When it comes to church PA systems there are several commonly used designs and multiple variations within those designs. Engineers and audio experts all have their individual preferences. As with so many issues we discuss here, there are always proponents of one side...
We've all experienced attending a group event when someone is taking photos. After the event when you see the pictures, what's the first thing you look for? Yourself, of course. We all want to feel good about our presence in photographs. Some want to blend in, others...
One of the first pastors I worked with used to say, “serving in church is a grind, and it's not for everybody”. As we recover from the post-Easter-hangover, I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on the grind and discuss how we can protect ourselves from two of...
Recently Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon, announced that going forward they were only going to stream the teaching portion of their services. I respect their decision. I believe every church should be intentional with their use of technology as a reflection of...
If you've spent any time on social media lately, I'm sure you've seen lots of content created by worship musicians. Typically these are short clips with a POV camera showing the musicians doing their job. Sometimes we get a glimpse of their equipment, but for the most...
It's quite possible that the majority of complaints received by the modern church, that aren't directed specifically to the pastor, are about the audio presentation. They come in various forms, from the carefully crafted email, to the brief hand-written...
Considering all the things pastors and staff do regarding sermon preparation, I'm constantly surprised how little effort goes into making sure spoken-word content is presented well from the platform. While some churches meticulously manage every technical detail of...
In the course of working with church audio engineers for many years, I like to ask, “What's the one thing, aside from equipment upgrades, you want from leadership that you're not currently getting? The answer is almost always, "more time". Since the implementation of...
Many years ago, I was working with a church that hosted a large conference with some very high-profile guest speakers. Along with the team, we presented multiple worship sets in the main auditorium. We were organized and well-rehearsed, everything looked and sounded...
I love it when great technology becomes accessible to almost everyone. Such is the case with In-Ear-Monitor systems, commonly referred to as IEMs. Thanks to technical innovation and market competition, even churches with extremely modest budgets can take advantage of...
In our previous feature “The Ethics of Pre-recorded Tracks in Worship” we discussed why you should examine the use of backing tracks and the potential effects on your team and overall worship presentation. I am grateful for the many responses from a variety of sizes...
When considering what makes a great church audio engineer for your team, what qualities are most important? Everybody loves a good snare sound. Showing up early and prepared is always good. Mixing for First-Baptist “Mega-town” looks nice on a resume. Formally...
There was a time when being exposed for using backing tracks in a live performance was a career ending event. In 1989 Milli Vanilli's hard-drive “skip heard around the world” became the source of industry and public ridicule. We didn't use the term “cancel” in the...
I have some exciting news to share: Due to the overwhelming response to this newsletter, starting this month we’ll be doing 2 issues each month! As always all of our content will be directly aimed at the audio aspects of producing your worship service. Thank you for...
The challenges drums create on the worship platform manifest themselves in multiple areas; sound quality, musical technique, stage space, the visual aspect, and most prominently, loudness. As someone who has been helping churches with audio for decades and a former...
One of my favorite things to do is train church audio people. Most of the time, it’s on the heels of a recent equipment upgrade — a new console, PA, or an entirely new system in a brand-new building. These are exciting times, and it’s a great time for a church to...
I would like to personally welcome everyone to Worship Facility's Audio Connections, a new monthly email newsletter dedicated to Church Audio. Our goal is to provide helpful content designed to maximize the impact of your audio ministry. We'll be digging into every...
"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn’t stop to think if they should", Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park. Just before Christmas of 2022, a video of a tech rehearsal at a large church circulated throughout the church AVL...