One day I would like to do a historical research piece on the first church and preacher to use a wireless microphone. We know it started a long time ago, but who was first, and what obstacles did they encounter? I think that it would be a very interesting subject. That said, I won’t dive into that research project this month, but I will be writing about wireless mics, lavs and headsets and my experience with them over the years. So, here we go. Lavaliers: Get in Close
By the time I mixed my first worship service in 1996, wireless microphones were commonplace in churches. Once I decided that there really was a God, I figured I should start working for Him in some capacity. Since I was already an audio tech, I began mixing at a church in Pasadena, CA. As I said, it was 1996, and the preacher was using a Shure wireless lav mic. During that service, I learned my first very important lesson about lavalier (or lav) mics. They need to be attached to the lapel of a coat or shirt and close to the larynx. In the case of my first house of worship mix, the pastor had his clipped to his shirt pocket. That really didn’t work very well. Getting your lav mic attached up on the lapel puts the mic close to the speaker’s mouth, but getting it near the larynx adds resonance to the voice. Anyway, after that first service, I always place the lav on the preacher (or speaker) myself. It makes mixing the vocal so much easier.
Diversity in Worship
My next lesson was that wireless mics can be influenced by all kinds of different environments or situations. For example, I was working in a church that had been retrofitted for earthquake protection. An interior steel girder system had been added to the walls and ceiling of the sanctuary. Well, that mass of steel played havoc with a handheld wireless mic and receiver. The receiver was in the back of the room where the mixer had been installed, and, of course, the wireless mic was up on the deck or platform or stage or whatever you want to call it. The end result was an occasional and always poorly timed outburst of harsh white noise. The wireless mic was a rather old model and was a non-diversity model. At any rate, I moved the receiver on to the platform where it was in close proximity to the microphone. This fixed the problem for the time being until the church purchased a new true diversity wireless system that had multiple channels to choose from in order to capture the best signal.The Power Behind the Message
Now with a new wireless system that was not affected by the steel grid in the room, I had a much easier time getting a clean signal from the pastor successfully. There is, however, one thing that I would suggest you remember before a service. Always make certain that your wireless mic has fresh batteries. I know that just about every wireless mic made today has some sort of battery gauge that tells you current strength of your batteries, but don’t take a chance. There is nothing worse than having your battery (or batteries) die during a service. But in my case, as the battery strength fell low, the signal could no longer overcome the heavy metal (I had to say it) grid in the sanctuary and the signal went straight to hell. So after that experience, I install a new set of batteries before every service or event of any kind.
A Mic Technique Trick
As I got into mixing preachers who preferred handheld wireless mics, I decided that there was only one really good way to speak into the microphone. And that is by holding the mic vertically and speaking across the diaphragm. I would never tell a singer to use a mic in this manner, but with a speaker, it just seems to work. Just last Wednesday, I was using a handheld wireless for the first time with a new preacher. I suggested he hold the mic vertically and let the mic lightly rest against his chin. Not only does this method give me a very even level, it allows the congregation to have a clear look at the preacher’s face.
Headsets
My favorite wireless is a headset mic. Like a lav, it stays in one position, but unlike a lav, it is close to where the voice originates. The effect is more like a handheld, except you don’t have to hold it. This is a great mic for pastors who want to hold and read a passage or illustrate on a chalkboard or just use their hands to gesture during a sermon. Of course, the quality of the mic will determine how it ultimately sounds, which can be said for every piece of gear you purchase for you house of worship. However, your microphones are where the chain of audio reproduction begins. So purchase the best mics you can — wireless or not.
Back to the Future
Lastly, I want to talk a little about digital wireless microphones. Recently, I’ve been using a digital wireless and I can say it has become my favorite. My digital accurately reproduces the voices that enter it and it is extremely quiet. Unlike most analog wireless systems, if the signal is not strong enough to reach from the transmitter (mic) to the receiver the unit will simply mute. That means you won’t get any nasty analog noise. Ultimately you will use the unit that is available at you particular church or if you mix at more than one house of worship you will use what they have. If you happen to purchase a wireless system of you own, I would buy the best one you can afford.
