PA Monitor

I am music director of a small mainline church. I play a Hammond Concord and I have a piano player who does a good job playing with me during 15 minutes of prelude and service music after. Once every other month, I bring in my KN7000 or G70 to give them a show and they love it.

This is an older traditional congregation with a smaller segment that is pushing for more praise and worship type music. I have led a dozen churches over the years and have had to walk the same tight rope. The point is that I am trying a compromise by playing self made backing tracks behind the two of us playing live. Only the sequence is played over PA.

I make a sequence by recording a song on the G70 minus any tracks we play, and transfer it to my laptop. By using an appropriate intro, my pianist knows when to come in. We are playing off identical music sheets. I know this method has inherent pitfalls, but we are both good readers.

One problem is that she can't always hear the beat while pounding the piano, and we don't have the budget to purchase the equipment we should have, at least until I gave garnered support for this project.

I have a Peavy 600 head next to me connected to two Community speakers(8") at the ceiling. I can bring in my big Peavy 15" if needed, but doubt it. We are about 25 ft apart and thought a wireless ear monitor might be the answer. http://www.abesofmaine.com/item.do?item=NADEO3AA&id=NADEO3AA&l=FROOGLE

What do you think ?

http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0711271010

The first thing that comes to mind is a HotSpot monitor, not the amp, just the monitor; one speaker cable from the PA and you'e in.

The hot spot is a little harsh with that very small speaker 4" (?) the Fender is lightweight and powerfull with a bit more fuller sound imo.

http://www.mackie.com/products/srm150/index.html

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www.AudioworksCT.com

The Mackie is a bit pricier than the Fender, but certainly has great quality and a smaller footprint.

Donny - my suggestion of the HotSpot was for simplicity. Bernie did say it was a small church, so space came to mind.

Cass I rarely use a monitor....just more gear to carry and setup a few times a day for teh very small gigs...but when I do I honestly want to hear my sound as close to the FOTH system as possible using a quality 12/15" monitor w/horn...eg:
http://tinyurl.com/nrok4t

Donny, my friend, not to belabor things but I was responding to Bernie's needs, not mine. I simply think that for what he wants done a smaller system would work. For me, I'm deaf so give me the biggest, loudest monitors you got : lol

Thanks for the input. I'm off to my band gig and forgot to mention that I captioned the Nady WIRELESS,because it would be hazardous and unsitely to have a chord running accross the church to the piano. We might have to, but we have to start out with a cheap system, and the beat is all we are conscerned with at this point.

Your views are appreciated.

Bernie good luck there are many good options.

I think that in-ears disconnect you from your congregation, and need a VERY critical balancing of the mix that it is fed. A hotspot type monitor is a LOT more forgiving, easier to adjust on the spot (you in ear mix is going to be controlled by the mixer) and, if bad things happen, feedback or a sudden blast from an incorrect patch or registration isn't going straight in your ear canal!

I have two of the Mackie SRM-150's. Yes, they are a tad pricey, but you get a LOT of options that other hotspots don't give you. They are also weak in the bass area (something that is actually a PLUS in a monitor). It is altogether way to easy to muddy up your sound, and play much louder than you need to be with bigger monitors. The Mackies, to my ears, provide JUST what you need, and little of what you don't, in a compact and well designed footprint.

Highly recommended.

Thanks Diki, I have gathered by other recommendations that the ear monitor might not be the answer. In view of your post, I have decided to lend the church my two CM30's. I can snake a cord up around the choir loft I guess. If I am coming from the laptop to the Peavy 600 to the mains, I have a Behringer Euro(passive) that I can use to send another feed to the powerd monitors. Right ?

Another thought is the cable needed to run about 40 ft. Since it is to a powered speaker, I can't use unshielded speaker wire, but can I use smaller RCA cable. The answer probably is no.

Bernie,
You have a Bose system, I thought you could hear those speakers equally across a room. If you were to place the speaker closer to her and I am sure you will be able to hear it also.

Unless you need to keep the volume at a low level and the piano is over shadowing the speakers. Why not two 8” or 10” self powered speakers placed behind both of you -- controlling the balance with your mixer.

I always try to think less stuff. That also relates to fewer problems also.

John C.

Bernie, that is why the Mackies have balanced ins as well as unbalanced 1/4" and RCA inputs. You never know WHAT you might need for monitoring. Best to have ALL the options (including phantom, and a hi-z guitar input)...

The Mackies are lower profile, should not intimidate anyone, too.

John
I think the Roland CM30's placed close to each of us will suffice, as the mains(Community) will be enough for the congregation. Remember this is a subdued background accompaniment and we are not amplified. I am not using either Bose because I am trying to avoid carrying my own gear to church every week. Besides, I have learned that if you keep bringing your own equipment, there never seems to be room in the budget for upgrading their own.

Try using what you already have.

Take a Record Out line from that PA to the RCA input on the Concorde.


--Mac

Gotta' agree with Mac on this. You have what you need to make everything work.

One thing that comes to mind, though, is there are a lot of players, piano, guitar, etc.., that cannot handle the regimented beat of an arranger keyboard, drum machine or midi file. This may be part of the problem. I had a bass player many years ago that could not follow the drummer, and neither of them could keep time with a metronome. It was a constant problem that was only resolved when the band broke up.

Good Luck,

Gary

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 09-22-2009).]

Gary many people are just born like that its not their fault they just dont have rhythm & it always shows in their playing couple that with people that read and you have a very weird robotic soulless performance.....timing is everything.

Mac
Never thought of that, but doubt the piano player will get in the groove that way.

Donny and Gary
I know most classically trained pianist are to rigid to follow a beat, but she seems to. Only time will tell

The CM30's will work fine. And amen to the part about the church thinking they own your stuff. I've been doing this kind of work for years and believe me this happens. I have a CM30 at my church right now and they use it for everything. I have to remind them that it's mine.

Having done this for many years I've learned a few tricks. A good one is to befriend a couple of the heavy givers. Then when you need a piece of gear, extra music, or whatever, drop a hint or two and somehow the money magically appears. I just bought 35 new choir robes using this method.

Good luck,

Joe

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Songman55
Joe Ayala

Hi Joe
Ha ha, that's some pretty good politikin. I think I will show them what can be done and hit them then. They know I have two Bose(L1 and compact), and they may balk at a speaker upgrade. My approach is to liken the church to any other business. You have to invest to get a good return.

My experience tells me that you need to show the church that what you are asking for is needed, necessary and will benefit the congregation more than you. A good connection or two never hurts. Always have a plan the finance committee can look over.

Using your own equipment comes in handy on a special needs basis, but unless you plan to use it exclusively in and for the church, leave it home and find another route. I have a lot of personal stuff at church, but I've been in the same place for 38 yrs. It's stuff that was sitting around the house doing nothing and the needs of the church met my need to find a use for it.

Use the CM-30's for a few weeks and show them what a difference they make. Talk it up. Then present two or three alternatives they could afford or want to afford. You must convince them music is an integral part of the "church".

Cass
I agree. That is exactly what I plan to do. Besides, I am the one doing all the work, which is outside the purvue of my employment. OTOH, It is my church too, and a lot of my work is gratus. That's ok, as long as they help me help the church. I ask for little and they have never as much as whimpered when I asked for anything.