a show choir - Productions Magazine

JAN/FEB 2013

mikiNgBuyEr’s guidE

vAluE oF show choir vidEo

show choir AFtEr grAduAtioN

FEAturiNg cENtErstAgE

a show choir

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productionsmag.com JaN/FEB 2013 3

Tips for Miking

a show Choir

by gene houCk

froM sTage To sCreen:The value of

show Choir videoby aaron spraggins

buyer’s guide

by Rachel James ClevengerThe choir spotlight focuses on oak Grove’s centerstage in hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Director Darren Dale’s transition as a new director and adjustment to the challenges of Block scheduling.

Choir spoTlighT adulT Choir spoTlighTby Rachel James ClevengerThe Bonus choir spotlight focuses on indy adult show choir, an all-age, all-volunteer show choir that offers a creative outlet to full-time workers, stay-at-home moms, or anyone missing the show choir life.

cover photo provided by oak Grove’s centerstage

4 proDucTioNs productionsmag.com

Rachel James Clevengerpublisher

[email protected]

ediTorialRachel James Clevenger

Editor-in-chief [email protected]

salesNeil Gutowksisales Executive

Marilynn Faulksales Executive

arTJeremy Allen

creative Director

Rebecca AllenGraphic Designer

Michele HallGraphic Designer

ConTribuTing wriTersGene houck

aaron spraggins

i’m fairly new to the world of publishing. as such, there have been a few sleepless nights in the last few months, as i learn my various roles and find my voice. My first few Editor’s Letters are just one of the tasks where i’ve not been completely sure how best to approach this old standard, an anxiety alleviated by my almost certain conviction that no one was reading these letters—with the exception of my mother. Then, i talked to people who were reading them. and my mother was only one of them.

as a result, i started to wonder if i should keep the more traditional format of “here’s what you are going to read in this issue,” a task accomplished by the Table of contents but endorsed by the inhabitants of Google. i decided that instead of highlighting what you’ll see in the next few pages, i thought i’d share something different this time.

in recent years, there have been days that started with news that made me wonder where things started to go so wrong—days i woke to hear of a shooting at a movie theatre of all places or at one of our colleges or high schools; there was also the day earlier this year when i realized that, while still confused and heartbroken, i was no longer shocked. Then, this past December, someone found a way to make it unbelievable again. and unbearable again.

Those mornings are hard for all of us—as a community, as a culture, as a people. it would be easy to stay in that dark place. There’s certainly enough on the nightly news, violence and horror that seems unending, that if we chose to we could feed that negativity indefinitely.

But, then i think of the amazing work going on at high schools, middle schools, and universities across this country and other countries. i think of the joy and life being promoted in music programs and the educators who change lives for the better in both big ways and small.

i think of these artistic and talented kids, some of whom plan to spend their weekends competing with one another but somehow supporting one another at the same time. i think of the teachers who go to work for very little money or acknowledgement—the same educators who take on new projects and daunting obstacles semester after semester, and season after season, because they want to spread the joy of music. it’s more than just their passion for song though. They love the kids they lead. They love their schools and they love their communities. They want to raise their own children in communities where people don’t forget to laugh, and dance, and sing.

i will think of those things. and i will hope.

rachel James clevenger, MEd, phDEditor-in-chief, Productions Magazine

[email protected]

ediTor’s

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No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage-and-retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. The views expressed by those not on the staff of Productions magazine, or who are not specifically employed by Flaherty Media, LLC, are purely their own. Comments and submissions are welcome, and can be sent to [email protected].

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Choir

Director Darren Dale is the youngest of five children and the uncle to ten nieces and nephews—all of whom live within ten minutes of his parents in clinton, Mississippi. Though he did recently change jobs and moved from opelika, alabama, to hattiesburg, Mississippi, Dale still isn’t able to visit more often than he did when he lived five hours from the rest of the Dale clan. The life of a show choir director is just too busy.

Dale also had to transitions into a new situation, but an already established group, when he changed positions. Though starting a group from scratch certainly would have its challenges, it’s also difficult to step in for a beloved director and pick up from mid-game so to speak.

“it’s tough coming in to a new situation; they are very set in their ways,” Dale notes. “Maybe it’s a southern thing, but people can be very resistant to change—every little change.”

Luckily, as a southerner from birth, Dale understood that and didn’t feel a need to immediately put his stamp on everything. however, Dale wasn’t hesitant to make modifications when needed. “Nobody’s perfect and i love hearing ideas from other people,” Dale notes, using the parallel that show choir directors are accustomed to judges’ opinions being shared on a regular basis. “You might take it and apply it, or you might recognize that idea doesn’t make sense for your group,” Dale adds. “You find that balance.”

instead of taking on the impossible talk of pleasing everyone all the time, Dale shows students that they can also use their judgment when discerning constructive and useful criticism from the nonsense. he explains to students that they know the difference between a quality performance and a weak performance, so he wants them to use their judgment too when assessing their effort, not just rely on others’ opinions. “Take responsibility for what can be handled,” Dale adds, “and don’t make excuses.”

on the same note, he’s open to hearing ideas from parents, but he’s not scared to say when something is not a good idea. when he took over, he did change what he believed needed to be changed, but he kept everything that could be kept. if he were advising a director in a similar situation, someone who had to take the reins from another director here Dale advises to “stand up for yourself,” and know when to change something and when to stand firm. “You just have to be confident in your abilities and know your decisions are best for the group—no wishy washiness.”

TransiTioning and Taking Chargehayley higgason recalls the day Mr. Breland, their former director, announced that he would be leaving. “within minutes, there was not a dry eye in the room” as they wondered, “will we find a new director that fits in with us as well as Mr. Breland did?” higgason knew the administration put together a committee with parents

Darren Dale and Oak Grove’s Centerstage in Mississippi

by rachel James ClevengerPhotography provided by darren dale & Oak Grove’s Centerstage


and teachers to help find the best person for his replacement. “Knowing that there were parents involved in the process slightly put my mind more at ease, but i was still doubtful that our group could ever be the same, much less improve.”

higgason recalls, “i remember sitting in my room, just watching TV, when my mom knocked on the door and asked if we could talk. “we know who your new director is going to be. You’re not going to believe me...the director from opelika.”

instantly recalling the show choir and school—because they had been enthralled with their performances—higgason knew exactly which director her mother meant. “Then i started to cry, because i knew that we were going to be okay. “

one of the first changes Dale made, higgason shares, was moving us from small mixed division to large mixed division. “Everyone was doubtful and scared because ‘No one does well their first year in big groups.’ we figured it would just be a learning experience and a test run type year. well, needless to say we exceeded our expectations by qualifying for and placing eighth at FaME Nationals in chicago.”

higgason notes, “Now we all love Mr. Dale, and know he was definitely the best choice for us. he made sure that our former director, as well as some of his support staff, were still involved with the group because he knew how much they meant to us and how much we meant to them. it eased our transition knowing that they were still in this too—and that they supported Mr. Dale.”

Fellow group member austin Querns explains that he was initially afraid Dale wouldn’t like them as a group because they were so in awe of Dale’s work with his previous show choir and his competition sets. “But Mr. Dale worked with us and made us better and made us feel like a family.”

higgason adds, “Mr. Dale has brought a new excitement and freshness to the group. No one else could fit in with us better and the group is still just as close as it used to be, if not closer.” Mary Margaret hyer, another centerstage member, adds that Dale has “made show choir look ‘fun’ and ‘cool’ to our student body, and was able to have almost twice as many boys join show choir this year than last year. he also took several of us to Decatur, illinois for show choir camps of america over the summer, which was probably the best week of my life, so far.”

hyer adds that, though everyone was sad when Breland retired, the overall transition period went extremely smoothly. she notes, “Mr. Dale is the best possible replacement we could’ve gotten, and Mr. Breland now plays keyboard in centerstage’s band, so he is still very much a part of centerstage.”

hyer notes, “a lot of us were intimidated by our competition (clinton, south Jones, albertville, etc.), but we ended up making finals everywhere we went. Mr. Dale has been a great addition

to our family, and we love him and what he has done with our group very much.”

finding ConsisTenCy and CreaTiviTy in bloCk sChedulingThere was one important thing Dale would have preferred to adjust when first taking over at oak Grove. Because they have block scheduling, students take four classes in fall and four in the fall; however, four are core classes. Though this presumably leaves four choices, the truth is there are other requirements either from the school system or parental pressure: health, computer class, driver’s education, etc. Then, if that student has an interest in dance but also has an interest in band, what can he or she do?

when Dale learned that some students who faced this predicament could only participate in show choir one of the two semesters, he wanted to lay down an edict that a performer must choose. however, he almost immediately realized that he would lose all the football players and the girls on the dance team.

he also realized he couldn’t ask for a sacrifice like that in his first days, before they knew what the payoff would be. so, that was one concession that was a necessary evil. Though one might assume that there would be jealousy or bitterness if some of those half-the-year performers were given a solo or a featured spot in a number, Dale says that’s not the case.

“There’s definitely a lot of drama in high school show choir, but that’s not an issue.” in fact, if someone is not in the class year round, he expects that person to work even harder. he also realizes that it’s not that these students are “faking out or picking easy electives”; instead, these were students who wanted to do it all, and were willing to work harder and longer to make that happen. Those are exactly the types directors want in their groups.

finding The TiMe in bloCk sCheduling centerstage member Karstan smith notes that, though she wasn’t able to take certain classes in order to participate in show


choir, she believes there are advantages to the block schedule in that they have more time to reach perfection on their showcases through uninterrupted practice. “when on period schedule,” she adds, “we would have to rush the process and it will cause a lot of frustration.”

however, not all students see the benefits as outweighing the negatives. several students have paid to take an online class so they can still manage their extra-curricular interests. senior hayley higgason explains that while the block schedule is great in theory, it is very inconvenient for students actively involved in extra-curricular activities. “Because of scheduling issues, i had to take a required foreign language online at home. after a long day at school, i would have to come home, work on homework, go to rehearsals, come back home and ‘go to class’ (online), then finish the rest of my homework all before bed. i got used to living off of four to five hours of sleep very quickly. also, there were several ap classes i was scheduled to take that i had to drop in order to stay in show choir and yearbook all year.”

Booster club president Karen Morris has two daughters currently in centersage: Meredith (17) and Leslie (14). her youngest, Gretchen (8), is also a lover of the arts—like Karen and

her husband Jeff—so the entire family is familiar with song and dance, and they are also all too familiar with scheduling conflicts and hassles.

Morris notes, “with block scheduling, you can’t do it all; you have to pick and choose. You have to narrow down your interests and hope that nothing conflicts. our middle daughter would have loved to be in Drama, too, but we made her choose one or the other.” so far, her daughters have been able to make time for everything, but Leslie will need to sit out the first 9 weeks of her junior year to fit in everything.

higgason, who is a senior in her third year of show choir, knows all too well that you can’t do everything. she grew up as a competitive swimmer, and was ranked in the top five in the state, but she really wanted to see if she could make show choir fit with her schedule. “i had no idea how big of a commitment i was making. During her sophomore year, she shocked her parents by saying she wanted to leave swimming—which felt like her job—and focus on show choir, where she felt like she was part of something more. “show choir made me realize how much of my life i was a wasting spending all of my time doing something i didn’t really love. i realized that my home was on a stage, not in a pool.”

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stephanie Querns adds of her son austin, “Thankfully, we haven’t had to sit out a semester of show choir because of scheduling. i don’t think he could stand it if he wasn’t in that class all year. he just loves it.” however, she knows if austin decides to add Drama that he might end up having to take an online class to fit it all in.

hyer, a junior at oak Grove, also notes that the long practices offered by block scheduling—which prevent long nighttime practices—are definite benefits to the performance level, but she’s not at all sold on the idea that show choir shouldn’t satisfy the pE requirement. “it shouLD count as a pE class because dancing and singing a 25-minute-long show is something that not many people can do without conditioning (and i know some of our athletes couldn’t do it). Fortunately for me, pE is offered as an online course, so i will be taking pE online my senior year in order to graduate with all my required elective credits.”

Block scheduling presents another challenge for educators as well. Dale notes, “in show choir, it’s impossible to stay ‘on task’ for 96 minutes if your class consists of singing and dancing.” common sense tells us that students can’t roll on nonstop for over an hour and a half, and directors just have to hope they

have administrators that recognize this reality. “Breaks are part of the process,” Dale adds, “sometimes the administrators who understand how this works the best (the necessary break from constant activity) are the coaches.” also, just like in sports, “if you don’t practice, you don’t play.”

adMinisTraTive supporT beyond finanCesKarstan smith shares how supportive their administration has been “which is a blessing, seeing as how most schools don’t

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show love and support. They provide what they can as far as the finances are concerned, but our community really shows financial support through their donations and sponsorships, as well as donations from teachers and staff.”

hayley higgason echoes that sentiment: “our administration has always supported the arts. while many schools are losing their arts programs and cutting back on costs, our school has been very supportive and done everything they can to help us. Though we may not receive a lot of money from the school, they show support in other ways. someone from the administration is always at all of our performances and they come to every competition that they can.“

higgason also speaks to ways administrative support can affect support in other spaces. For instance, the student body and shows their support by asking about their competitions and coming to performances. “i’ll never forget two years ago we performed for the school and people went crazy. we felt like celebrities after it was all over. we checked Twitter and Facebook afterwards and people were posting things like ‘holy cow our show choir is amazing’ and ‘why am i not in show choir?’ it was so much fun.”

in fact, all of the centerstage students and parents share how consistent the administration has been in terms of emotional support. several mentioned that recent principal, wayne Folkes, made time to pull away from a conference in orlando in order to watch the show choir at their biggest competition of the season.

hyer notes, “Financially, however, the administration is not as supportive. Being from south Mississippi, sports are a huGE deal, and so most of the school funding goes to our football program. The Fine arts programs at oak Grove high school get very little funding, which is unfortunate because of how good our show choir program is becoming. i love my school, but if i could change one thing about it, i would give less money to sports programs and more money to the arts.”


The booster club president, Karen Morris, adds that the school “supports the arts as much as possible.” she explains that oak Grove is one of three high schools in their district that is supported by the tax base of a rural county. “Therefore, we must share resources equally and, unfortunately, that sometimes limits available funds to the show choir.”

Fellow show choir parent stephanie Querns agrees that there has been sporadic financial support, but she also notes “the district has started talking about building a performance arts center for the school again, so we like to think we contributed to that.” Morris adds that everyone seem to be in favor of a performing arts center for the school, if they can just secure funding. she concludes, “But regardless of whether we have funding, our school administration supports the arts in body and spirit.”

on aiMing for perfeCTionThough Dale understand no one is perfect, that doesn’t necessarily keep him from working towards that as a goal. however, that perfection is really just a reflection of complete and total effort. in other words, he needs 100% or at least needs them to “pretend” they are at 100 percent. of course, he

understands that not everyone is cut out for this commitment, and he has “total respect” for any students who recognize they can’t give their all and move on to something else.

“if you put in hard work, only positives come out of it—that might be a trophy, and it might be just knowing you did everything possible.” That balance for him, between pushing just a little bit more to excel and knowing when to ease back on the throttle, is a constant goal; he knows, “There’s always a little more those kids can give, but you don’t want to push so hard that it’s no longer an enjoyable experience.”

in fact, he thinks that’s good advice for the directors too, especially directors who are stepping into an already established program and inheriting a team of performers. Because music programs across the country are often struggling for funding, when an administration is lucky enough to secure a creative, driven, and talented person to join their team, their impulse will be to engage that person in all sorts of creative endeavors. The new employee will feel pressure—both external and internal—to comply. Dale advises other newcomers to a music program to avoid becoming immediately overwhelmed by saying “yes” all the time. “set boundaries,” he urges, “This is supposed to be fun for directors too.”

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The indy adult show choir is an all age, all volunteer group started in January 2010 by heather pechin and a choreographer friend who helped get the group established. coming from a long history of show choir and dancing, heather recognized a need for a creative outlet for stay-at-home mothers or people who worked full-time jobs but loved singing or dancing. with her own full-time day job at Jw pepper, which offered a constant connection to show choir competitions and performances, heather decided to build a way that she could enjoy that lifestyle again, while sharing performance with others who longed for the same opportunity, and started iasc.

since then, the iasc have always kept enough members to do a good show, though recruiting has definitely been one of heather’s biggest challenges. To help the group get started, she put fliers all over downtown indiana and contacted choir directors from town. Even though she keeps the group’s rehearsal time to one day a week for two hours, that’s still a time commitment for full-time workers, some who are parents. Men have been tough to recruit as well sometimes, simply because the group is predominantly female. That puts a lot of pressure on a male voice, and heather admits that might make some men a little nervous.

Because indiana is saturated with community choirs, theatre groups, and other creative outlets, there is sometimes a struggle to keep talented members. heather learned early on that she

needed to be clear with group members that a commitment to the group needed to last the season. otherwise, an iasc member might earn a lead role in a community theatre production, and suddenly the iasc had to redo their own show. heather started handing out a sheet at the beginning of each new season that outlined how many rehearsals a performer could reasonably miss and what’s expected of them when committing to iasc. also, heather explains, because the actual rehearsal time is so limited, performers absolutely must put in practice time at home. Though heather makes sure they have chorography videos to help the process, ultimately the performer must find the time.

Though there are modest dues charged (35 dollars per season), the group generates most of the money they need. heather has also networked with church friends and theatre people to secure rehearsal space, and she has led a great deal of fundraisers with group members, helping the group raise money for sheet music, accompaniment tracks, and sequined costume tops.

Former indy adult show choir member Michaela austin, a full-time speech pathologist, says she first joined the choir because she had been in show choir in high school (North central counter points). Though she had played with community theatre a bit, she realized that show choir took less time overall and because “it’s really fun to sing and dance and socialize.” Michaela also notes that her performances are family events, with friends and family coming

Choir

After Graduation: Why Show Choir Doesn’t Have to Stop

by rachel James ClevengerPhotography provided by indy adult show Choir


to shows; her father has also been videotaping the shows for them. Though she had to take a break from the group when her child was born this past summer, she plans to return next season.

Bobbi cantrell was also in show choir in high school, but she hadn’t been part of that life in nearly twenty years. as the mother of two, Bobbi said her three-year-old daughter had a huge adjustment when Bobbi first joined the group a year before. Now, her youngest is fine, and her teenager wants to join the group. her husband is also supportive, knowing she needs time “from being mommy,” and her entire family (including her mother-in-law, a sister-in-law, her mother, grandmother and sister) all come to the show. speaking of her time on stage and her fellow performers, Bobbi says being on stage brings her “a rush like nothing else”, and she loves each of the ladies she performs alongside.

aaron Gray first joined iasc for the 2010 holiday production, after working with heather’s boyfriend ian, who knew that aaron liked to sing. aaron says, “i instantly fell in love with the group and loved the show that we put on.” unfortunately, ongoing knee issues and multiple surgeries have kept aaron from continuing as a performer, but he continues to support the group in other

ways. “They put on a great show and i would recommend them to anyone,” he says. “what i love about the group is that it is diverse. we have members from all walks of life and, while the group has had a predominantly female presence, the men that have been in the group have been solid.” aaron also praises heather as a choreographer and a leader, someone who works to the group members’ strengths and brings out the best in each of them.

For more information, please visit the IASC website: www.indyadultshowchoir.weebly.com.

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Tips for

Miking a show Choir

by Gene Houck


The answer to this question can and does vary, so let’s look at some of the common methods as to what works and what doesn’t.

show choirs are, of course, particularly challenging because of the combination of singing and choreography. unlike most choral groups or church choirs that are stationary and limited to one area of a stage or platform, show choirs typically can make use of the entire stage. add a live band and the proper use of microphones can be a mystery. in fact, at most regional and national competitions, there is a live instrumental accompaniment, which is typically louder than recorded tracks. The show choir National championship series (scNcs), according to www.showchoirs.org, actually levies a penalty for using recorded accompaniment. one of the first decisions is whether to use wireless or wired microphones or a combination of both. More than likely, it will be a combination of both. Let’s examine these options.

wireless MiCrophones or wired?Many show choirs are taking a page from Broadway and investing in wireless microphones for all or part of the choir. These can be body-worn microphones or handheld microphones. Body-worn microphones can be headset microphones or miniature lavalier style microphones clipped to clothing, taped to a cheek or pinned in a performer’s hair. if the choir is small enough, a case can be made that a wireless microphone gives the performer the flexibility to move freely while giving the sound person the ability to control the sound. it is impractical, however, to consider wireless microphones for each singer for choirs ranging in size larger than 16 to 20. Besides the enormous expense of multiple wireless microphones, having a plethora of live microphones brings with it serious sound mixing challenges.

one of the biggest challenges is trusting the “blend” of your choir to the mixing ability of a sound person. choirs are made up of basses, baritones, tenors, 1st and 2nd altos and sopranos and they each have their unique part to sing. one of the duties of a good show choir Director is to teach the performers how to blend their voices, how to listen to each other, how to express dynamics and how to harmonize. all choirs have some singers who sing soft, some loud and some, sorry to say, that may not

be in perfect pitch. so, rather than relying on massive moves by a sound engineer to balance the mix of voices, microphones should ideally be utilized to “capture” the choir’s natural blend. This is why using wired microphones to mic multiple voices at a distance, along with a couple of wireless microphones on stands for soloists, is highly recommended. it is also more affordable.

whiCh wired MiC should you Choose?There are two types of wired microphones commonly utilized today: dynamic and condenser. The choice between a dynamic or condenser mic is typically dictated by the distance to the sound source. Dynamic microphones (like the audix oM2 or shure sM58) are commonly used for wired, hand held vocals. They are also effective on a stand for miking soloists. They are rugged and generally less expensive than condenser microphones.

a condenser microphone, however, is better suited for distance miking or capturing a larger area (such as a show choir) because of their higher sensitivity and output. condenser microphones require phantom power (provided from the mixing board). They are also more delicate and need to be stored properly and kept away from moisture.

To determine if a microphone is a dynamic or condenser, turn off the phantom power at the mixer (there will be a button labeled “phantom” or “48volt”). Make sure that all volume faders are DowN before doing this! if the mic only works with the phantom power on, it is a condenser. Engaging phantom power will not damage your dynamic microphones.

whiCh Condenser MiCrophone should you Choose?For many years, theatres have used boundary mics (low profile flat surface microphones) on the floor typically positioned downstage by themselves or in tandem with hanging mics positioned upstage. when using a boundary mic, always use a unilateral direction pattern. This will be either cardiod (heart shaped) or hyper-cardiod (tighter pattern on the sides). a uni-directional pattern will help to reduce feedback and restrict audience noise from entering the sound system. additionally, always place foam or a piece of felt beneath the boundary mic to

show choirs come in many sizes and styles. They all have one thing in common, however: an audience that wants to hear them. with that comes the challenge of overcoming a live band or mixed tracks, as well as some not-so-acoustic-friendly rooms. it is a shame for a choir to do months of rehearsal and for an audience not to be able to hear their performance. so the question these days is not so much, “do we need to mic the choir?” but instead, “how do we mic the choir?”


help minimize foot noise from dancers. Be warned that if a show choir has very intense dance routines there may be too much foot traffic picked up even with foam or felt beneath the mic.

hanging condenser microphones can also be effective. The biggest mistake when miking a choral group or choir is in using TOO MANY MICS. Too many microphones can contribute to increased feedback. a good condenser mic will be able to cover up to 20 “stationary” people. however, a show choir of 20 will typically cover twice as much square footage as a stationary choir. Even with a smaller show choir (15 singers or fewer), two or more microphones will be needed. Despite this, use the least number of microphones and maximize their coverage. imagine a 60 degree cone emitting from the microphone. The best coverage is within the imaginary cone.

when equipping an area with multiple microphones, take care to avoid a phenomenon known as phase cancellation. since sound travels in a wave, two microphones amplifying the same sound source can be hit by the same sound wave but at different intervals. The positive wave from one signal can cancel out the negative phase of another signal. The usual result is a dropout of certain frequencies. This is referred to as “comb filtering.” To avoid this, always utilize the 3:1 rule. Multiply the distance of the sound source (singers) to the microphone by three. simply put, that is the distance the two microphones need to be from each other.

You will need to determine whether mics will be hanging from above or placed on the platform. if hanging the mics, there are many manufacturers to choose from. Today’s show choirs, however, perform in many different rooms so hanging microphones are often not an option. a good alternative is to place condenser microphones on stands. since many show choirs are on risers, one of the biggest challenges is getting the microphones high enough to adequately pick up the higher rows.

(Example: audix makes a very low profile 50” or 84”carbon fiber boom arm—MicroBoom™—that utilizes the M1250B miniature condenser or higher output M1255B. The MicroBoom attaches to a standard mic stand. This is a unique solution for show choir miking when seeking a low profile, high reach solution and needing flexibility of placement.)

we caught up with Doug secor, owner of rockin robin productions in ohio who shares some experienced insight for sound engineering a show choir.

“For the past 6 years we have been hired to do sound for show choirs in our region. it has been difficult to get the vocals out in front of the mix. we have learned from other sound companies that they too experienced the same frustrations. Most show choirs we encounter perform with drums, keyboards, amplified bass and guitar. we recently tried the audix Microboom utilizing the M1255B high output Micros series condenser with a shotgun capsule. The shotgun capsule has the enhanced ability to capture sound from a distance and it allowed us to place the mic four feet in front of the first row of singers but still capture the back rows. we also have found that the slender low profile look of the MicroBoom actually gets lost from the audience’s visual perspective.”

Doug continues, “For most show choirs up to 24 voices we typically set up the shotgun mic's 6 feet in from the edge of the choir on a 24 to 30 ft stage and 4 ft in front. we set the mic height at 7 ft to 8 ft angled in slightly from the sides to capture half the singers with each mic. in short, we have been amazed with the


results. we also supply two or three audix oM3 wireless units on stands for soloists. For larger performances we are using three or four MicroBooms across the front. in these situations we run every other microphone ‘out of phase’ to minimize phase cancellation.”

a word abouT MoniTorsMicrophones should be placed behind the main speakers. if they are, and feedback occurs, the source of the feedback is most likely the monitors. rule number one: Do not put the choir in the singer’s monitor mix. The monitor mix should only have the recorded track or the instrumental accompaniment. sound engineers and choir Directors need to hold fast to this rule despite requests from the performers to hear themselves in the monitor mix.

Feedback is simply a microphone picking up itself from a speaker. Therefore, if the live mic is not in the monitor mix, the chances for feedback are reduced and the ability to gain up the mics in the front of house mix is greatly increased. The goal is to have the singers project as much as possible and to listen to each other. That being said, live musicians must understand that they are team players and that it is important to keep the stage volume down in order for the singers to better hear themselves on stage. also, unlike the singers, instrumentalists do need

some kind of choir mix in their monitors. Make sure that the band monitors are positioned away from the live microphones. Encourage one of the singers or instrumentalists to go out front during a sound check to hear the positive results of teamwork and compromise.

parTing shoTNot all venues are created equal; room acoustics can vary greatly. compromises need to be made at times as performers may not hear exactly what they want in a monitor or an instrumentalist may want to play louder than is necessary. Make sure that the choir Director, singers and instrumentalists are all on the same page and that everyone is working as a team to achieve the best sound and performance as possible.

leT The show begin!

abouT The auThor:Gene houck is the National sales Manager for audix corporation. celebrating its 28th year, audix manufactures a broad product line based on high-quality professional microphones. For more information, visit www.audixusa.com.

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The value of show Choir video

From stage to screen:by Aaron Spraggins


show choir, being a nationwide phenomenon, is rapidly evolving, and this change has been illustrated—in part—thanks to our readily available technology. searching various video websites for show choir videos has been the past-time of many choir nerds over the years. Because i’m a choir nerd myself, nothing makes me quite as excited as seeing an hD video of my favorite group.

CapTuring show Choir on video: The benefiT To perforMerscapturing show choir is a difficult task. Many choirs do not have the luxury of having a photographer or videographer to record memories that should be obtained, and the result is that they find a way to gather those materials themselves. common questions for directors, boosters, and members result: what is the best option for show choir video and photography needs? Does the potential price of hiring a professional amount to more than the combined cost of all of those parents snapping pictures or recording video? what good does this media do for a choir? These are questions directors and parents have been asked, questions they have long considered and discussed. The answers are not as obvious as you might think.

performing under bright lights and in front of thousands of people generates an adrenaline rush that leaves you clad in sweat and a smile. among all these wonderful feelings of sweat, laughter, and tiredness also comes memory loss. Many a time, students leave the stage in a daze. "Did i make a mistake? was my hair messed up? Did we look good?" i know i have asked these questions to my friends in the audience after competing. “sometimes you get so caught up in the performance and the excitement that you forget about trying to be perfect, and just have fun. a lot of the time, i can’t remember if i fixed all the things we were told to fix in rehearsal or not,” says seth Mccollough, an alumnus of the Enterprise high school “Encores” from Enterprise, aL. professional videos are available from every angle and sometimes directors receive more than one angle of footage at a given competition—which means performers can then see various angles of the performance, rather than trusting their

adrenalin-soaked memories or the (understandably) biased reactions of their friends and family.

“seeing yourself in a video & seeing how you are actually performing versus how you think you are performing is very eye opening,” says omari Dear, of the Enterprise "Encores" and former member of auburn university’s “au singers.” in short, video gives performers an opportunity to gain a new perspective. Dear adds, "Video of a performance as a performer was just for entertainment. Most of the time as a performer you spend hours upon hours rehearsing something and getting feedback that does not really make sense to you because you can’t see the entire picture while performing. when you have a video to go back and watch, things start to make sense because you can see the show as a unit and not just as yourself being a small portion of that unit."

professional versus aMaTeur videographerscapturing a great performance is priceless. Many competitions have professional photographers and videographers who work diligently to capture and preserve what could be the only performance for a single group. however, the teams of people who are recording these live performances do not know the choir or the show they are recording. First, let’s consider the downside to their being unfamiliar with a particularly show choir: They will not know what to expect until it happens. as a result, these real-time adjustments to recording equipment are not usually quick enough to handle the fast-paced monster that is a typical show choir performance.

however, as opposed to personal video, these companies and crews come bearing the latest in video recording equipment. They, although unaware of surprises within shows, capture the most clean, most crisp recordings that will later be put to better use.

of course, even amid the warnings and sometimes public lashings, parents continue to snap and record pictures and videos of their precious child or children all dolled up on stage. while potentially illegal and definitely distracting, these actions also often lead to low-quality media attained by the

in terms of quality, seeing a live performance beats watching a video hands down, 100% of the time. The lights & sounds, screams from the audience, the heat of action unfolding before you—this is an experience that is unable to be completely captured in photographs or even on video. however, we continue to try.


parents. This media normally suffices for the family standard of captured memories, and many parents even pool together all the pictures and videos captured over the year--to create a hodge-podge for the end of the year party.

an auburn high school’s “Varsity singers” member, chandler sims admits to going beyond what the parents produced: “our photographer compiles some of the professional photos at the end of the year into a large collage that hangs in our classroom.”

having a professional photographer offers a few other advantages too. paying a professional gets more customized and direct results juxtaposed with the random shots Mom got on her old digital camera.

certainly, with the advancement in video and camera equipment, some proud parents can grab fantastic shots…of only their child. we have all seen those videos on YouTube of a group, but the camera is focused on one individual. (and, yes, everyone just found your mom's YouTube channel.)

Mariel Velicaria of Eastlake high school’s “centerstage” comments, “at the end of the year, we usually have a montage of pictures and videos of the year we just had, to reflect and enjoy all the moments that happened in our year.” parents’ personal media is more—well, more personal and more readily available for use. however, this understandably single-minded

It all begIns wIth a song...Music Arrangement Services offers HUNDREDS OF TITLES of

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abouT The auThor:aaron spraggins is an alumnus of opelika high school where he was involved with "ovations" for 3 years. he is currently a sophomore at the university of alabama at Birmingham, majoring in graphic design & theatre. in his spare time, he enjoys writing fiction. with a passion for show choir, he hopes to design shows professionally.

focus of many parents poses another problem when looking from a group point of view: Each child deserves a spotlight but not each child receives one. Many parents do not have the opportunity to see their child perform nor capture that performance with any sort of media. a video that presumes to represent the entire choir cannot just focus on one performer or one group of performers.

The MeMories are worTh The invesTMenT capturing the art of show choir is not an easy task but—because of the evolving and ever-competitive nature of show choir—directors and assistant directors considering the competition video is another necessary evil. professional video helps the competitive nature of the beast. capturing what the audience and judges see creates an opportunity to review and correct problems. show choir may not be all about winning, but winning (despite the lessons i was taught in high school choir) is very fun.

of course, it’s also fun sharing something special with a group of people on stage. There is no doubt that watching yourself on a stage in unusual costumes and makeup—regardless of how that video was captured—provides for great entertainment, and allows you to preserve those memories of friends and long bus

rides, eating in malls you might never see again, opportunities to perform in major venues, or simply meeting other people who share the same passion for music or dancing. however, the more professional the videographer, the more likely you are to have an unbiased and clear record of your group as a whole.

ultimately, professional recording, whether done by a commissioned videographer or by one at competitions, in the realm of show choir is worth the investment. The concrete copies of these memories alone are worth whatever a professional would charge. personally, i’ve found that the memories of performing with friends who became family, people that i might never see again, are worth any price. Treasuring these memories began as a learning experience–reviewing the countless DVDs of competition performance–but ended as nostalgia from the stage to the screen.

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urbank’s in sync

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©2012 World’s Finest® Chocolate, Inc.

*Excludes freight cost and applicable taxes. **Minimum order and lead time required.

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a show choir - Productions Magazine

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