As part of Churchfront’s Accelerator program, we recently had the privilege of visiting Yakult Community Church in Yakult, Washington. Over three days, we dove deep into assessing and enhancing their tech setup, focusing on simplifying operations for volunteers and optimizing the worship experience. Here’s a breakdown of the improvements and insights gained from this visit.
Yakult Community Church uses the Waves LV1 system, equipped with a DS Pro 1000 for front-of-house I/O, facilitating talkback mic, media playback, and recording through ProPresenter. Operating on a Mac Studio with dual touchscreens, this setup provides tactile control for fader adjustments and plugin edits, with an Elgato Stream Deck for quick access to Waves Real-Tune keys.
The goal was to refine source tones from the band’s high-quality instruments, including a Nord keyboard, Taylor acoustic guitar, electronic Roland V-Drum kit, and electric guitar with a Helix setup. By stripping back to basics and gain-staging properly, we significantly reduced the number of processing plugins, enhancing the clarity and balance of the mix.
We transitioned the recording process to ProPresenter, bypassing Wirecast and iMovie, to simplify the workflow. This not only eases the recording process but also maintains high audio quality for broadcasts and uploads.
Macros in ProPresenter have been a game-changer for Yakult Community Church. Automating start and stop recording functions and integrating lighting control through Light Key, the entire service can be managed from ProPresenter. This automation extends to lyrics and playback, reducing the need for manual operation during services.
A central focus was to make the tech booth volunteer-friendly. By integrating a Stream Deck, volunteers now have a simplified control hub for operating ProPresenter, launching Light Key, and managing the overall service flow. Smart plugs, controlled via Apple Home Kit and Siri shortcuts, have replaced manual power setups, streamlining the power-up process for the church’s tech infrastructure.
This visit to Yakult Community Church highlights the importance of simplification and effective use of technology in worship settings. By focusing on the source quality, streamlining recording processes, and automating service elements, we’ve created a more volunteer-friendly environment, ensuring a smooth and impactful worship experience. If you have ideas or suggestions for further optimizing such setups, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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