Only I changed the sample rate, for no sane reason, and then discovered that I couldn’t turn it back again. That wouldn’t have been a problem apart from the fact it did something unpleasant to the sound output.

Every time I opened the control panel the latency and sample rate options were greyed out. Thankfully I found a solution from the M-Audio forums here, though if you keep reading I’ll explain for Windows 7 (should work on Vista as well).

The first step to solving this problem is to make another audio device the default, or simply disable the MobilePre. I had to do the latter as for some reason the motherboard audio wasn’t showing properly.

Right-click on the Volume Control in the Notification Area and left-click on Playback devices. Right click on the MobilePre entry and then left-click on Disable. The icon will change to grey. As there were no working audio devices left, the volume control also showed a red cross.

There’s no need to close this window; it’ll make life easier if you leave it open.

Right-click on the MobilePre icon in the Notification Area and left-click on Open MobilePre USB Control Panel.

Click on the Sample Rate  tab and the two options will no longer be greyed out. Select 44.1 and close this window.

Return to the Playback devices window (or open it again – I told you to leave it open) and reverse the disabling of the MobilePre. Right-click on it and left-click on  Disable to remove the tick and bring the MobilePre back to life.

Simple when you know how, but very frustrating if you don’t.

I’ve got a Zoom 506, not a great pedal (auto-hiss as standard according to one friend with some justifiction) but most of the time I use it just as a tuner, sometimes adding some octaver. It’s so old that Zoom don’t even have a page for it any more! Just a mention in the History section.

How I dearly want to use the distortion/flange effect I used on a recording in my band at Uni. Perhaps I’ll slip in some wahwah here and there and see if anyone notices.

Until then, I shall work on introducing the Ukulele.

Well perhaps I’m being unfair on myself. I did use them when recording the carol service last year, but it’s taken my until now to think about using them properly.

Two of the four channels have always been in use, one for the all important induction loop and the other so that people in the vestry have some idea what is going on in the service. The other two have now been drafted in for recording purposes.

Simply put they allow the willing soundperson to create an entirely separate mix for recording, independently of the levels for front of house. The spur for me was our keyboard. Normally it is set so loud the challenge on the desk is not to make it heard, but stop it from spilling into other mics.

That wasn’t too hard with some careful mic placement. The problem was then when I wanted to start recording services. With virtually no keyboard through the main output, the tape output was nigh on useless.

The solution: Aux channels. I can run as much or as little through each without affecting the main mix.

Additional

In fact, even that needed some tweaking, due to the very different levels between speech and the worship group. In the end I recorded the radio mics on one channel and the music on another. At some point I will have a go at mixing them together.

Some good videos dropped into my Blogroll, hosted over at Dolphin Music.

For those wanting something more focussed on church, there is plenty to be found over at Music Academy. Some is free and some is paid for. I recommend signing up to the blog.

Personally, at the moment, I’m working on Fur Elise on (wait for it) the humble ukulele (mp3 on EZFolk.com for the unconvinced). I have to say it’s great fun.

My only snag is that having persuaded everyone that the ukuleles were really meant for the children, I felt duty bound to buy one pink and one purple. I’m still rather new to the music group and I’m not sure how they’d feel about a pink Uke. It probably wouldn’t fit onto the scale of ‘How metrosexual is your worship leader’.

However I fully intend to use one or both to keep the children entertained on the way to Spring Harvest. Ishmael on Uke? I’m enjoying parenthood greatly.