Sound Advice Tales from the Front (of House): Pastor Jonathan Talks about the Other Kingdom in Orlando. Tell us a little bit about your church. The church is approximately 30 years old. It is a multi-cultural, multi-generational congregation of around 3,300. We are excited about the continued growth of the church and have recently purchased 100 acres, about 5 miles from our current location, to relocate and build for the future. There is a stable staff of 10 pastors in various areas of ministry. What do you do there and how did you first get involved? I am the Music Ministries Pastor (also known as the Pastor of Worship Arts). I was hired onto the staff full-time in February, 1990. My responsibilities include the supervision of drama, worship, choir, orchestra, audio, and music pastoral training (MPI - Music Pastor's Institute). A lot of people outside the community might be surprised at the attention that audio and video receives in contemporary worship today. What changes have you seen in the last five or ten years? Years ago, churches thought the cutting edge of visual technology was in the "overhead" projector and the use of transparencies. That has definitely changed with large screens, lyric and image projections, TV production, camera crews, video clips, video toasters and switchers. As great as they are, these "tools of the ministry"are just that - tools. They cannot become an end unto themselves. For us, it is still all about the message - the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's start with recording services. Are you involved with that? How are these recordings used? Yes, I am. At this point, our current recordings are simply archived. What kind of equipment do you use? We have a Video Toaster and an Alesis HD24. Cassette tapes or CDs? Right now, only cassettes are available. We are in the process of upgrading our recording and mixing ability to produce a much improved product as far as the recorded service and music is concerned. Those "service tapes"or CDs would then be available for sale to the congregation. We are also planning to "stream"them over the internet on our church website. Any advice for someone new to recording? Get all the info you can on digital audio. Don't be afraid to ask other people for their opinions. OK, let's turn our attention to recording music. We're primarily talking about recordings of praise bands or your church choirs or even special musical events. Do you do that? Yes. Actually, we just completed our second CD of the music ministry of the church entitled That Your Hand. Our youth department, Xstream Youth Church, has also produced several CD projects. Do you record in a studio or on site? We record the choir and orchestra primarily on site -in the church auditorium. We did additional recording in a studio for soloists. What kinds of challenges do you face? Our greatest in-house recording challenges would have to be bleed over into other microphones. We have this challenge especially as it concerns our use of acoustic drums. How did you overcome them? We completely enclosed the drum set and it helped, but it hasn't completely stopped the sound invasion. We also wanted an "in your face" choir sound and realized that when it comes to vocal microphones, less is more. (Editor's Note: See Shure Notes/Houses for Worship Issue 1 for tips on choir miking.)
		How about live performance? We use Shure handheld wireless mics exclusively for the praise team and all our six headset wireless mics for theater/drama productions. That purchase was the best thing we ever did for the miking of people in a production- a real step up. We had NO feedback issues in our last production.
	What's the one thing you think our readers should know about recording music? It is not as easy as one might think. Technology has made it more accessible to the masses, but it still requires much time and patience. It also seems that no matter how much you prepare with sound checks and a well-prepared recording plan, you will always be met with the certain need for troubleshooting on the spot. When you run into audio obstacles, where do you go for help? What resources do you typically use? We use a local audio installer/repair business (Entertainment Arts, Orlando). They have been more than helpful, gracious, and patient with our requests and needs. At times we have also sought the assistance of Full Sail - a school for audio and lighting engineering here in Orlando. And don't forget to check the manuals and the respective websites of your equipment manufacturers. Any final thoughts on the subject? Technology is great. It isn't about working harder. It is all about working smarter. Focus in on your goals because that will guide your decision - making process. Also, there is always room for improvement; improvement in the way we present the Gospel, and in the equipment itself. Use what you have, purchase what you can, and surround yourself with people who know how to use it. That Your Hand CD's are available for purchase from: Faith Assembly of God 2008 N. Goldenrod Rd. Orlando, FL 32807 407-275-8790
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