Another church AVE is working with right now is buying new house lighting fixtures.

We run into churches all the time that are very surprised that wiring, fixtures and dimmers from the 1950′s, 60′s, 70′s, 80′s etc. are no longer working and problems are happening.  How many people drive cars around from the 50′s, 60′s, 70′s and 80′s??

Churches are notorious for waiting until the 11th hour to replace much needed items the building needs.  Lighting systems are no different with churches.

Here are the main factors and how to fix problems with church lighting:

1. Ft. Candles:  At AVE we use a Ft. Candle meter to measure the level of light in the worship space.  A Ft. Candle meter will give you a  number of ft. candles of light in the space.  If your church is dim and dark you can use a Ft. Candle meter to measure it.   To improve church lighting we usually shoot for 20-30 ft. candle average in the main congregation seating section and in between 50-60 ft. candles on the stage/alter area.  This is the basis of any lighting design.

2. A dimmer that runs the whole room – A lighting system that is turned on by flipping breaker switches in a closet or 20 switches on the back wall is not good.  Neither is 20 switches for house lighting and a entire other control interface for the stage lighting.   All of the 42 new church construction projects AVE has done (as of Q4 2011) have integrated lighting systems where the house lighting has integrated control of the stage lighting.   This is a key and invaluable.  DMX control is the protocol.   There are many great and affordable lines of dimmers but ETC leads the pack with two reliable and affordable lines of lighting dimming systems.  The Sensor Line, the DR Rack line and the Smart line.  With these three ETC offers three different price points with features and benefits that stand out with each.

3. Creative lighting – If you are a traditional catholic church the use of color is probably not a big priority however modern progressive churches are using color to create moods and add creative modern flavor to their church services.  AVE has done many church lighting systems that have the ability to use color.   The biggest change in this area in the last few years is the performance and creative flexibility of LED lights.    Check out this project at Sanctuary Church in Tulsa, OK.   AVE used the exceptional line of ETC Selador at Sanctuary Church in Tulsa.

4. GREEN ENERGY – One of the most common conversations we have now with churches that are interested in a new lighting systems is the choice between all LED or incandescent or some sort of mix.  Recently we worked with a church that had old lighting from the early 90′s.  AVE did a cost comparison of using popular Chroma Q LED lights vs. a standard incandescent based dimming system.   Here is a breakdown; it is a very interesting look and presents a tough choice for many churches:

LED Based System                            Incandescent Based Dimming System

LED Fixtures $ 65K                         House and stage lights incandescent $ 25K

Lighting control/console $ 3K   Lighting control/console $ 3K

Install LED $ 10K                             Install Incandescent $ 10K

Electrical $ 3K (yep )                 Electrical Incandescent $ 20K

Other costs, wire etc. $ 14K       Other costs, wire etc. $ 14K

TOTAL LED $ 95K                         TOTAL INCANDESCENT $ 72K

LED IS $ 23K more!!

Now when you look at those costs clearly incandescent lighting has the lowest up front cost but this is where the decision becomes difficult.

The benefits of LED over incandescent are well documented and here they are in a nutshell:

1. Operational costs – LED use a fraction of the power of incandescent, the church example above will save in the neighborhood of $ 2K a year in energy costs.

2. Electrical – LED requires way less circuits since the dimming happens inside the fixture, no need for a power dimmer in a closet like with incandescent.  Look at the $ 3k against $ 20k in electrical above.

3. NO LAMPS!! – Yep, LED lights will last in the neighborhood of 50,000 HOURS!!! 50,000 HOURS!!!   That is only a prediction by the manf. due to the inability to test but that is a lot of $ 15-25.00 lamps over years of use with incandescent that last 1500-2000 or so hours.

After doing the math if you combine all these together you wind up with a 12-16 year range of use.  YES, it will take 12-16 years of lower electricity and lamp costs.  Here is what is what is exciting though, after you recover that $ 23K in 12-16 years you recover another $ 23K in another 12-16 years.  Now of course equipment will wear out probably ahead of that but LED has other benefits:

Other LED Benefits:

1. Instant color and scene change.  Imagine when working with or trying to apply color you have 16 million color ability with LED.  With Incandescent your working with installing gels in standard fixtures, very labor intensive and limited.

2. Low heat – The heat LED’s produce are substantially less.  This is a big deal for churches in hot climate zones.  Major cooling energy savings could be at play.

Is LED the answer?    “It depends…”  Many factors apply. For example, if you have a really tall ceiling most LED’s will simply not work.  Also, a mix can make sense however keep in mind that the ability of LED to do a variety of instant color is where the real capability comes in.  Using LED for a nice even white wash of a stage is tricky and should only be done with a great design and care.

Consult AVE today to find out what is the best solution for your church.   We work all over the United States.   Contact us today….  Thank you for reading, please share on FB etc. if you found this helpful… Kevin Crow, VP of Sales and Marketing @ AVE

A sample of the most amazing lighting design for a church, best we have ever seen here   Yep, lots of LED

Image above is Sanctuary Church, Tulsa OK

In our industry, especially with churches, there is a myriad of people, consultants and companies that believe the digital mixing console is so valuable that it is worth the organization taking out a 3rd mortgage to pay for it.  Are digital mixing boards over hyped?  absolutely?  How can I make such a statement?  Because far too much emphasis is placed on the “tool” in this case the digital mixer vs. “the craftsmen” in this case the sound engineer.

I know many really good mixing engineers and without a doubt none of them derive their skill from the technology in the mixing board.  The “Art” of mixing is completely separate from the tool of the mixer board.   Am I trying to talk you out of a digital mixing board investment?  NO!  Am I trying to bring context and understanding to a very important purchase that all of our clients and organizations should cautiously consider?  YES

Here are the main benefits of digital mixing boards:

1. Ability to save and very quickly recall “scene” or “setup” presets.  Everything from the mix, to the full gain structure and EQ of a band.  This is where digital mixers really shine however if your players/muscians/singers are constantly changing it is of little value.  This is why digital mixers and touring acts use digital mixers so heavily, once the show is setup they simply repeat it and recall the same setups.  Some digital mixers even follow the time code of a show in more advanced setups.

2. Loaded with effects and features that literally would be a full rack of analog gear – Another huge benefit but of course if someone has no idea how to use those effects trouble can ensue very quickly.

3. Digital snake integration – Imagine being able to send almost 100 channels of audio down one cat5 cable…   What a savings on conduit.  Also, copper snakes and old buildings with poor isolated power are nothing more than a giant antenna of copper very susceptible to noise.  This can be a real key  solution for many organizations and even a cost saver.  A stage rack with the digital input boxes is flexible, moveable.  A bunch of hard wired floor boxes are fixed, not moveable and a ton of work/cost to install.

4. Personal monitor mix integration – Personal monitor mixers for the musicians on stage with save/preset recall ability is a feature of some systems.  This can be another huge time saver AFTER the initial setups/training has been done.

Here are the very real downsides of a digital mixer board:

1. It does not mix for you….. (sounds like a joke but from my experience some people put way too much faith in this purchase and it almost seems like it is their expectation.)  You still need to learn the theory and fundamentals of mixing.  This is why it is easier for someone who is good at mixing on an analog board to make a way easier and faster transition to digital.

2. Cost – If 90% of your new sound system budget has to go to the digital mixer you’re probably making a mistake.  If you threaten to quit your role of a mix engineer to leadership/management if you don’t get your favorite digital board you’re probably making a mistake.

3. Huge learning curve and requirement for specialist in organization.  At AVE we have been hired to do complete digital mixer setups and then organizations simply recall our scenes and ride fader levels.  This is NOT the norm.  Usually a successful deployment of a digital mixer involves one or two sound people who really take ownership and learn how to operate it and do all initial setups.  This in when the real payoff of simple scene recall works well.  Multiple music teams all saved and easily recalled.  It’s really amazing when this PROCESS is put in place.  Emphasis on the word PROCESS…understanding of the process of stage plots and setup is key.

4. Cost- Digital mixers can be many times more expensive than analog however they are loaded with value.  As of now, 2011 there are many digital mixers available at all price points.  Some of the differences such as easy save/recall are pretty universal.  A lot of the features such as channel count ability and digital snake integration are not universal.  At AVE we evaluate all of your needs and recommend a solution in your price point.  We do not force or oversell digital mixers.

Here are some links to many of the great digital mixing consoles available:

Roland V-Mixing System (features integrated digital snake and the hottest personal mixing systems on the market today used all over Hollywood)

Allen and Heath iLive (one of the most value packed systems on the market, for an affordable price point gives the super high end digital mixers a real run for the money)

 Yamaha - They were the first on the block although their product line is getting a bit dated. AVE has many installations with the Yamaha digital mixers.

DigiCo - This line is expensive but hot in the upper end category

Midas Pro - This line of the Pro digital mixers is sort of the holy grail of the best engineers we know, expensive but classified as the last board and digital mixing system you will ever need….

Presonus - Very very affordable but a little limited for the demand of LIVE mixing, great for recording and small studio work.

DigiDesign VENUE - A top of the line mixing system with direct integration to ProTools, great for live and great for sub mixing to recording and monitor mix positions.  Great for recording studios.   Usually placed in very high end environments.

After the mixers listed above there are a few custom builders, mainly European, that develop custom mixers based on specific client needs.   I have seen one of these mixers, the Studer Vista 5 SR  at the Colosseum in Vegas for the Celine Dion show.  It’s amazing but very very expensive.

If you would like a consultation to see if a digital mixer is right for you please contact us today, we would be happy to help you.  Thanks, Kevin Crow, AVE V.P. of Sales and Marketing

Let’s break it down so that it is easy to understand:

1. What is a video conference?  A simple meeting that happens between parties without being together physically…a way to collaborate together without travel expenses and time away from home base.

2. What do we need to buy for a video conference?  Great question and the key to the puzzle.  If you have a conference room or boardroom with 2-15 people in it you need a CODEC unit (short for coder decoder).  There are many available from industry leading companies such as Polycom, Tandberg, Radvision and LG.    The CODEC unit has a camera attached to capture the video conference and collaboration as well as other inputs such as PC/Mac for presentation, document/object cameras and other video input devices such as another camera.  Another huge element to the mix are room mics and lighting.

3. Now, this is critical to understand…. point to point and multi point video conferencing.  If you have a conference room and a CODEC and the party you want to connect to has a conference room and CODEC you are technically doing a point to point video conference call.  Codec is short for coder decoder.  If there are multiple parties connecting you’re are technically doing a multi point video call.

4. Bandwidth – This is critical, you need a healthy up speed on your connection to do video conferencing.  How much depends on your specific needs.   It also depends on the kind of resolution you send like 720p or 1080p etc.   This needs to be analyzed by AVE so we can customize a specific solution for you.

5. Virtual Rooms and Managed Services – This is by far the most critical option to the small and mid sized business’s of the world.   There is a fortune 100 company that AVE has worked with that has a small army of video conferencing professionals on staff full time to manage both domestic and international video conference meetings.    Most companies do not have this of course so what do you do.  A managed service provider like the one AVE uses and resells;  Global Conferencing Solutions does just this.  GCS can setup a “virtual room” that you can meet other parties at and have a meeting.  They charge by the number of connections or ports.  You simply connect to your “virtual room” and have your meeting.  GCS has a super cool interface so you can switch to Presentation mode and share either full or half screen on the other end your computer presentation or information.

6. Portable Video Conferencing Carts – As of the writing of this blog the portable roll-about all in one video conferencing units or carts are a nice option but there are many disadvantages.  First and foremost you rely on people to connect and reconnect them many times before and after every use.  This is a problem when a meeting is scheduled and there are parties waiting on the other end.  Another huge problem is the eventual wear and tear on the cables etc.   AVE has experienced this first hand.  AVE believes that installed systems are much more reliable over the long term.

7. Desktop video conference users – Nowadays USB web cams are low cost and easy to install.  Desktop users can be a part of video conference meetings quickly and easily.  Desktop users may have a lower resolution video image but this is easily managed by using a video conference bridging or managed service as described above.

8. The importance of audio – Audio synced and clear audible level of voice is essential and can be a challenge depending on the application.  Professionals such as AVE can help.

Please contact AVE today for your customized video conferencing solution for your business or organization.

#1- Integrity – Every client and system is a bridge to another; referrals are everything to us.

#2 – Process- Every great company has a process for delivering value to their clients

#3. – Design - AVE continues to strive to be the very best at creative ways to solve problems for our clients.  Whether it is integrating technology in sacred spaces or finding ways to stretch the dollar as far as possible to meet a clients need a piece of equipment used is only a tool in the tool box.

Almost on a weekly basis we run across either confused clients or well meaning “influencers” who have come to believe that only one brand of widget will solve all of their problems.  This is a common misnomer with technology in general.

For example, AVE has done some very creative systems using very new and creative technology.  We could try to force these new products into every project or opportunity.  That would be a mistake.  Here is a great video showing the use of the Apple iPad to control a sound system:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=N4VMa9iWv_o

Does AVE have the Apple iPod to control every sound system we do?  NO, the unique needs of this client called for it.  That is the point.

When an AVL systems integrator like AVE applies technology to solve a need the COST of the solution along with other considerations has to be balanced.  A widget may be cool but at the end of the day it is just a widget.  There are widgets at every price range.   Also, acceptable levels of quality vary greatly.  Example:  If we have a client that wants the absolute best sound quality possible in an auditorium we have lines where price is no object.  L-Acoustics happens to manufacture the  very best sounding loudspeaker systems in the world.  If money is no object or if the priority is high enough, L-Acoustics can be a great investment.   And if your space is a little smaller or price is more of an issue we also have loudspeaker systems from Danley Sound Labs,   Electrovoice and others.  All great companies that make great loudspeakers.  Also, if you factor in the fact that great sound systems sound good because of tuning and proper sound coverage the brand almost matters the least.  AVE can make even marginal loudspeaker brands sound good to 95% of the population.

If you’re interested in getting AVE’s professional opinion for your organization please don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Rockpoint Church, Lake Elmo MN

More information on the Acoustics, Sound, Video and Stage Lighting Systems employed at Rockpoint Church here

What are the basics you need to know for effective church video streaming?

 Video cameras – A couple of keys with video cameras: 1. Always have more than one camera shot 2. Never have a camera shot that is not level with the speaker you shooting.  Don’t be the gas station cam shot and shoot from your balcony.  It looks cheap.

Audio – NEVER NEVER NEVER use audio off the camera mic, always send a board or post mix to the recording/stream.

What in the world is MPEG video? MPEG encoding is the process of capturing and digitizing or converting video and audio to a standard so that it can stream on the internet.  Once you capture the video with your camera it needs to be encoded.  AVE sells a very nifty box that takes many video formats and audio and converts it into a MPEG stream to go direct into your computer to upload and live stream to the internet and available on your church web site.  Follow this link into the technical details of MPEG video encoding.

Why use a streaming service? – In all likelihood you will not have the internet upload speed to stream your church services live.  Most churches use a streaming service such as WorshipStream to do this.  It allows the church to upload with a slight delay if it is live or archival download.  This would be linked to a page/window of your web site.

Monetize- This is a super big deal for many organizations.  How do we raise money/donations/sell product via our stream.   The DONATE NOW or GIVE button on many church live streaming sites is a key feature that you can take advantage of.  Example here:

To learn more about setting up video cameras and video streaming for your Church contact AVE today.

AVE  has also done sound systems in some of the most progressive and secular organizations such as the         $ 500,000 L-Acoustics sound system at the Treasure Island Casino or the $ 500K  ballroom sound and video system at Grand Casino Hinckley

AVE systems are also in some very evangelical churches -

Rockpoint Church

Rhema Church – (AVE Re-tuned entire sound system as phase 1 upgrade in June of 2011)

Inner city Gospel church (LOUD!!) - Shiloh Missionary Baptist

Trinity Evangelical Church

There is no doubt that there are some fundamental similarities to all of these systems, let’s take a close view of what they are:

1. Acoustics that match the style of the organization.  If you are a performance theater or a Casino that brings in big acts you most likely will want a very low reverberation time and you can add reverb to the vocals.  There is nothing more frustrating than fighting the acoustics of a room as a mix engineer.  I experienced this first hand at a work gathering in Las Vegas 2007.  I was honored to be able to see one of my favorite acts; the  Brian Setzer Orchestra.  The venue was absolutely awful, I was able to enjoy the show by getting close but I could tell the mix engineer was fighting the acoustics of the space the entire time.  This is exactly the problem that happens with many many churches.  AVE has solved tough acoustical issues for many organizations.  Just because the building is built and the room is there doesn’t mean you can’t change it with careful analysis and study.  Sometimes a very modest amount of sound treatment and diffusion can achieve the desired goal.  AVE uses years of experience and EASE 4.1 acoustical modeling software to study rooms both new and old.

2. Less is more – This is a phrase that many in pro sound will instantly understand.  Whether it is too much re verb on the vocal mic, too much compression or too much volume the solution for many church’s is the sum total of all things.  This is one of the fundamentals that cannot be overlooked.  It only takes one small piece of the sound food chain to spoil the entire sound system.   Consider this as an example.  How is a 60 hz or commonly referred to 60 cycle hum caused?  (Otherwise known as buzz in the sound system)  It is usually caused by an uncommon ground.  A sound system is a nothing more than controlled voltage. If the electrical power has an uncommon ground such as the stage being on a separate electrical ground than the sound booth you can get a BUZZ!!!…..

3.  Who is running the sound system?  – Absolutely hands down one of the biggest challenges for many organizations.    When can we rely on a volunteer sound operator or when do we need to just pay a professional?  these are tough decisions for many organizations not the least of which are churches.  Consider asking these key questions:  1. Do we call our sound mixing operators a “ministry” or do we simply refer to them as “my  sound guy”.   Respect works both ways.  If you infuse into your volunteers this is a ministry they will pray about it, respect it, respect you and serve.  2.  What do various events call for?  This is a big one for AVE.   We usually introduce the concept of “auto mix” to clients who have very basic events such as a funeral or wedding to those who have a live band.  A live band cannot have “auto mix”.  You must have a sound operator for a live band.   Consider having an Auto Mix for speech only inputs for common events.  In these videos AVE shows how AutoMix can be deployed very effectively.  Everything from basic volume changes to room capacity “snapshots” that allow for various sound levels based on the event:

Long video but a demonstration of a type of AutoMix none the less

Shorter video with very simple auto mix

4. What should be the biggest priority in any sound system?  How do we prioritize what is most important?   This is a question we get a lot at AVE and from experience after acoustics and operation hands down the correct loudspeaker system design is #2. on the list.   There are literally thousands of people out there who will go to the matte for one particular loudspeaker company.  Again, refer to our blog post “tools in a tool box”   Is there one brand or model that solves everyone’s problem??   NO, absolutely not.    If you study AVE’s web site you will see many different brands of loudspeaker technology employed.  Each time AVE takes careful thought, study and design into what to recommend and why.    There is a lot of amazing technology that has evolved since the 2003/2004 era to solve an amazing amount of sound challenges.  Here are a few companies that are on the forefront of amazing loudspeaker systems that solve specific needs in specific venues:

L-Acoustics – Expensive but hands down the best sounding full range loudspeakers in the world.  L-acoustics should be specified carefully into the right venue with the correct design.

Tannoy Q-Flex – If you have a very live reverberant and liturgical space the Tannoy Q-Flex can be a huge help.  We have employed it a many venues including St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Francis Basilica

Danley Sound Labs – Amazing pattern control, full range, smooth and clear sounding.  Danley is a diamond in the rough for many organizations not the least churches.  Danley also has a massively popular line of tapped, horn loaded sub woofers.    Danley’s patented Synergy Horn is a revolutionary product in the live sound world and has a very specific application in the world of church sound.

Electrovoice – Seen in many AVE installations the Electrovoice line is a spectacular line of loudspeakers many of which are very affordable with amazing performance.  Electrovoice Xi line was employed at Cedar Valley Church, watch this video here.   EV’s EVF line was also employed at Southtown Baptist Church, watch video here.  EV’s EVH line, a horn load base loudspeaker was also used at St. Williams Catholic Church as seen in this video here.

There are many great loudspeaker manufactures not listed here such as Community, QSC and Renkus Heinz.  As stated above, the choice of the loudspeaker to select should be made on the application and NOT what club you can join by owning a specific brand of product.

So these are some of the most important considerations of any church sound problem:

1. Room acoustics – Sometimes can be changed sometimes not

2. Proper sound system setup-  such as power, grounding, wiring, tuning etc.

3. Operation of the sound system – who is running it and why? can an auto mix help?

4. Proper loudspeaker selection

Contact AVE today for a no charge consultation for your church or organization….

http://avgenius.com/

http://www.prosoundweb.com/

http://www.prosoundweb.com/church

http://www.wfxweb.com/

www.soundforums.net

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics

http://iliveforum.allen-heath.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=2

http://duc.avid.com/index.php?s=474dc0a91d0f94b2e74d13d1fc24153d

http://www.churchsoundcheck.com/indexcsc.html

 http://www.controlbooth.com/

http://www.soundadviceblog.com/

http://www.behindthemixer.com/

http://worshipmd.com/