Photo courtesy of Lucas Sankey Photography
Most jobs carry a certain level of stress while we strive get the work done right. But not too many, apart from piloting fighter jets, stock trading, and law enforcement, can be as demanding as working in the media department of a church. You're expected to know the technical aspects inside/out, have a limitless supply of smiles, excel in consensus building skills, always be on-time, never be visibly distraught, and just about every other quality you'd attribute to Superman. And you might not be getting paid enough (if at all), and you certainly can't cuss when you might feel like it.
But there are steps you can take to mitigate the difficulties and revel in the successes. Here are a few thoughts culled from years of struggle and strife before I eventually accepted the inevitable need to be part of the flow instead of working against it. I hope they will help you, too.
Come to work (and it is work) with a positive attitude. Leave problems at home or elsewhere before you get in the car. Put emotional, financial and other matters on the shelf until later. We all have problems, it's how we deal with them that differs. One of the most solid pastors I ever met told me, after several months of working together, that he spent 10 years in San Quentin State Prison. If he could look past his past and bring light to the present day, I think it's possible for almost anyone to do so.
Put emotional, financial and other matters on the shelf until later. We all have problems, it's how we deal with them that differs.
Be prepared. Prep anything and everything that needs it well in advance. Changing cables, loudspeakers, amplifiers, lighting fixtures, camera parts, chasing out ground loops, etc., right before the service starts, is not the way to ensure a seamless, trouble free Sunday. It's best if you can do this on a different day, rather than coming in early and potentially running out of time.
Developing solid working relationships with musicians is the next step to being a good tech, beyond plugging in cables and simply making everything work.
Approach the work with kindness in your heart … just as Jesus would have done if he had been a church tech. Maybe the drummer drives you crazy. Maybe the pastor is very difficult as he does a mic check and prepares to lead the congregation. Remember, these folks may be nervous, or perhaps have difficulties of their own that they cannot overcome at the moment. Don't be a human doormat, but do be as supportive as your heart will allow. Your heart will expand to meet the needs, I promise.
Watch out for “overproduction.” In lighting, this may mean too many color changes and/or too much instrument movement that detracts rather than enhances. Flashy lighting must be absolutely warranted by the style of the service, or kept to a relatively boring minimal. Get creative, rather than "brute forcing" it.
... the time to try out effects is during tech rehearsal and band rehearsal, not during a service. In most cases, less is more.
In audio, it's tempting to get too carried away. Perhaps you want to put a different reverb on every channel – because you can – as well as dipping into the hundreds of effects that modern digital equipment offers. Perhaps you just got a new console and want to put it through its paces. But the time to try out effects is during tech rehearsal and band rehearsal, not during a service. In most cases, less is more. A clean mix, in which each instrument can be heard at a level that's appropriate for the musical part it is playing at that moment – which of course will change from song to song – is far preferable to layers of effects stacked on top of, say, a simple backing horn part. The live engineer for the Rolling Stones uses one reverb program for everything. This choice (and clearly it's a choice given the massive budget of a Stones tour), is based on his belief that in a real setting, such as sitting around working up songs, or in a recording studio, almost all instruments would be in a shared acoustic space. I heartily agree. A great sounding ‘verb is a great sounding ‘verb, just as is a great sounding concert hall. Perhaps, if you just can't resist, change the length of the tail on some channels, such as those carrying sharp, short percussion instruments. Try just one or two reverb variations and see if it doesn't greatly simplify and significantly improve the quality of your mix, over that of ten, twenty, or more.
The live engineer for the Rolling Stones uses one reverb program for everything.
All this minimalist talk is not to say that effects are the work of the devil. They are not. Like anything in life, it's how you use choose to use them. A subtle flanger or Leslie effect on a guitar intro can be a beautiful thing. A layer of replacement MIDI drums on top of an already-too-loud acoustic set is not.
Speaking of acoustic drum sets, putting clear baffles around the kit is of dubious merit. Clear acrylic panels are not acoustically absorbent, which means the sonic energy has to go somewhere. That "somewhere" is usually up to the ceiling, then back down to the stage and the seating areas. It will be late, time-wise. It also will tend to be harsh and anything but flat. Instead, work with the drummer to use lighter sticks, a lighter touch, brushes when appropriate, and a deeper sense of awareness of fitting into the music. Drum tuning can be modified to be of a softer nature, and maybe even the drum kit itself should be replaced with a smaller, but still highly responsive, kit. It can be very rewarding to see a young drummer suddenly “wake up” and start playing as an integral member of the ensemble. Of course, this applies not only to drummers, but to percussionists and any other musicians of any age group. Electric guitarists can be especially problematic, often wanting way too high of a level on stage. To mitigate this, try using very small, low output amplifiers and effects devices. They may make your guitarist happy, once he/she gets used to the new drill, and is able to see how much it improves the overall sound of the band over that of using twin-reverbs or even larger amps on stage. Power-soak devices can work well too for that stubborn guitar player who just won't give up his 100-watt Marshall.
All this is easier said than done, I know it too well. But if you have your sights set on producing recorded music, or maybe you already do so, working with the musicians at a level that acknowledges their skill and seeks to enhance it, through compassionate direction, is a fine goal to pursue. This is the next step to being a good tech, beyond plugging in cables and simply making everything work. Case in point: More people know the name of Alan Parsons (the engineer on “Dark Side of the Moon") than the name of the drummer in Pink Floyd.
Let's Talk Video
Video is perhaps the least likely realm to "overproduce," but it can be done. For example, if multiple cameras are part of the system, cuts to different cameras should be made as events change on stage, not just at arbitrary moments. Conversely, if the service, or parts thereof are particularly static, you can use a change of camera angles to breathe some life into it. Complicated fades with effects, and too much reliance on Picture in Picture (PIP) are not what the congregants have come to the church to experience. They want to be amped-up with music and ready to hear their pastor's message, not entertained with dazzling effects. At least that's my opinion, based on many years of observing a large number of churches.
Most people attend church to seek solace, have a good time in worship, meet together for some food or refreshments afterwards, but most of all they are there to hear the words of our Lord as expressed by the pastor. If we always keep in mind that our contribution as a media professional has its foundation, deeply rooted, in bringing the light of God to those who seek it, we will never really be off track.
[Editor's note: This post by the late and beloved Ken DeLoria was originally published in July 2016.]
