Churches Using SAC?

[John F]

I had a little meeting/presentation with the Music Minister at my church about computer-based FOH systems in general, and SAC specifically. His interest was picqued. Can anyone here recommend a church who is currently using SAC as a FOH system that we could talk with? Thanks!

John Francis
Rolla, MO

[mr_es335]

John,

May I ask why the venue would matter?

Just curious...

[John F]

John,

May I ask why the venue would matter?

Just curious...

I don't suppose it does matter, now that you mention it - but church services are his life right now. Another church would be something he could relate to. But I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to anyone else who is running a similar operation to ours. We do a FOH mix live and split our inputs off to a different console for a streaming mix. We have 5 or 6 volunteers who run our audio. We have a large cadre of musicians who work with us, typically 6 or 7 at a time on stage. Their levels of computer literacy and ability vary WIDELY. We are currently using the Roland M48 personal mixers for IEMs, and some of them have trouble with those. So my worship leader's concerns are 1) This is too big of a leap. I think he feels comfortable walking up to a physical console and figuring out how it works. He's not as confident about a computer-based system. 2) He's worried about the musicians not being able to use their IEM mixers properly.

So, do any of you have someone in mind with similar issues that would be willing to talk with us?

Thank you! And thank you, Mr. ES335, for having me phrase this in a better way!

[cgrafx]

I don't suppose it does matter, now that you mention it - but church services are his life right now. Another church would be something he could relate to. But I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to anyone else who is running a similar operation to ours. We do a FOH mix live and split our inputs off to a different console for a streaming mix. We have 5 or 6 volunteers who run our audio. We have a large cadre of musicians who work with us, typically 6 or 7 at a time on stage. Their levels of computer literacy and ability vary WIDELY. We are currently using the Roland M48 personal mixers for IEMs, and some of them have trouble with those. So my worship leader's concerns are 1) This is too big of a leap. I think he feels comfortable walking up to a physical console and figuring out how it works. He's not as confident about a computer-based system. 2) He's worried about the musicians not being able to use their IEM mixers properly.

So, do any of you have someone in mind with similar issues that would be willing to talk with us?

Thank you! And thank you, Mr. ES335, for having me phrase this in a better way!

There is going to be a learning curve no matter what system you transition to. There are going to be users that are going to have trouble no matter what system is being used. However, there are certainly ways to configure SAC to reduce the learning curve and make it much more plug and play for the end users.

Somebody (actually preferably a few somebodies) is/are going to have to be intimately familiar with both the hardware and software configuration.

All that being said, SAC has the ability to offer some of the most advanced mixing/routing capabilities available today in what is actually a very straight forward console. (Its just that its 25 consoles not 1).

With a fully configured SAC system there would be no need to split your inputs to a different console for a streaming mix as that can all be done directly on one of the 24 SAC monitor consoles. This can be easily be configured as a completely separate mix with isolated controls just for the streaming mix.

As for your stage IEMs, there are plenty of options to make that more dedicated including fader packs, but its going to take some additional time to both configure and setup those configurations to make them as turn-key as possible.

A well planned SAC system can be very similar to a more traditional dedicated physical console, it just takes time to configure the hardware and software to make it feel like a more dedicated system rather than a piece of software running on a computer.

Keep in mind all digital consoles these days are in fact just software running on computer hardware (its just preconfigured and hidden from the end-user).

[mr_es335]

John,

It is always the "greatest" when Philip responds to a query!! A few comments of my own...if I may?

[cgrafx]: "There is going to be a learning curve no matter what system you transition to. There are going to be users that are going to have trouble no matter what system is being used."
[es_335]: This is soooo true. Experts state that when learning a "new thing"...that it can take approximately twenty-one days to first "get over" the fear of the use of anything new, and then second, thirty-to-ninety days to get accustomed to this "new thing".

• For the only "live gig" I had ever partook of, I helped my daughter to use my SAC_Rig when their console crash. It took her less than an hour to "learn her way around SAC" ***8211; after all was configured that is. All she was required to do at this point was 1) to raise a particular fader, and 2) to enable/disable a particular mute button.
• The engineer who was taking care of the "downed console", upon return, asked what my daughter was using, and she simply stated, "Something of my Dad's." The engineer's comment was something to the effect of, "Huh! Looks just a real console."

[cgrafx]: "However, there are certainly ways to configure SAC to reduce the learning curve and make it much more plug and play for the end users."
[es_335]: Again, this is soooo true!

[cgrafx]: "Somebody (actually preferably a few somebodies) is/are going to have to be intimately familiar with both the hardware and software configuration."
[es_335]: Again, soooo true!

[cgrafx]: "With a fully configured SAC system there would be no need to split your inputs to a different console for a streaming mix as that can all be done directly on one of the 24 SAC monitor consoles. This can be easily be configured as a completely separate mix with isolated controls just for the streaming mix."
[es_335]: There were two main performers that needed to be what I would refer to as being "isolated". I set each up on their own MON mixer, showed my daughter what keyboard commands to select***8230;and all was good!

The rest of Philip's comments I will leave to your discretion..."...it is all good!!!"

I do hope this information is of some assistance?

[John F]

Thank you, Philip and Dell, for your informative replies! You're both preaching to the choir here - I bought a copy of SAC just to learn it and see for myself that it could actually work before I recommended it. I've been studying it now in-depth for the last week or so; watching and taking notes on Martin's "Make Your Own Sound" YouTube series and reading the manual front to back. I'd already been using SAWStudio for multi-track recording of our Wednesday night rehearsals, so it has been great to be able to link the two programs, play back the rehearsal, and then practice mixing it "live" in SAC. As a ten-year user now of large Roland consoles, I'm blown away by the power and ease-of-use of SAC! In fact, now when I stand before our FOH console and do certain operations, I'm thinking about how much more efficiently I could do this in front of the computer!

So I'm sold - now I just have to figure out how to get more of my knowledge into the decision-maker's brain! I'm only an advisor and I won't go over his head. I've made my presentation, and I don't want to appear to be badgering him. But if there was someone ELSE with situations similar to ours he could talk to, it might go a long ways.

Thank you to whomever reads this for your thoughts and well-wishes!

John Francis
Rolla, MO

[mr_es335]

John,

Martin's videos and knowledge are superb!

If you send me a PM with your phone/cell number, we can discuss this more....so. let me know...I may have some helpful insights for you...

[John F]

John,

Martin's videos and knowledge are superb!

If you send me a PM with your phone/cell number, we can discuss this more....so. let me know...I may have some helpful insights for you...

I will, Dell - just as soon as I figure out how...

Thanks!

John

[mr_es335]

John,

You can also send an email: [Click_Me]

[Mike Bizanovich]

I had a little meeting/presentation with the Music Minister at my church about computer-based FOH systems in general, and SAC specifically. His interest was picqued. Can anyone here recommend a church who is currently using SAC as a FOH system that we could talk with? Thanks!

John Francis
Rolla, MO

We've been using SAC at our church since around 2012 - You can email if you'd like. mbizanovich@techsgi.com