Audiovisual

Creating a thorough soundcheck process is one of the best ways ensure that a consistent audio mix is achieved at church each week. There are different ways to approach a soundcheck, but the end result should always be quality sound from the stage to the main loudspeakers, a good monitor mix for each musician and vocalist, and a sound tech that is prepared to mix the live event.

We know as ministry leaders that you often don't get the chance to visit other churches on Sunday mornings. One of the perks I have is that I don't work for a church and can take time each month to visit churches in my area. Recently, our family visited a new church plant that meets at my daughter's middle school. I immediately noticed the lack of clutter on the stage area. I also noticed that there worship leaders were leading from iPads with no sheet music.

Streaming audio over Wi-Fi for assistive listening is the new thing for the hard-of-hearing, multilingual listeners and overflow areas of church services and events. For several decades the assistive listening technology landscape has been dominated by three twentieth-century analog technologies: Inductive Loop, Radio Frequency (usually FM) and Infrared (IR). Wi-Fi audio is now offering comparable and often superior alternatives to analog systems. How do they compare and how do churches know if Wi-Fi is the right solution? Let’s find out.

Mixing consoles and loudspeakers tend to dominate the discussion when it comes to church sound gear. However, it is extremely important to consider the smaller components that can make a huge impact on the sound quality before the signal even reaches the mixing console. Microphones and direct boxes are very common input sources, but there may also be a variety of other sources connected to the church sound system. Each type of device has its own special considerations worth learning about to ensure that the best quality signal is sent to the mixer.

With the rise of multi-campus churches, the question of live or video sermons has been a question at the forefront of this movement. Some churches have multiple pastors preaching at different campuses. Some churches have one pastor that travels to each campus to preach. But others have one pastor that preaches at one location and a recording is fed via video to the other campuses. The debate still rumbles regarding what is best. But whether we like it or not, video venues are here and they are here to stay.

Part of being a good steward with church technology is to ensure that you get the best value for your money. While many churches face the challenge of being underfunded in the technology department, it is important to consider things other than price when shopping for new gear. The following tips can help churches avoid some of the common problems that can end up costing more money in the long run.

Church presentations can add a lot to a worship service. The song lyrics on a screen help people look up instead of burying their heads in a book as they sing praises to the Lord. A well-designed announcement graphic can help attendees learn about important events or information they need. Preachers can communicate more effectively if they use more than one form of media to share the message of the Word of God. However, this will all grind to a halt without someone to control the presentation during the church service.

Running sound for church can be a dynamic and fast-paced endeavor--and, because it’s live “production,” anything can and does happen, normally when you least...