GC Pro provides critical help for the Valparaiso Nazarene Church in choosing technology products for audio, lighting and musical instruments for the church’s new worship facility

February 11, 2013

When Indiana’s Valparaiso Nazarene Church decided to invest in a brand new facility, it worked with Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro), the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users, as its partner to provide a wide range of audio products, support and consultation. The new eight-million dollar facility features a 1700-seat venue that is used weekly for worship services and live concert events, plus it also has an audio/video production studio used to produce the church’s various DVDs, CDs and Podcast materials. To make certain the new facility’s audio/video and lighting systems would be exactly what the church needed, GC Pro’s account manager Dan Scalpone worked closely and collaborated with one of the church’s Worship Leaders, Jake Randall, in choosing everything to keep Valparaiso Nazarene at the cutting edge.

“I just randomly called Guitar Center, I got ahold of Dan at GC Pro, and told him I’ve got this huge project,” stated Randall. “I just have a bunch of questions and I need pricing,” and Dan said he would love to help. It was just from that one phone call that the relationship started between GC Pro and myself. To this day I call him anytime I need anything for our audio and video systems.”

What Dan Scalpone did, from that first phone call, was help Randall make the church’s vision of a state-of-the-art venue and production complex a reality. “He went above and beyond,” Randall commented, “Dan and the GC Pro team drove out here, looked at the facility and began advising me on what equipment would streamline what we had envisioned. And the only reason we are up and running today as efficiently as we are is because of Dan and GC Pro. They went through everything with a fine-tooth comb and nailed everything down. Truly attention to detail.”

The centerpiece of the audio system at Front-of-House position is a Digidesign VENUE D-Show® System, which is based around the VENUE D-Show console and employs a VENUE FOH Rack and Stage Rack processing and I/O system. This configuration allows Randall the flexibility to handle any situation or performance that might come into the venue. Other audio, video and lighting equipment furnished by GC Pro includes several Apple computers; Samsung LCD monitors; a Sony HVRV1U 1080P HDV Camcorder; AJA Ki-Pro Portable Digital Disk Recorder; a large complement of both wired and wireless microphones from AKG, Audio-Technica, Earthworks, Heil, Rode, Shure, and Sennheiser; multiple Elation Professional Design Spot 575E moving head spotlights; a complete Gretsch drum kit with Sabian and Paiste cymbals; and much more.

Randall continues, “It’s actually really funny, when we get artists such as Contemporary Christian musician Jeremy Camp in to perform, they don’t have to bring any gear with them because they don’t need to. They use all of our lights and lighting console, all of our rigging, our front-of-house VENUE board, our line array system, everything. For most bands, they can walk into our sanctuary and have everything they need. I owe that to getting the right advice and equipment from GC Pro.”

The church has come a long way from its original dwelling that began in a tent in 1924. Today, Valparaiso Nazarene Church ministers to close to fifteen hundred people every week, and Scalpone likes to think that GC Pro is partly responsible for its members coming back year after year. “They wanted to create a venue that really stood out from a technological standpoint and utilize newer technologies to create a unique worship environment and great live experience for the congregation,” stated Scalpone. “Working closely with Jake, we were able to put together a comprehensive package of equipment solutions that not only did everything he needed, but was well within their budget. That is a true partnership.”

For more information, please visit www.gcpro.com.