2015/2016 Masters Study Report
'To Equip the House of Worship Volunteer Sound Operator'
(Completed May 2016 by Stephen Compton)
WHAT IS THE CHURCH POSITION ON VOLUNTEERS?
Equipping the house of worship volunteer sound operator involves far more than just audio skill development. Currently many churches struggle to source the number of skilled volunteer operators they require. The role is commonly underestimated in its complexity and its impact on a house of worship. The challenges of the role and the individual’s level of connectedness and ownership affect their commitment, engagement, focus, discipline, satisfaction, longevity, and desire for personal development. The limited pool of volunteers finds churches presenting individuals with tasks that they may not be passionate about, or interested in, and consequently the individual may feel under some form of obligation or coercion. Churches are cautious to critique in fear that they will lose the volunteers they have. With age faithful older volunteers reduce their responsibilities, while others are asked to move out of positions due to declining ability and hearing loss. Leaving a position voluntarily or by request challenge an individual’s ego and sense of value. Churches that do have an excess of volunteers in essential positions have processes to support, care and develop individuals as people, and in their role.
PURPOSE, MOTIVATION AND CONNECTEDNESS
A volunteer is likely to feel a greater sense of well being, happiness in a role where they feel connected relationally to other stakeholders. Connectedness is related to being accepted as a whole person more than just as a resource without the fear their vulnerabilities will negatively impact them. Ownership of a role is related to the connectedness an individual feels within the team, of which they can feel a sense of ‘calling’ or ‘mission’, serving a cause that ties in with their own unique interests. The attachment to the cause may be enhanced by being inspired from seeing a perfect model elsewhere. Ownership spurs the individual to perform over and above what has been requested, often initiating independent self development, recruitment and mentoring of others, giving time and resources willingly. Being involved in a house of worship provides an opportunity to embrace a ‘mission’ or a cause, but even in this environment operators can still feel disconnected. It is important for leaders and other stakeholders to be aware and active in encouraging sincere connection. It has been suggested from one study that the focus should not be on what a church lacks, but instead to make the most of the strengths and resources that the church already has. A contagious level of ownership and longevity benefits the individual, the team and the organisation.While ownership and mission fuel altruism there is still part of the human being that needs to receive intrinsic or extrinsic benefit. As it is important to show and demonstrate thanks and appreciation in order to have relationship with God, sincere acknowledgement is also important to each individual.
DEVELOPMENT
Currently very few church sound operators access resources and training for personal development. The lack of independently directed study surround issues of gender, time available, level of ownership, whether there is a culture of excellence, whether development is expected as part of the role, and a preference for ‘trial and error’, over a knowledge and experience of what to do. The perception and history of church audio training is that a single hour or two with a beginner will be enough to equip them completely. As with learning an instrument it is relatively easy to make noise. An hour or two of instruction on how things work and how to advance independently may prove beneficial to many, but ongoing collaboration, practice, experience and creativity will produce the best results in conjunction with ‘ownership’ of the task and ‘ownership’ of the organisation surrounding it.Despite impacting the limited time volunteers have available, face-to-face training proved a more acceptable learning method than independent training sourced online through video or reading material. The training supplement developed for this project helped to provide focus, make up for limited time available in short sessions and to provide a brief, readable, quick-guide resource aimed at the house of worship volunteer sound operator.
TRAINING CONTENT
Providing encouragement with an understanding of the role, proved an important and vital starting point for training. It was also found that a reminder of audio basics including gain structure, cables and plugs, EQ and referencing for the purpose of mixing was useful for beginner and experienced:
Beginner
For the beginner it is appropriate to conduct a practical session covering how all the basics worked and why. While this is a vital introduction on how things should work, it does take a minimum of 6 weeks with an experienced operator (a discipleship of sorts), to guide the trainee through rehearsals and performances, in order to become accustomed to the processes involved and to develop a basic level of proficiency. Time, practice, instruction and oversight will improve the ability of the audio operator.
Experienced:
For the experienced operator, training provides a reminder of the important elements involved. It also presents methods of communication that they can also use as mentors.Particular points of focus for these sessions surrounded improving mixing ability with understanding EQ, dynamic processers and using frames of reference as a mixing tool. Having already mixed many times, trainees asked specific questions on: functions of their mixing console, microphone techniques for pianos and drums and ways for fixing feedback and improving coverage.Training should be delivered from those who are proven and experienced house of worship audio operators and understand the challenges of this unique area. Installers should employ experienced and knowledgeable operators with teaching ability to assist with installations and training.
OTHER FACTORS BEYOND WHAT THE OPERATOR CAN CONTROL
The following is a summary of factors that contribute to the resulting sound of a service beyond what the sound operator can control:
- musicianship, tuning, rhythm, arrangement
- building/room acoustics
- stage noise
- service preparation and organisation
- a common purpose amongst all stakeholders
- well recorded AV
- quality of equipment
- microphone co-ordination
- support during a service to keep focus
There are factors that challenge progress: limited volunteers, limited time, limited finances and resources, the fear of change, the prospect of more work, guilt from not doing something to remedy a situation earlier, not acknowledging the long term consequences of current actions like hearing damage, and a lack of understanding with how one individual or action impacts another. Progress can be made and should start in areas that have no financial cost: establishing good and strong connections between stakeholders, seeing individuals as ‘people’ with individual goals with value more than as a resource. Drawing on their strengths and the strengths of others will progress the church aims by looking at and adapting to the assets and strengths the church has, instead of out of their lack.
The following summarises the practical application of the four essential elements that have been described as the keys to an organisation performing better.
The following summarises the practical application of the four essential elements that have been described as the keys to an organisation performing better.
Collaboration and Connectedness
purpose, aims, mission, acceptance, relationship, teamwork and
acknowledgement.
Experience
skill development, practice,mentoring, being inspired, role enjoyment, ownership.
Creativity
musical mix choices,
solutions to unique situations,
fresh approaches,
adapting to the unique individuals and resources an organisation has.