Why Church Branding Is Important In Technical Ministry: A Discussion with Phil Cooke

Phil Cooke

In this edition of Church Production Magazine Online Update, we speak with Phil Cooke, who is the founder and creative director of Cooke Pictures, of Los Angeles, California. Cooke is also the author of the book "Branding Faith, Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don't". In this conversation, we discuss the importance of branding in today's worship environment and how branding affects people in the technical ministries.

For more information on on Cooke Pictures and Branding Faith, visit: www.cookepictures.com

Equipment for the interview was provided courtesy of D&M Professional (www.d-mpro.com) and Audio-Technica
(www.audio-technica.com).

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Village Baptist Church Upgrades Wireless System

When Village Baptist Church, Destin, Florida decided to upgrade their wireless systems, they chose Sennheiser SKM 5200s with Neumann KK 105 capsules, HSP 2 headworn mics with SK 500 G2 and SK 5212 transmitters, and ew 300 IEM G2 personal monitoring systems all coordinated through Sennheiser's NET 1 system.

Blessed with a 1,400-seat worship center, Village Baptist Church in Destin, Florida schedules an ambitious calendar of dramatic productions, multi-media activities, and services that span traditional to contemporary. Unfortunately, their wireless microphone collection, which didn't work well, reached the end of its useful life and began distracting the focus of their services. Instead of praise for God and lessons from the Bible, annoying crosstalk between microphone channels and, worse, periodic interference from nearby Eglin Air Force Base captured the attention of church members despite their best attempts to ignore it. The church tried hiring outside sound companies to handle their productions, since experience had taught them that attempting to use more than a dozen of their own wireless microphones was guaranteed to end in disaster. The results were not much better. "And we were spending a lot of money," said Robert Curtis, media director for Village Baptist.

Against this backdrop of wireless frustration, the church used six wired Neumann KMS 105 live vocal condensers and a handful of Neumann TLM 103 large diaphragm studio condensers. "We were very excited about the sonic qualities of those microphones," recalled Curtis, "and when it became clear that we would be upgrading our wireless system, we knew we wanted to move in that direction."

With an upcoming production on the horizon, Curtis contacted Bill Manning at All Pro Sound in Pensacola, Florida to get a new system in place. "Of course, Sennheiser is well known for their RF stability," said Manning, "but when you add to that the excellent sound quality of their handheld and headset microphones, along with their ability to incorporate Neumann capsules, Robert was convinced."

Village Baptist received a host of new microphones to fit the various needs of their services and productions. Eleven Sennheiser HSP 2 ultra-lightweight head-worn microphones combined with eight SK 500 G2 and three SK 5212 belt-worn transmitters serve for inconspicuous reinforcement of vocalists. Seven handheld SKM 5200 transmitters with Neumann KK 105 capsules deliver on the "Neumann sound" that the church had come to love in their KMS 105s for vocals and speech. An impressive rack of Sennheiser EM 3532 and EM 550 G2 dual-channel true diversity receivers tie all 18 of the Sennheiser wireless channels down to the rest of Village Baptist's existing sound system.

In addition to microphones, the church upgraded to twelve Sennheiser ew 300 IEM G2 wireless personal monitors capable of supplying four separate stereo mixes via a pair of SR 3256 transmitters. Aviom A-16 series rack-mounted monitor mixers and remote control units feed the systems.

To coordinate all of these wireless channels, along with ten hangers from the old system, Sennheiser sent engineers to analyze Village Baptist's local frequencies to minimize crosstalk and interference. Taking Sennheiser's advice, the church purchased a Sennheiser NET 1 system to integrate and organize all of their frequencies with a computer interface.

www.sennheiserusa.com

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CHRIST UNITED INSTALLS ROLAND V-MIXING SYSTEM

Eric Ballew with the V-Mixing System

Christ United Methodist Church is located in Chattanooga, TN, and is 3500 members strong. They are a growing church with three services each weekend with an 8:00 am Southern Gospel service, 9:30 am Contemporary Service, and an 11:00 am Blended Traditional drawing on the grand liturgical style with full choir.

V-Mixing System Installed at Christ United Methodist.

Application
Christ United Methodist Church needed to replace their analog console with a digital console. Eric Ballew, Technology Specialist at the church has used digital consoles as an FOH engineer for live events, and found them to be especially useful for quickly changing setups and sound configurations. With three Sunday services and multiple events throughout the week he determined that the all digital V-Mixing System would be the best choice because it had stored scenes, lots of user parameters, easy-to-use, affordable and provides flexibility for growth. Eric Ballew says, "Because we run three different types of services, instant recall allows me to setup everything in advance and then with a simple push of a button we are ready to go for the next service from Gospel to Traditional, and then to Contemporary. Every Sunday Eric needs to record and archive the sermons. Christ United Methodist Church uses the built in USB recording feature on the V-Mixing System to record and archive the services.

System Integration Diagram

Because the V-Mixing Systems records at 16-bit and 44.1 kHz it makes it easy to burn directly to CD. After installing, here is what Eric Ballew had to say about the V-Mixing System, "I just installed the M-400 and I have to say that this is a phenomenal console, and Roland Systems Group has done a great job with the design. I have used other digital consoles in the past, but this is by far the best. The layout and easy operation is perfect for my application. It is very user friendly making it easy for me to train other staff on how to use it. I will be recommending this console to everybody.

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Euphonix Wins Musikmesse International Press Award for Best Recording Hardware

Euphonix was awarded the coveted Musikmesse International Press Award (MIPA) for "Best Recording Hardware 2008" for the new Artist Series, a line of workstation controllers. Dubbed the "Musical Instrument/ProAudio industries' Grammy," over 100 international magazine editors voted for the best products in each of the 40 nominated categories. Winners were announced at the 9th annual MIPA ceremony held during the Musikmesse show in Frankfurt, Germany.
 
"We are honored to be recognized by the worldwide press at our first ever Musikmesse," states Euphonix CEO, Martin Kloiber. "This is the start of an exciting year for Euphonix as we launch the innovative Artist Series into the MI market segment and introduce our  EuCon technology to an entirely new audience."

MC Mix

Comprised of the MC Mix and the MC Control units, the Artist Series brings the DAW integration of Euphonix' high-end professional consoles to the personal studio. Slim-line and ergonomically designed, the two pieces integrate into any studio, fitting between a computer keyboard and screen. Up to four units can be connected to create a larger, integrated control surface.

www.euphonix.com

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Group One Ltd Introduces New Powerhouse Lighting Team

With the announcement of Group One's appointment as the exclusive US distributor for Pulsar, the Pro Audio and Lighting distributor expands its offerings of professional lighting products, which also includes Group One's Elektralite division. This agreement also paves the way for Jerry Colmenero to take on the internal role at Group One as US Sales Manager for Pulsar products under the direction of CEO, Jack Kelly.

In his newly created role, Colmenero brings a wealth of experience specific to the lighting and events arena. He served as independent audio technician, owner/operator in sound and staging companies, and project/sales manager for Lightronics and later Pulsar Products.

Vinny Finnegan's partnership in the Elektralite line began in 1988 and continues today in his role as VP of Sales Lighting Division. Previously, he helped create Meteor Lighting in 1971 and later Meteor Light & Sound in 1983. He serves as VP of Technical Support for both Elektralite and Pulsar, helping to create professional and affordable lighting solutions for Elektralite, and the technical support and service of each in the field.

"Group One has many years of experience in the professional lighting industry," says Kelly. "With our Elektralite division now handling Pulsar, Group One is poised to offer complete lighting solutions for every application.

www.g1limited.com

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Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. Hires Application Specialist

Chip Allen

Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. (YCAS) announces the appointment of Chip Allen to the position of applications specialist. Prior to this new appointment, Allen spent over ten years in sales, design, and support roles at ICB Audio and Video. Allen will be responsible for providing high-level technical support to YCAS end-user customers and will work with dealers and district sales managers within the regional commercial audio territories. He will also conduct clinics and seminars in support of Yamaha Commercial Audio sales and marketing efforts.

"We are extremely happy to have Chip Allen join Yamaha Commercial Audio Technical Support as our eastern 24/7 applications specialist," states Mike Nicoletti, manager of technical support. "Having experience in sales, support, recording, mixing and installation, Chip’s valuable, well-rounded background will enable him to answer any questions our customers may have. He is very aware of the importance and urgency of getting our customers up and running as quickly as possible."

Allen has over 20 years experience in the professional audio industry including hands-on usage of digital audio consoles both in live and studio settings, and as a recording engineer working with various artists.

www.yamahaca.com

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Auralex Acoustics Introduces Eco-Friendly Studiofoam

StudioFoam

Companies are re-evaluating their manufacturing processes in order to make them more environmentally conscious.  Auralex Acoustics has recognized and embraced this green approach and has developed the industry’s first environmentally-friendly acoustic foam that can be utilized in broadcast, post and production facilities, both commercially and in residential settings.

StudioFoam brand products now include soy components, reducing petroleum-based chemical usage by up to 60% and lessening dependence on fossil fuels, including foreign crude oil. This greener formula helps reduce global warming emissions, yet retains the longevity and acoustical properties found in other Auralex products.
 
Auralex StudioFoam is manufactured without harmful Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), which have been implicated in the depletion of the ozone layer.  In making the conversion over to the new Soy-based hybrid formula, these products now boast an improved performance and durability over conventional petroleum-based foams.
 
"Green initiatives are no longer reserved for environmentalists, consumers as a whole are moving towards ecologically-friendly lifestyles and products," says Dave Paxton, director of operations at Auralex Acoustics. "Auralex is proud to be doing its part in conserving the environment and reducing global warming and our dependence on fossil fuels.  Auralex will continue to create products that are beneficial to the post, broadcast, and production industries as well as those that are conducive to our environment."

www.auralex.com

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Hitachi Offers New CPX3 3LCD Mobile Short-Throw Projector

CPX3

Bringing widescreen compatibility to presenters in a variety of environments, Hitachi America, Ltd., Ubiquitous Platform Systems Division introduces the CPX3 3LCD mobile short-throw projector. Offering WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution, the CPX3 is specially designed for widescreen-format laptops and imaging applications that use 16:10 aspect ratios.

The CPX3 features an HDMI terminal, allowing digital signals such as DVD players/recorders and HD to be transmitted digitally to the projector. Additionally, the CPX3 also offers a wide-angle lens, allowing the projector to be used close to the screen with no obstructions. It also allows for a large image to be projected in a small space. The CPX3 is light-weight at 3.9 pounds, making it portable.

The CPX3 features a new remote control, adding "My Source" and Volume Up/Down functions. The CPX3 also offers closed captioning and input naming, which allows users to customize the names of the projector’s input sources. The CPX3's security features include My Screen PIN lock, My Text, and a transition detector.

www.hitachi.us

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JBL Professional Showcases New Loudspeaker and Subwoofer

VRX918SP

JBL Professional announces its new VRX932LAP 12-inch powered loudspeaker and the VRX918SP 18-inch powered subwoofer. The new powered VRX models incorporate the same engineering found in JBL's VERTEC line arrays and offer built-in amplification from Crown, providing mobile DJ's and musicians with accessibility to professional-grade technology.

Utilizing the JBL DrivePack DPC-2 amplification system designed in cooperation with Crown, both models are fully self-contained, powered loudspeakers. Retaining all the features of the original VRX932LA and VRX918S, self-powered performance has been optimized through integrated DSP.

Designed for use in arrays of up to five units, the VRX932LAP is a 12-inch, two-way powered line array loudspeaker featuring a DPC-2 amplifier module that provides 1750 Watts of peak power. A DSP-based resident input module provides system optimization and equalization.

The VRX932LAP features JBL Professional’s latest 2408J Annular Ring Diaphragm HF driver technology. The Constant Curvature Waveguide mounts three compression drivers on a continuous arc. When additional VRX932LAP loudspeakers are added to the array, the uninterrupted arc continues. In effect, all the drivers work together as if they were a single driver on a very long waveguide. Since there are three drivers in each VRX932LAP loudspeaker, the combined power handling and acoustic output of the system is greater than a single driver could achieve.

The VRX932LAP uses "amplitude shading" to shape the coverage of the array. For example, switches on the input plate control the output of each high-frequency section in the array. This allows users to set the upper enclosures in an array configuration to deliver more output to reach a distant balcony, while the lower box is shaded back to reduce excessive levels at the front of the listening area. This creates a more coherent sound field.

One or two VRX932LAP loudspeakers may also be used on a tripod or over JBL VRX918SP, VRX918S or SRX718S subwoofers. The integrated rigging hardware is used to securely lock the array together while the dual-angle pole socket provides aiming flexibility. Suspended applications require the JBL VRX-AF array frame or eye bolts.

VRX932LAP

Designed specifically for use in arrays with the VRX932LAP, the VRX918SP is a powered subwoofer system containing a 2268FF neodymium magnet patented Differential Drive, 18-inch woofer in a front-loaded, vented enclosure. The VRX918SP features a built-in JBL DrivePack DPC-2 amplifier module designed in cooperation with Crown that provides 1500 Watts of peak power. A DSP-based resident input module provides system optimization, EQ and crossover functionality.

 The VRX918SP is equally at home in ground-stacked applications and is equipped with a top-mounted, threaded, 20-millimeter socket that can receive the optional SS4-BK pole. The VRX918SP's enclosure is constructed of top quality birch plywood, coated in JBL's  DuraFlex finish and is heavily braced to maximize low-frequency performance. The CNC-machined, 16-gauge steel grille is internally lined with acoustically transparent foam to provide additional driver protection. The rear of the enclosure is fitted with T-nuts with may be used to attach the optional WK-4S caster kit.

www.jblpro.com | www.harmanpro.com

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