"Check one. . ."
"Check two. . ."
“Can you hear me?”
Do you hear these words at your church about an hour before the service begins? These words were also heard during a two day, intensive, Church Sound Boot Camp.
During the first weekend of August, Friendship CRC, South Christian High School, and CRC Worship Ministries hosted a conference for church tech team members on how to best utilize their sound equipment and enhance worship in their congregations. The conference was taught by Curt Taipale from Taipale Media Systems, Inc.
The conference focused on:
- How microphones work and which microphones should be used in various situations
- Which cables should be used to connect equipment
- How to best use a mixer board to achieve great sound quality for the congregation, recordings, and possibly live stream
- How to use speakers and monitors effectively
One hundred fifty-seven volunteers and tech leaders attended this two day event. Experience levels were anywhere from “What does this knob do?” to “Where do I place microphones in a grand piano so I don’t get feedback and still reject unwanted noise from the rest of the praise band?”
Ages ranged from those who are digital natives to those who started mixing sound when the preacher podium was the only place that had a microphone. Attendees came from all over the Midwest; Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and even two from Washington. By the end of the conference, new friends were made, connections formed, and the comfort level in using audio equipment was increased.
For further information contact Rod Jager, Worship Director, Friendship CRC, [email protected], or Diane Dykgraaf, CRC Worship Ministries, [email protected].
What questions regarding church sound do you have? What are your most pressing technical needs?
