Houses of Worship — October 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005 11:46 AM

Houses of Worship Top Story

When "Tech Plus Talent" Equals "TNT"

Once upon a time, there was simple chant. Then came the organ, and for centuries that was all the music a congregation needed, wanted, or imagined.

The last few decades, of course, have seen an extraordinary proliferation of music options in churches—and, hand-in-hand with this trend, an ever-growing web of complexities.

"We've taken in a type of music that really needs technical support," says Gary Zandstra of Parkway Electric & Communications in Holland, Mich., who was a church technical director for a decade before going into the systems integration business (Zandstra is also an occasional contributor to Sound & Video Contractor). "With that came all kinds of issues, from the quality of equipment to the quality of the technical service needed to run the equipment. There's much more complex mixing going on, plus the expectation of a certain level of sound."

In Zandstra's view, the result is often a certain tension between musicians and the technicians, often both volunteers. In extreme cases, he adds, it may seem as though the pastor has to tell arriving congregants, "We'll start the worship service as soon as we've pulled these guys apart."

The plus side, of course, is the blossoming of musical talent in worship settings. Jay Paul of SPL Integrated Solutions in Columbia, Md., says, "I've been in some churches that have astoundingly brilliant musicians on staff."

Paul also notes that original music, including high-quality touring groups, is increasingly common. "There is a lot of contemporary Christian music out there. Those may be Metallica chords, but that's not what the lyrics are. These are very sophisticated acts."

Even apart from major touring acts, high-quality music is critical to the routine Sunday service at many churches. Realizing the promise of all this musical and technical talent, though, can be a challenge.

"The biggest sticking point is a lack of understanding and communication on both sides," Zandstra says. A common issue is volume in stage monitors. "The musician has an expectation for what's coming out of his monitor. But sometimes the front-of-house isn't as loud as he's used to." As a result, monitors can't be cranked up too much without interfering with what the worshippers hear.

In addition, Zandstra says, the typical church technical or musical volunteer may be very proud of his or her abilities, and simultaneously wary of revealing gaps in knowledge. "Musicianship also plays a role," he says, commenting that a highly competent and confident combo can make a system sound much better without the technicians having to tweak a thing.

Challenging the performer's abilities, though, is probably not the path to harmony.

Instead, Zandstra says, "Seek first to understand, not to be understood. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Those rules, he says, lead to a great deal of talking, relationship building, and improved understanding on both sides.

In the absence of this understanding, Zandstra notes, "TNT refers to Tech and Talent, and the mix can be explosive."

Installation News

Lakewood Church Adds Eight Fujinon HD Lenses

Lakewood Church of Houston has purchased eight Fujinon HD lenses as part of the extensive $95 million upgrade of its new home, formerly known as The Compaq Center. The Fujinon HD lens package includes two XA72x9.3ESM HD ENG lenses, which are used on Sony HDC-900 fixed cameras; as well as three HA13x4.5BERM and three HA22x7.8BERM HD ENG lenses, used on Sony HDC-950 handheld cameras.

The refurbished 16,000-seat arena, now known as the new Lakewood Church, is host to a Christian service that integrates spectacular multimedia video and graphics displays and dramatic, theatrical staging of singers and musicians to present the ministry of world-renowned pastor Joel Osteen. Lakewood Church videotapes its weekly services and produces a variety of programs—a one-hour, half-hour, and Spanish version—which are aired by networks worldwide, including Discovery, USA Network, ABC Family, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Daystar Television Network, and CNBC Europe.

"Early on in the renovation process, we consulted with our Fujinon representative, Dave Waddell, to determine the ideal locations for our eight cameras and the type of lens that would work best from each vantage point. We then designed the arena around this multi-camera plan," says Jon Swearingen, director of broadcast media for Lakewood Church.

During the one-hour service, Swearingen says that Cam-Mate camera jibs sport cameras equipped with Fujinon HA13x4.5BERM lenses because the lenses' wide-angle capability takes full advantage of the jibs, allowing the shots they capture to be as visually compelling as possible. The Fujinon XA72x9.3ESM and HA22x7.8BERM zoom lenses are used in handheld applications.

"With these lenses, we can present crowd shots with incredible clarity, yet we can zoom in on a saxophone that someone is playing on stage. These images enhance our television programs as well as the experience of those seated in the arena," says Swearingen.

"We chose Fujinon HD lenses for three reasons," he explains. "We liked the look that Fujinon lenses produced due to the quality of the workmanship; we had always received excellent customer service from Fujinon; and Fujinon offered us incomparable price-performance."

While the video is shot in HD, the imagery is currently down-converted to standard-definition. However, the new Lakewood Church arena has been cabled to support HD, and there are plans to upgrade to all-digital HD production, complete with 5.1-channel surround sound, in two years. "We felt it made sense to purchase the HD cameras and HD lenses now because our original complement of SD cameras had reached their end of life," says Swearingen.

Called the largest, fastest-growing congregation in the United States by Forbes.com and Outreach Magazine, Lakewood Church attributes its exponential growth to the popularity and effectiveness of its leader, Joel Osteen (whose book, Your Best Life Now, recently debuted at the top of the New York Times Bestseller List).

Swearingen says, "Our use of top-flight acquisition equipment, like our Fujinon HD lenses, and sophisticated video technology, enhances our ability to communicate the message of Joel Osteen's ministry to those attending Lakewood Church as well as via television from around the world."

EAW DSA Series Loudspeakers Save Michigan Church from Renovation Mishap

The price differential between flat and semi-gloss paint may seem insignificant, but one church in Escanaba, Mich., spent years paying for the difference. During a renovation at St. Joseph's and St. Patrick's Church more than 10 years ago, painters applied semi-gloss to the acoustical tiles covering the interior walls. As a result, the paint sealed the surface and permanently transformed the original sound-absorbing tiles into a hard, reflective surface.

"The echoes were just awful," recalls parishioner Matt Sviland, a member of the church's finance committee. "The sermons were incomprehensible, and there were gaping holes in the coverage."

The sound problems were an unexpected expense for a renovation budget that had already been committed elsewhere, so the church did the best it could with limited funds. One parishioner, who owned a local music store, volunteered his knowledge of audio and helped the church install a distributed system with traditional column-mounted speakers. However, no amount of fine-tuning could reduce the persistent echoes to an acceptable or even tolerable level.

"We were getting so many complaints about the sound, and we were losing members and visitors because they couldn't hear," Sviland says. "This is one of the area's biggest and most glorious churches. We simply had to fix the sound, but we had to find expertise in church audio—and that's a fairly specialized skill that you don't run across much on Michigan's Upper Peninsula."

Luckily, a visiting colleague told the church pastor about his own positive experience with the experts at Eagle Communication of Ferndale, Mich., some eight hours away. Sviland then contacted Eagle and described the church's unfortunate problem to principal and co-owner Tony Rogalski. Having installed systems in more than 1,200 churches, Rogalski is pretty knowledgeable about the latest technologies and design techniques for troublesome environments. As such, he quickly recognized that EAW's DSA Series loudspeakers would be the perfect solution for St. Joseph's and St. Patrick's Church.

"The church described the exact problem I had just solved for a massive old church in downtown Detroit," explains Rogalski. "With hard surfaces like marble, wood, and stained glass, old churches frequently battle reverberation when it comes to the spoken word. At the same time, these same churches often reject traditional damping methods, such as acoustic paneling, because they don't want to cover or in any way mar the traditional and well-loved aesthetic of the old buildings."

Convinced it was the same challenge, Rogalski recommended EAW's DSA Series line arrays, which use onboard digital signal processing and amplification to precisely control the vertical ouput pattern, thereby steering sound directly at the listeners and away from hard surfaces. Rogalski engaged Sviland's assistance in collecting valuable information about the church, such as its floor plan with dimensions, surface types, and its existing sound equipment, as well as some good-quality digital photos.

"Normally I wouldn't try to offer a custom solution without inspecting the site firsthand, but I was willing to stake my firm's satisfaction guarantee on EAW's DSA Series based on my own experience with their amazing ability to overcome reverberation problems with even, clear coverage," Rogalski says.

Sviland and Rogalski arranged for an onsite demo at the church using loaner equipment from the local EAW representative. Eagle's technical manager, Steve Clark, made the eight-hour trek north to Escanaba and set up the equipment for a weekend demo. "After years of buying inexpensive equipment through a local music store, we didn't know what to expect from a high-level system recommended by people who really know church sound," Sviland says. "But once Steve got the DSA demo up and running, it was amazing how quickly and easily we authorized the purchase. The spoken word was clear throughout the room, and the music sounded glorious. Eagle picked exactly the right solution for our church."

Beyond solving the church's specific audio challenges, Rogalski was especially pleased to have an additional positive experience with the DSA system. "Compared to the labor-intensive wiring and hanging requirements of a distributed sound system—the traditional solution for a cathedral-type space—the DSA Series loudspeakers are a breeze to install at a fraction of the labor price," he says. "In a typical cathedral, you only need a couple of DSA speakers to get excellent coverage versus dozens of speakers in a distributed system. The DSA speakers even have onboard amplification and processing, which eliminates the cost of additional gear, and the DSA Pilot software offers intuitive control to get the room dialed in right. As a result, DSA install projects are much easier to fit into a busy job schedule, and we get the benefit of helping the church get the most out of its budget with the highest-quality equipment."

Within just a few weeks of the demo, Eagle sent two technicians back to Escanaba to install a pair of DSA250 line arrays painted to match the front columns where they were mounted. While existing speakers worked well enough for overflow areas and chancel monitors, Eagle upgraded the console to an Allen and Heath MixWizard 16:2DX and a dbx Drive Rack PA for additional equalization in areas not covered by the DSA speakers. A new Shure ULXP 14 UHF wireless body pack system and Countryman E6 headset mic for the pastor ensure comfort and mobility with a natural, clean sound.

"The sound is excellent, and the coverage is amazing for only two unnoticeable speakers at the front," Sviland says. "We were lucky to find a team of experts who knew exactly the right solution. Best of all, people can hear again, which means that members and visitors are coming back and appreciating all of the glory our church has to offer."

Product News

Danley Sound Labs Introduces "Tower of Power" Subwoofer

The newly formed company Danley Sound Labs, located in Gainesville, Ga., is introducing the DTS-20 high-output, extreme low-frequency response subwoofer system aptly known as the "Tower of Power." Housing a single long-excursion 12in. driver in a patent applied enclosure, the DTS-20 legitimately claims to be the most powerful subwoofer available on the market, with almost 10dB more output at 20Hz than designer Tom Danley's renowned ContraBass loudspeaker.

The DTS-20 achieves an extraordinary performance specification without the use of servo motors, making it not only more musical but also more cost-effective. The system operates across the frequency range 18Hz-150Hz (-3dB) and offers a maximum output of 122dB SPL (125dB SPL peak). System sensitivity is 95dB SPL (-1dB, 20Hz-70Hz; measured as 28.3V input 1/2 space at 33ft./10m distance). Input power ratings are 500W continuous, 1,000W program.

Packing the acoustic punch of up to half a dozen of Danley's ContraBass units, the DTS-20 "Tower of Power" measures a relatively svelte 18"x18"x84" and is suitable for a variety of installations. Applications range from live music performance and recorded playback situations, such as discos, music venues, and performing arts centers, as well as houses of worship, high-end home theaters, and cinemas. Adding versatility to power, the DTS-20 can be used either vertically or horizontally and if needed, can be totally hidden and placed behind a vented wall space—a real plus for some home theater sound systems.

Tom Danley is one of the most innovative loudspeaker designers in the industry today and is recognized worldwide as a pioneer for "outside-the-box" thinking in professional audio technology. His legendary designs have been utilized in projects ranging from ground zero bombing simulation, jet engine active noise cancellation, and sonic boom generators to critical listening mastering studios, high-end home theater, and houses of worship around the world.

MSRP: $2,998

Christie Introduces the Christie LX34 and the Christie LX40

Building on the successful LX32 and LX37 platforms, Christie is pleased to introduce two new LCD projectors—the Christie LX34 and the Christie LX40. These new additions establish the entry point to the diverse suite of projectors from Christie that includes options ranging from cost-effective LCD and single-chip DLP solutions, through to the highest performance 3-chip DLP projectors in the marketplace. Delivering bright, bold, life-like images, the Christie LX34 and the LX40 feature high performance, installation durability, and ease of use.

Christie LX34
Model # 103-002001

3500 ANSI lumens
Contrast Ratio 900:1 full field
True XGA resolution (1024x768)
Progressive-scan video scaling with 3:2 pulldown
1,500-hour lamp life means a low cost of ownership
Compact and lightweight
Same lens options and lamp as the LX32

MORE INFORMATION:
LX34 Webpage
LX34 PDF Datasheet
LX34 PDF Faxable Datasheet
LX34 PDF Sales Brief

Christie LX40
Model # 103-004001

4000 ANSI lumens
Contrast Ratio 1000:1 full field
True XGA resolution (1024x768)
Supports signals up to SXGA+ and all currently known HDTV formats
Full range of optional lenses provide the flexibility to place the projector anywhere in the room
Same lens options and lamp as the LX50

MORE INFORMATION:
LX40 Webpage
LX40 PDF Datasheet
LX40 PDF Faxable Datasheet
LX40 PDF Sales Brief

Shipping for both begins mid-October, 2005. Both the Christie LX34 and the Christie LX40 are ideal solutions for boardrooms, conference rooms, meeting rooms, auditoriums, training centers, classrooms, executive briefing centers, and houses of worship. If you have any further questions about these products, ordering information or availability, please contact your Regional Sales Manager.

Auralex Acoustics Announces the Release of the New SpaceArray Diffusor

Auralex Acoustics announced the availability of the new SpaceArray diffusor at AES 2005. In keeping with the Auralex mission to provide the best acoustical treatment products at the best value, the SpaceArray delivers superior performance at a popular price point.

"Until recently, this caliber of acoustic treatment was only available to a select few," says Jeff Szymanski, chief acoustical engineer for Auralex. "Now, all of that is changing as we make these exceptional products affordable."

Designed by Russ Berger for Auralex Acoustics, the SpaceArray combines excellent hemispherical acoustical diffusion with a top quality wood finish. Based on a quasi-random series that provides superior performance without visual patterning, the SpaceArray is ideal for control rooms, auditoriums, performance venues, listening rooms, home theaters, and worship spaces. Strong and lightweight, the beautiful 24"x24" solid wood panels install easily and can be used in a variety of placement options.

The SpaceArray is one of the first offerings in the new pArtScience product line, a family of acoustical treatments designed for exceptional performance with a custom look, all at an affordable price.