Churches, I think it's time to review the place of loudspeakers and audio systems in the worship environment. In fact, it's long overdue, in my opinion. I can't tell you how many churches I have visited where I'm told, rather shyly and slightly embarrassed, "We really didn't plan for audio in our budget or building plans. We thought we could add on later."

This error in planning often does damage to more than just the A/V budget; it can impact larger budgets with the need for future remodels. Worse, some problems created cannot easily or affordably be fixed. Other common results are a distracting or strained environment for the listener, uneven audio coverage, or a muted (or dead) worship environment. Consider the purpose of even having a church building. Is it not to provide a place to hear the word of God and to worship Him?

Aesthetics vs. Acoustics vs. Sanctuary
Unfortunately, these three are often pitted against one another, at least in the back of someone's mind. Our earlier argument is that we call the church an auditorium (remember, the church is the people who gather there). But, really, we do want a worshipful space, not a sound studio or theatre (some exceptions apply here). The point is that when the audio environment is prioritized last, it can cost the most in terms of budget and connecting with the listener.

When designing your A/V system, make sure you mention what is acceptable and what is not to your designer in terms of aesthetics. But, pay close attention to what may be given up in trade for proper speaker positioning vs. aesthetic value. Maybe I could suggest this formula: Electro Acoustic Design + Aesthetics = Sanctuary (worship space).

Quality sound can come from many combinations of rooms and speaker makes and models. Ultimately, though, a particular make or model of speaker is not guaranteed to fit every room need or dimension.

Getting Started
So, how do you find a qualified design professional? Here are some guidelines.

1. Ask for examples of churches they have designed in the past.
Go and listen to them, and ask questions from the staff and worship leaders.

2. Look for someone who uses computer-aided design.
If it's not computer aided, then it's guess work, albeit educated guess work. In computer-aided design, the room is drawn and speakers are "flown" using accurate measurements showing real fly-points. Speakers are then selected based on the right combination of height, angle, coverage pattern, and dB level.

3. Work with a company that is not necessarily prejudiced by brand.
You want someone that is looking for the right product for you, not someone who is trying to make floor space available for the new product line.

If I had one silver bullet left, what would I shoot? Realizing that paying design fees may be tough for many small church budgets, there are some things you can do to make sure you have the right tools to be successful. One such tool is called a DSP, which is short for Digital Signal Processor. It may also be known as a speaker management tool. This device consolidates all the tools a PA system needs in order to be successful into one unit. A qualified installation expert should come with these units when installed.

Considerations for Your New Project
Here are some things to consider when you're building or renovating your worship space.

1. The new building project, for the dedicated worship space
Contact an acoustician, which is not the same thing as an architect; this is a specialized field. If you cannot afford one, consider copying basic room dimensions and design from other venues that you have personal knowledge of that sound great. Be thorough, ask about the designer, and ask if they were satisfied with the initial install or what design challenges confronted them before the system became successful.

2. The new building project, multipurpose worship space
When having a system designed, ask that the system be capable of handling a full coverage pattern with no aisles in mind. This way, you address the multipurpose aspects of the room, allowing for many seating options.

3. The renovation
What is the basic shape of the room? Is there adequate height to fly speakers? This may seem like a technical question, but low ceiling rooms can lead to expensive "fixes" or just really poor results.

4. The upgrade
Move your existing speaker cluster(s) location, and upgrade the signal path and or speaker. In small and midsize churches, I often notice that the simple act of relocating existing speakers and the addition of a DSP can have wonderful results.

Consider reprioritizing your design needs when working on your next project. Need a witness? Just talk to any pastor who has built recently; in fact, talk to 10 of them. Don't forget to ask them about budget. Consider the real cost of bad audio and a disconnected, maybe distracted, listener. Consider training for your technical ministries. Just don't say that you didn't make a budget or consider the acoustics when building your auditorium.

Bret Welty currently serves as worship leader for Calvary Chapel Nampa in Idaho. His company, Sound Harvest, www.soundharvest.com, specializes in traveling all over North America training churches and installing custom audio solutions.