Meet the LC Team: Mike Pankau

Published by Loop Community on March 7, 2012March 7, 2012

What’s your role with Loop Community?
As one of the founders, I have touch points in a lot of different parts of the business.  In general, I focus on keeping the website and the business running. I’m usually the person to first see support requests and help people with any problem on the site ranging from trouble logging in, all the way to a particular loop slightly distorting and needing to be rebounced. I also do some of the site development and coding so when we launch new features or pages, I’ve taken a design from another team member and turned it into web content.

Tell us about your professional audio experience
My professional audio experience is based on live sound. I have been mixing front-of-house for churches, bands, and orchestras for over 15 years. I am proficient on just about any analog console, Yamaha’s digital desks (ls9, m7, pm5d, pm1d), Presonus digital desks. Currently, I mix at Harvest Bible Chapel on the Rolling Meadows campus.

Any advice from a church sound guy to loop creators and worship leaders using loops?
In a typical mix, not every element can be heard at the same time. Engineers have to prioritize instruments and a loop is just another instrument. If you want a particular lead line or accent to stand out you need to communicate that to your sound guy. Unless he’s heard the tracks before your weekend service, he won’t know what’s in them and what to highlight.

Did you go to school for sound?
I did not go to school for sound. I have a bachelors in Technical Management and Database Administration and an MBA in Information Technology. My audio expertise comes from real-life experiences.

What do you enjoy doing outside of LC? Hobbies?
Outside of Loop Community, I enjoy spending time with my family in whatever form works best. Sometimes that’s a boat ride on Lake Michigan, sometimes it’s a walk to the park, sometimes it’s a bike ride through the woods. I’m a busy guy and making family a priority is important to me, so my social time is less about the ‘what’ and more about the ‘who’.

What do you enjoy most about being a part of Loop Community?
What I enjoy most about Loop Community is getting to talk to, and work with people from so many different styles, sizes, and types of churches. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about loops and churches in my life, it’s that no one does it exactly the same as you or anyone else. Each approach has merit and each situation is different. If we’re not listening more than we’re talking, we’re doing it wrong and I love that.