If you have been in church for very long, you have heard numerous complaints about the
sound being too loud.
However, it seems a small percentage of people are doing all the complaining. But, how do
we know if their complaint is legitimate?
This question often leads to the purchase of an SPL meter, which definitely has its
purpose. But, there’s a better way. And I’ll tell you all about it in this video.
This video is brought to you by Behringer X32 Mastery, the fastest way for church sound
techs to master the X32.
And, with a team license, you can enroll unlimited team members now and in the future. Finally,
everyone will be on the same page.
Visit x32.church or click the link in the description to learn more.
First off, what is an SPL meter anyways?
They measure the sound pressure level in decibels and are primarily used in industrial spaces
to help protect workers’ ears.
Wikipedia states: “…the reading from a sound level meter does not correlate well
to human-perceived loudness…” and I couldn't agree more.
But, before I explain why, let’s touch on frequency weighting.
The human ear is more sensitive to frequencies between 500 Hz and 8 kHz and is less responsive
to very low-pitch or high-pitch frequencies.
However, in a louder environment (such as a modern church service), the human ear has
a much flatter response, becoming more responsive to those very low-pitch and high-pitch frequencies.
Because of this, most SPL meters have two frequency weighting options: A & C.
A-weighting gives the very low-pitch and high-pitched frequencies less weight than the 500 Hz to
8kHz range.
Like the human ear, it effectively cuts off the frequencies the average person cannot
hear.
C-weighting has a much flatter response, just like the human ear does in louder environments.
In situations such as a modern church service or concert, c-weighting should be used due
to higher volumes and use of subwoofers to produce a higher volume of low frequency noise.
Now that you know what they are, let’s talk about why SPL meters may not be the most effective
way to solve the ‘loudness’ problem.
The problem with using an SPL meter for a church service is that it only gives you an
overview of what is going on in the room.
Using it to gauge how loud to run your mixer is like flying over your house in a helicopter
to see if you need a new roof.
Sure, you may be able to see a missing patch of shingles from up there, but you will not
see the one cracked shingle that is actually causing the leak.
When someone complains that the music is too loud, it is generally one portion of the frequency
range hurting their ears, not the entire mix.
However, to fix the problem, most sound techs are instructed to turn the entire mix down.
The result: a mix that lacks energy.
Instead of using an SPL meter, I recommend using a sound frequency analyzer, also known
as a real-time analyzer (RTA). Specifically, I recommend the Octave RTA iPhone app.
This will enable you to find the exact frequency range causing your loudness problem. Then,
you can simply use EQ to fix the problem without having to turn down the entire mix.
For example, I once mixed in a building that had all kinds of sound problems. Microphones
would easily feedback and achieving a good mix was impossible.
By using the Octave RTA app, I found that 400 Hz and 800 Hz bounced around like wild
in our room.
I am not sure why this happens, but I know that surfaces and room dimensions have a big
part to play.
Luckily, I was able to use an EQ to cut troublesome frequencies and provide a more even room response
– setting the foundation for good sound.
Looking for a step by step process on how to set EQ using an RTA? Luckily, I have a
video for that.
I’ll include a link in the description to a video called, “How to Set EQ with iPhone
Sound Frequency Analyzer”.
There is a happy place in church sound where there is plenty of energy but it is not overly
loud. This is where I want to be every service.
The room should not feel naked but should be full of sound.
Keep in mind, there are still those who will think this type of environment is too loud,
but it is absolutely impossible to keep everyone happy, so don’t even try.
Simply do your best to create an atmosphere conducive to worship.
If you have questions, drop them in the comments. I’d be glad to answer. If you’d like to
see more videos like this, give me a thumbs up to let me know.
And if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the little bell so
we can let you know when a new video comes out.
See ya next time.