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All About Monitoring Stage Monitors In house of worship presentations and performances- When the Word is heard well, it's because of MONITORS If you're the one responsible for creating a good sounding service at your house of worship, you know all about the eternal struggle between volume and feedback. And the seeming inability for anybody to hear themselves the way they think they should while they're presenting or performing. |
For those who are new to the world of performance sound systems, monitors are speakers, just like those used in the PA system, except smaller and configured for the presenters or performers to listen to instead of the audience or congregation.
Monitors exist in two basic forms: the traditional wedge-shaped floor monitor with woofers for the low frequencies and tweeters or small horns for the higher frequencies, and the newer in-ear monitor (IEM). Both types serve the same basic purpose - to help the pastor, choir singers, and musicians hear themselves while they're performing. In this issue you will learn the ins and outs of both types of monitors, which will hopefully help you to decide which type of system is right for your house of worship.
First, a Little Monitor History-
Back in the old days, life for sound crews was much simpler. Most churches didn't feature bands with electric instruments or drums and the loudest sound other than the choir was probably an organ. Because the volumes were relatively low and there weren't many speaker systems used, monitoring simply wasn't an issue.
In the secular world, the situation was similar. Most concerts were in smaller venues. Guitars and bass were only as loud as their amplifiers - which weren't very powerful - and drums were only as loud as the drummer could pound them.
The advent of heavy metal in the late Sixties and early Seventies ushered in the era of stacks of powerful Marshallª amps in bigger and bigger arenas, including football and soccer stadiums. Stage monitoring was now a necessity. Somewhere along the line, someone figured out that if they turned a couple of the PA loudspeakers around to face the band, everyone onstage could hear what they were playing.
Monitors became especially important for singers, who found it much easier to sing in key when they could hear themselves without having to scream. It also allowed bands to play more gigs by saving the singer's voice from the trauma of having to constantly compete with the rest of the band.
As these changes were taking place in the rock world, amplified bands were becoming more and more accepted in congregations which were also growing larger and more acoustically sophisticated. The environment and the technology of sacred and secular music came together in volume and the best monitoring solutions have been embraced by musicians regardless of whether they're playing Saturday night - or Sunday morning.
Now that we’ve covered where they came from, let’s look at where monitors are today, and where they’re headed. Since its history precedes the in-ear version, let’s start by looking at the good old floor monitor.
There are three basic types of floor monitor: passive, active and powered. The differences between the types of monitors mainly deal with whether or not there is an internal amplifier and the electronics that control which frequencies go to which speaker.
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Many sound technicians strive to get the loudest sound possible without producing feedback. Gain-before-feedback describes the amount of total volume that can be produced before encountering acoustic feedback.
Unfortunately, floor monitors are usually the main cause of acoustic feedback onstage. Sound from the monitors often leaks into live microphones, causing feedback and degraded sound for the audience. There are complicated equations you can use to determine Potential Acoustic Gain, a formula that lets you calculate the point at which you will encounter acoustic feedback. But unless you have a degree in applied physics, you may find them a little confusing. (On the other hand, the PAG equation is yours to employ by clicking here) These tips should help you get the most gain-before-feedback out of your system:
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If you cannot see the movie, you may download the Flash plugin here or simply click below to view the alternate PDF version.
Monitors
Floor Monitors. The Good, the Bad and the Heavy
Let's start with the major advantage of floor monitors: they're less expensive than the state-of-the art in-ear monitors. And, as far as advantages go, that's about it, other than providing a place for the guitar player to put his foot during his big solo.
Now the disadvantages: floor monitors are the primary cause of performance feedback. If you're planning on taking a performance to other venues, you should also be aware that floor monitors are also a major cause of sound staff back problems and overcrowded vans. Unless you have a couple of burly volunteers, carrying those 40-lb. behemoths will get old in a hurry. Finally - and this won't be the last time you hear this from us - floor monitors increase the risk of damage to your hearing. Most musicians like to turn their monitors up to hear themselves better, which, if done too much and too often, can lead to serious and permanent hearing loss.
New School:
Wired and Wireless In-Ear Monitors
The in-ear monitor is without a doubt the more effective of the two types of monitor. Once thought to be affordable only to globetrotting, arena rock acts, technological advancements and wider usage have brought prices down and have made in-ear monitoring systems accessible to just about any church. In-ear (or "personal") monitors direct the sound precisely where it needs to go - in the ear - compared to loudspeakers that throw sound all over the stage.
If you cannot see the movie, you may download the Flash plugin here or simply click below to view the alternate PDF version.
IEM
Along with being able to hear better and control volume, there are distinct advantages of in-ear monitoring for everybody in a worship environment:
Presenters and choir leaders benefit from the ability to receive "off-stage" cues and information during their presentation, along with being able to choose the mix they prefer to hear. Many presenters, speakers and pastors include the ambient sound of the room and the congregation in their in-ear mix to hear a more natural overall sound.
Musicians, choir soloists, and other performers appreciate the greater mobility of in-ear monitors, a cleaner performance and worship space (no floor monitors to trip over), and the total absence of feedback. Better mix quality and personal control of the mix volume also eliminates vocal strain caused by a performer not being able to hear themselves properly.
And, most important, the congregation benefits from lower volume levels and a clearer, more intelligible sound.
Another advantage of in-ear systems is the ability to listen in stereo. This added dimension actually enables lower listening levels by separating sounds spatially instead of purely by volume. For example, this allows a praise band with two guitar players to hear one guitar in the left ear and the other guitar in the right ear, creating a more realistic listening environment. There's a long term benefit, too: in-ear monitors protects the performer's hearing from ear-splitting stage monitor volume.
The downside to in-ear? Well, there's really only one, and that's cost. But as technology advances and personal monitor systems continue to become less expensive, the era of the wedge begins to seem as dated as an 8-track tape.
| Since wireless monitoring transmits sound on unused television channels, it helps to choose a model that lets you search effortlessly between frequencies. This should help eliminate unwanted interference from outside sources. |
Then there's the issue of sound quality. In-ear monitoring lets you get the maximum possible volume out of your sound system without having to worry about feedback. That's because the monitors are safely sheltered in your ears, eliminating the possibility of sound spilling into the microphone. And with the elimination of floor wedges, unwanted monitor sound will no longer leak into the chapel or auditorium. The combination of these advantages will leave you with a far superior onstage sound.
While the pastor, the choir, and the musicians will benefit from the in-ear monitors, singers will likely benefit the most. With more control over their own mix, they will never have to strain to be heard. And the congregation? Well, they're the real beneficiaries.
Oh, and there's one more benefit: preserving the hearing of everyone who uses in-ear technology. Isolating earphones allow you to listen at a lower volume level, reducing the chance of damage to your hearing. But a careless performer can still experience hearing damage if the system isn't used properly.
It's all about acoustic superiority. But you won't achieve it if you can't hear it.
