Church Audio Scorecard

Twenty five simple yes/no questions so you can score your last time behind the mixer.  I could easily come up with another 75 but these cover the basics.  A scorecard is a great way to establish a baseline for where you are and where you can improve.  Up for the challenge?

Twenty-five questions.  Add up the “Y’s” and see where you fall.

 

[I’ve created an interactive version here]

Pre-Service

1. (Y/N) Did I perform a line check before the musicians started practicing?
2. (Y/N) Did I perform a proper sound check (gain structure set, volume level’s set, and eq’ing)?
3. (Y/N) Did I get a schedule of events/songs for the service? (Optionally, did I create one if not?)
4. (Y/N) Did I set proper monitor levels so the band can hear themselves but it doesn’t blast the congregation?
5. (Y/N) Did I walk the room during practice to listen for the effects of room dynamics on the mix?
6. (Y/N) Did I review the schedule with the worship leader and pastor?
7. (Y/N) Did I test all recorded media (CD’s, DVD’s, etc)?
8. (Y/N) Did I test/replace all wireless microphone batteries?
9. (Y/N) Did I mix the songs to match the emotion/mood that is intended?
10. (Y/N) Did I tape down cables that could be a safety concern?

During the Service

1. (Y/N) Did I make EQ/volume changes during the first song that might have been required due to the presence of the crowd people in the room?
2. (Y/N) Was the service absent of audio feedback?
3. (Y/N) Did I make monitor changes or watch for indicators of monitor changes by the band?
4. (Y/N) Did I use the correct volume levels?
5. (Y/N) Did I turn off channels when not in use?
6. (Y/N) Did I take any mix notes?  (Can be notes of eq settings or instrument problems like ‘Bob’s acoustic guitar pickup lacks good low-end sound’)
7. (Y/N) Did I record the sermon?
8. (Y/N) Did I hit all the cues?

Post Service

1. (Y/N) Was media returned to individuals?  (Backing CD to soloist, DVD to visiting missionary, etc.)
2. (Y/N) Did I talk with the band to find out if issues existed for them during service?
3. (Y/N) Did I note any broken/faulty equipment and take it out of service if possible?
4. (Y/N) Did I ask 1-2 people how the service sounded AND did they give a positive response?

Personal

1. (Y/N) Did I show up on time?
2. (Y/N) Did I behave professionally?
3. (Y/N) Did my actions model Christian behavior?

Scoring:  
Questions aren’t weighed – I’m going for simplicity for you and me :)

25-23: Great job, you’ve just got a few things to correct.
20-22: Good job, now tackle the areas you answered “no.”
17-19: Try mentoring with another team member to improve.
16-under:  Attend training, read some audio books, team-up with another person on the audio team to learn more about the aspects of audio production.

No matter how low you scored, don’t feel bad.  Everyone started at the bottom.  I’ve linked some articles to the above questions so they are a good way to learn more about those particular topics.  As long as you are improving each time you run sound, you’re moving in the right direction.

Question: What Was Your Score?  (I scored 22.)