Introduction

I recently consolidated our church's setup by switching from running Companion on four separate machines to using one host machine with Companion and three others running Companion Satellite. In this article, I’ll walk you through the process I followed, share some tips, and provide insights to help you set up your own system efficiently.

Setting Up the Host Machine

The first step is setting up Companion on your chosen host machine. For us, this was our iMac in the live stream room. The setup is straightforward and similar to setting up any new instance of Companion. You just need to select the network interface that has all your connections.

Configuring Companion Satellite

Next, you'll need to install Companion Satellite on your satellite devices and connect your Stream Decks. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Install Companion Satellite: Make sure the Companion Satellite software is installed on your satellite machines.
2. Connect Stream Decks: Plug in your...

Introduction

I recently created a tutorial for our church volunteers, demonstrating how to mix a full setlist on the Behringer WING soundboard. This tutorial is designed to give our volunteers, especially those new to the team, a detailed look at what it's like to mix a live service. In this article, I'll walk you through the process and share my approach to mixing a complete worship set.

Preparing for the Mix

To provide a practical example, I played back a recording of a Sunday service and mixed it live. I used my in-ear monitors to ensure that the sound you'll hear in the video closely matches what I was hearing. Additionally, I included room mics to capture the ambient sound, making it feel as much like a real live service as possible.

Mixing the Setlist

Song 1: "King of Heaven"

We start with "King of Heaven," led by Vocal 3. My initial focus is on balancing the vocal and instrument levels. I make sure the vocals are clear and not overwhelmed by the music.

Song...

Introduction

We used to create our live stream mix from scratch using Logic Pro, but we've switched to using a mix bus off the Behringer WING. This change has resulted in the best mix we've ever had. In this video, I'll walk you through how we've set this up on the WING and how we use Mixing Station to monitor and tweak the live stream mix during services.

Setting Up the Mix on the WING

We utilize one of the WING's main mixes for our live stream. The WING has four main mixes that act similarly to bus mixes. Using a main mix allows us to see and control the amount sent to both the main and live stream mixes. This visual setup makes it easy to adjust each channel's send level.

Main Mix Sends

By selecting any channel on the WING and navigating to the main mix sends tab, we can see the send levels to both the main and live stream mixes. This setup is post-fader, meaning changes to the main mix fader affect the live stream mix proportionally. For instance, if a channel is set to...

Introduction

In this video, I'll walk you through my entire process for editing sermon clips for social media using Premiere Pro. This tutorial is designed for our church team, but many others expressed interest, so I'm sharing it here. I'll guide you through the steps of creating social media clips from sermons, which include cutting, cropping, adding captions, and incorporating music.

Step-by-Step Editing Process

Step 1: Cut

First, I start by downloading all necessary files from Dropbox, including footage, Premiere project files, renders, and thumbnails. I open the existing Premiere file to keep everything in one place. For those using DaVinci Resolve, create a corresponding project file in the same folder.

Step 2: Crop

Next, I ensure my keyboard shortcuts are set for efficient editing. Q and W are used for ripple trims, S for ripple delete, and X for adding edits. I then create a new sequence for reels with a vertical format (1080x1920) and copy the sermon footage into...

Introduction

In this video, I share my top three tips for organizing your church's media files. Whether you use Dropbox, Google Drive, a NAS, or just a bunch of hard drives, these best practices have helped us stay organized and avoid the chaos that can come with managing large amounts of media. Stick around until the end for some bonus tips, including one I've started using this year that has been incredibly helpful for quickly accessing folders.

Tip 1: Organize by Year and Event Type

To keep our media files organized, we start by organizing projects by year and then by event type. Initially, we didn't do this, and our older folders (from 2015 to 2018) are quite messy. However, for 2022 and 2023, we've implemented this system, and it has made a significant difference. For example, our 2023 folder is neatly organized into categories like bumper videos, Christmas projects, Easter projects, events, ministries, miscellaneous b-roll, night of worships, sermons, life groups, and...

Introduction

In this video, I share a quick overview of the acoustic guitar patch I use on the HX Stomp. This patch is designed to enhance the sound of my acoustic guitar using various effects and settings.

The Setup

I start with a compressor, specifically an LA-2A type, to control the dynamics of the guitar right from the start. This helps smooth out the sound, making it more consistent and polished.

Next, I use a simple EQ to compensate for my guitar pickups, which aren't the best. The EQ helps me get the most out of them, ensuring the guitar sounds as good as possible.

Delay Effects

I incorporate two different delays into the patch. These delays can be toggled on and off using a footswitch. The first delay is a quarter note delay, with the tempo set by the tap tempo function. This delay is very subtle and can be left on most of the time without being too noticeable.

By pressing the footswitch, I can switch to a dotted eighth delay. This setting is inspired by the style of Phil...

Introduction

I recently decided to upgrade our live streaming setup by installing dedicated room mics. Previously, we had been using a shotgun mic, which wasn't quite meeting our needs. The goal was to enhance the audio quality of our inner mix and live stream, ensuring a clear and balanced sound.

Finding the Right Balance

One of the key challenges with room mics is finding the perfect balance. The sound needs to be loud enough to make a difference but not so loud that it becomes muddy. This balance is achieved through careful EQ (equalization) adjustments.

EQ Adjustments

In the video, I demonstrate the importance of EQ adjustments. I played a sample so you can hear the difference. With the EQ set up correctly, the room mic captures the ambiance without overpowering the main audio sources.

Listener Feedback

I've noticed that while the mix sounds great in my headphones, it can sound different on various devices like TVs. I'm curious to hear what others think, so I encourage...

In this video, Colby Griner from First Baptist Brunswick takes viewers through the church's main live stream camera setup, featuring the Panasonic G7. This setup has proven effective for their needs, offering a balance of quality and affordability. Here is a detailed breakdown of the key points discussed in the video.

Camera Selection Process

Colby explains that the choice of camera for live streaming was driven by several factors, including the number of cameras needed, budget constraints, and the specific features required for their live streams. The church opted for the Panasonic G7 due to its affordability and good image quality, even though it lacks certain advanced features.

Budget and Quantity

The church faced a decision: invest heavily in a few high-end cameras or purchase multiple affordable cameras to cover more angles. They chose the latter, prioritizing having multiple camera angles over having top-of-the-line equipment. This approach allowed them to stay within...

In this detailed tour, Colby Griner, the production director at First Baptist Brunswick, showcases the extensive tech setup that supports the church’s worship services. Colby has been with the church for about two and a half years and offers insights into the technology used to enhance their multi-generational services, which include a mix of traditional hymns and contemporary songs.

Audio Systems

Front of House

The tour begins at the front-of-house mixing console, a Soundcraft SI Impact, which has been in use for about four years. Colby mentions plans to upgrade to an Allen and Heath Avantis for more capabilities and processing power. The church's audio infrastructure is built around a Dante Network, which facilitates the seamless integration of stage audio, in-ear monitors, and broadcast audio.

Instruments and Microphones

Colby describes the typical Sunday band setup, which includes an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, piano, Nord keyboard, drums, a full...

In church Facebook groups and YouTube videos, I frequently see comments about the Behringer WING not being volunteer-friendly. Personally, I think it is, but I wanted to hear directly from our church volunteers. So, I asked them about their experiences with the Behringer WING. Here’s what they had to say.

Introduction

Many people question whether the Behringer WING is suitable for volunteers, especially those with limited technical background. To get a clearer picture, I interviewed several of our church volunteers who regularly use the WING. Their feedback provides valuable insights into the user-friendliness of this audio mixing console.

Volunteer Experiences

Years of Mixing Experience

I started by asking our volunteers about their years of experience with audio mixing. Most of them had been mixing for a couple of years, primarily using our previous board, the X32, before transitioning to the WING.

Comfort Level with the WING

Despite initial skepticism, our...