Ryan Shelton of Group One Limited is KLANG:technologies’ national sales manager in the United States and shares his thoughts on why, when it comes to volume, “less” can really be “more.”
Over the past few years, one of the biggest trends in church sound reinforcement has been the shift to a “silent stage,” especially in those worship spaces that may not be so ideal acoustically. By putting guitar amplifers in isolation boxes or mic’ing them in other parts of the building, surrounding drumkits with shields, and transitioning all musicians and vocalists from stage wedges to in-ear monitors (IEMs), FOH engineers are better able to energize and engage their rooms. With full control over all audio elements instead of having to mix around various levels coming off the stage, the audience gets a much better mix.
Mixing both FOH and monitors— especially from a single console—has always presented its challenges, particularly when dealing with a large number of inputs. With a KLANG:fabrik or KLANG:vier system, you can put monitor control directly into the hands of each vocalist and musician, freeing you up at FOH, while still having the ability to monitor and control what the musicians are doing.
And the imaging that the performers are able to control is in fully immersive 3D surround; every instrument and voice can be where they really are around them on stage, even above and below in the vertical plane.
If your church uses wedges or traditional mono/stereo IEMs, you’ve certainly heard singers and band members ask for louder and louder monitor levels as they try to hear themselves over the other instruments. Thankfully, the enhanced separation provided by the KLANG system not only improves their performances but also allows them to turn down their IEM mix volumes, reducing ear fatigue and preventing damage.
Hearing the benefts of KLANG’s system is easy—even in your own home. With just a standard pair of headphones or earbuds, you can experience a quick immersive video on the company’s website (www.klang.com). And for a truly “hands on” demo, download the free KLANG:app from the App Store or Google Play, which includes audio tracks that can be mixed and moved around in real-time on any iPhone, iPad, Android device or computer.
Learn more: www.klang.com
