Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, D.C. Case Study
Today, multiple generations are more accustomed to different types of worship styles and music types. Classic hymns are being delivered in new ways, maybe with a full contemporary band or with an acoustic guitarist. As a result, some churches are choosing to integrate multiple types of music into their services. The challenge for churches choosing to do this is that many of them don’t have the proper resources to deliver such a broad range of musical styles and sounds with one system. Recognizing this challenge and the fact that their current system was outdated, the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, D.C. (MCCDC) requested that Audio-Video Group (AVG) install a new sound system that would better serve their changing needs.
At MCCDC, sound system needs change quickly. There can be an entire R&B gospel group one week and an acoustic guitar and vocalist the next. It was important for AVG to install quality speakers that could handle the various types of music along with the spoken word as well as speakers that fit the size of the room. To accommodate this, AVG installed two QSC KLA12 speakers, QSC-K10 stage monitors, a QSC KLA181 subwoofer and an Allen and Heath Qu-32 digital mixing console housed by a HSA Inspire Super Extended Roll-Top Desk as well as Audix MB-8450 microphones for the choir. The KLA12 speakers help provide a clean sound with astounding power that assures a delightful experience for congregates. These speakers, coupled with the subwoofer are a sure way to get the congregation into a sense of worship as the subwoofer smoothly shapes the bass for an impactful experience no matter the genre of music.
Although these pieces of equipment make a great experience for the listener, the digital mixing console AVG installed allows for those behind the scenes to have a better user experience by giving full control over the live sound. The digital console has the ability to connect to an iPad so that the operator can walk the room where the performance is being held and tailor the sound to the room during rehearsal. With the intuitive, user-friendly layout, this mixer gives operators the ability to access what they need fast, which is critical in a church that has such a diverse worship style.
Additionally, as MCCDC continued to grow, there has become a need for an audio-video overflow system. AVG installed video feeds in other rooms of the church so that any viewers that were not able to sit in the sanctuary could still enjoy viewing the service. In order for this to run smoothly, several pieces of equipment were installed. AVG provided Canon XA25 camcorders as well as a Vaddio HD-30 robotic PTZ camera to capture the service. Being that the Vaddio camera is a broadcast quality device, it captures detailed video images regardless of room size and improves color and brightness providing HD-SDI and HDMI output capability. A ProductionVIEW Precision Camera Controller controlled the Vaddio camera with a joystick that allows for more accurate and smooth movements. The controller can also recall position presets for different camera views and also has a CCU image control functionality in it which controls the color, detail and iris for up to seven Vaddio cameras.
To control which cameras were being utilized, a Black Magic Design ATEM Television Studio was installed as well. All cameras feed into this device to enable the operator to be able to easily choose which camera view they want to use to create the program. In other words, the operator can craft the live presentation from a set of cameras in real-time based on the service or performance. A unique feature of the ATEM is that it can be controlled by a computer not requiring an expensive control surface with knobs and buttons. The ATEM Television Studio is also able to stream video back to the computer where it is recorded and posted later for viewing. Yet another option is to create a live stream for web-ready viewing. The live stream was critical for those who were not in the sanctuary to see the service.
Through all of these changes, MCCDC now has an updated sound and video system that can accommodate the eclectic sounds of their worship services as well as their growing congregation. If you would like to see how Audio-Video Group has improved the quality of audio and video in other houses of worship, view our portfolio. If you are interested in speaking with us about how we can improve your audio and video experience, be sure to view our products and services and don’t hesitate to contact us.