“Every time we use the gain knobs they make a terrible crackle so we just don’t touch them!” Yes, this was a statement from a church that I was helping. So many things have to be attended to in your ministry. Furnace filters, an oil change for the van or resealing the parking lot. But what about your sound system? Is it time to replace those old speakers, buy a new pulpit mic that doesn’t sag or a better wireless mic that doesn’t drop out every Sunday? Often, I encounter systems that have never been maintained. Problems build up, performance degrades and your tech crew gets frustrated because they don’t have tools to do the job. Consequently, church audio gear is bought in panic mode (because something has failed) even if it’s not the best tool for the job. Consider investing in some system maintenance this year. Try a phased upgrade plan where you replace gear as you save up. Your sound system gets used two or three times a week and it’s an important ministry tool. Don’t forget to take keep it in good condition.
Tim’s Tech Talks – February 2019
This week I had the privilege to help out a small church with some audio and video needs and I was reminded of something important.
What do you need your sound system to accomplish?
I’ve been in churches where things would have sounded much better if they had just turned off the sound system. I’m talking about small churches where speaking, singing and instruments can be easily heard by anyone in the room. But some churches have a sound system simply because that’s what churches are expected to do. “Now wait a minute,” I hear you say, “aren’t you a sound guy?” Yes, but I’m also a pragmatist. If you don’t need a sound system, you don’t need a sound system!
This small church installed a simple system to play back recorded music before and after the service, to help everyone hear the sound for video presentations and to feed hearing assistance and nursery speakers. That’s it. They didn’t need re-enforcement for the Pastor, song leader or instruments in the auditorium.
It’s easy to over-complicate. Keep it simple and ask the question “What do I need this sound system to accomplish?”
Tim’s Tech Talks – January 2019
A couple of years ago, I was done with Christmas. As a tech director, I was involved in what seemed like every single Christmas event for my church and it’s associated school. I envied those who just came and sat and then left while I showed up early, stressed out about the details and stayed late to tear down and get ready for the next thing. I was done. I didn’t even want to listen to Christmas music! I had forgotten. Christmas isn’t about all the events, the music. It’s about Christ. Sometimes, even when we’re serving, we lose our focus, we lose the why. This Christmas, remember the why, Jesus Christ. His name is worth sharing, His birth is important and as a church tech director you can help others refocus on the real reason for Christmas.