Easter is just around the corner. This is one of the most important seasons for churches and a time when members, guests, and visitors especially look forward to enjoying the comforting and lively holiday music. It is extremely important that the church sound system is at its best at Easter.
While sophisticated technical systems are a great way to enhance a worship service, they can also become a distraction for the congregation when there are malfunctions. To avoid unnecessary distractions and deliver a quality worship experience, many churches are looking for ways to improve their sound systems while also keeping costs down. This is not always easy, but there are ways it can be done effectively and efficiently.
Here are five ways to improve your church sound system by Easter:
1) List Your Priorities for Easter
This is an important first step. It is helpful to start by defining specific goals such as, “we want better sound coverage for the sanctuary” or “we need to reduce our stage volume.” Next, spend time researching possible solutions by talking to other churches, search online, and talk to a local A/V professional for specific advice. Once you know what's needed, make a list to help figure out the order of importance and the preliminary budget.
Setting priorities and goals for Easter church sound can often be a way to keep costs down. Sometimes a simple fix can solve a big problem. Other times, it may be necessary to add or replace a major system component to get the desired result. Defining the specific goals first will help identify the best solutions.
2) Maintenance and System Tune-Ups
Many sound systems can benefit from basic maintenance or a tune-up to make sure everything is functioning properly. A sound company that designs and installs church sound systems can provide a re-tuning of your sound system that can increase the sound quality and cost far less than replacing equipment.
While not every system will benefit from this, it is a good option to consider. If certain items need to be repaired or replaced, an experienced contractor can help remove old equipment, replace it or send it in for repair.
3) Moving Your Speaker System
Feedback and poor sound coverage during church services are often caused by improperly placed speakers. Churches with limited budgets can have the speakers moved to a place where they will provide higher gain before feedback or maximize the coverage patterns at minimal costs. Loudspeaker placement is so crucial in a sound system, and this is one simple step that can be taken to make a significant improvement.
4) Upgrading Speakers
Upgrading the church loudspeakers can sometimes be far less costly than upgrading an entire system. If you deal with poor sound quality, inconsistent volume output, or coverage issues then upgrading your speakers and making sure they are in the proper place can make a big difference.
Sound system professionals use design software with the exact room dimensions to ensure that the correct speakers are being selected for each room and that they are placed in the location that will provide the best performance. While this may be more expensive than the other options, investing the time and energy to correctly design a church sound system and set up can be very effective, especially for larger church services such as your Easter services.
5) Training
Nearly every church can benefit from a training program specifically designed for sound team members and church tech volunteers. Proper training is crucial, regardless of how large or small the church may be. Making sure that the church sound team has the right tools and information to perform their job will help ensure consistency and a higher level of quality week to week. Ultimately, it is important to remember that each room is different and some sound systems require more help than others.
Certain measures (like those listed above) will not work in every instance or for every church. One of the best things to do is to seek professional advice and establish a relationship with a local audio professional that designs and installs church sound systems. These professionals can be a powerful resource for sharing hands-on knowledge and tips with your sound team and volunteers as well. Not only can this approach save money in the long run, but the right company will have your church's best interest in mind and the necessary experience to get the job done correctly so that your Easter services sound great.
