A correct audio mix in a house of worship usually means keeping a tight rein on the overall decibel level, the SPL (sound pressure level), volume or just plain loudness of a service. But have you ever asked yourself how loud is loud?
Just How Loud?
Here are some common examples of sound in the form of decibels. People generally speak to each other in the 50-60 decibel range. City traffic ranges from 85 to 90 decibels or dB. The average church service ranges from 95 to 100 dB. Rock concerts range from 110 to 115 dB. Pain for most people begins at 125 dB, and your ear drums will burst at 140 to 145 dB (ouch). Along with the various dB ranges, keep in mind that SPL (sound pressure level) doubles every time your audio signal (speech, music, and singing) increases by 6 dB. For example; if you mix your Sunday service at 95 dB, it will sound twice as loud at 101 dB.
When you take all this information into account, you are probably mixing your weekly services within a rather narrow decibel band. If 95 dB is the optimum SPL for your church, you most likely mix each service between 94 and 96 dB. Or perhaps this doesn’t describe you at all. Maybe you have no idea what the average decibel level of your weekly church service is, or how to control it. Well, if this is you, please read on.
Level Checking is Essential
The very first thing to do is identify the average decibels you are mixing at. One of the most powerful tools at your disposal is a simple SPL/dB meter. There are dozens of dB meter apps available for your smart phone (many are free). Or, if you want to go old-school, you can purchase a stand-alone handheld dB meter. In case you’re wondering, I have both. Once you have your dB meter, take reading samples during a service from various locations in your house of worship. Obviously you don’t want to be a distraction during the service, but perhaps while the worship band is playing, you can check out the dB levels at the front row, middle aisle, left and right side of the room, mixing area and balcony (if you have one). If you just can’t cruise around your church during a service, get in there when nobody is around and put up some music through the system. Then walk around with your dB meter and check out the room.
After you’ve ascertained dB values for different locations, average the number and see what you’ve got. Keep in mind that an empty room sounds different and is generally louder than a full room. The average human body will absorb (and reflect) a lot of sound. The bigger the body, the more absorption. Along with the size of your congregation, there is the issue of where people sit every week.
It is a fact that most members of your congregation will sit in the same seat (if they can) each week. Do a little homework and check out where people tend to sit. Chances are, the older members of your congregation will be sitting in the front rows. This means they may possibly be hearing the service from the loudest possible area.
This brings us to the next part of my piece. Now that you have collected decibel data from different locations within the worship space, now you should simply listen and use your ears. Once again, if possible walk around your sanctuary during a service and listen to the sound system. If you can only get in when the room is empty then put up some music and check out the entire space. Keep in mind, numbers aside, your job is to create an uplifting worship audio experience for your listeners.
It’s fairly simple to hear if the band is too loud or if the message from the preacher can be heard clearly. You are simply putting yourself in the place of another member of your church. It’s important that you get a real sense of how your sound system sounds. The only difference is that you have (or will soon have) more educated ears. This gives you the ability to not only judge SPL and overall dB levels but you can tell which frequencies are not pronounced enough in the mix or are over accentuated. Of course, if your ears are not already tuned up, you will need some additional frequency training. I am not going to get into that now but you can count on some sort of ear training tips in the coming year.
Back to the Worship Room
Once you’ve adjusted the overall decibels to a suitable level, take a close look at where your front of house (main) speakers are pointed. Let’s say your main speakers are pointed at the front row and your older people regularly sit there. Also your average decibel level during a service is 98 dB. That may just be too much for the front row listeners. To remedy the situation you need only aim those speakers just above the heads of the occupants of the front row. This minor adjustment will allow the front row (or rows) to hear the service clearly without the sensation of being blasted by the sound. This is just one example of aiming your speakers. If your front of house speakers are easily adjusted and aimed, you can experiment with re-directing the audio to different locations in you worship room.
There are a number of techniques for this kind of speaker, taking into consideration frequency wavelengths and interior construction materials of you church. This is another rather deep subject that I will be addressing this coming year.
It’s essential that you become aware of any perceived level differences between what you hear at the mix position and that in areas where your parishioners are listening. For now, if the worship music or sermon is too loud in you church slowly pulling down the main fader is a good step. This move is extremely easy and at the least will make your loud a little less loud.
