I sat down to write this month's installment when I realized that we have not only entered a New Year but we are now in the second decade of the new millennium. Whatever happened to that first decade, I ask myself.
Anyway, live sound has certainly evolved rapidly over the last 10 years, but I think worship sound has moved even faster. The fact of the matter is that more houses of worship have realized that they have a real need and responsibility to deliver quality sound to their congregations. The larger the church venue, the more important it is that the Pastor, Priest, Rabbi, etc. be heard. It is for this reason that the niche of church sound has continued to grow, even in a less-than-prosperous economy. So, what does this have to do with me, you may ask. Plenty, would be the simple answer, but let's look into the question a little more deeply.
Your job description as a house of worship sound tech may be to simply show up at a service once a week, set up and mix sound, say "Hi" to your friends in the congregation and go home. Or maybe you have a worship house installation company, and you are designing a half a dozen audio systems at a time. Wherever you are personally in this very broad description, I will assume you want to do your job the best you can. After all, this is the beginning of a new year. This is the time when we resolve to fix some of those things that haven't been working all year – at church or in our lives. And, of course, we especially want to improve our abilities as sound technicians.
Goldfish in a Bowl
Well, there are a few things we can do to make our desires a reality. How many of you visit other worship houses to listen to their sound systems? If you are an installer, you listen to various systems out of the necessity of your job. However, you may simply volunteer and mix at the worship house of which you are a member and nowhere else. This is great if you want to become somewhat proficient in the operation of your house system, but at the same time, you may have separated yourself from the rest of the sound world out there. It becomes the goldfish in a bowl syndrome. You are only aware of the environment immediately around you.
I suggest you get out and listen to some other worship sound systems and check other house environments. Visit the church next door (or down the street) and exercise your God-given ears. There is no doubt that you will learn something. You may find out that you rock as a worship house sound mixer. Or you may hear tones and frequencies that you never knew existed. Whatever the outcome, it should be somewhat enlightening. The more worship systems you can listen to, the more objective you can become about your own house system. Besides, all the listening you do will just improve your ear training and frequency discernment. I realize that this exercise will take extra time and effort on your part but we already decided we want to do the best job we can. Right?
Along with using your ears, you will want to use your eyes. While visiting another house of worship, check out the space. Look at the walls. Are they acoustically treated? How about the windows and floor – are there draperies? What is the shape of the room? Is there a balcony? What kind of seats are there and what are they covered with? And what kinds of speakers are being used and where are they mounted? There so many things to take in visually while you are listening to the sound system. If you happen to visit a house of worship that sounds much better than your own house system, that would be a reason to take some notes on what audio components are being used and how the interior of the worship space is acoustically treated. That will take some writing skills, but I doubt that is a problem for you.
Smart Choices
This is also a good time to read about what is the latest and greatest in the world of sound. I guess all of you are pretty smart. You are reading this article, aren't you? For that matter, you read FOH, which is a great source for what is new and exciting in sound. Of course, you have the Internet at your fingertips. This can be a blessing and a curse. If you are looking for something in particular, you can certainly find it. If you are just surfing for worship audio information, too much info can make your head spin.
I guess I will take this opportunity to plug my book on sound. House of Worship Sound Reinforcement can be found at Amazon.com or just about any bookstore. I don't endorse any particular manufacturers in the book. I do give you tons of valuable information on understanding sound and operating an audio system. The book will help you get the most out of your particular sound system. And it is easier to carry around than a laptop.
If you are going to the NAMM show, you will have a chance to see and hear buckets of new sound innovations, systems and toys. Of course, NAMM will also make your head spin, but it's a lot more fun than sitting in front of your computer screen.
Whatever your sound aspirations for 2010, I hope you achieve everything you desire. At least decide now that by the end of this year you will have improved your sound technician skills. Good luck.
