The Recovering Choir Director

Instuments are usually too loud because of improper mixing (volumn balence). There are three volumns that are important: What the congregation hears. 2. What the musiscian hears of other instruments and voices - to stay together, and 3. feedback of their own instrument or voice - sometimes called sidetone.

Most performers turn their own volume up in order to hear themselves properly. This in turn causes an imbalence in the overall volume.

This is a technical issue that can be solved, but rarely is the proper mixing equipment and experienced person with acoustic training available. Also it can be next to imposible to achieve in a church with too high an acoustic decay time - too much reverberation. In extreme situations musicians and singers will have to wear earphones.

Although your choir director probably already knows about the problem, mention it. However, note that mixing of sound is an art not a science, and what sounds imbalenced to you may sound just right to someone else. Also changing your location in the church may make a big difference.

Finally, there are some choirs that just do not know how to project.

God bless,
Al

Dear Gurlll

The problem predates electronic amplification by several thousand years. Quite a bit was written by the ancient Greeks about acoustics and the proper way to design a building to allow good sound production and music in particular. See for example A History of Western Music by Donald Grout and Claude Palisca.

I am old enough to have sung in choirs before amplification was common in churches. Balance was a problem then and placement of musicians and singers was of some concern. Also I was taught the trick of cupping your hand behind your ear in order to hear yourself in large groups.

Lately I have been putting on a “Coffee House” singing Christian songs I have composed. For some I used digital music driven by a computer, some a guitar, some I sing with a microphone, some I sing without any accompaniment, without any amplification. The point is I view all these things, including my voice, as tools. Tools to get across the Good News. These songs are not trivial, for example: (Copyright Al Boehm)

Mother, Mother,
What is my name?
You chose not to bear me,
I love you just the same.
…

The song was based on a visit to me by the spirit of an aborted girl who asked me to tell her mother to give her a name. My heart is very much in it when I sing this song. Indeed the first dozen times I could not finish it because I started crying.

Those who use some tools but not others fall into three categories. 1. Those who are trying for a specific effect or targeting a particular group. 2. Those who do not know how to use a tool so they are not able to use it, not everyone knows how to play a violin. 3. Those who do not know how to use a tool so they say the tool is no good. (See Aesop’s Sour Grapes)

You mention that “…boys like electronic toys.” Well I’d say of the boys and girls that I have met that in general boys are more mechanical. However, I have met too many exceptions to base any decisions on such generalizations. For example, one of my 11 year old granddaughters is very much into science and space and mechanical things.

I have been in churches were everyone was singing. But many churches I have been in are very concerned about the lack of congregations singing. I have come to the conclusion the problems are in order of importance:

1. The Music style is not appreciated, indeed is found boring.
2. Lack of regard for acoustics, feedback, and amplification.
3. Poorly trained musicians.

Thus, I encourage you to learn about acoustics. Learn how to use amplification rather than be cowed by it.

God bless,
Al

In my years of church work (20+), although detesting sound systems for various reasons, I have learned that they are a necessary evil. An early electronic “school of thought” was to deaden the room (remove all reflective surfaces), and recreate the acoustical environment via sound system. Talk about messing with mother nature! We still suffer at the hands of that school of thought. However, I must say that having worked in a few large parishes, a well-placed sound system (rare as it may be), can be a real asset. I do not condone use of handheld mics in worship. I have had cantors using wireless mics, which requires a degree of educating, as mic placement is integral to the success of your singer. The most successful sound system-using churches in my experience have been those which are pre-set, and are not constantly adjusted (typically by folks who have no business behind a mixer).
As far as the organ or instruments overpowering the congregation and soloists….this is generally the product of an inexperienced musician, or one that should study the term “accompanyment” a little closer. Good accompanying skills are a grace, and should undergird and serve to lead a congregation. Solid, steady, well-thought-out playing should never make the singer felt overpowered, but more encouraged to sing. Further, an organist should sing along with his or her playing, that he or she be sensative to text, breathing and phrasing of the hymn. All to often organists (myself included) are inclined to set a few “hymn” registration pistons, with little variation. We should all be a little more focused on “feeding the flock” with our “console leadership abilities”, and leave concertizing to the appropriate places…hymnody not being one of the appropriate places.