What Portable Recorders Do You Use?

What Type of Content are You Recording?

Here at Mars Hill we have standardized on using portable, solid state, two track recorders at all of our campuses to accomplish a variety of purposes.  One of these purposes is to capture a live two track mix for the bands that we can then distribute to the band members – we call these ‘band reference mixes’.  A mix is generated live from either the FOH sound board or the monitors sound board and recorded to one our little handheld units.  These mixes are then loaded to a private podcast that only the band knows the stream URL for.  This way each band can quickly get a rough mix of each song that they played on the previous Sunday.  With this nearly instantaneous turnaround of the mix, each band member can then critique their own songs and work to make improvements and become a better and tighter band.  (This is all separate from what gets released into the Mars Hill Media Library, which is usually multi-tracked for later extensive editing)  These band reference mixes are all raw with little to no polishing to make them sound better than what is initially captured.  A second purpose for each campus to own one of these units is for the recording of sermons and other campus specific content that is preached and taught at each individual campus – this content can then be edited and released through the Mars Hill Media Library and the specific campus’s blog.

What Equipment Do You Use?

Up until recently, we have standardized on the Marantz PMD660 portable recorder and it’s sibling the Marantz PMD570, an integrated rack mount version.  These units are good, able to record in multiple formats and take in multiple inputs (though we generally record all our content in MP3 format).  There are a few things that we would like to change about this unit, like the purchase price and the ability to record with built in microphones without having to mix the feed, so we decided to re-evaluated what our standard portable recorder will be.

We put the above Marantz portable unit up against the Tascam DR-100, the Tascam DR-07, and the Edirol R-09HR.  The Portable Marantz PMD660 retails for $699.99, the Tascam DR-100 for $599.00, the Edirol R-09HR for $450.00, and the Tascam DR-07 for $279.00.  Although these are list prices, quick internet searches can find each unit for less.  For the demo we recorded MP3s at 320kbps.

This demo was primarily to look at the on board mic quality.  We recorded in a number of real life scenarios, from me talking into them while sitting at my desk, to taking them to a couple of services and recording in the room at FOH.  The microphones on each sounded pretty decent.  Each unit has a pair of omni microphones on them, and the DR-100 also has a pair of cardioid microphones.  When comparing the omni mics, I thought the Tascam units had very similar sounds (warm and crisp, a good full range) while the Edirol had a crisper, and less warm sound.  However one person that was helping evaluate these products did like the Edirol better then the Tascam units.  Listening to the cardioid microphones of the DR-100, to the back end rejection, and the warmth of those mics, pushed me towards the DR-100.   From a functionality stand point, they all have a stereo line input (1/8” stereo) and the DR-100 is the only unit that allows for an outboard balanced Mic to be directly connected.

When it came to navigating the Menu’s the DR-100 was the most intuitive, a lot because of the great plethora of physical buttons on it (even has some on the back side).  The Edirol was the least intuitive.  That said, I could easily get around all three unit’s menus with a fair amount of ease.  A much needed improvement over our current Marantz PMD660’s.  One downside to the Edirol unit is that it appears to power on and default to recording wave files, and since we desire to just capture MP3’s, that was a negative for this unit. 

As for connecting each unit to the computer, the Tascam units connected with ease and shows up as a hard drive, much like a USB thumb drive would.  The Edirol, since it is made to connect to a PC and we use Macs, was a little harder to connect to.  However, I was eventually able to connect to it.  The Edirol does come with a free version of Cakewalk for windows, whereas the Tascam products did not come with any software.

In the end after looking at the question in hand from all sides, we went with the Tascam DR-100.  So far we have only deployed it to the Olympia Campus, because the other campuses are using the Marantz versions and there is not a good reason to spend the money to replace the good units.  However, as we come to need to purchase more in the future, they will be the Tascam DR-100.

Images are gathered from each respective website.

Albuquerque Campus Launch

On September 20th, 2009 we launched our first out of state campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Prior to this launch we had two site visits, a brief 36 hour scouting trip and a longer 5 day integration and training trip.  On the scouting trip I went down as the sole protech representative to assess what systems were already present and evaluate feasibility of continued use of these systems.  I gathered info to draw up elevations of the room, developed full design documentation of the existing campus audio, video and lighting systems, and took hundreds of pictures.  Back in Seattle, I met with the full protech team where we agreed upon proposing a limited scope project.  The entire protech team then headed down the last week of June and spent five days integrating new equipment, troubleshooting existing systems and re-integrating parts of the old system.

Video System

As the gospel is delivered via video to all but one Mars Hill campus, ensuring that the highest quality possible sermon video is the is one of the most important aspects of every project for us.  This led us to procuring and integrating an entire new system. The equipment was all procured in our warehouse in Seattle, where we built all the racks and test the system.  The new video system was then shipped freight to our Albuquerque location where we integrated it onsite.  This system features 2 mac mini computers (one for graphics, one for video download and backup playout), a Pioneer BDP-V6000 blu-ray player for sermon playout, a FSR CP-100 switcher/scaler (same as Barco DCS-100), the Panasonic PT-DW6300 projector, and a 20′ Draper Paragon Screen.

Audio System

We unfortunately were unable to standardize this system (we have established standardized equipment church-wide) and worked to replace only what was absolutely needed.  We rehung the speakers higher in the room to help reduce the DB variance that exists from front to back in this room (single speaker cluster at front of room, no delay speakers).  We troubleshot several hums and buzzes in the system, reducing the overall noise that everyone had come to accept as normal. FOH was demolished and rebuilt, providing a significantly larger work surface.  All the rack equipment was re-racked and cabling was cleaned up appropriately.  In tuning the room we found several issues that resulted in us pushing the subs back (they were out of phase with the mains) and replacing the drivers in the existing EV mains (they were toast…).  We also deployed out an IEM (in-ear-monitors) system at this campus to help reduce the stage volume that the campus was previously experiencing.

Lighting System

We made three upgrades to the lighting system.  First we decommissioned the existing dimmers and replaced them with the same type of dimmer, just new.  The old ones were operating at less than 50% and posed an immanent safety threat as there were cover plates missing and the units were not properly integrated.  The second upgrade was switching the system from multiplex to dmx.  This was an easy win as we were able to reuse the existing cabling with no additional work.  This switch didn’t benefit us at all during this phase of the project, rather it was simply establishing a good foundation upon which to build on at this new campus.  If we want to integrate any intelligent fixtures in the future we now have the ability to do so in just a few minutes rather than needing to reconfigure the entire lighting system.  The third upgrade was simply replacing the old NSI lighting console with a new Leviton MC 7024 console.  Nothing fancy, rather just a simple and bullet-proof interface for our volunteers.

Project Wrap

A key concept that we have been working on is standardizing on equipment that is network ready.  This allows us to ‘get-into’ key equipment from our Seattle office and upgrade firmware, software, etc.  We can also check settings and perform some basic troubleshooting without needing to fly a technician out to New Mexico every other week.  This campus has launched and is growing, and we are excited to see how Jesus will continue bless this new location.  If you are curious what additional equipment is integrated at this campus check HERE for that detail, or if you’d like to see additional pictures check HERE.

700 MHz Wireless Transition

As many of you are aware the FCC sold off much of the frequency space that is used by wireless microphones and in ear monitoring products.  For a detailed explanation of that decision by the FCC please take a moment and read the “FCC Selling Frequency Space” post about it we did back in February.  This action has caused many churches and other organizations to rethink how they are using wireless technology in their facilities.

What does the law currently say?

As of right now the law still allows wireless units (microphones and in ear monitors) to operate in these frequencies.  I know this is information that is contradictory to what most of the information out there about this subject is saying.   There are many people that point to a proposal that the FCC had presented to disallow the use of wireless microphones with in the 700MHz band.  If this proposal had been approved, use of the microphones in this frequency range would have been prohibited, as of the Digital Television Deadline date (June 12, 2009).  This proposal was presented to the FCC on Nov. 4, 2008.  After reviewing the proposal they decided not to vote on it, which also means that it is only a proposal and not actually law, yet.

What did Mars Hill Church do and why?

Many wireless microphone companies have been watching this issue since it first surfaced over 5 years ago.  They came to the conclusion that the passing of the above proposal will eventually happen at any point in time.  Consequently they stopped selling wireless products in the 700 MHz band a couple of years ago.

After reviewing a lot of the information out there, and what the wireless companies are doing, Mars Hill Church decided to do the same.  We had 12 wireless units (headset mics, hand held mics, and in ear monitors) scattered across four of our six (at the time) campuses.  We now have all of your campuses operating in frequency bands that are not the 700 MHz band (over 80 frequencies (includes mics, IEM, wireless Comm, and radios) across 10 locations).

We have kept the units we swapped out (mostly because we couldn’t get any money for them in the rebate programs) and currently use them as a rental type of situation for each of our campuses.  We do regularly do frequency scans of each location, and are happy to report that so far, not much of the 700 MHz frequency space is seeing use.  As of now those units that we replaced are not yet illegal, but it appears that the writing is on the wall for them to become illegal to operate.  (They are also for sale if anyone wants to purchase them.)

So now we only have to worry about the TVBD’s that the FCC hasn’t figured out yet…  We will cross that bridge when the appropriate time comes.

The Role of Production Managers

Production Managers at Mars Hill Church are responsible for the organization and execution of live production elements at our weekend services and all special events.  This role requires a mixture of technical knowledge and ability balanced with strong communication and leadership.  Generally this position reports directly to the Campus Operations Director or the Campus Worship Pastor and works closely with the Regional Production Technology Manager (a function of the Central Operations Branch’s Production Technology Department).  Production Mangers hold the office of Deacon and typically are established as part time paid positions.

Responsibilities

On a weekly basis this includes:

• band scheduling
• scheduling of production volunteers
• downloading video files from the media and communications branch
• testing the sermon video
• obtaining the band’s set list
• building a slide deck/song cue list
• building any campus specific announcement slides
• establishing a stage plot
• preparing the service order
• coordinating an input list between the band leader and the FOH engineer
• building lighting cues
• ensuring a successful band practice
• troubleshooting of technical systems as needed
• ensuring that the room is prepared and ready for service, stage is clean and clear
• leading a pre-service production team meeting
• ensuring the right people go on stage at the right time (stage management)
• ensuring smooth technical transitions throughout the service identifying areas for improvement

Additionally there may be special elements that the campus pastors requests accommodation for that will require extra planning and communication with volunteer teams.  If you are adding baby dedications or baptisms to the service order there are many logistical details that must be thought through (i.e. What is the plan for bringing people up on stage?  Who will have a mic?  Who is filling the baptismal and ensuring the water at the right temperature?  Who is coordinating towels?).  It is the responsibility of the production manager to think through all the details of every event, develop and communicate a plan, and then execute it effectively.

On a more ongoing basis:

• training of volunteers
• recruiting new volunteers
• managing the production budget for expendables, special services, band gear, and volunteer appreciation
• performing routine maintenance of audio, video and lighting systems
• capturing and distribution of campus specific audio and video content
• planning of special services (i.e. Good Friday, Easter, Christmas, beach baptisms, etc.)

Expectations

Technologically, Production Managers are expected to have a good understanding of how each of their audio, video and lighting systems function and should be able to jump in and operate any position if a volunteer fails to show-up or troubleshoot issues that come up by tracing the signal flow.  They also oversee the technical training at their campus, ensuring that each volunteer has a working knowledge of the system, or is in the training process to gain that working foundation.

There is specific routine maintenance that is required by the Production Manager at each campus.  The specific maintenance varies depending on what systems have been deployed at any given campus.  Production Managers are encouraged to talk with their Regional Production Technology Manager if they are unsure what is specifically expected of them in regards to maintenance.

Systems are designed for specific functionality and Production Managers are expected to execute campus events and operations within this normal functionality.  If a campus would like to use the system equipment in a way that is different than how the Regional Production Technology Manager has approved, we ask that a discussion take place around the requested special use of the system.  Additionally it is expected that Production Mangers do not alter the deployed production technology systems from their initially deployed design.  This means that existing equipment is not removed and that no new equipment is procured or integrated.  We have established this flow of work in an effort to support the Production Managers in accomplishing as much ‘people ministry’ as possible – that is talking with people, seeing the gospel worked out in their volunteer’s lives, rather than being distracted by technical issues.

In regards to spiritual oversight, we fully expect Production Managers to take initiative in digging into the lives of their volunteers, knowing where they are at in their walk with Jesus, knowing what scriptures are challenging to them, knowing what struggles or addictions are distracting them from living a life in the light before the cross.  While the spiritual oversight provided by Production Managers should encourage open and honest community, it doesn’t not replace the need for community groups.  Serving in any volunteer role is a secondary place of community and accountability, as community groups are specifically aimed and purposed at achieving true gospel community.  All too often we find volunteers serving in a production capacity and not involved in any community group – production managers should encourage/push their volunteers into true community, recognizing the limitations of potential spiritual oversight and accountability in a task oriented volunteer role.

Hiring Considerations

When we are looking at resumes and interviewing potential candidates for new staff Production Managers we specifically focus on four areas:

Calling – How has Jesus specifically called you to this role?  Are you on mission?  Are you currently serving your church?  Are you in a community group and living a life that is open and accountable those around you?

Competency – Are you an effective communicator while also being incredibly detail and technically oriented?

Character – Do you meet the qualifications of the office of Deacon as outlined in Acts 6:1-7 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13?  Can you model humble leadership?

Chemistry – How are you going to ‘gel’ with the campus team?

WFX Charlotte Wrap-Up

I am just getting back from my trip to wfx charlotte where I had the privilege of participating in leading several of the conference sessions, meeting with many churches, and catching up with old friends while making an overwhelming amount of new ones.  I want to take the opportunity while this event is still fresh in my mind to share the 5 thoughts and reactions I walked away with.

WFX is a must. If for nothing else, to take a few days to connect with other people from around the nation and share what Jesus is doing in our churches.  There are so many brilliant men and women that join together at this event and anyone that thinks they are too good for this event is sorely mistaken.

Unity. The entire event had a vibe similar to a family reunion, from catching up with friends that I normally only talk with via twitter to meeting new people, and immediately having unity around our shared desire to see more people come to know Jesus through the use of technology.

The speakers were top notch. From what I am told there has been a shift in the speaker line-up methodology – less manufacture reps talking about their equipment and more people who are actually in the trenches of church ministry talking about their experiences.  All the speakers were accessible and simply there to love and serve other churches.  All the speakers that I engaged with were completely transparent about where they were at, the challenges they faced, the mistakes they have made.  I went away challenged in several areas and it’s nice to simply know that I am not the only person that doesn’t have everything figured out yet.

Technologists not into technology? This was kind of weird.  I met way too many people that just wanted the answer book.  People who simply wanted model numbers and clearly had no intention or desire to really learn our trade.  People who scoff at the idea of twitter and facebook?  It was clear that some people are trying to use technology as a means to an end in and of itself.  It is my prayer that people may see beyond the technology and get on mission, on mission to make disciples of Jesus.  If technology can help them do this then great, but if it is in the way, then throw technology in the garbage.

It is all about Jesus. Technology is worthless if it doesn’t point people to Jesus.  What does your church do really well and how are you seeing people come to know Jesus?  Let’s use technology to support those things.

Next Page »