Faith-Based Sound Issue..

[esldude]

@The_K-Man

 

What you've described here basically is an unsolvable situation.  You either get some control, as in are responsible for sound levels and you don't let others have access or you can't fix it.  

 

In slightly similar situations I've found the best thing is simply not be a part of it. Just take yourself out of the whole situation and let them have it. I know too well trying to help and seeing the wrongness of someone's approach, but in the end you'll wish you'd done that sooner and not taken the wear and tear fixing something these other people don't want fixed. 

[esldude]

3 minutes ago, The_K-Man said:

 

The issue is, that 90-95dB, even for only 35min of worship, sounds too loud to me in our size sanctuary.  It just doesn't work for me in that size space.  So with that in mind, even though OSHA specifies up to 105dBa for one hour, that does not justify 95dB even for 35min.  Maybe my ears are just more sensitive than average.  Who knows?

 

I've put it in the Pastor's ears, so to speak, I've even made minor tweaks to our church's preset scene in the Behringer digital X32 Compact mixer, but our worship leader just cranks them up anyway from his iPad mounted above the electric piano.

 

And nobody else seems to be bothered by it because they are also good Christians there to worship Jesus on Sundays.  They are not audio experts in the very least!  Our net growth in membership and overall attendance since I have been there is about two - four have left in four years and six(four members and two casual attendees) have joined us.

 

There are plenty of things for me to fix or clean in our fellowship hall downstairs.  35minutes per Sunday is enough for me to tackle some of them.  When I hear the music die down and the Pastor's voice booming from upstairs, I head up in time for offering to be taken and to start the CD recorder to capture the sermon.

Yes the issue is clear.  It is too LOUD!

 

Your efforts amount to nothing if the worship leader can crank it from his ipad, or the pastor just turns it up to boom.  Your efforts are doing nothing other than causing you problems.  

 

You either say you are the sound guy, sound is your province, you will have ultimate authority over it or you are in no position to make it right.  Until that issue is resolved nothing else about it will be. If the pastor says no, then walk away.  You can wear your ear plugs in church and let them mess it up as they are currently doing anyway.  I get it, they don't, and they could use your help, but they aren't accepting it.  Your efforts are completely wasted.  Might as well pray that God gives the pastor a vision to see things that need to change.