All faiths share a common thread of spreading the message. Now exactly what that message is may vary considerably among church members and different religions, but every church can be helped in that endeavor with a sound system that provides clarity and intelligibility to the message and ensuring that every member of the congregation can receive the word.
And from the earliest days of sound reinforcement, microphones, speakers and amplifiers became ideal tools towards reaching that goal — in sanctuaries both large and small. Unfortunately, traditional approaches to church design, with large open spaces, domes, transepts, soaring ceilings and multiple parallel surfaces — combined with wood, stone, glass and steel construction — offer a lovely setting for contemplation, but an acoustical nightmare. Even the classic Gothic cathedral styles — often praised for their sonic nature and long RT60 reverberation times that are ideal for sources like pipe organs and somber Gregorian chants — create an acoustical inferno with an inability to clearly understand a voice at the distant pulpit.
Not So Easy
In such cases, a sound system may be the obvious solution, yet working within the confines of a difficult acoustical footprint goes much further than simply setting up a mixer and a couple speakers. Blasting the parishioners in the front rows (where they require less reinforcement) and ignoring the rest of the room is no answer and may, in fact, make the situation worse. A poorly conceived, poorly aimed rig may do little more than impart additional room reflections and rear wall slap, resulting in a muddy and unintelligible (yet much louder) sound.
Other factors — such as balconies — present their own set of issues, whether it’s balcony edge slap or difficulties in reaching the seats under the balcony itself.
While it may seem that replacing an entire existing sound system might be the obvious answer — and it is, in many cases. But sometimes, making better use of what you have might be a more prudent solution.
Step by Step
Along these lines, there are many variations. This might be a great opportunity to retire that old P.A. head amplifier/mixer and replace it with a console that offers more inputs and flexibility. Yet before diving into the latest 96-channel digital model, occasionally even a simple 16 channel analog board might be a better choice. One example of this could be a sanctuary with modest needs, such as adding a couple hanging choir mics to a system that previously only had pulpit, altar, lectern feeds, and a wireless lavalier for the minister, along with a couple of mics for a vocal soloist and perhaps an acoustic guitar.
Of course, as soon as a praise band comes into the picture, the scenario changes radically. It is possible to do vocal-only reinforcement in some such cases, particularly in smaller sanctuaries, where the drummer, guitar, bass and keys can keep levels under control and in balance with the vocal feed. However, more often that not, this will probably require a more rock ‘n’ roll approach, especially in larger spaces, which typically also entail wedge monitoring and/or IEM’s.
The Hidden Issue
On the technology side, whatever system you need must be appropriate for the job, designed and installed correctly — and other factors, such as acoustics (and even aesthetics) must be considered. However, the hidden question is: Who is going to run the gear? And this not only applies to the first few months, but for every service and event on a week-to-week basis for years to come.
Everyone likes the idea of more features and bells & whistles, but as the complexity of the system goes up, so does the need for trained operators. And here, we won’t even delve into the art of technology, whether the finesse of FOH/monitor mixing or creative videography/switching — which is another issue entirely. Even the best quality gear falls short in the hands of untrained operators, and the “crew” issue must be considered when looking into any system upgrade. And that — with any congregation — is the ultimate leap of faith.
Parnelli Awards — Do Your Part!
The political season has just kicked off, which is great news for sound companies who handle all those political rallies and fundraising events. Yet in this industry, the votes that really count are the annual Parnelli Awards, and it’s up to FRONT of HOUSE subscribers to take a minute or two go to parnelliawards.com/vote and cast YOUR votes for the people, companies and gear that makes the (audio) world go round.
The winners will be revealed during the Parnelli Awards ceremony on Oct. 24 at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, which is the place to be for professionals in every phase of the sound reinforcement and event production industry. If you’re interested in attending, tickets can be reserved at parnelliawards.com, but you need to move fast, as past years were complete sellouts. Besides, it’s a evening of fun, starting with a cocktail reception (with ample opportunity for networking) and including the ceremony itself, capped off by the not-to-be missed Parnelli After Party.
Hope to see you there!
