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I sometimes don't like playing my sax at church
Started by esther-1990 on 9 November 2008 - 4:37pm
| 9 November 2008 - 4:37pm | |
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Hey all, who is reading this. I recently started learning the alto sax and it doesn't belong to me it is hired from the music services until i prove my parents i can have one of my own. The organ & conductor for our events at church found out i had one so i brought it along to play one sunday morning. I didn't mind because it was one song ' teach me to dance' the rest were for my clarinet. The first few sundays i got more music for it and played it more but then we are combined with the methodist next door and i played it in there and at the end of the service i knew something was wrong. The sound technician came and complained because my sax was to loud in there i did what i thought was right in the service and stood away from the mic but as soon as i did they turned it up. That then sent my confidence out of the window and i told David my conductor what was said and i began to refuse to play it. I knew it wasn't my fault but i do not like playing in the methodist because the acoustics are rubbish compared to the anglican where i was brought up to go to, that is a lovely big church with amazing acoustics. Therefore my sax sounds better there. Any help? |
I know this is my own topic but i could do with some real good help right now...
Essie,
Can I start by quoting a respected member of an online woodwind forum whose signature/tagline on his messages reads
"If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD"
You've run into a common problem faced by people who play naturally loud instruments - balancing the sound. We use a sax quite a lot in our church and I suppose the size of our building, the acoustics, and above all the general noise level of our worship bands mean we don't tend to have the same balance issues. I suppose in that respect we're pretty fortunate.
The louder the worship band, the more you will have to rely on the sound tech mixing it well to stop you overpowering anyone else. The smaller (or quieter) the band, the more chance there is of your naturally loud instrument cutting through above everyone else, and even the best sound tech will not be able to fix it. In short, the sax will need much less miking than the clarinet, so if you're using the same mic for both you're in danger of being overpowering.
Whatever you do, don't fall into the "us + them" situation I've seen all too often between band and sound tech. You are all working together to produce a sound to glorify the creator of sound itself. Work and communicate together - ask what the sound techs would like you to do differently, suggest that you could use a different mic/channel for your sax than the one your clarinet is coming through (if the sound desk has the capacity). Don't give up without trying to make it work, and if you need help opening up the communication, ask someone to help - you don't need to do it on your own.
Ian
(clarinet, sax & piano player and occasional sound tech)
I have to agree with Ian on the sound front - if it's too loud, then I'm confused as to why it's miced in the first place! If it's a case of it's miced because everything else is (sounds silly on the face of it but it wouldn't be the first time I've seen it happen) then perhaps it's worth backing off completely and seeing if it matches the rest of the band just accoustically. If it's still too loud, then the rest of the band will have to be pushed up to match - and sometimes if it's not appropriate for everyone to go that loud it can be problematic, however good the sound guy is.
However - I'd just like to stress there that doesn't mean it's your fault at all! Sometimes different instruments just work or don't work in certain situations, if it doesn't work then well done for giving it a go! Don't take that as just give up though, just removing the mic altogether sounds like it might cure the problem - and if not, fiddling around with the balance of other things so it "fits in" nicely should be enough to get it sounding as it should. The better the sound tech the easier that should be - if one complains that it can't be done, I'd see if it's possible to get another couple to have a try and see what they can do.
And finally, just to echo what Ian said on working with the sound guys as part of your team - it really does help!
Michael