Easy on the Eardrums
How do you keep a visiting musical group's volume level under control?
Central Tabernacle in Edmonton has solved that problem once and for all with a firm policy: groups may bring in as many microphones, amps, and sound men as they like, but the final mix will be put through the house speakers, with the church's sound operator (a layman) controlling the volume.
"Naturally, some of the groups are a little disgruntled at first," says Laurey Berteig, minister of music, "but they don't have to take the criticism if the audience is uncomfortable. They can leave town the next day.
"This way, there are no ugly scenes, no whispered arguments about whether something is too loud, no need for apologies at the end of a concert. We know what our people are comfortable with, and the policy insures that their limits will not be breached."
It doesn't hurt, of course, that Central Tabernacle is a desirable booking for groups on the road. With 1,500 in attendance on an average Sunday, it's the second largest church in its denomination (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada). "Over the years, we've had them all," says Bertieg "—the Imperials, Truth, Regeneration, Doug Oldham, Andrus Blackwood, Lillie Knauls, Tom Netherton, and many others. They've all conformed to the policy.
"I tell them, 'Look, our sound man is very flexible and, if anything, tends to run the system a little hot as it is. So you're not going to be cramped. I understand your need to mix your own sound, since you know your voicing and your material—that's fine. And if your sound man is amiable and cooperative, our policy isn't going to make much difference in the end.' "
The only exceptions over the past ten years have been when the church neglected to inform the artist in advance. "You ...
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