Volume Wars: 5 Ways To Help Ease Worship Leader Frustrations

How Loud is too loud?

This is actually a very reasonable question in todays worship arena, especially when we fill our set lists with songs written for arenas.  Before I go much deeper I do want to say that not every worship leader will deal with these issues, and thats ok.  I have worked at both a louder church (Current position) and a quieter church, and in both positions I received just about the same amount of complaints.  There is nothing like someone coming up to you after a great service with the sole intent of telling you, the worship leader, the music is too loud.  With that being said, I thought it was a topic worthy for a post.  Us worship leaders will always want it just a little bit louder than everyone else really is comfortable with, the idea is to find that sweet balance called the “compromise level”.  This topic might even seem a little taboo, but its good to always embrace these sorts of topics because frankly its an issue many of us deal with and get frustrated with.  Here are 5 ways to help ease any frustrations that may be welling up inside of you young worship leaders.

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1.  Make sure Vision is clear

From the top down and all around.  Vision is key.  Make sure the leadership has clear vision for the worship experience, and that their vision is also communicated through you to your teams, sound guys, producers and other key staff members.  What is vision?  Vision is the direction the church is heading and what the long term and short term goals are that the leadership has agreed upon.  As the worship leader it can be easy for others to just view us as the “music guy” or the “band leader” but in fact we have such a pivotal role in the church, and we can either cripple or amplify that vision.  There are so many walls and disconnects that simple communication will fix.  The lead pastor has to be on board with what you, the worship leader, are doing and you have to be on board with the vision that the authority over you has set.  When it doesn’t line up frustration will spring up like a well.  Every sunday have open conversations with key leadership about the vision for the worship experience, because nothing will hurt the situation more than if your supervisors do not trust you or your judgements.

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2.  Proper Line Check

This one is SO important.  Every morning take at least 15 to 20 minutes to line check all instruments and microphones on stage.  Also if you can, stand out in the center of the auditorium or by the sound board and listen while your musicians line check individually.  Start with each drum, listen, have open communication with your sound engineer, do the same for bass, keys and then guitars and on.  Try and get the band to play a song at full volume and stand out where guests will be so you can know exactly what the people will be hearing, perhaps even sing from that point if you have a wireless mic.  Sometimes something actually is genuinely too loud or in most cases something is just poorly mixed and EQ’ed.  Guitars with too much high mids or vocals that get too harsh with treble can quickly irritate guests ears and make them think it is too loud when in fact its a poor mix or a few things need to be tweaked.

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3.  Get A Decibel Meter

An easy way to create consistency each week is to agree upon a Decibel range for the volume in the Auditorium or sanctuary.  In my church we average around 95 Db and peak at around 97/98, which is loud for a lot of people.  To put that in perspective, you can’t really hold a conversation very well at that volume.   For us it works because we have set clear vision that we run the volume a little higher and the lights a little brighter than in most churches.  We also aim for a younger demographic, but that is just who we are and it wouldn’t work for every church.  You might find that 80 is the sweet spot or even 90, experiment and you will find the right range for your community.  Measuring it each week with your sound engineer will help create a consistent experience week to week and also ease the transition between separate sound guys.  It is also easy to tell people that you “run sound levels around 85 Db and we were right on target today” when the complainers come.  Also if one sound guy mixes it softer; for example if the Db reads 72 and you want an average of 80.  You can clearly show him and ask him to boost it a little.  (We worship leaders love telling sound guys to turn it up)

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4.  Relationship First; Sound Second

The relationship between sound engineer and worship leader is fragile, so be sure to protect it with all the energy you’ve got.  I always check in with my engineer and include him on my weekly emails to my band.  I make sure that our relationship is solid before we start work.  The truth is that the sound guy essentially should be creating an atmosphere that you, the worship leader, desire.  He is an extension of you and you need him to be right there with you supporting your vision.  I have had awkward moments with sound guys, and I admit as I continue to grow and learn, I never always handled them properly.  You must establish the relationship first and then establish your expectations second.  Let him know any and all things you will be doing before you do them.  Tell him you want to line check each instrument and that you will be listening with him so you can hear what the audience will hear.  Let him know if you want more keys or more kick and your reason why, instead of just commanding him in the middle of a song.  Relationship first.

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5.  You Can’t Please ‘Em All

You have to accept that not everyone will be happy with your leading style, with the volume of the drums, with the style of the preaching or even the way the stage looks.  You can’t make everyone happy.  You just can’t.  One time I had a congregation member come up to me and complain about decorative light bulbs we had put up, he said they gave him a headache and instructed I take them down immediately.  I have even had staff members of one church I worked at come up to me and flat out tell me they didn’t like the style I lead worship in.  That, of course, wasn’t consistent with a healthy church staff environment, but the point is that not everyone will be happy.  The good news is there is a home for everyone.  If you run low volumes and do lots of hymns, maybe a young newly married couple looking for something to bring unsaved friends to won’t be a good fit.  On the other hand, if you play louder music with busy lights and energetic stage presence maybe a visiting couple who have only ever been to small quiet methodist churches will most definitely feel uncomfortable and possibly not return .  Commit to the vision of your church and don’t compromise that vision for the ones who complain.  Once you understand that you will never please everyone, that burden of trying to please them will vanish.