Loudness (not “volume”) is the proper term that describes how much energy is being unleashed through that sound system of yours into the atmosphere, ultimately reaching the ears of the congregants.
A few dB in overall level can make a significant difference between, “Turn that Down or I'm leaving!” and, “Can you turn it up in the back? We can't hear the Pastor.”
That's not to say that the sound system itself might not benefit from some added delay speakers, or repositioning the main FOH speakers, but let's leave that alone for now and just look at Loudness as an event unto itself.
SPL (Sound Pressure Level) Meters --- even the best of them with built-in spectrum analyzers --- cannot tell you how dull, bright, strident, muted, harsh, brilliant, smooth, or totally incomprehensible dialog and music may be. They show only an average or peak level. And while that's useful –somewhat – it takes really listening to determine a loudness level that will truly serve the purpose and style of the ministry. Some, as we know, are ridiculously loud and seem to want it that way. Others are so quiet that a parishioner who's coughing or making a remark to a friend, may be louder than the sermon.
The very value of loudness itself can play a major role in how music and speech are perceived. One example I like to use is the common habit of rock and pop engineers not turning down the lead singer's fader when she makes an announcement. Now, suddenly, without 125 dB of music behind him, she says, “Hello Cincinnati!,” or something like that...and it sounds absurd to hear this one voice at such an elevated level. I've trained at least 100 engineers to stop leaving the vocal mics up at “music level,” when a speech is being made. You can't have an intimate connection with an audience when you're 100 times too loud.
Style of music, as well as speech, plays a huge roll in this equation. Who wants to hear an acoustic Mariachi band at the level of Creed in an arena? Well, apparently a lot of people will tolerate it because many engineers will push their sound system as hard as they can. Just because they can.
Been there. Heard it. Went home with a lasting headache.
I recently did some consulting work in a church where the band leader wanted it loud. He was not happy until it was, quite literally, too loud. The pastor didn't like it but didn't want to fight the worship leader. After my third service I brought the overall level down about 6 to 9 dB, to the great relief of almost all concerned. Nobody really knew that it either (a) had to be that loud, or (b) could be mixed at a much lower level without losing any musical impact or excitement. Previously, it was just too loud. Even the band leader acquiesced when he started getting many compliments after each service. It was hard for him to give up control, but the end result was far, far better than what had been happening in the past.
If you own a good pair of headphones and a decent amplifier, try playing some of your favorite music at three or four different levels and assess the results. I use a track by the band “Yes” that I think is exceptionally well recorded (“And You and I”) for listening to rock, and I use jazz on the ECM and DMP labels for acoustic music, almost all of which have been recorded and mastered superbly. I also use my own material that I've mixed and mastered, but I tend to stay away from anything that's to personal.
The bottom line is this: whether it's a Yes song or a Keith Jarrett trio recording, the experience is very, very different as the level changes. At low levels, a great rock piece can sound very pleasing, but not like the band is there in front of you.
At a very high level you're probably pushing your headphones and amp into distortion, but assuming that you're not, the experience is quite different. Depending on equipment and your taste, the band may seem to be in your living room, or they may simply seem to be too loud for the subtleties of tonality to each shine through. Some instruments, like piano, flute, acoustic guitar, and many others, do not sound right at levels that are unnaturally high.
In the worship center the same holds true. A pastor with a quiet delivery should not be ramped up to stadium levels. Especially if he's preaching in a 300-seat sanctuary – even if feedback isn't an issue. But it's common to make that mistake because the pastor, who may not be using any stage monitoring, may want to hear his voice returning from the rear walls.
A different pastor, one who is highly charismatic, may want it even louder than the quiet pastor, but probably needs it to actually be substantially quieter for maximum impact. Just like with music, dynamics make all the difference between a vocal barrage and a well-paced delivery that expands in loudness as the topic warrants, then contracts to an intimate level when it's appropriate to do so.
Music, in my humble opinion, should never be played at one level. There are songs that should kick and rock all the way through, then there are ballads where the space between the notes and intentional quiet periods serve to make the soaring vocal climax far more powerful than if the level were kept the same throughout the tune.
The overall loudness of a service, from welcoming remarks to closing goodbyes, plays a far bigger role in the congregant's experience of the service than if the flute is a few dB too cold, or the acoustic guitar is 3 dB too hot. Most of that, important as it is, will go unnoticed. But overall level is always noticed, even if it's not consciously registered.
Older attendees may need an elevated level in the sermon and some unnatural brightness to compensate for aging hearing loss. But don't overdo it. A small shelving filter boosted 3 dB at 1 kHz to about 3 kHz should be enough, and 2 dB of loudness above a good, solid comfortable speech level is permissible, but not much more than that. Those using hearing assistive devices may not be able to handle much of an increase in HF (high frequency), nor in overall level, depending on the device. And the younger members in the church, who have far more sensitive hearing than the older ones, may hear it as somehow being wrong. They might like loud music – depending on the style – but will probably feel very oppressed if a sermon is delivered that's too bright, too loud, and especially if it's too long.
Try experimenting with various levels during sound check as you walk the sanctuary and put yourself in the position of a congregant, instead of as a soundman. Experiment at home with headphones, loudspeakers, or preferably both, by listening to well-known music to learn and understand the effect that the music has on your psyche at different levels. After a while it will become second-nature to ‘dial-in' the right level for each situation, even as it may vary – sometimes greatly - from one segment of the service to another. Think in terms of loudness first, mix balance second, EQ third, and effects like reverb and delay last. It will serve you and your practice well.
