MADE TO WORSHIP
XLR CABLE
On the left is an image of a XLR or microphone cable. This cable has three prongs on the inside. This cable is used to plug in microphones to the snake as well as DI boxes to the nakek
Sound System Basics
Sound Boards can seem daunting at first glance. Here is some basic knowledge about sound boards to help you begin to understand them.
GAIN: At the top of the board there will always be a control know labeled Gain. This is where the volume first comes in from either an instrument or a microphone. The gain controls the initial amount of colume you let in to the sound board
EQ: The EQ will vary from board to board but it will typically have controls for the High, Mid and Low frequencies. Thes knobs allow you to Boost (add volume) or Cut (decrease volume) for specific frequencies). There may also be a Sweepable Pass know below each which allows you to target a specific frequency within a range and Boost or Cut that sound.
AUX/Auxillary Channels: These channels wil most likley be used to control stage monitors or different affects that run through the system. If they are used for stage monitors for example Aux 1 would be used to turn up that specific instrument or microphone in the monitor. If the channel is being used for affects like Reverb. Turning that know up will add delay to the vocal or instrument in that channel.
Other uses: Aviom system, Reverb, Delay, Recording, Sub woofers etc
PAN: This knob simply shifts the sound from left to right in the speakers. Most of the time you will simply leave it ponted straight up.
MUTE: This button mutes the channel. This button is typically hooked up to a light to let you know if the channel is muted or not.
FADER/SLIDER: This know will slide vertically up and down and will increase or decrease the volume for the channel. The best place to start with the volume is at unity which is marked on the side by a zero (0). Note that this volume control is directly tied to the Gain above. This is the secondary volume control for the channel.
*Note that each channel just repeats these functions over and over again for different instruments or microphones. If you understand the basic controls for one vertical channel you will understand how to operate most of the sound board because they simply repeat themselves.
SOUNDBOARD BASICS
Example: Lead Vocal BGV Acoustic Electric Keyboard Bass Kick Snare Hat Toms
*Each instrument or microphone will be in a seperate channel with its on set of controls.
Understanding how a sound system works will help you as a musician and as a tech person. Here are some basics that you should know about the system and equipment.
It is easest to start with the source of sound and move our way through the system. Sound enters through either a vocal microphone or an instrument. Microphones use what is called a XLR cable which is a three pronged cable. The XLR cable connects the microphone to the Snake. The Snake is basically a hub that collects all of the sound on the stage and then runs it back in one single cable to the sound board. An instrument can get its sound to the snake one of two ways.
1.) You can use a 1/4 inch cable or instrument cable to connect the instrument to a DI Box or Direct Box. The DI box converst the cable to a XLR and you have to then connect a XLR cable to the DI box and run that to the snake.
2.) The second option would be to use a microphone to mic an amp and then run that XLR cable to the snake.
The Snake runs all of the microphone and instrument sound through one cable to the Sound Board at the back of the room. From the soundboard you are then able to Mix the sound changing the Volume of each intrument, the EQ and other things before the sound then goes to the speakers. Sometimes you will have different Effects you can add to a channel, you may have a Compressor which limits the amount of sound, or a Graphic Equalizer which shapes the overall sound in the system.
From the soundboard the sound then travels to two different places. The sound will go to the Monitors on stage so the vocalists and instrumentalist can hear themselves, and it will also go to the House, which is the speakers that will be used for your audience to hear.
Depending on your speakers you may also have Amplifiers or Amps for short which will give power to the speakers so that they will work. You will typically have two different types of speakers. The first kind will be used to project your high and mid range refquencies, and the second called Sub woofers or Subs will be used to transmit your low end frequenices.
Knowing the basics of a system like this will help you:
1.Assemble a system from scratch
2. Run a system in a live setting
3. Trouble shoot a system that is having problems
Remember to always start at the source of the sound where the instrument or vocal mic is and work your way through the system if you are having issues with the sound.
Cables 101
1/4 INCH CABLE
On the right is an image of a 1/4 inch or instrument cable. This cable is used to plug in Instruments such as guitars or keyboards. The cable typically then goes to a DI box to be converted to XLR.
