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Why you can't hear your choir, drama, and children's ministries
without feedback problems |
Pre-recorded sound tracks |
Live instruments |
Soloist |
Pastor |
Large choir
75 or more |
Small choir, less than 25 |
Drama |
Children's choir and drama |
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Feedback problems can be related to improper operation or tuning but most
likely is an inherent design defect. If you have tried everything under the
sun to figure out how to stop feedback and nothing works very well, you are
the unfortunate victim of an ill designed sound system. Too many people are
focused on the visible parts of a sound system and price instead of
performance, including those that sell and install systems. The invisible
part of a sound system is the art of proper design. The proper
design is absolutely critical to resolving feedback issues and providing
clean, clear sound at every seat. This step cannot be bypassed if you want
top performance regardless of the price or the name brands.The above
scale shows the relative difficulty of designing a sound system for each
ministry. Playing music or amplifying a soloist is easy. So easy that any PA
equipment will work. Picking up the timid voice of a 4 year old in a
Christmas play so that grandpa on the back pew can hear is the acid test of
a sound system designed for real world church ministry. We are the best at
it. Here is a snapshot of the difference between a PA system and a Cathedral
Sound System. |
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These sound sources are easy to for any sound system to
pick up! |
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These sound sources require more gain from the sound
system without feedback and articulation problems. |
sound tracks, instruments, soloists, trained
speakers
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choirs, drama, youth, children |
| Reason: Sound sources
are "close mic'd" requiring very little design skills to "design" or put
together a simple "sound system". Since the sound is so close to a
microphone or is a direct input (CD or tape tracks, or electronic keyboard
for instance), the original sound is so loud already that little sound
system gain is needed to amplify it. Plus, your ears are much more forgiving
of music quality than of speech quality.
Any "sound system" of this design category will sound pretty good with a
music track, hot soloist, or well spoken pastor, but will fail miserably at
picking up the choir, drama, children, and other ministries that require
lot's of gain before feedback. |
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Reason: These sound sources are FAR AWAY from microphones.
Therefore, you have to turn up the sound system for the microphones to reach
out to the voices of the choir, children, drama, and an untrained person
speaking at the pulpit. The sound system MUST be designed to correctly match
your sanctuary acoustics to get the maximum gain before feedback occurs.
Every sound system on the planet will feedback at some point without
exception. The trick is designing the system so that you can hear the small
timid voice of a child before it goes into feedback.
Designing a sound system of this caliber is an art form. It takes years
of trained ears, engineering skills, and practical knowledge to correctly
design a system to provide clear, articulate, and even sound over your
seating areas. Cathedral Sound is expert at designing the perfect sound
system for your church ministries. |
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The pros and cons of typical "priced right" systems and
a Cathedral Sound System |
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Designed toward price concerns |
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Designed for ministry |
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Pros: |
Inexpensive systems
designed to meet a price point Requires very little technical knowledge to
"design" and install one. Any teenager can do it
Good as a beginning system when budget is everything |
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Pros: |
Crystal clear sound at
every seat All of the audience can enjoy the worship experience to the
fullest including those with hearing disabilities
Those ministering will enjoy total freedom and confidence by knowing they
sound their very best
The music ministries will not be held back by sound system restraints
Sound techs enjoy a much more relaxed operating environment without worry
of feedback problems
Systems will last practically a lifetime or until the sanctuary grows |
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Cons: |
Will never pick up the
choir, drama, or children without severe feedback problems Sound coverage
will be uneven and spotty
Will be replaced in short order often of the same type unknowingly by the
buyer
The music ministries and the sound techs will be constantly frustrated
with this type of system
Severely limits the ability of the music ministries to expand |
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Cons: |
Requires more
expensive artistic talent of professional sound engineers Requires higher
quality components
Requires in depth understanding of music ministries
Requires a REAL understanding of sound engineering and acoustic
principles. NOT just software programs that supposedly "designs" a system |
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