Sound Sanctuary

Every year, I write a little something about the holiday season. Usually I share some of my personal rules and regulations that get me through the season with a smile on my face, and this year is no exception.

Every month, I attempt to write about issues, items and situations that directly involve or affect the worship sound world. However, there are a few different dividing lines with regards to those of you who work in this corner of live sound.

Please don't let the title of this month's Sound Sanctuary lead you to believe that I think that being wireless makes one more Godly. It just seems rather obviously that an all-knowing, all-powerful being does not need to be wired. So, if you are planning on shooting me an e-mail, relax; I am only going to discuss the wireless needs of our mortal pastors, priest, rabbis and preachers, etc.

Today we will be discussing the subject of house of sound pressure levels (volume). The size and shape of a worship space can affect the overall sound level, but of course the desires of the congregation (and leadership) will determine how much volume will be allowed in a particular worship house.

If you are a regular reader of this column, then you have already read some of my writings on Equalization, or, as I like to refer to it, "Frequency Manipulation." I never grow tired of this subject. Mainly because all the sound we hear is made up of a combination of frequencies, and the more control you have over those frequencies, the better you can make things sound. It is as simple as that.

Last month, we looked at a variety of location options for your house of worship mixing console. This month, we will investigate the all-important location and positioning of your FOH speakers.

One of the most common things I see (and hear) when I evaluate a house of worship sound system is that the mixing console is not in a very "sound-friendly" location. There are obvious limitations when deciding on the placement of the board, but I have seen a worship house spend buckets of money on a state-of-the-art system and then stick their mixing console in an out-of-the-way corner of the worship room.

A few months ago I wrote about setting up and mixing events at your house of worship that are not the typical Sunday or Wednesday services. I also got into a discussion about outreach events and all that they can entail. I want to continue in similar direction this month.

Today's worship sound has potentially never been better. What I mean is that the equipment and technology is the best it has ever been. That could be said about all live sound, but we are specifically talking about houses of worship. Not only is there a potential for high-quality sound, but also for some very loud services. You may mix in a loud church or in a quiet church. The point is, you should know the needs and desires of your congregation and find a decibel level that will satisfy all of them to the best of your ability.

Every month, I try to write something that will be useful to all of you out there, whether you volunteer your services at your house of worship or you mix and install worship sound systems as a part or all of your income. This month I would also like to include those of you who work with live sound, but not necessarily in the house of worship sound arena.

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.

It was Benjamin Franklin who coined that phrase. Not a bad bit of advice for the folks who started this country and for people today. Especially for house of worship sound mixer types (I know there weren't any back in Bens' day) during the holiday season. But maybe he should have said; "God helps those who ask for help."