Audio - Part 1 (starting a quality audio ministry)
Early in my Chrisitan life, I became very involved in music, evangelism, and A/V work. I have traveled to hundreds of churches through my ministry and the other ministries that I have worked with, and have found that a suprising number of churches have extremely poor audio.
Now, the first thing you will want to note, is that churches that have nothing else, will have a sound board. The unfortunate thing is that beginners always seem to purchase the cheapest Radio Shack wireless microphone they can find for the preacher (and sometimes a wired mic for the pulpit) and leave the board to operate itself. Many also ignore recommendations and get the cheapest speakers they can find. They install the board using regular speaker wire on a spool with an adapter duct taped to the splices and only touch the board to turn it on or off each week. If they do find somone to operate the board, they are usually untrained and do little more than turn the volume up and down. They may spend several hundred or even several thousand dollars on equipment to help church members hear better, and later find that they are disappointed because the muttled or shrill noises coming out of the speakers are actually more of a distraction than an enhancement. What is a church to do?
Audio is probably the most important purchase a church will ever make, simply because if the word is not reaching the people, the preacher is wasting his time. It may take some time to save up to buy quality equipment, and it may mean that you have to wait on upgrading the fellowship hall ro taking the youth to Six Flags, but making sure that people can hear will make the difference on how people respond to the message being preached. If a lost man walks into a church with poor audio, he may leave having never heard the gospel. If he leaves, he may never come back.
The difference in a quality microphone and a budget microphone may be $300-400, but the difference in sound may actually make the difference in a soul being saved. Poor mics tend to have background noise and budget wireless mics have even been known to pick up signals from other wireless sources (some that you really don't want in your church!!). Is it worth saving a few bucks if someone goes to Hell? I think not. It really is important to make sure you get what your facility needs, and it really may not be that expensive of a purchase for some smaller churches, but DO NOT COMPREMISE ON AUDIO TO SAVE MONEY. You will regret it if you do.
The second item you want to think about in this area, is training. Audio is not as simple as turning the volume up and down on a board. It is important that the amplified audio sound as close to the original voice as possible in order to deter distraction, and tweaking must be done from speaker to speaker and singer to siner, to maintain that quality. Smaller churches may want to think about sending your volunteers to a larger church with an established, QUALITY audio ministry OR asking some of the operators from a church such as this to assist you in the selection, purchase and training in your own sanctuary. I would actually suggest both if at all possible.
There are sites available online that give tips for operating almost every station in media, and even message boards where you can post your questions.
Acheiving quality audio may not be the cheapest or easiest project a church undertakes, but look at it as a vital part of the communications ministry of the church.
Until next time,
Shawn Howell
Now, the first thing you will want to note, is that churches that have nothing else, will have a sound board. The unfortunate thing is that beginners always seem to purchase the cheapest Radio Shack wireless microphone they can find for the preacher (and sometimes a wired mic for the pulpit) and leave the board to operate itself. Many also ignore recommendations and get the cheapest speakers they can find. They install the board using regular speaker wire on a spool with an adapter duct taped to the splices and only touch the board to turn it on or off each week. If they do find somone to operate the board, they are usually untrained and do little more than turn the volume up and down. They may spend several hundred or even several thousand dollars on equipment to help church members hear better, and later find that they are disappointed because the muttled or shrill noises coming out of the speakers are actually more of a distraction than an enhancement. What is a church to do?
Audio is probably the most important purchase a church will ever make, simply because if the word is not reaching the people, the preacher is wasting his time. It may take some time to save up to buy quality equipment, and it may mean that you have to wait on upgrading the fellowship hall ro taking the youth to Six Flags, but making sure that people can hear will make the difference on how people respond to the message being preached. If a lost man walks into a church with poor audio, he may leave having never heard the gospel. If he leaves, he may never come back.
The difference in a quality microphone and a budget microphone may be $300-400, but the difference in sound may actually make the difference in a soul being saved. Poor mics tend to have background noise and budget wireless mics have even been known to pick up signals from other wireless sources (some that you really don't want in your church!!). Is it worth saving a few bucks if someone goes to Hell? I think not. It really is important to make sure you get what your facility needs, and it really may not be that expensive of a purchase for some smaller churches, but DO NOT COMPREMISE ON AUDIO TO SAVE MONEY. You will regret it if you do.
The second item you want to think about in this area, is training. Audio is not as simple as turning the volume up and down on a board. It is important that the amplified audio sound as close to the original voice as possible in order to deter distraction, and tweaking must be done from speaker to speaker and singer to siner, to maintain that quality. Smaller churches may want to think about sending your volunteers to a larger church with an established, QUALITY audio ministry OR asking some of the operators from a church such as this to assist you in the selection, purchase and training in your own sanctuary. I would actually suggest both if at all possible.
There are sites available online that give tips for operating almost every station in media, and even message boards where you can post your questions.
Acheiving quality audio may not be the cheapest or easiest project a church undertakes, but look at it as a vital part of the communications ministry of the church.
Until next time,
Shawn Howell
posted by onevoice at 1:16 PM
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