The true cost of owning a sound system for ministry
One of the big questions about sound systems is "How much should a good one cost?".
Typically cost considerations always focus on the cost of design, products, and installation.
Several prices from different "contractors" are gathered and a committee or a few courageous
people are chosen to review the proposals. Often the final choice is based more on price than
performance since there is no real way for the buyer to measure performance until the system is
installed.
Product familiarity also tends to influence the buyer's decision to purchase a system whether or
not the particular product brand is the best choice for their particular needs. This is because
music store level products are more visible in the marketplace than professional products used by
sound engineering professionals in major public venues like auditoriums, stadiums, arenas, larger
church installations, business applications, etc. There's always a comfort level when buying
something you've heard of instead of something you've not.
Another "gotcha'" is the buyer is unaware that the majority of states do not require licensing of
"sound contractors" other than a simple business license. There is no required schooling of any
type to ensure some level of competence by the "contractor" to provide an adequate system
solution. Because of this fact the chance of getting the right system is slim to none for first time
buyers. Even after the church has been through several upgrades the lack of licensing still looms
over every future buying decision. We have seen some churches go through 7 upgrades before
getting a good system! Think of the wasted money! Think of how all of that money could have
been used more effectively. Throwing away thousands of dollars is only the tip of the iceberg. That is a very small
assessment of the cost of owning a sound system.
Most of us never consider the true cost in terms
of your ministry.
Imagine the frustration experienced by a pastor preparing for hours to deliver a message only to
have it ruined by a poor sound system. If you've never spoken to a crowd of people believe me
when I say you can look in their faces and know whether or not you're connecting. If the front
rows are responding and the back 2/3 rds have blank stares on their face, the sound system is not
working! That doesn't mean they can't hear you. It means they can't understand what
you're
saying. It takes a lot of wind out of your sails because while you're talking you realize that you
are wasting most of the people's time sitting there and your hours of work are in vain no matter
how important the message is. The fact is you're not communicating.
Choirs and music department heads work for weeks to present the best Christmas and Easter
production they can. Drama teams work hours practicing dialogues. The men are building props.
Moms are running all over town finding fabrics, making costumes, rushing through dinner to be
at practice on time with their kids. The church is humming like a bee hive for a few weeks before
the production is to begin. Anxiety builds as the big day approaches.
The sanctuary is full by 7:00 PM with everyone waiting to see and hear your presentation of the
Christmas story. The audience is treated to various tones of squeals and feedback throughout the
production because the sound operator can't get the choir microphones hot enough to hear the
voices of the choir at the back pews. There is a nice melodic roar from the choir but we can't
understand a word. We're not communicating. And the music director knows it.
The drama starts. Untrained actors are abundant in most churches. Churches that have good
actors that can project their voices are blessed. The rest need help being heard. A lapel mic
for each actor is used. However feedback once again is a problem. Even with a lapel mic the
operator is having problems getting the mic hot enough to pick up the timid voices plus it sounds
muddled when it does get loud enough to hear. The audience can't follow the storyline, heads
begin to nod off, and people look at their watches wondering how much longer before it ends.
We're not communicating. And everyone knows it.
It's time for the children's special. Proud parents and grandparents ready themselves for a grand
event. The costumes look great. Even little Johnny wiped the chocolate bar off his face before
coming on stage. The music starts. The music ends. Never heard the kids. We're not
communicating. The parents are thinking " I went through a lot of trouble for this. I wished I
could have heard them!" The grandparents just politely sit in quiet desperation. They wished they
could have heard them too.
The soloist walks out. No problem being heard here! When she reaches the mid high notes it makes
your skull resonate and your right eye flinch a little. We still can't make out some of what she
sang but we definitely hear it. We're not communicating. The soloist and the sound operator
think that finally something went right. The older folks are wondering why does it have to be so
loud and is glad the noise stopped.
Audio recordings are being sold to help pay for the production. The tapes are unbalanced,
distorted, and the people most excited about getting a recording can't hear their kid at all on the
tape. We're not communicating.
People are leaving patting everyone on the back for a fine job. Everyone's glad it's over so we
can all breath a sigh of relief that once again we made it through the Christmas holidays.
After being invited as a guest to eat dinner with a new acquaintance would you dare tell them that
the meal wasn't very good or you didn't like this or that? Of course not. You would try with all
of your will power not offend your host. People want to be nice. They most likely won't tell you
that they couldn't hear the kids. They won't tell you that they didn't understand a lot of the words
of your sermon. Grandparents won't tell you how disappointed they were that they couldn't hear
most of what was going on. Only one or two may complain and since they are the minority, the
problems they mention are discarded as "well, only a couple of people had complaints but
everybody else seemed like they enjoyed it" so we must not have too much of a problem. What
about the embarrassment of the choir, drama team, and music director? They know how hard
they worked and how it could have been a much more deep reaching ministry without constant
sound system problems.
Squeaks, howls, hiss, and noise destroy the worship experience. Not to mention the constant
tension everyone feels wondering when the next squeal is coming or whether or not anyone will
be able to hear the next drama line so critical to the story. Have you ever watched TV with the
sound turned off or too low to hear clearly what's happening? Someone in your sanctuary could
be experiencing this every worship service.
How much is it worth to ensure that everyone hears your ministry? How much is it worth to
communicate to everyone seated in your sanctuary? How much is it worth to reach those people
that need your ministry the most? How much is it worth for those that have the gifts of ministry
in word and song to be able to perform their best? Is it worth $50 a seat? $100? Or maybe $200
per person? If you could reach into a person's heart and move them with your ministry that
would change their life forever how much would you be willing to pay?
A sound system is often thought of as a "fixture" like a piece of furniture or something the youth
fusses about wanting. I agree that there are instances where we get caught up getting the thing
than doing the work. But, in today's ministry sound plays a major role. There's not one ministry
that is not impacted directly by the performance or lack thereof a sound system except perhaps for the smallest of
sanctuaries. Even then they want to at least record the services and provide hearing assistance
systems.
Think carefully about how the performance of a sound system directly impacts your efforts in
ministry. Think not only in terms of the purchase price but in the long term cost of owning a
system. Will this system provide clean clear sound at every seat? You can be sure! Read the topic
"How to tell if your new sound system will reach the audience" on our web site.
Think about how the music director, choir, soloists, musicians, praise and worship team, pastor,
guest speakers, lay persons that speak, drama team, and other members of your particular
ministries will be affected by a good and bad system choice. Will they be comfortable and
confident singing or will they be on edge? The congregation will feel the emotion or lack of it
during a choir special. Will they enjoy the music worship or feel the tension in the choir left by
the last squeal from the sound system? Will the congregation be moved by the words of the song
or hear a melodic roar from the choir loft? If you already know the words of the song that's one
thing. But if you are a visitor waiting to be inspired that's another. You must be able to hear
clearly to the words of the choir at the back seating in the church.
Can you look at your congregation and tell who suffers hearing loss? No. Will they tell you?
Some maybe, most no. It's hard enough to get hard of hearing people past the vanity of wearing a
small earphone so they can hear let alone having them admit they have a problem! People squint
for years before breaking down and buying a pair of eyeglasses. It's hard to admit to ourselves
that we are getting older. The right sound system can solve most minor hearing problems. The
wrong one makes things worse.
Good musicians, music directors, and sound operators are hard to find and even harder to keep. Musicians have certain artistic standards that perhaps most can't understand. You can't play well
if you don't sound good. I know. I'm a musician. A sound system must be able to accurately
reproduce the full tonal range of all instruments involved in your ministry. A flute player won't
be thrilled about playing if she sounds like a whistle through your sound system.
Sound system operators are under a tremendous amount of pressure to tweak the right knob at the
right time to make your ministry come to life particularly the music and drama programs. They
don't like working a system on the edge of feedback. It's like trying to steer a car with a pair of
pliers clamped onto the steering column instead of using a steering wheel. It can be done but it's
real work. System ops don't like to be embarrassed any more than those standing on the platform
by feedback howls and squeals. They are also blamed many times for problems that are inherent
in the sound system design, problems they unknowingly have no control over. But they are there
doing their best to make you sound good, sound warts and all.
Music and choir directors bear the brunt of complaints from all sides. My blessings to all of you
out there struggling to put together a music department. I've worked with hundreds of you and
admire your persistence in the face of seemingly un-surmountable technical problems! The music directors I know have to be able to fix a 4 year old's costume, program a Power Point
presentation, know the latest translation software, keep up with digital keyboards, write scripts,
work with all sorts of instruments, be an ambassador of world peace to every choir member, and
all sorts of other tasks to keep the music department together. It's an awesome responsibility. The
last thing they need is worrying about how the sound system is going to make the choir sound.
The sound system should just work period! The choir sings, they sound great, everyone seated
can easily hear the words, the music is balanced, and the recording sounds like a CD. Thrill a
music director. Get a good sound system.
As I've been saying for years. Your sound system is your most valuable tool of ministry. Get it
right. You don't have to buy the most expensive brand on the market. But you must get good
enough to make sure your ministries are effective and keep talented people.
The price of a properly designed Cathedral Sound
system is a very small investment when you consider the cost of owning anything
less.
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