Hi Multimedia Team,

Thanks for your faithful service in a very important area of ministry at Coeur d'Alene Assembly.

You might wonder what all the remotes and gadgets in the booth do. Fortunately, you don't have to know about everything up there. There are just a few things that are used week in and week out.

I would like to hand over a responsibility to you - a task you are more than capable of doing – namely, powering up and powering down the system upstairs. Ok, well how do you do that, you ask? No problem. It's actually pretty easy. I like pictures so I took some for you.

NOTE: I recommend viewing the PDF version HERE.

POWERING UP

1. Power up the computer.

Wait for Windows to boot. Select the user account Multimedia (whatever it's called - it's the only one). Just click to cancel or x-out of the windows that pop up.

2. Power up the Sanyo (main) projector. The button is the top right salmon colored one. No need to point it at the projector since it is hardwired to the remote. It takes about 30 seconds for the projector to warm up and start projecting any image. NOTE: If nothing is firing from Media Shout on the second monitor, then you'll only see black on the screen above the platform. This does not necessarily mean the projector is not yet powered on. Remember it does take a while to warm up.

2. Power up the Eiki (secondary) projector (used as the confidence monitor for the vocalists). You'll have to reach out of the booth to get a straight line of sight to the projector.

3. Power up the scan converter (white box). Nothing but a blue screen will project onto the secondary projector unless this white box is turned on.

4. Open up Media Shout and iTunes. The shortcut links are found in the quick launch bar next to the start menu. We use iTunes for the pre-service music. You'll see the Media Shout splash screen. Just cancel or x-out of the annoying windows that pop up. They are nothing important.

5. Open up the Media Shout Script for that week.
The current week's script should be at the top of the recent files cue at the bottom of the file menu. The numbering system we use works as follows 10=year 10=month 17=day + whatever other helpful, descriptive terms. For example, the Media Shout script for July 7 of 2011 would be 110107.

Once you have opened the Media Shout script for the current week, you are ready to preview the content and start projecting.

POWERING DOWN

1. Press the power button on the Sanyo (main projector) two times.

The first will trigger a confirmation pop-up on the screen saying, “Power Off?” Press the power button a second time and it turns the projector off.

2. Turn off the Eiki projector.

3. Power down the computer. (The scan converter, or white box, will power off with the computer.)

From the Windows start menu, select “Turn Off Computer,” then “Turn Off.”

Great video tutorials on how to mic up a drum set. Worth watching all seven videos!

The mics used are Audix brand, but the same principles would apply with the ones we're using.

How To Mic Up Your Drums -Snare Drum from Audix Microphones on Vimeo.

How To Mic Up Your Drums - Kick Drum from Audix Microphones on Vimeo.

How To Mic Up Your Drums - Tom Toms from Audix Microphones on Vimeo.

How To Mic Up Your Drums - Hi Hat from Audix Microphones on Vimeo.

How To Mic Up Your Drums - Overheads from Audix Microphones on Vimeo.

How To Mic Up Your Drums - Full Kit from Audix Microphones on Vimeo.

Hey Tech Team,

I thought I would pass on the good news to the sound techs at least that we are getting an acoustic drumset. We are replacing the V-Drums, which have served us well, with an acoustic one--complete with sound cage, mics, and compressors.

This won't affect the way you run sound much, if at all. There MAY be some rearranging of the equipment on the racks and where they are placed.

I'll keep you in the loop, but thought I would share the good news sooner rather than later!

A couple of weeks ago, there was an annoying high-pitched feedback when Pastor Dan, using the headset wireless, was speaking. Gordon went through the procedures to eliminate it (take the suspected culprit in the pulpit out of the monitor mixes, cut the EQ at the approximate offending frequency) but to no avail. To our surprise, he found out that the guilty party was one of the vocal mics.

Surprising? Yes. Difficult to fix? No. Once the vocal mute group was activated, muting all the vocal mics, the feedback went away and our ears had peace again. *contented sigh*

So let's make it a sound tech practice to mute the unused channels during the sermon when they are not being used. Here's the caveat: Don't forget to unmute them when the team gets back to the platform!

Jon Burnett is a guy you should get to know a bit if you haven't. Week in and week out Jon serves consistently with excellence behind the dual multimedia computer screens. He's been serving up there since we used actual, literal slides - with a slide projector.

I asked Jon if I could ask him a few questions to share with the rest of the group. His answers blew me away - both with his wit and numbered lists. If you serve up in the multimedia booth, I STRONGLY suggest adopting Jon's procedures and approach. It will serve you well.

Jon Burnett

• Spouse’s Name: Bonnie
• Years Married: 36
• Children/Grandchildren: 1 son
• Occupation(s): 1973 – 1990 sawmill worker, 1990 – 2009 systems analyst, 2009 to present Field Operations supervisor, U.S. Census Bureau
• Hobbies: Weight lifting, fishing, RC airplanes
• Computer Experience: Been programming since hexadecimal was the “hot new thing”.
• Favorite Drink from Starbucks: 5 shot vente americano
• Something Interesting about You: Google “U.S. Patent 5,878,509” for my claim to fame.

What is your strategy when you are running Media Shout?
Be prepared, be flexible, be invisible. (If you are noticed you’ve goofed up)

When do you arrive on Sunday mornings?
Between 8 and 8:05 depending on the line at Starbucks.

Do you have any rituals or procedures when you arrive?

1. Check media-shout against printed order of service to make sure everything is there.
2. Add, delete, or arrange slides so that the space bar and scroll wheel are the only things I need to use during the service.
3. Write notes on the order of service regarding number of measures in each intro and solo so that I can cue the next slide about one measure early.
4. Pre-view any videos for sound level and to see how they transition to the next media-shout object.
5. Test sermon power-point to see which slides require single or double taps to get from blank title screens to desired text. Make notes on script for reminder.

What do you do if the pastor or worship leader deviates from the script? How do you follow?
During the music I try to keep the current slide in the center of the screen so if I need to click again on a previous slide or skip to a later one they are in view.

During the sermon I try to listen carefully for hints on where the pastor is headed, while simultaneously reading ahead about half a page in the notes. Again I try to keep the current slide centered so I can move quickly if needed.


What do you do to close up shop in the booth?

1. Shut down main projector.
2. Shut down Eike [vocal confidence projector].
3. Close solitaire and other running programs.
4. Shut down computer.
5. Turn out the light.
6. Fall down the stairs.

Any advice for new Multimedia Techs?
Don’t panic and don’t think about mistakes any longer than it takes to correct them. My goal is always to run a perfect presentation but in over 10 years of working in the booth that has only happened about twice. In spite of the mistakes I have yet to be attacked by mobs of pitchfork wielding parishioners, so I come back again on my next Sunday and try again for the perfect service.

To better collaborate and connect, the Sound Tech Connect blog will be expanded to include the multimedia side as well. So much overlaps that it makes a lot of sense to include both. Because of the change, the Sound Tech Connect moniker will be no longer. Instead, it will be called "CDA Tech Connect," with the url, http://cdatechconnect.blogspot.com.

I'm looking forward to connecting more!

Remember, if you want to discuss a post, please go to the blog and post there. Conversation will benefit everyone and will expand the conversation.

From time to time I receive constructive feedback (not the audio kind) about the mix. I'll share with you the most common comments I receive, then why I think it's important to get this right:
1. The lead vocals were not loud enough. "I couldn't hear the melody or what you were saying."
2. The electric guitar was too loud.

I don't receive the complaint that the electric was too loud nearly as much as I hear that the lead vocals were too quiet, but I have received it a few times. The electric guitar is an important part of the mix because it helps define the sound of our modern worship style.

More importantly, it is critical to hear the lead vocals and melody above everything else because that is how people know what to sing. If the melody is low, congregational participation will reflect that. People will be reticent to sing out if they're not sure what the melody is.

So just keep these things in mind when mixing.

PS - I have not received ANY complaints about the overall volume being too loud or too quiet in a long time. Keep up the good work!