Why is it that so many people are eager to participate in the worship band, yet skilled audio technicians are so difficult to find? I’ve observed a trend in medium to small churches where there is often a shortage of experienced audio techs. In many cases, the audio tech role is a volunteer position, which may lead to less consistent commitment from audio volunteers. Often, these volunteers may possess some technical skills but lack the ear required to mix music effectively. However, what if I told you there might be a solution to this challenge?
What if…?
For many years, I was an active volunteer in leading worship at my church, driven by a passion for guiding God’s people into worship. I thoroughly enjoyed the creative process of arranging worship music and seeing it come to life. Being part of the worship team and experiencing the sense of community it fostered was something I cherished.
After the birth of my fourth child, I decided to shift my focus and accepted position as an audio engineer at my church. While I wasn’t a stranger to the technical aspects of sound engineering, having worked with my father—a skilled audio engineer, record producer, and musician—I knew there was still much for me to learn on the technical front. However, I brought a strong musical sensibility to mixing, honed over many years as a musician, arranger, and songwriter. This auditory sensibility had developed naturally through years of playing and listening to music.
I recall my first experience mixing a service at my church, which happened to be a well-attended Palm Sunday service. The worship team was large, with numerous instruments and vocalists. Although I had never mixed a setup with so many inputs and intricate arrangements, my background as a musician guided me in placing each instrument and vocal part perfectly within the mix. My boss came up, listened to my work, and remarked, “Wow, that sounds good!” It was a gratifying moment, and I took it as a sign that I had successfully transitioned into my new role.
Over the years while observing this shortage of audio techs within so many churches, it caused me to consider solutions to this dilemma. And then it hit me, I am living proof of a viable solution. What if musicians from the worship team were scheduled on a rotation to mix a service?
Why Musicians?
Musicians who are audio engineers understand the foundation of building a mix. Their ears will be tuned in to what each instrument is playing and their placement within the mix. Every instrument has a sonic range and a part it plays in crafting the band’s sound. A musician understands the importance of ensuring their playing doesn’t overshadow or overlap too much with other instruments in a song. A musician who is also an audio engineer is aware of this and can assist other musicians in addressing issues related to overlap. An example would be rolling off the low-end EQ on the keys so that the sound doesn’t encroach on the bass players frequencies.
Musicians who are audio engineers possess a keen ear for detail that allows them to discern even the subtlest nuances in a song. Their musical expertise enables them to isolate and address any elements that may not be contributing positively to the overall sound. By adjusting levels and/or applying effects, they can enhance the quality of the mix. artistic vision is not compromised by technical oversights.
Musicians who are audio engineers have the unique ability to anticipate the needs of worship team members on stage. Why? Because they’ve been in their shoes and understand the experience firsthand. For instance, as both a musician and an engineer, I might make a subtle adjustment to a monitor mix before the musician on stage even requests it, knowing that this change will enhance their reference—exactly what I would appreciate if I were in their position.
Musicians who are audio engineers have an advantage because they already know how to speak “musician-ese.” Understanding the language of music, musicians, and vocalists gives the technician an advantage of moving beyond communication and connecting with people onstage. The better you connect, the better you will be at working with the band to create a great mix.
Musicians who are audio engineers have the advantage of understanding the art of music and song. A good music director will speak about dynamics and tie the words and music together to convey the message and themes as they play and sing. A musician/audio engineer can anticipate this artistic interpretation and adjust the mix as necessary to help the band connect with the congregation in a way that seems natural and authentic.
The Most Valuable Take Away
For me, transitioning from being a musician on stage to stepping into the role of an audio engineer wasn’t challenging from a technical standpoint. The real challenge was learning how to navigate the interpersonal dynamics involved in communicating with band members.
While working with the worship team, I encountered situations where band members would issue directives without basic courtesies like “please” or “thank you.” Often, multiple musicians would request monitor adjustments simultaneously, and if I didn’t make the changes quickly enough, their frustration was evident. I must admit, my first experience running sound for the worship team was a bit overwhelming, leading me to reflect on my own behavior. I asked myself, “Have I been communicating this way with the sound person when I’m on stage?”
Being in the audio engineer’s position gave me a new perspective on the interaction between the band and the sound person. It was something I hadn’t fully recognized as a musician, but experiencing it firsthand has made me much more considerate and sensitive in my communication with the sound person when I’m on stage.
In turn, because I understand the needs of musicians, I make every effort to accommodate them so they can perform at their best and lead the congregation into worship without distraction.
Consider the depth of understanding that could be achieved if worship team musicians regularly took on the role of sound technician as part of a rotating schedule.
Part Of The Team
It’s essential to recognize that the sound technician is not just an extension of the worship team, but an integral part of it. Just as each musician contributes to shaping the band’s sound, the sound technician bears equal responsibility for crafting the final mix that defines the band’s overall sound.
Implementing the idea of rotating musicians into the sound technician role would certainly require training and thoughtful planning, which could be explored in a future discussion. But, consider the benefits: not only would this approach help address the shortage of sound technicians prevalent in so many churches, but it would also promote the overall growth and cohesion of the team.
What are your thoughts on this concept?
About the author
Golden Preciado is a Training Specialist and House of Worship Specialist for QSC. Golden grew up in the music industry and followed in her dad’s footsteps as an audio engineer, musician and worship leader. Golden is an accomplished front of house and broadcast engineer not only in the church world but in the secular music industry as well. She enjoys teaching her skill set to others, including online and on site where training is needed.
