We were recently called by a church that had contracted us to install a new digital audio console, room processor and speaker array. Unfortunately, it worked too well because it was a couple of years of trouble free operation that led the ministry staff to forget about us. We could have pestered them a bit, but that’s not our way.
Recently, the church approved the renovation of additional space they secured in the same building complex. Renovations were well under way when someone on the board of elders asked the new worship pastor about what was needed to outfit the new space. We got the call not a moment too soon.
The stage and projection screen location was planned for one corner of the room—right next to a very large south facing window! They immediately realized that they would need blackout window coverings or the projector would be useless at least 12 hours of every day. We were able to guide them during construction to remember important items like electrical power where equipment would be located. Not an insignificant miss!
As is quite common, the architect planned for a few pot lights to cover the stage, not considering that the poor light control of pot and track lighting will wash out the screen when the sun goes down, and not recognizing that stage lighting is an important part of a worship and teaching service.
Acoustics will be another concern, with the stage in on corner and the sound booth in the opposing corner, in a nearly cubic room with all drywall surfaces. Architects design beautiful buildings, but they cannot succeed without an A/V specialist to guide the design for live sound acoustics, video and projection, and lighting integration. We would probably all agree that most of the churches we have experienced suffer from poor intelligibility, feedback, echo, harsh sound, hard to see video screens, and washed out stage environments.
But we can fix it even if we don’t get in during the design stage. Call us for help.
