Just What Do We Do, Anyway!?!
Sound Advice
by EXW Staff
September 06, 2006
by Curt Taipale - ChurchSoundCheck.com
Doing Sound
1. Create a workable stage layout. In determining where instruments and vocalists should be placed on stage, we must consider good mic technique, sound isolation from other instruments and monitors, as well as comfortable sight lines for the worship team and for the congregation.
2. Set the stage. This can include moving church-owned instruments into place, placing stage monitors, headphone boxes, mic stands, microphones, connecting all stage gear, testing all gear, pre-setting monitor levels, and so on. Ideally, the stage will be setup and ready, with basic monitor levels and mixes preset when the worship team walks on stage.
3. While you're setting the stage, pray over the equipment and the stage area to make it a peaceful place rather than a battleground. You can be sure that the stage will be a place of spiritual warfare during rehearsal and even during a worship service, but we can each help do our part to usher in angels to guard over the area.
4. Attend rehearsals each week to "practice" new songs along with the vocalists and musicians. Practice might not make perfect, but it can point the way to excellence.
5. Create a flawless, album-quality musical mix for every worship service. (So flawless that out-of-tune vocals and missed brass notes aren't heard.)
6. Create a stunning monitor mix that provides each player with just what they need to lead the congregation into worship of the God of the Universe.
7. Learn how to handle the inevitable "it's too loud" complaints.
8. Educate your players and singers in the most basic elements of audio excellence, like how to properly hold and use a microphone.
9. If the sound volume on stage typically overwhelms the house sound system, then educate your worship team on the realities of God's Laws of Physics, and the benefits of electronic drums and headphones.
10. "Do sound" for all other church-wide meetings, including concerts, retreats and other offsite functions. If your church offers women's retreats, then you have just learned one important reason why you should invite and include women as part of the audio support team.
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