It's a new year, and now that we're all rested up from Christmas, it's time to start looking at how we can improve our systems—specifically audio—this year. Certainly big-ticket items like new PA's (I'm still hoping for this one!), new consoles or new bands (just kidding) are nice, but sometimes we have to make incremental improvements. Oddly enough, sometimes these small improvements add up to a big improvement and sometimes negate the need for a big spend.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of five things you can do this year—without breaking the bank—that will improve your sound.
Test And Repair Bad Speaker Components
I once inherited a sound system that had one completely blown sub driver, another torn one and main boxes with three bad high-frequency (HF) drivers. As you might expect, the sound in that room was not good. It did take the better part of a day to diagnose the faulty drivers, and then another half day to replace them, but once that was done, we actually had full-range sound again.
If you are uncomfortable doing this or are unsure, contact a local dealer. This is a fairly simple process for them, and will likely lead to either a thumbs up or a list of new components to replace (and by components, I mean drivers, not an entirely new PA). Replacing the HF drivers in a system can have a great impact on the sound, and it's not that expensive.
A test like this can have other benefits. I once was hired to mix in a room with a fairly complex PA layout. After struggling to get a good sound for a few months, I came in to test the drivers. I discovered the processor was wired incorrectly, sending the wrong signals to the wrong drivers. A quick re-patch made it sound like a new PA.
Get Your System Tuned
Once your speakers are all producing full-range sound again, it's a good time to have the system tuned. A lot of people refer to this as EQ'ing the room, but it's really not. We don't EQ a room, we EQ a PA to work well in the room. If you feel competent with using a measurement system, you can do this yourself. If not, hiring someone who is shouldn't be a huge expense.
Often times, people who don't really know what they are doing will try to “improve” on the sound of a PA by adjusting the system's EQ. I've seen smiley faces, fish and other strange patterns on graphic EQs of systems I've worked on. None sounded good. Having someone come in to take measurements, set delays and EQ will often make a less than ideal PA sound decent again.
Once the PA is properly aligned and tuned, lock the processor or EQ either in software or by using vented security covers on the rack. Just remember to write down the passwords and put them somewhere safe—and where at least one other person knows where they are.
Upgrade the Mic Package
Microphones are mechanical, and like all things mechanical, they can wear out. They are also dropped and abused in other ways over time. If you are using really old, beat up mic's every week, changing them out is a cost-effective way to improve sound. Sometimes, it's a matter of matching a mic to the source; a better fit for a vocal is a great example. Other times, you may be using a mic on a source because you had it, not because it was the best choice. Finding the right kick drum mic for your drum kit, PA, room and sound can make a big difference.
Outfitting your stage with all-new mic's might be cost prohibitive for this year, but perhaps you can start down the road. Pick up a few new vocal mic's that will help your singers sound better. Then move on to drum mic's, and finally other instruments. Get recommendations from people you trust and try them first if possible.
Optimize System Gain Structure
Gain structure is one of those things that we don't talk about enough in audio. I've seen all manner of sins in this area; consoles that are way overdriven with amps turned way down, and others with the amps all the way up and the faders all running at -40. Optimizing your gain structure is critical to fully exploiting your system.
Again, if you're not quite sure how to do all of this, there is no shame in bringing in someone who is. This is another area where big improvements can be made by making some small changes.
Practice What You Mix
We typically expect that the worship leader, vocalists and musicians are practicing their parts throughout the week. But when does the sound guy or girl get to practice? Practice is the only real way to get better, so how do we do that? Unless you have a band that really enjoys playing for hours on end, the best answer is virtual soundcheck.
There are many systems available now that make it fairly easy to record each input on the board and play it back in place as if the band were still there. With a virtual soundcheck system, you can mix a song over and over, trying out new things, adjusting EQ, compression, FX and other techniques until you get it just right. And the only person you need in the room is you.
Or, try this one; after recording the rehearsal, invite the worship leader to sit in with you and work on the mixes. Find out what he want to hear, and work toward getting there. Sometimes, it will be clear that the problem is not a mix issue, but an arrangement one. Everyone wins when the band gets better, and this is a great way to help facilitate this. Virtual sound check might be the most expensive item on this list, but it's still less than a new PA and will often have greater benefits.
As I said, this is not an exhaustive list, nor did I try to go into great detail on each topic. Do some research and find out how to implement these steps and you will have better sound at the end of the year than you do now. And you may even have budget left over.
Related Articles:
Using External Preamps with a Digital Mixer How-to Guide: Choosing a Mixing Console
Mono, Stereo or LCR: Which is Loudspeaker Deisgn is Best for Your Church?
