Thanks for the offer-- Sound quality is an art to master. It's something that I appreciate help with since it is not something that comes natural. music is a hobby and sound quality is something like skeet shooting when I record, and while i enjoy the results if i hit the target, it's pretty much an ordeal that keeps me from trying, but i enjoy music very much as a hobby and sometimes for ministry.
I remember years ago in my teen years, we had a popular band, but could never get the sound right, and I seemed to be the only one that took it seriously. One time I plugged in my bass guitar into a long chord so I could hear what the band sounded like and the sound is totally different 20 feet from the stage. Bass guitar is very difficult to get the sound right, especially on a stage, and when I have attended concerts in past years, the bass would sound like a jet engine ready for take-off. It's especially important for ministry for the music to be balanced and the bass guitar can really trash the worship if it isn't balanced and fairly quiet. What you do is vital to ministry and without it, the sound can fall short of the purpose of giving glory to God.
Now, you got me started-- So many times, I've heard just angelic music that really leads people into a great worship. And other times there have been songs that were chosen that were difficult to sing and not in a good range for everyone. There have been times when the music was chosen because the musician wrote it and no one wanted to hurt their feelings by saying that it just didnt' fit in, and I understand that. But, a church leader that takes worship seriously really has to make command decisions and find a way to get across to a musician songs that work or may not, or to focus on well known songs. It's not easy, but, the well known songs are well known for a reason-- they have been selected and approved by a general Christian audience that screens them by default; they have been tested by fire. But, then again, I understand that some pastors want to keep music from becoming an idol, and so they want to focus on the words the most. And, as we know, it's not the quality of music, but the hearts of the singers and church-- But, if the people don't know the words or the music and can't sing along, why even have it? just make it a concert and say, "we know this is too difficult for anyone to sing, so just sit back and enjoy the band play." And, if the songs don't make the grade then why waste time on making theh sound right? It's probably ok to tweak a few musicians ego's-- we all think we are better than non-musicians anyway, I think is the problem. It really is a gift to choose the right songs that are anointed and simple and powerful.
So, if you are the sound-person-- I would just say, make a command decision; call a conference and state your views, because a sound person hears the music from the back usually and can give good feedback. Musicians are not necessarily writers. When a musician is just starting or when someone writes a song, they might get pretty excited about it at first, because it's a rewarding experience to create something new, a new sound or melody. But, let it rest and ask for help and with teamwork, you can learn editing and creativity. It is EXTREMELY difficult to write a hit song, at least unless you are an anointed singer/songwriter, and even then it is hit and miss,and sometimes a musician writes only one hit song in their life. It's really an art-- everyone hears music differently sometimes. With Christian music it has to be an anointing really to take it to the top-- to be worthy of taking the time to learn a worship song or hymn, and including it in the worship. Sometimes it just happens--
Music can be a powerful way to reach wounded hearts.
One time in a Lutheran church, I heard a worship song or hymn, and for some reason the music and words reached me without maybe even knowing the song and I broke down and wept and had to walk out.
i think it's the Holy Spirit that can use music in worship to reach people in different ways.
And the sound person is vital to that-- if the sound crashes or is lacking, an anointed song can crash and an opportunity for even salvation of someone can be delayed or lost for that day, because someone didn't take stewardship seriously.
AS Christians, I think we are way too polite. I remember in high school for some odd reason, our rock band ended up in a Catholic church playing a song that was sacriligious. I was too much of a lame new Christian to make a command decision at the time, and the other band members didn't understand the issue since they were not Christians at the time and the priest could only say, "well, it's art for art sake." And the music teacher wouldn't step in and say, "look guys, just try another song." And the Mormons copped out and boycotted the whole concert since it was in a Catholic church anyway. You get the point? No one was willing to make a command decision, and we ended up playing a sacriligious song in a church. And, everyone was wincing listening to the words hoping it would be over, and like the spaced-out dip-sh*t i was, just kept playing the song on my bass guitar.
I'm not sure what the lesson was except maybe, if no one takes charge and obeys God and glorifies God
THE DEVIL WILL TAKE CHARGE in a situation of taking advantage of clueless Christians asleep at the wheel who allow the path of least resistance.
Enough said.
Look what you started!
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