In my early days in the recording industry, we used a practice called the car-test. Simply put, to hear how your mix translated to the most likely listening environment, you’d make a copy of your mix (typically on cassette back then), pile into the Chevy Nova with the...
In the world of church AVL, it’s easy to turn to social media for quick answers and advice. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are full of enthusiastic tech directors and well-intentioned volunteers, eager to share their latest gear recommendations and DIY...
Most modern churches invest substantially in creating welcoming lobby or foyer environments. Spacious layouts, lots of seating options, coffee bars, or cafes are all designed to make guests and regular attenders feel at home. This has almost become the standard over...
Recently I polled a number of church production forums with the question: Who uses the scene function on your digital audio consoles, versus those who mix their entire service manually? For the uninitiated, scenes, (also called snapshots by some manufacturers) are...
Everyone knows as we age it's natural to lose some hearing. Those of us who rely on our ears for a living, or for our service to the church, think about this a lot once the mirror starts reflecting more salt than pepper. Like most audio engineers and musicians, I am...
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...
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...
Subscribe to the Worship Audio newsletter
Interested in Worship Audio? Eager to learn? Subscribe to the only newsletter devoted to audio in the church. Written by audio pros working in the church, you will learn from the best.
Worship Audio is published twice per month.
| SUBSCRIBE NOW |