming the speaker away from the wall, sound treatment, when to EQ, and more. Bring dimensions of your own room to get a real world look at how your system behaves.
PARALLEL COURSE Mixing for the Musical
Christmas, Easter, the church musical! 20 young children running around with wireless mics. YIKES! How to plan for and survive those special productions …
WATS Day 2
Wireless Systems -Tim Vear
The wireless world is getting very crowded and you need to know what’s happening to get the best results for best possible reception.
Tim will bring you up-to-the –minute highlights of what is happening in RF world with the new FCC rules and consumer companies that want to introduce their devices into the same space as TV and wireless production systems.
We will show you how to improve your wireless systems effectiveness through frequency coordination, antenna placement, location of transmitters and receivers and things that cause problems for your wireless by way of practical methods and tools used to assist us in our quest to be free from drop-out or interference.
Critical Listening - Kyle McMahon– Lecture
Can someone improve the way they hear? Maybe you can’t make your ear drums better but you can learn to analyze what you hear and use that skill to get a better mix.
Kyle will teach you how.
The Art and Science of Mixing – EQ, Compressors, FX
Jacob Cody - Kyle McMahon
A well designed sound system relies on Science. But mixing music on that system is an ART. There are many devices that used in the sound system. Jacob will describe what a particular device does in technical terms (Science)
John will show how it’s used to get the desired results (Art)
Digital Mixers for Live Worship (1 hr)
Jacob Cody
Digital Mixers For Live Worship is a workshop that will give the student a working overview of the digital mixing console using Yamaha’s legendary M7CL as the example.
As a hands-on lab, students will mix pre-recorded live tracks as part of the session and will work toward developing a final mix that utilizes the many of the unique functions of the console.
In this session the student will learn how to use different mixing techniques and features of digital consoles such as:
-Effects
-parallel inputs
-subtractive EQ
-Compression
-and more
Advanced Digital Mixing -
Jacob Cody
Advanced Digital Mixing is a workshop that goes even deeper in exploring the some of the advanced features available on a digital console. Students will learn advanced processes such as: wireless console control, working with digital plug-ins, using a live multi-track recording for a virtual sound check, digital snake routing, and more. If you’re looking to take your digital console to the next level, this class is for you.
Session 3 – Advanced Digital Mixing: Enhancing Worship with the Tools You Have
In this class, we will discuss the art of mixing in worship. So many times we get caught up in the science behind it that we forget or miss out on the opportunity to create an environment conducive to worship. In this class, we will discuss the following:
1. Bringing down the volume
2. Flowing with the worship leader
3. Providing energy in your mix
4. Creating atmosphere with effects
5. And more!
Audio Forum - Audio Team
You talk, we listen.
This your chance to bring up your audio ministry questions. We’ll do our best to answer.
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