5 Ways the Worship Leader is Responsible for the Sound…

Wednesday nights are a popular night for worship teams to gather and rehearse for the coming Sunday.  That is true at my church and most churches I am familiar with.  As I mentioned in a previous post, there is a tension between Worship Leader and Sound Person.  And  I know the title of this post probably has church sound techs and sound techs in general cringing and cursing my name for the mere thought but hear me out.  I am in no way encouraging a Worship Leader to tell a sound tech how to do their job.  And I am in no way suggestion anyone on stage knows what it sounds like off stage or could know better than the person mixing.  Here is what I am suggesting… Better sound starts at the stage! In essence the job of the sound tech and sound system is to make louder what it is given.  So better sound going in – better sound coming out. (garbage in – garbage out – that ole chestnut)

Here are 5 Ways the Worship Leader is responsible for the Sound

1. Number of Musicians: I realize that we want as many people to volunteer and connect as possible but do you honestly need that many guitar players?  Only use the musicians that are needed for a song.
2. Tone: The way a song sounds is ultimately your vision.  I realize it is difficult to tell a guitar player or vocalist that their tone needs tweaked but remember it is our job to remove distractions from worship.  Encourage your band and ensemble members to find appropriate tones for the type and feel of the song.  This can make a world of difference.
3. Rotate groups of musicians and not just members if at all possible.  The reasoning is that the longer a group plays together the better they understand each other.  They begin to play as a group better and respond better to spontaneous changes.  Something as simple as having a “jam” time will allow the group to gel better and provide better results for Sunday.
4. Learning to play is easy, learning NOT to play is hard.  Don’t be afraid of space in your music.  Don’t be afraid to tell a player that they are overplaying in a section.  You are really acting as a producer of the song and worship set.  More can be said in the silence than 1000 voices together at times.
5. Begin teaching your vocalist about what they need to hear and not just what they want to hear.  It is very very very common to continually want more of “me.”  I have been in situations where the monitors have become louder than the PA to satisfy people on stage.  How you ask? Begin by having your vocalists sing without microphones or monitors and minimal band to train their ears for the blend.  Then slowly add in monitors and band.  This is not an easy or short process but when people can learn to hear what they really need to hear (which is usually much more of everyone else and less of just them than they thing) your sound will only get better.  (also teach them how to work a mic)

These are not always the easiest to implement in every situation.  I myself am still working on all of these.  As worship leaders we are responsible for helping the sound crew do the best job they can do.  Starting down this path and keeping communication open between your sound crew, band, ensemble and you is paramount to creating better sound and a better overall worship experience.
Was this helpful?  What did I miss?  What is your advice (from worship leader, sound person, or church-goer)?

Related posts:

1. 10 Things Every Worship Leader Wishes Their Sound Person Knew (and vice versa)
2. The Most Important Part of Worship Band Rehearsal
3. 5 Reasons for a Choir in Modern Worship Services
4. Leading Change: 5 Ways to Change the Worship Enviroment
5. 5 Reasons Worship Bands Should Use Click Tracks