Helping your pastor to communicate and connect with your congregation are the most vital elements of a worship audio technician’s role. If the congregation can’t hear the message properly, how can they begin to understand its meaning? This is why microphone selection is a vital element for every house of worship. Every pastor will have a different style, and there is no on-size-fits-all solution for microphones in a church. However, knowing the way your pastor likes to preach will help you to find the right microphone for them.
Selecting the right mic for your pastor is never a simple job. There are multiple factors to consider, from the design of your church to the style of worship and even the personality of the pastor themselves.
Some people like to preach from a fixed position, like a pulpit or lectern. While it would be very simple to equip them with a headset mic, in reality it would probably be easier and more cost effective to install permanent gooseneck mics at this position and rely on these for your audio capture.
If, however, you have a pastor who likes to roam the stage as they preach, a headset may be a better option. Handheld wireless mics would give your pastor the freedom to move and can be a cost-effective solution when you have multiple people giving sermons. But there can be issues with feedback if they move past open mics from your worship band and the lack of consistent positioning will make for a more difficult mix. A further challenge would be the restrictiveness of the handheld. By its very definition the microphone needs to be held, occupying one hand and reducing the ability of the pastor to gesticulate while communicating as they connect with the congregation.
A headset mic can provide a way to avoid all of these situations. The fixed position of the microphone on the cheek will ensure it is always pointed towards the mouth at a set distance, meaning any nuances from the voice won’t be lost. Equally, with nothing to hold your pastor is free to roam the stage and be expressive without any risk of what they are saying being missed.
The situation at every church is different, and a headset will not suit every situation or budget. To understand more about choosing the right audio solution for your church, get in touch with the knowledgeable Prosound team today.