We're Running an Audio Training Course - Any Advice Welcome

[shayward]

Hi Guys

On October 4, 2008 we're going to run an audio training workshop at our church and there is a lot of interest from neighbouring churches.

One of the churches has 5 regular sound operators but most need serious training. The other church has only a few regular operators but they have a major building project coming up in the next year and media is a big focus for them.

It will be an all-day event (8 hours) and I'm planning on providing lunch, paper, pencils, and a workbook. Basically, all anyone has to do is show up and pay attention.

I'm also planning on renting a little Mackie analogue mixer (couple of auxes, couple of sub-groups, 16 channels).

The target audience is from newbee to anyone with practical experience but not a lot of knowledge.

Here's my first-draft course outline:

Part 1: Leadership and Servanthood
- Servant Ministry
- The Media Ministry Objective
- Workers Together for Christ
- Common Conflicts and Resolutions
- Framework for On-Going Improvements

Part 2: What Is Sound?
- The Nature of Sound
- Pitch
- Volume
- Transduction

Part 3: Introduction to the Sound System
- High Level Overview
- Cables
- Microphones
- Mixers
- Amplifiers
- Speakers

Part 4: Microphone Essentials
- Types of Microphones
- Specifications
- Proximity Effect
- Matching the Microphone to the Situation
- Microphone Technique for Singers
- Microphones and Instruments

Part 5: Mixer Essentials
- Gain
- Fader
- Unity Gain
- Auxiliary Sends
- Recording
- Monitor Mixing
- Groups

Part 6: Amplifier and Speaker Essentials

Part 7: Improving Sound Quality
- Equalization
- Feedback Elimination
- Hum Elimination


Any thoughts would be most appreciated
- Shaun

[cmchamp]

Have you looked at the materials from Church Sound Check? http://churchsoundcheck.com/books.html

[shayward]

I am seriously looking at church sound check. Has anyone here used them?

The two stumbling blocks are:

1. No detailed course outline
2. Cost

I'd like to find out everything (and I mean everything) that is covered. All there really seems to be is a 90-day money-back deal.

On the cost, $500 is a lot of dough. It would be peanuts if I was doing this even part time. But I was hoping to run this course with a suggested donation to our technical arts department (so the cost of the workshop is tax-deductable). But if I had to drop $500 on courseware, I would have to charge a set fee that would come straight to me.

But it may be worth it, considering the hours I would have to spend on my own to develop it.

[cmchamp]

It's my understanding from the past (I've not purchased it yet either) that you can use it over and over and over, and the $500 edition provides all the black-line masters, or masters on CD/DVD.
And there you go - time - you don't need to reinvent the wheel.

I do like your outline above and that you're beginning with the heart/spirit of service.

Other resources I've used for background information and the 'physics' aspect.
http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/demos.html
http://www.soundinstitute.com/index.cfm

Also, utilizing Digital Performer's automation, I use an anechoic voice recording to demonstrate EQ extremes audibly while providing visual feedback with both the animated parametric EQ in DP, and the affected PinkNoise graph in an FFT program such as Faber Acoustic's Sound Scope.
C.

C.

[Chaz1049]

Just curious, how did this seminar go? I'm in charge of training people at my church and I'm wondering were you getting a lot of blank stares?

[shayward]

The seminar went very well, actually. The biggest problem I had was running out of time due to the number of questions. And the funny thing was, most of the questions asked were answered on the next slide

[tedanderson]

Yeah.. I was interested in knowing how it went also.

It's my experience that in order to keep everyone's attention and keep them interested, you have work "backwards" in the sense of doing a demonstration by using a multi-track, letting the participants play with the console first. And then explain what it is that they are doing and why they are doing it, and then go over the technical nuts and bolts of how it all works. The technical aspect is very important, however, it is very difficult for a novice to wrap his head around it without first having some sort of familiarity and practical experience with using the console.

Did you find that to be the case or did anyone get "lost" in the mix?

[Chaz1049]

Originally Posted by shayward

The seminar went very well, actually. The biggest problem I had was running out of time due to the number of questions. And the funny thing was, most of the questions asked were answered on the next slide

I've hosted several training courses as well and people were on page 7 when I was on 2 and only confused the people that were with me. My courses have been small numbers though and the only thing I've been able to do to avoid that is to match individuals with the same interest levels...

[shayward]

I had over 30 people show up (planned for 15), so that was a part of the issue. And it was usually the same guy (quite clever, actually) asking the questions.

[churchsoundguy]

Do you plan on doing more seminars?

And how'd it go financially? I know that was a concern for you.

[062151lw]

Our church has an inexperienced sound crew-I'm one of them. We have a quartet whose music is loaded onto a laptop computer. We have an analog yamaha 24 channel sound board. I tried to plug the computer directly into the sound board via a 3 prong channel jack. I got sound thru the speakers-choir, floor and mains, but it was distorted. Help please and thanks in advance.

[Arlin]

062151lw: What kind of adapter cable are you using?

I would guess you used a cable with a 1/8" TRS (Tip Ring Sleeve) on one end to a 1/4" TRS plug on the other.
What you need to use is an adapter cable that goes from the 1/8" TRS to TWO TS (Tip Sleeve) connectors on the other end. Then you actually plug into two channels on the board (or maybe a single stereo input if you have one).

Hope that makes sense.