Audio consoles have become vastly more capable in recent years, thanks to highly advanced core processors that let those desks handle multiple tasks at very high levels simultaneously. But that same enhanced performance also makes for more complexity, and as those consoles start to look more and more like the phones in our pockets and the tablets in our backpacks, as a result of the proliferation of touchscreens as the consoles’ GUIs, the temptation to engage with those attractive bells and whistles might be too much for some less experienced house-of-worship audio mixers to refuse. As a result, it’s become easier than ever for a church’s volunteers to get in over their heads when it comes to mixing sound.
The software-based console management platforms increasingly have built tiered access control into their programming, allowing audio supervisors to limit how deep a user can get into the console’s parameters.
Fortunately, console designers have recognized that challenge. The software-based console management platforms increasingly have built tiered access control into their programming, allowing audio supervisors to limit how deep a user can get into the console’s parameters. Thus, one service mixed by a veteran tour-sound mixer can have access to the entire range of a console’s capabilities while someone who just completed an online entry-level course on live sound can be limited to literally a single fader for a podium microphone. It’s a classic case of technology being used to correct some of the issues it can create.
HOW market was the spur
Ryan Shelton, who works in sales and support for console maker Digico, says those kinds of programmable restrictions built into a desk’s operating code are virtually exclusive to the HOW market. “You don’t see the need for that in the [larger] production world,” he says. “They don’t have a need to limit access. This is really a development that’s come about because of churches.”
More sophisticated console technology and its deployment in churches have both been accelerating in recent years. Audio mix platforms have gotten smarter, as have the people who use them; however, the latter group tends to have far more variability in its knowledge base now.
“Not everyone in the same church will have the same technical knowledge and skills, so there needed to be a way for console access to be restricted, and to do so in a way that those restrictions could be customized for individual users, and to let those users dive deeper as they became more knowledgeable,” Shelton explains.
Digico’s software provides three levels of access: in Setup mode, users have full access to every function on the console; in Live mode, access to elements of the console can be limited, and password protected; in Unattended mode, the console is locked, and cannot be operated. User passwords can be defined for the Live and Unattended modes.
Live mode is the one built around HOW users. This operational tier can also use custom templates that let users build a list of parameters that a specific operator can access. This function was initially created to let users build snapshots of settings that are particular to, for instance, a Sunday morning service or a mid-week Bible lecture, providing a consistent sonic outcome for a specific type of event. However, those same templates can be assigned to specific users, comprising the features each individual is permitted to access.
Live mode is the one built around HOW users. This operational tier can also use custom templates that let users build a list of parameters that a specific operator can access.
“These become read-only session files that users can’t override,” he explains. “It lets supervisors limit what other mixers can do on the console, and also guards against the risk of an accidental change to a core setting, like changing a clocking source. It can literally limit access to a single fader, [and] not even the EQ or dynamics normally available to that fader. The granularity of using templates is better than locking out entire pages of functionality.”
The software is updated regularly, with some of the tweaks refining these access-restriction functions. One of the latest ones allows supervisors to monitor the use of the console remotely online. If necessary, the console operation can be taken over by a remote user with the appropriate password.
“Every house of worship is unique in their variety of volunteers and their levels of capability,” says Shelton. “This way, everyone can operate the console, but only up to their individual level of capability.”
Administrative Rights
Kevin Kimmel, systems application engineer at Yamaha Commercial Audio, says the company has had some version of this concept in place for years. It’s been integrated into all of Yamaha’ audio consoles except for the Rivage series, which is geared towards post production applications.
“This kind of feature was originally designed to prevent from files, scenes and libraries from being accidentally written over, but it’s translated well to live sound in a number of markets, and especially for house of worship." Kevin Kimmel, Systems Application Engineer, Yamaha Commercial Audio
“This kind of feature was originally designed to prevent from files, scenes and libraries from being accidentally written over, but it’s translated well to live sound in a number of markets, and especially for house of worship,” says Kimmel.
Yamaha calls the process administration rights, and it lets a supervisory administrator set user-defined limits and custom fader banks tailored to specific users, who are assigned a unique password. The process is also extended to visiting engineers, for instance those accompanying touring music artists who perform at churches, allowing them to plug a thumb drive into the console to upload their scene and other data, but which can also limit the amount and nature of what data the console will accept.
Kimmel says the process is designed to allow administrators to change the parameter sets of each user’s access without having to initiate a new file. “The administrator can loosen the restrictions and give a user more access as that user’s skill sets increase, or dial them back, if necessary,” he explains. “One of the goals of this kind of approach is to help volunteers gain confidence as they gain experience, but in such a way that they were never able to get too far in over their heads to start with.”
Consoles will continue to grow more sophisticated in terms of features and functionality. Fortunately, their software is able to keep that power continued for the wide range of user-skill levels that are commonly the case in churches and other houses of worship.
