Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Looking for a professional audio and staging company for your next event ?

Mpls. Sound Co, Mn Sound Co, Sound Stage Lighting Rentals Mn, Professional Live Audio Event Systems

Audio mixing tips and tricks

1. Consider building your mix off of a template.  
Consider all of the instruments and singers in the worship band.  Consider a template of presets with the following in mind;
  • Engage the HPF (High Pass Filter) for channels which usually benefit from a HPF.
  • What channels would likely benefit from compression? Set their threshold but don’t engage it yet.
  • Start all faders at unity.
  • Consider where the vocalist sits in the mix – are they more high, mid, or low-range singers? Now you know where to carve out space for them in the other channels.
This template concept is a great way to build a mix from scratch. You could add to the above points if you think about it.

2. Use compression for producing a well-rounded sound.
Having multiple channels with a wide-range of volume dynamics makes it difficult to produce a well-rounded sound.  Use compression to even out many of those volume spikes.

3. Hear what your live microphones hear.
Listen via PFL/SOLO to a vocal microphone and pay attention to all of the other sounds the microphone is picking up.  This gives you an idea of other stuff your microphone is picking up and why microphone proximity to the sound source is so important.

4. Know what you COULD be boosting.
Microphones on the stage can pick up a variety of background sounds.  In particular, boosting the high-end frequencies of a vocal microphone can pick up drum cymbals and unintentionally accentuate them.

5. Pull your male singers out of the mud.
Cut your male vocals in the 325-350 Hz range to clear up your vocals.  Often, the 325-350 Hz range is where the muddiness exists.

6. Use reverb for vocal separation.
Using a lot reverb, you can push a singer into the background.  Using a little, you can make it stand out in the mix.  Use your ears to find out what’s best for your situation.

7. The kick drum and bass can work together on your low end sound.
Try letting the bass give you the tone of the low-end while letting the kick drum win on the attack.

8. If you are ever prone to hitting a piece of equipment to make it work…
…once is maintenance, twice is abuse.

9. Keep your headphone volume down by using delay on your solo busses.
Slow down the solo buss with delay to sync your headphones with the PA so you don’t have to run headphones overly loud.  If you are 75 feet from a speaker cluster, try a 75 millisecond delay.  Using an analog board, run the headphone out to an external delay unit and then into a headphone amp and then back to the headphones.

10. Don’t let a power outage take out your system.
Use APC units for keeping the power going to your vital audio equipment.  Power can go out for a number of reasons and using an APC unit can keep your system powered and your service going.

11. Plan on equipment failure.
Ask yourself questions like, “what could fail,” “how could we get around it,” and “what is the least amount of equipment we need to keep the system going.”  Make a plan for equipment failure so when it does happen, you’ll be prepared.

12. Use a 911-microphone.
Wireless systems go out. Wireless mic batteries die. And even DI boxes can go bad at the worst time.  Set up a wired vocal microphone on a microphone stand, with a long microphone cable.  Place it just off-stage.  grab an extra DI box and 1/4-inch cable and place that at the base of the microphone stand.  The next time a microphone or DI goes out during a service, you (or a musician) can pull out the 911-microphone or your emergency setup – whatever you want to call it.  And in the case where it seems all the equipment comes crashing down, a church audio system only needs one channel and one microphone.

13. Don’t forget about the HPF and LPF
The high pass filter allows high frequencies to pass through while the low pass filter allows low frequencies to pass through.  If you don’t need low frequencies out of a channel, then engage the HPF. If you don’t need high’s from a channel, use the LPF.  In the case of HPF’s and LPF’s that have controllable frequency points, sweep the point until it’s noticeable in the mix, then back off a little.

14. Take control of your house EQ by controlling the Q-value of your cuts and boosts.
On a standard 32-channel rack EQ, the Q value is the same with the exception that it might automatically tighten up if a cut is below 3 dB.  Therefore, if you run a digital mixer, use the on-board master EQ to alter the house EQ.  This gives you the ability to also control the Q-value of your cuts and boosts.

15. Use a ducker for background music and announcements.
A ducker, on a digital console, will automatically cut the volume of a channel when it detects sound on another channel.  Therefore, it’s great for the “one-man operation” when you are running all over and you have background music and the pastor starts talking when you aren’t in the sound booth.  You can set the delay for the period of time in which the music channel comes back up after they stop talking.  This way, if they are taking a breath before talking again, the background music could say low in volume.

16. Don’t discount frequency bands of an instrument.
For example, try adding a lot of high-end on your toms.  Even the bass guitar has usable sounds that aren’t just in the low end.

17. Use meaningful distortion.
Distortion can work on more than a bass or a guitar.  It can even work on a snare drum.  Distortion can sound different depending on how you use it and set the appropriate parameters.  When you do use it, use it because it helps the overall sound of the song.

18. Don’t forget about gating.
Try focusing your gating around a frequency range, if possible.  Not only do you benefit from only broadcasting the sound once the input reaches a certain volume level, you can know it’s when you are getting the frequencies you desire. Imagine what you could do with a kick drum or a tom.

Looking for a professional audio and staging company for your next event ? contact Jay @ Mystique Sound Staging and Lighting


             MystiQue Sound
         Oakdale, MN
        (612) 386-4738
































































































































































Friday, May 15, 2015

MystiQue Sound utilizes the very best and latest technology in sound reinforcement equipment

I thought today we would cover the heart of our operation, Sound Boards, also known as Mixing Boards, Mixing Consoles for live event production, this is where the magic happens.


In the live sound reinforcement industry the position for mixing a live event is typically called, front of house. If you have ever hired a professional sound company you have probably noticed that the mixing engineer likes to be in the middle of the room back about midway to 2/3rds in the room. This allows the mixing engineer a great sample of how the room sounds to the majority of an audience. This is the same for concerts as it is for professional speaking engagements. Clear quality audio is a must for a well produced event.

The sound engineers primary tool is a mixing console. This is where all the microphone, direct boxes, sampling triggers etc come in to be blended into what your audiences will hear. We have mentioned the mixing engineer previously, however all the tools in the world are worthless if your engineer has a stone ear or is not familiar with the equipment he/she is using. Make sure when hiring a sound company for your next event, they are experienced with the sound equipment they are bringing with them.

At MystiQue Sound we utilize industry standard top of the line equipment and our engineers are trained to get the most out of their experience with this equipment. I will give a sample of some of our primary mixing boards without going into too much detail.

1. DigiDesign Profile FOH 48×24 - This is the mixing console a lot of top touring acts request. It provides unprecedented sound quality and reliability. This board was built from the ground up specifically to service the strict requirements of live sound reinforcement and broadcast applications.

2. DigiDesign Profile Mix Rack 48×32 -  Fully integrated digital live mixing console. Powerful performance, and complete ease of use.

3. SoundCraft SI 24 24×16 - This unit is perfect for smaller venues speeches churches schools etc. You can have a great level of quality audio without the higher costs associated some of the bigger consoles. Flexible and small  this is a great go to mixing console.


We have several more mixing consoles that can provide your next production event with high quality production values while at the same time maintaining costs and keeping your next live event on budget.

If you are interested in discussing your production options for a 1 night event, weekend or summer concert series give Jay at MystiQue Sound a call with over 20 years in the business Jay can help you make the right decision and make your next event a memorable one.

MystiQue Sound
Oakdale Mn.
471 Hayward Ave. N
Oakdale Mn 55128
612-386-4738

Mn Sound Co, Mn Sound and Staging Rentals, Mn Sound and Light Rentals, Sound Companies, Concert Sound Production, Corporate Event Production

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Risers and Staging for Concerts and Professional Events

Risers and Staging for Concerts and Professional Events

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Outdoor and Indoor Staging Rentals
Do you remember the good old days when you and the neighborhood kids or maybe even your siblings would build a stage in the back yard?  You would try to piece anything together you could plywood, milk crates whatever it took. then the moment came the proverbial curtain would rise and wallah you were on stage. Well kind of a stage anyway. It rocked it rolled but it lifted you off the ground and separated you from the crowd your fans the ones that were gonna propel you to stardom. 

Well in reality the uneven ground and different size boxes or milk crates made for a very unsteady platform for performing much more than a sock puppet show. You probably tried to support it strengthen your stage and  make it suitable for a performance, but it was inevitable, the stage hod to be torn down to make way for mom's tomato plants.

Fast forward to the present. You have the best drummer, the best bassist and you have become a superstar guitarist written up in all the magazines and featured on all the mtv's and vh1's of the world. You play the best venues. And you know what you probably play on the best constructed stages as well. Event Staging is often overlooked as a performers friend. But anyone that has played in the backyard or on a professional staging setup knows the confidence you get when everything is top of the line.

Fortunately Mystique Sound has invested time and money researching the best staging and risers, the kind that performers request in their performance riders when only the best will do.

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Professional Staging Equipment
Stages have several functions the obvious being where the bands or speakers perform. They also become the foundation for the speaker systems and lighting rigs, and if we go there the roof. All of these components build off of or around the staging platform.

If you are a city planner in need of a professional stage and lighting system for an up coming event, a college talent  buyer or corporate organizer you can contact MystiQue sound to discuss your staging needs. We can handle analyze function from a single speaker giving a seminar to full out live music performances. Mystique Sound can help you make the right decisions.

MystiQue Sound
Office: 612-386-4738
471 Hayward Ave N.
Oakdale, Minnesota 55128 


Mn Sound Co. Minnesota Sound Companies, Mn Staging Rentals, Mn Sound Light and Staging Companies, Event Producton Services, Live Concert Production Companies

Friday, April 10, 2015

Mystique Sound Live Event Management throughout the upper Midwest



Talk about audio automation. Certainly you have seen programs or events with multiple microphones going at the same time ? American Idol or The Voice are good examples. ( I won’t editorialize on what I really think of shows like this) But I digress. In a case where multiple mic’s are open and all are trying to speak there is a solution. Designed by audio pioneer Dan Dougan the automatic mixing controller gives engineers full and complete control without having to be constantly riding individual faders.


Widely recognized as the inventor of the automatic microphone mixer, Dan Dugan has been involved in the professional audio industry for his entire career, which spans four decades. This groundbreaking technology is now available thru Mystique Sound for events throughout the upper Midwest.

Let’s not get pigeon holed here. We know that not everyone this summer season is going to have an American idol type program at their college, corporate or festival  event.  But there are many many uses for this technology at everyday shows.

Having the ability to silence mics when they are not being used is a huge advantage to bringing professional audio to even smaller events.  Many factors can play a roll in the quality of a sound production program. Just think of an outdoor stage with several open mic’s for vocal performers. 

Wind is the biggest culprit. If you can have the background mics shut down until they are absolutely needed bam this eliminates an age old problem that contributes to feedback and other uncontrollable issues.

The Automatic Mixing Controller may not be the reason you contact Mystique Sound but you will be glad it is in our arsenal of sound reinforcement tools.

In a nut shell the mixing controller (which is very compact by the way),  detects which mics are being used and makes fast, transparent cross-fades, freeing the mixer to focus on balance and sound quality instead of being chained to the faders thus eliminating cueing mistakes and late fade-ups while avoiding the choppy and distracting effects common to noise gates.

This may not mean a whole lot to a college student activities coordinator looking for a soundcompany for an upcoming college event, or a corporate controller booking a speech from the CEO. However when people in positions like that call us we are proud to say MystiQue Sound has the latest and greatest audio technology that will support your next event and help to make it a memorable one


MystiQue Sound
Office: 612-386-4738
471 Hayward Ave N.
Oakdale, Minnesota 55128
info@Mystiquesound.com

Mn Sound Co,  MnSound Companies,  Sound Stage andLighting Companies, Stage and Riser Rentals, Concert Sound Systems,  PRO Audio for Concerts,

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Quality Audio in any environment starts at the source

MystiQue Sound is proud to use Audio Support Products from Shure, Audix and Audio Technica.

whats in your mic aarsenal?
Quality Audio in any environment starts at the source. It doesn't matter whether it's your sons graduation party or a corporate CEO speaking to his staff or perhaps you are putting together a live rock concert venue, if you want your audiences to hear crystal clear vocals and killer drum sounds you have to begin by using professional, well engineered, audio support equipment.

MystiQue Sound understands that and we excel in researching the latest and greatest products to come on the market.

Microphones are the first contact in the audio stream. It all starts at the source. Let's take a look at a couple different microphone manufacturers MystiQue Sound likes to use.

shure mic's

SHURE:  Known worldwide as an iconic brand of microphone. If you have seen posters of music legends such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. You may verywell have heard of the legendary
sm 57 sm 58 series mic's known for full range of vocal and instrument reliability.


AUDIX: Audix audio products bills itself as a high end company with over 30 years in the business.
audix mic's
Audix commenced in 1984 with a mission that remains unchanged: To design, engineer, and manufacture high performing, innovative products that contribute to the advancement of the professional audio industry. Year after year Audix microphones are recognized for their innovative design, performance, quality, durability and value.


audio technica mic

AUDIO-TECHNICA: A-T as they are known represents a full spectrum of wired and wireless technology used by pro's thruout the world. Winner of numerous industry awards, Audio-Technica manufactures products that set quality, durability and price/performance standards for live sound tours, broadcast and recording studios, corporate and government facilities






Of course this may be a lot of information regarding the topic of microphones and you are just looking for a professional sound stage and lighting company to book for your next event. Well we are  audio nerds and when you book MystiQue Sound we want you to know you are getting the best

MystiQue Sound
Servicing the Sound, Stage and Lighting needs of the Upper Midwest
Office: 612-386-4738
471 Hayward Ave N.
Oakdale, Minnesota 55128  

Mn Sound Co, Mn Sound Companies, Riser and Stage Rentals, Mn Concert Audio Productions, Corporate Event Management

Thursday, March 26, 2015

MystiQue Sound is a proud user of Adamson Professional Speaker Products

MystiQue Sound is a proud user of Adamson Professional Speaker Products and here are some great reasons why.

 

Mn Sound Co, Mn Sound Companies, Staging and Riser Rentals, Mn Sound Stage and Lights
ŸTHE 3-WAY SUB-COMPACT LINE ARRAY
  •  FOR USE IN 3 or 4 WAY SYSTEMS
  •  PRECISE ANGULAR CONTROL
  •  HIGHEST FIDELITY LINE ARRAY
  •  MORE VERSATILE & SCALABLE

When you are booking a professional sound company you want to know the equipment they use is going to fit the needs of your particular event. At MystiQue Sound we choose Adamson Products
Adamson series Y Line Array Speakers bring an amazing mix of sound and function to the table.
They can be used in 3 or 4 Way Syatems. The Y Series brings precise angular control and are more versatile than previous versions.

The Adamson Y10 is the only sub-compact 3 way line array available today. WHen coupled with an Adamson Y axis compact sub the Y10 can go from the smallest venue to a large rock concert arena. Precise angular positioning can be easily achieved.

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Adamson Y10
There is a lot of technical information we could add here but the bottom line is scientifically engineered and patented technology help make Admason Speaker Systems the top choice for professional sound companies everywhere. Companies like MystiQue Sound that  provide sound reinforcement for Corporate Events, Festivals and community events choose companies like Adamson to provide high end sound without the high end pricetag.

Adamson Speaker systems are perfect for:   

  • Live Concert Sound
  • Theatres
  • Houses of Worship
  • Large Clubs
 If your event is in need of professional sound reinforcement contact MystiQue Sound. We have the sound lights stages you will need to make your event a memorable one.

Mystique Sound
471 Hayward Ave N.
Oakdale, Minnesota 55128

Mn Sound Co, Mn Sound Companies, Staging and Riser Rentals, Mn Sound Stage and Lights

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

MystiQue Sound the Perfect Resource for Community Event Productions

MystiQue Sound is the Perfect Resource for Summer Community Event Productions


Mn Sound Lights and Staging, Mn Sound Companies, Riser Rentals, Concert Lighting, Outdoor Music Sound, Professional Sound Companies, Professional Event Planners
Mn Sound Companies
We have all seen the signs as we drive thru the small towns Cherry Fest, Pumpkin Mania, Walleye Dayz etc. It is after all a new season in MN and WI. We put away the downhill and cross country skis and are now into boogie boards and water skis. This can mean only one thing summer concert series!!
In the upper midwest there is a very short season between Memorial Day and Labor Day. These are the days communities from all across the states have celebrations live concerts, theatre in the park etc

Whether you are planning the Basilica Block Party or Hopkins Mn Music in the Park you are going to need a professional sound and lights team to make your event a memorable one.

MystiQue Sound has the gear the experience and the dedicated crews to help bring this all together. We can help you decide just how to plan your audio and staging needs by basing it on the size of crowds you expect and the space or area your event will be held in.

Mn Sound Lights and Staging, Mn Sound Companies, Riser Rentals, Concert Lighting, Outdoor Music Sound, Professional Sound Companies, Professional Event Planners
Mn. Outdoor Events
Reserving the right equipment now for your event guarantees one less thing you have to worry about as your event nears. There is nothing worse than waiting till the last minute only to find out there are several other events going on that weekend and the nearest available equipment will need to be trucked in from Duluth or LaCrosse, (unless of course that's where your events are being held...).

MystiQue Sound's summer calendar is filling up fast but we have plenty of gear and dates available on the schedule to accommodate the needs of even the largest event. If you are throwing a summer concert series in Moorehead or Morristown, Duluth or Dilworth we can consult with you and help you come up with a plan that will fit your budget

Contact MystiQue Sound Today!!

MystiQue Sound
Office: 612-386-4738
471 Hayward Ave N.
Oakdale, Minnesota 55128
info@Mystiquesound.com


Mn Sound Lights and Staging, Mn Sound Companies, Riser Rentals, Concert Lighting, Outdoor Music Sound, Professional Sound Companies, Professional Event Planners