What if old people complain about worship being "too loud"?

[tturt]

I have to laugh everytime someone says things are "too loud."

Can you just imagine what it was like in the tabernacle with David organizing thousands of people? They worshiped 24/7, utilized every musicial instrument in their psalms, wrote new songs, etc.

Now that had to be loud!

 

[LookThroughDifferentEyes]

Some churches here supply ear plugs for the older people

 

[talitha]

Our church gave earbuds to an older man in our congregation who was having trouble hearing everything; it was all sounding like a bunch of noise to him - these earbuds are like the wireless monitor the worship-leader wears, and he has a volume control. He's lit up like a Christmas tree! He understands everything, and since the buds are noise-canceling, with his volume control, he can turn it down. Cool, huh?

blessings
tal

 

[keyz]

Our church gave earbuds to an older man in our congregation who was having trouble hearing everything; it was all sounding like a bunch of noise to him - these earbuds are like the wireless monitor the worship-leader wears, and he has a volume control. He's lit up like a Christmas tree! He understands everything, and since the buds are noise-canceling, with his volume control, he can turn it down. Cool, huh?

blessings
tal

I imagine he'd need his own set of earbuds otherwise you have old man ear wax all over your earbuds. ewww..

 

[PastorMikeJ]

we don't have that problem in our church...the older folk are the ones making all the noise in worship!!

 

[tturt]

KingMikeJ - that's the way it is our church. The sound guy thinks the louder - the better. Since he's my dh, sometimes I gently remind him that he doesn't want to provide music to a 6 block area with the church doors closed.

 

[Alejandro]

We all go through these comments!!
Sometimes it can be funny thought... one must learn not to take it personal

A sister from our church passed by me when I was doing the final sound check and she goes:
- Do you have good ears?
I took my hand and checked them.. and replied.. well yes they are ok.
- Do you have good ears?
me:well it depends.
- Can you lower the volum of the drums please, the mics are too loud
me: oh.. I'm sorry.. the drums are not mic'ed and there's a brick wall just behind it so it reflects the sound back to us. I can't control the drum volume!
- Well you should just take off all mics out of that drum then.

I don't blame them... I can see myseld yelling at my own children to turn the volume down. =)

 

[talitha]

We do have a problem with the drum thing in our church sometimes - the drums can be so loud that they overwhelm the rest of the music - we've tried several things, but the problem persists. We do NOT want to put them in a cage like some churches do, so..... any suggestions?

 

[Alejandro]

We do have a problem with the drum thing in our church sometimes - the drums can be so loud that they overwhelm the rest of the music - we've tried several things, but the problem persists. We do NOT want to put them in a cage like some churches do, so..... any suggestions?

Other suggestions besides a plexi glass pannel.. is putting isolation pannels in the back.. so sound doesn't bounce back.
- Ask the drummer to get thinner sticks (not very good option)
However.. the best solution remains in the drummer's hands. If you notice some jazz drummers have a very dynamic playing.. they can go soft to very loud.. comparing to a rock drummer who just plays as hard as he can.

Our drummer is very loud.. extremly loud.. and he get's even more exited when new girls attend church and he get noticed.

Blessings.

 

[talitha]

LOL - loved your post

we do have the flannel boards behind the drums - we also relocated them to a side wall, whereas they were facing the congregation behind the worship leader. Those things did help a little.

Also, we have three players on the kit who rotate services - the youngest one is also the most professional player, and he has made some sticks by electric-taping together some thin dowel rods - sounds weird, but it actually works - however, the other drummers don't (won't?) use those.

more of MEEEE in the monitor!

tal

 

[PastorMikeJ]

KingMikeJ - that's the way it is our church. The sound guy thinks the louder - the better. Since he's my dh, sometimes I gently remind him that he doesn't want to provide music to a 6 block area with the church doors closed.

LOL well open the doors and let the sound of worship out...the neighbors may just might stream in..LOL

 

[tbird_energizerbunny]

or you could just tell her to be thankful that you're there at all. there are thousands of other places that you could be, but instead you're inside the church, worshipping and leading others in worship

that should take care of her.

 

[tpk]

I just got back from a worship conference, and one thing said there is something to the affect of "If it's too loud, your too old.... or else the music stinks!" So if people are complaining, either they're too old, or they're finding a nicer way to say that you need to work on the music.

God Bless!

 

[Filina]

LOL well open the doors and let the sound of worship out...the neighbors may just might stream in..LOL

 

[spryte7]

i think sometimes the older members of the church feel like they're being pushed aside and forgotten as members. all this new-fangled music and they don't know the words. not only that, but they can't read the words on the big screen. they like the old way where they can have a book in their hand, close enough to see, and where they know the tune.

in my church, where all the members are in this country for work, there are no old members (ok - 1 or 2, but they're reeeeeally young at heart) so we don't have that problem. but i do remember the churches in the u.s.

maybe play a few old fashioned hymns every once and a while, just for them.

anyway, i could be wrong. that's just my 2 cents.

 

[hollystar20]

tell here if she dosent like it to not come or to use ear plugs and keep rocking for God!!!!!! yeah!!!!!!!

 

[SGM4HIM]

I just got back from a worship conference, and one thing said there is something to the affect of "If it's too loud, your too old.... or else the music stinks!" So if people are complaining, either they're too old, or they're finding a nicer way to say that you need to work on the music.

God Bless!

Or.....It really could be too loud. I saw New Song at a church and my ears rang the next day. Your focus should be on Jesus, not how the loudness will affect your hearing.
I play bass in our worship team and I get get blamed for any low frequency howl or feedback in the sound system. 1/2 the people feel I'm not playing loud enough and all but 2 others in the church says it sounds ok. Go figure

 

[AndrewCS]

It sounds familiar! I get feedback that this one says this and that person said that and it is mostly negative feedback not encouragement.

We are a relatively new church and hire a rugby club hall for Sundays so we certainly do not have the “ideal” acoustic environment. Having recently gotten involved with sorting out the sound it is a challenge as the equipment is not the best but are making a priority list, of course God is at the top of that 1.

Have been thinking of asking for announcements to be made saying that we are addressing the sound issues and in the meantime if the individuals feel it too loud near the front to move back a few rows.

Have asked the set-up teams to start the chairs (as we set-up and pack down our church every Sunday morning & night) a few paces back and this already has improved the situation.

God guide us to make our worship pleasing for all

 

[thrufaithalone]

tpk said

I just got back from a worship conference, and one thing said there is something to the affect of "If it's too loud, your too old.... or else the music stinks!" So if people are complaining, either they're too old, or they're finding a nicer way to say that you need to work on the music.

God Bless!

People have a tendency to lose their hearing or go deaf as they get older. If older people are complaining about the noise, perhaps it really is too loud. (I know someone who has a hearing aid that shuts it off and it's still too loud for them; another is in her 50's and hard of hearing and has to leave because of the volume)
There are also brothers and sisters in the Lord that get migraines, or have a condition in which loud noise can cause pain in the ears; these brothers and sisters are being driven away from the body of Christ because the volume makes them physically ill. We are denying our fellow believers the ability to worship with others when we fail to be sensitive to their physical needs.

No Greater Love...

 

[jive4005]

Two things...

1. If is really is too loud, turn it down!

2. Reality... King David held some VERY LOUD worship services!!!

GB

His,
Rev J

ps: bottom line... if you work it towards LOVE it'll work out fine!