A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification A Sound Formula The Director's Guide to Pit Amplification Introduction There are more bands using amplification now than anyone could have imagined not too long ago. Beginning in 2004, amplification of pit instruments and the human voice was allowed in Drum Corps International shows. In 2009 a rule passed allowing electronics and brass instruments for soloists and small ensembles up to 12 members to be used. It is now also common to see electronics in marching band and winter drum lines. Early on amplification was little more than a mic on each mallet instrument, a mixing console and a couple of speakers. This setup was handled with some success by staff members and a bit of research. It has progressed greatly to include multiple mic's on each mallet instrument, DI boxes, mic combiners, sub mixers, monitors, complex digital boards being controlled remotely, multiple amps and speaker arrays. It is now common to have a sound designer, a touring audio engineer, a sound production designer, and a synth programmer. Times have changed. The size of the front ensemble has changed as well. In 1995 it was very common to see three 4 1/3 oct. marimba's, 3 vibes, timpani and some percussion. All of which could be moved and trailered with relative ease. It is now common to see five 4 1/2 oct. marimba's, four to six vibe's, pedal glock, timpani, two percussionist's, one or two synth's, and sometimes a drum set thrown in just to make things interesting. This along with two concert bass drums, two gongs, chimes, cymbals galore and three audio "towers". And you still have to get it on the trailer. Amplification is becoming a large part of show design, allowing designers to do things that wouldn't be possible without it. Recorded pre­shows are now very common along with sampled effects that range from mood setting, to impact reinforcement. All of these things are now tools that can greatly enhance your show production and communicate complex ideas to the audience. Our goal today is to talk about amplification of the modern front ensemble and how to go about incorporating this into your program. Simplifying some of the complexity in design and setup, and give you a jump start to success. A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification The Overall Setup Preparation should done with the entire season in mind. Setup, tear down, rolling, storage, loading and unloading. Weather. Signal flow Microphone microphone, mic combiner, xlr cable, snake, console, mic pre, fader, pan, stereo mix, xlr cable, amp, speaker cable, speaker. Instrument instrument, 1/4 inch cable, DI box, xlr cable, snake, console, mic pre, fader, pan, stereo mix, xlr cable, amp, speaker cable, speaker. A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification Equipment in the Pit Microphones Dynamic Moving­coil microphones​
use the same dynamic principle as in a loudspeaker, only reversed. A small movable induction coil, positioned in the ​
magnetic field​
of a permanent magnet, is attached to the diaphragm. When sound enters through the windscreen of the microphone, the sound wave moves the diaphragm. When the diaphragm vibrates, the coil moves in the magnetic field, producing a varying ​
current​
in the coil through electromagnetic induction. Condenser A condenser microphone is a microphone that uses a capacitor to convert the compression and rarefaction of sound waves into electrical energy. Condenser microphones require power (voltage) in order to operate. This voltage is know throughout the recording industry as “phantom power”, and is present on most professional mixing boards, recording consoles, and audio interfaces (it may be written as “48V” or “+48”, etc) Because condenser microphones require power, they are generally much more sensitive than dynamic microphones. In addition, they usually have a much broader frequency response, faster transient response, and a hotter output than dynamic microphones. Given the characteristics of condenser microphones, most importantly their sensitivity, they are most often found in professional and home recording studio environments, as opposed to live sound, or concert type settings. Phantom power In the context of professional audio equipment, is DC electric ​
power ​
transmitted through microphone cables to operate microphones that contain active electronic circuitry. It is best known as a convenient ​
power​
source for condenser microphones, though many active direct boxes also use it. A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification Wired Is simply a microphone that uses an XLR cable. Wireless This is a big topic that we won’t cover here, other than to say it contains a transmitter and a receiver to replace the use of a microphone cable. Wind screens Usually foam in the shape of the microphone used placed over the diaphragm of the mic to help reduce wind noise. In this activity they are a must. Placement This is a highly personal choice. My preference as a starting point is 14 inches below the bars. Depending on the instrument and it’s size I will place 1­3 microphones. One microphone is generally placed in the center. Split the board into thirds to place two microphones, and fourths to place three microphones. This is the starting point. You then listen in headphones as the instrument is played to adjust the final spacing to balance the overall blend. Types of cables XLR ¼ inch RCA ⅜ or mini Speakon ­ 2, 4 and 8 conductor PowerCon Snake Balanced, unbalanced, stereo, mono Other equipment DI boxes Active, passive, mono, stereo Mic combiners ­ phantom power, phase reverse, balance control. Synth monitor, mixer, active speaker. Colored tape ­ red, white, blue, orange A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification Equipment in the Console Rack Mixing Console Analog Pros ●
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Less expensive easier learning curve overall better sound Size Less control No remote control Digital Pros ●
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More power in a small footprint total recall scene memory remote operation Expensive Steep learning curve Without proper signal flow, sound quality can suffer Outboard Gear Outboard gear is a term referring to audio processing gear that isn’t contained within the audio console itself. Sometimes it’s just another option to what the audio console has. For instance, all audio consoles have an EQ section. However, for a certain situation you may prefer to have an external EQ for a particular task. A reason for this might be that the onboard EQ is somewhat limited and you need more flexibility or options. An outboard or external EQ can help with that situation. Basic examples of outboard gear would be Reverb, Delay, EQ and Compression. A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification Power Amps 1000 watts a side for a bi­amped setup One amp for subs, and one amp for full range speakers Speakers Two way Two way speakers contain a woofer and a tweeter. Three way Three way speakers contain a woofer, mid range and a tweeter. Sub woofers Sub woofers contain one very large speaker and are used generally for frequencies 100hz and below. Active Active speakers contain a built in amplifier and connect with an XLR cable. Passive Passive speakers use an external amplifier and connect with a speaker cable. Do I need subwoofers? If your pit has mallet instruments only, no. If you have a synth or want to provide low end support to the winds, yes. Bi­amping Bi­amping is the system of using two speaker elements to create the overall full range sound. The output of the audio console is sent to a crossover to split the signal at an adjustable frequency. Anything above this frequency is sent to the “top” or high frequency speakers. Anything below this frequency is sent to the “bottom” or sub woofers. The main reason for doing this is power efficiency. Low frequencies require more power than high frequencies. By doing this you can easily add more power to the sub woofers and get low end support and a great overall sound. A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification Power Safety! In to the console and out to the pit Power regulator Cables and extension cords Generator ­ low noise version Setup Approach to mic gain, EQ, fader levels, and power amp adjustments. In general, it is best to start getting sounds with headphones, leaving the amps and speakers out of the equation. One of the biggest issues I have seen is not having enough level in the stereo mix. One small piece of the art of getting a great sounding mix is understanding gain structure. The gain structure of your system is the relative levels set for mic pre, fader, master fader and amps. One of the biggest mistakes I see pit instructors make is to practice early in the season without amplification and make mallet choices based on un­amplified sound alone. Mallet selection can go a long way in deciding how the system sounds. Try to make mallet selection a part of the EQ process. A 4­octave marimba will go down to 131 Hz (C3) A 4.3­octave marimba will go down to 110 Hz (A2) A 4.5­octave marimba will go down to 87 Hz (F2) A 5­octave marimba will go down to 65 Hz (C2) Strategy before a show Speaker angle left/right up/down and separation Should be as easy as possible for the kids. Pit should line up in the order appropriate for the side they are entering from. One student should have knowledge of the setup and oversee the others while setting up. Winds can be assigned a task for moving equipment before and after a show, and during rehearsal. A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification Trouble Shooting 99% of having a stable system is trouble shooting. Something will go wrong even with the best preparation possible, and part of that preparation is knowing how to troubleshoot. STAY CALM! ISOLATE! The two biggest types of trouble are no sound when you do want it, and sound's that you don't want. Trouble you can't hear ● Item has failed ● connection ● console signal flow ● power Trouble you can hear ● ground buzz or hum ● snap crackle pop ● white noise or similar How to isolate the problem Is it before or after the console, or is it the console? Can you see it on the meters? Mute one channel at a time until it goes away Try simple cable switching at the snake A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification System prices By far this is the area where directors have had a difficult time coming to grips with. The price of audio gear, and the difficulty of ordering all the right pieces can be overwhelming. Two things can help greatly, someone you trust to help with organizing all of the elements, and a music dealer that knows what you are trying to do. Basic Yamaha Basic Field PA System $3079.00 With mic’s and DI’s $5000 Advanced Yamaha Ultimate System $6825.00 With mic’s and DI’s $10,500 and up. A Sound Formula
A Directors Guide to Pit Amplification Tools Side cutters Multi tip screw driver Wire stripper Razor knife Pliers Small ratchet set ⅜ or ¼ drive 8" cable ties 14" cable ties Cable tie gun Colored tape ­ red, white, blue, orange Label machine ­ can be good and bad :) Gaffers tape Sharpie Continuity tester Patience! Conclusion This can be done! There is no reason, if you have the budget, that you can’t get your front ensemble amplified. Take it one step at a time. Educate yourself. Have fun! Thank You Bret Kuhn VanderCook College of Music Prospect High School McCormicks Enterprises Planet Waves