There is probably not a relationship in a church that is more polarizing than between the worship team and the sound engineer. One week it can be perfect and everyone is happy, and the next week the guitar player might be ready to throw his Ernie Ball VP Jr at the sound booth. It can be a frustrating relationship for band members who work so hard on a guitar tone or keyboard sound to receive feedback from the sound engineer that it needs to be different for the mix.
Why is that relationship often frustrating for both parties involved? Often this conflict can come from a lack of understanding of what the sound engineer’s job actually is.
In the book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey recommends we seek to understand before being understood. This article is here to help with this habit. We want to help band members understand what they need to know about a sound engineer's job.
Sound Engineers Are Responsible For Volume And Tone.
The sound engineer’s job is to make the room balanced in terms of both tone and sound pressure level (volume). Often during a worship rehearsal instrumentalists will hold back and play with less intensity as opposed to the level of volume they will use within the service. While this is natural for someone to do, it complicates the engineer’s job because it throws their mix out of balance. Playing with the same intensity through sound check/rehearsal and the service makes a significant difference to the overall mix. If a band member or vocalist is consistently frustrated because their monitor mix is different because of practice to service, this is most likely why.
Yes, God can move with or without a good mix, but it is hard to focus on God’s presence when 700 Hz is making the congregation’s ears bleed.
Consistency is not only important for volume but also for tone. If the band can think of their sound as an ingredient and the sound engineer’s job is to apply the right amount of each ingredient to make the best pie, then changing the type of ingredient at the last minute might seem ridiculous. However, it’s not uncommon for a piano player to change piano patches last minute or a guitar player to adjust their tone in between the sound check and service. While this adjustment might make sense individually to the guitar player, it will probably hurt the mix more than help it even if the tone is “better” after the changes.
If a musician understands the role of a sound engineer in practice as one who is shaping tone and setting volume, then it helps them better understand how last-minute adjustments can cause more harm than good. The sound engineer isn’t trying to be controlling, they are trying to be consistent.
Preparation Is Key For The Sound Engineer
When churches have more than one piano player or drummer that rotates from week to week, it complicates the mix. For example, the way a drummer hits his/her drums, it dramatically changes not only the volume in the mix but the tone of the instrument changes as well. This is also true of different guitar players and singers. Singers who come in and hold the microphone further away from their mouths change how the mic will respond. Preparation for a sound engineer may look like having five minutes of extra time with the on-stage position that rotates every week to make sure they are dialed in appropriately. This may seem small but will help the practice run a lot smoother for the sound engineer.
Sound engineers experience the whole mix in ways people standing on a platform behind the speakers never will.
The Sound Engineer’s Job Makes Or Breaks The Quality Of The Service
Sometimes those on the stage lack the understanding of how integral a good mix is to a worship experience. Yes, God can move with or without a good mix, but it is hard to focus on God’s presence when 700 Hz is making the congregation’s ears bleed. Good sound engineers are just as creative and gifted as those on the platform, they just sit in a different vantage point than the rest of the team. They experience the whole picture in ways people standing on a platform behind the speakers never will.
Paul uses the illustration of one body with multiple parts in 1 Corinthians 12. Sound engineers are just as much part of the body that makes up worship. We need all of the parts, one is not more important than the other, but we need all.
