The music is consistently at 85-90 decibels. Could you share the vision for this decision?
Great question. To provide a thorough answer, Pastor Tucker took our worship leader, Seth Hale, and our sound technician, Jacob Bozovich to his favorite taco spot, Fiesta Chicken, to get to the bottom of our worship volume philosophy. Here’s a summary of their conversation.
Creating a Worshipful Environment at Calvary Boise: An In-depth Look at Our Sound Management
At Calvary Boise, our hope is to create a worshipful environment that allows our congregation to connect deeply with God.
Here’s an in-depth look at our approach to congregational worship.
Balancing Sound Levels
“As the sound technician, my goal is to achieve the quietest possible mix to have precise control over the sound and to follow the dynamics of each song. This approach ensures a balanced and dynamic worship experience, even if it sometimes means the volumes might vary slightly. Managing these sound levels is important for creating an environment where the music is clear and the congregation is engaged.” -Jacob Bozovich
Dynamic Range and Sound Levels
We aim for a dynamic range in our music to reflect the varying movements of worship songs. This means that softer parts of a song are quieter, while the bigger parts of the song are louder. This is especially reflected when the drums are in use. Because the drums are naturally a louder instrument, the other elements must be turned up in order to create a balanced sound, where the drums don’t drown out the rest of the instruments and vocals. While we know when drums are in use the sound levels will be on the higher end, we are committed to not surpassing a peak of 90dB, and use a decibel reader throughout the worship time to make sure that is the case. By adhering to this limit, we ensure compliance with OSHA standards, which state that listening to 90dB of sound is safe for up to eight hours a day. We are also working with our volunteer musicians to make adjustments to style of play whenever volume becomes an issue. Additionally, our sound team, which includes several volunteers, is constantly learning how to best serve our church family while adjusting to different musical elements each week. This careful management of sound levels and playing style places a high priority on auditory safety and comfort. If for any reason we have surpassed that level we sincerely apologize and will continue to monitor that very closely moving forward.
Where You Sit Matters
Our sound system setup is designed to provide a consistent experience throughout the room, though different areas may have varied impacts on the sound. On the main floor, especially closer to the center, you'll be in the loudest part of the mix, where things sound the most balanced and accurate. This is where you'll get the clearest representation of what we're hoping to accomplish in the mix. If you sit in the balcony, you may miss some elements of the mix we're trying to achieve, but it will be quieter since you're farther from the band. On the other hand, if you sit closer to the stage, you'll hear more of the raw instruments and less of the balanced mix. The drums, for example, can peak at around 90dB on their own, which can overpower other elements and make it harder to hear the vocals and other instruments clearly. The best mix is typically found in the middle of the room, where the speakers converge to provide a balanced sound. We hope this will help you find the right spot for you to experience the full dynamics of the worship songs according to what sounds best to you.
Aiming To Serve
“Music has always been a significant part of the Calvary Chapel movement, and I want to help our church continue in that legacy. Wherever we can improve our time of worship gatherings in any way I sincerely desire to do that. I hope that offering some insight into how our sanctuary mix works and offering some solutions for those concerned about volume will be a blessing to everyone.” -Seth Hale
Our priority is to deliver a musical and worshipful experience, allowing everyone to participate fully in worship. This involves carefully managing sound levels to ensure clarity and balance, while respecting the dynamics of each song and the overall comfort of our congregation. We have made a map of the sanctuary with general volume guidelines available at our welcome center to help you find the best place in the sanctuary for you. While we work hard to manage sound levels, we recognize that there is the possibility that it may not be in line with everyone’s preference. If the sound levels are still too high for you, we have some options for you. We have earplugs available at the Welcome Center, which will help dampen the noise while still allowing you to experience the worship with the congregation in the sanctuary. Additionally, the lobby is available for anyone who needs to be outside the sanctuary for any reason, and it is designed to be a much quieter experience. These options help you maintain a connection to our church family during the Sunday morning gathering without allowing music to become a distraction.
Sound Experience in Different Areas of the Sanctuary
We understand that some members of the congregation might find the sound levels too high. The sound experience within the sanctuary varies depending on where you sit. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect:
Main Floor Center: This area is the loudest part of the mix, offering the most balanced and accurate sound experience. Sitting here ensures you get the clearest representation of our intended mix.
Closer to the Stage: In this area, you might hear more of the raw instrument sounds, particularly the drums, which can peak at around 90dB on their own. This can sometimes overpower other elements, like vocals, leading to a less balanced mix.
Balcony: The balcony offers a quieter listening experience since you are farther from the band. While this might result in missing some elements of the mix, it can also be a more comfortable option for those sensitive to louder sounds.
