Using the System: 1. We want to begin with a clear plea to those of you using the system. Take care of the cables they are wire not rope.

Transcription

1 Using the System: Care of cables We want to begin with a clear plea to those of you using the system. Take care of the cables they are wire not rope. In order to prevent their breaking down the cables of all sizes need to be carefully tended to. So: Don t wrap the small microphone wires around the transmitter box. Let the wire be loose in the microphone s bag. Those wires can cost $ Don t ever leave knots in the wire. When you see one developing untangle it. Don t pull on the wires, That breaks the connection to the receiver box. Don t carry a body microphone by the wire (leaving the transmitter swinging in the air.) Same reasons as above. Don t wrap the ¼ or XLR cables around your hand and elbow as that kinks and eventually destroys the cable. Slowly coil the cable in your hands in large loose coils making sure the turns are consistent (no figure 8 s) and untie any knots as they appear. Take care to educate your actors on the care of this equipment. We do not have replacements. We have three snakes: Snakes are large XLR boxes that provide between 6 and 24 cables. You plug XLR cables into them for any variety of microphones. These are backstage for your use. We have the oldest one mounted to the wall in the pit. It runs XLR assembly lines and is plugged into the channels on the Mackie Mixer in the booth. We do not use it for musicals. We have a 6 channel snake on the second catwalk that runs down to the large 16x4 snake in the pit and from there up to the main mixer out in the house. Where are the microphones? There are two hanging overhead about a foot to foot and a half downstage of the proscenium arch. These are plugged into a 6channel snake, which sits on the floor of the catwalk. Note: it is possible with a little effort to find the XLR ports positioned up stage of the curtain line and use them. These cables run from the third grid to the pit and used to be part of the old system. It we track them carefully we could take those same cables and plug them into the 16x4 snake. We have not done this in a while as the scenery frequently hits microphones and irritates people. There are floor microphones that can be plugged into the old 8channel snake that his mounted on the wall of the pit. We ve tried these in the past and it is best to leave them alone. They are good for assemblies and concerts when the big system is not in.

2 5. There is a microphone under the second catwalk. It is plugged into the third channel of the catwalk snake and rarely used. That cable could be switched to the old 8 channel snake for assembly use. We have body microphones for the performers. Conservatively we have about 12 microphones in various states of usefulness. We have a wireless combination microphone in the booth for assemblies that can be drafted if necessary. We are slowly buying more. There are microphones in the booth for the musicians (After you put them there.) We have 1013 channels in the snake in the pit for the musicians. These come up to the main board in the first 16 channels. The other 16 channel ports are used by other microphones, see above. The music department has the needed microphones, cable, and stands. Controlling the Vocalists All the singer s microphones are controlled via the small 16channel board. At the moment the first five of the channels on that board have compressors and gates attached. We hope to add more compressors in the future. Compressors restrict the dynamic range in order clean it up and eventually raise it so that a singer can compete with musicians effectively. Gates cut out stuff we don t want. Such as volume below a set level whisper. Controlling the Musicians The musicians have monitors to help them to hear what they are doing. These are plugged into Aux 13 of the main board. The musicians have amplifiers. Guitars and keyboard generally have amps that we will mic in order to help control their output. We may have to discuss the levels they set on their amps. The rest of the musicians have microphones and dedicated monitors the help them to hear themselves. There would be three monitors to enhance drummer, winds, and strings respectively. Adele is on her own besides she is in the middle and can hear everything. Balancing the Two Unfortunately the balance is achieved via artful manipulation channelbychannel, actorbyactor, musicianbymusician.

3 Some actors project (throw their voices) better than others and so can use a less effective microphone. Some instruments are louder than others and so need to be cut a bit. In a nutshell, the complexity of getting used to the differences within the cast and equipment is why you are here for a week. You have some 30 plus different channels to manipulate and two directors and 20 plus actors to please.. good luck. Trouble shooting. Wireless mic problems Do the channels on the transmitter and receiver match up? Each microphone has its own channel? Is the mute button on the body pack on? How is the battery? Signal problems with the mic: Each mic has its own gain before the pre. That gain can be found on the transmitter. On the old mics it is a knob, and then on the newer mics it is a menu selection on the receiver (see below). Set this gain as hot as possible before peaking out big noise. This has to be set performer by performer. AudioTechnica (New we have 2 with ear microphone attachments) Sennheiser (Newer Model) (Three gain in the menu of the receiver/two have ear mics) To set level on New Sennheiser microphone receivers. Scroll to AF out and hit set. Set level and hit set. Scroll exit and hit set. Sennheiser (Older Model) Older models (two old gain knob on transmitter)

4 Shure These are old and iffy (We have 6 they are being slowly replaced). Not to be assigned to lead actors. Too much noise in the mic squelch setting it is designed to be the mic s noise gate. If you turn it up some it is helpful, too much and the voice sounds crunched. Both old and new this control is found on the receiver. Wireless Microphone Channel Assignment. # and Make Frequency Battery ATW AA ATW AA Sennheiser AA Sennheiser AA 5. Sennheiser AA 6. Sennheiser V 7. Sennheiser V 8. Shure LX V 9. Shure LX V 10. Shure LX V 1 Shure LX V 1 Shure LX V 1 Shure LX V Note: these assignments were accurate last year may change

5 Feedback issues Actors covering their mics with their hands or clothing can lead to feedback issues. Actors out in the house in front of the speaker can be a big feedback issue. If an actor wanders into the audience, or even near the pit, grab their fader and watch out. See Gain Structure Signal Issues. Trouble shoot from the source one thing at a time (think scientific method). Be thorough in every step in the chain. Start the trace at the board it is probably a board setting, knob, etc. Develop tests to make sure that only one thing can be wrong at a time. Make sure you are sending signal out the board Check the cables in the back. Try another speaker/fixture along the same cables.

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