Tech director in the band

[withoutfear]

I serve as full time tech director at my church( paid ). The problem I'm having is that I'm the Wednesday night drummer and the every other Sunday drummer! I am really struggling with issues like training my volunteers and just being present in general! We recently upgraded from analog to a digital ls9 and they all received minimal training on the basics and that's how we are functioning! I do have one guy that I lean on 95% of the time to run sound, but he isn't extremely technical he understands a good mix but he isnt a great teacher!!! I'm trying to figure out a way to be as effective in training people as I can but it's hard to train on a Sunday morning during services and we don't really have band rehearsal all that often. any ideas that could help or suggestions?

[Esoteric]

Man, I know this might not be what you want to hear. But I don't think it would be too much to ask to get the volunteers and the band to show up one night. Bring your backup drummer and 3 or 4 vocalists (they don't even have to be all that good). But everyone dinner, do the training yourself, and then put them behind the console, mess some stuff up, and have them fix what you undid. Give them each say 2 or 3 songs to get the console up and running and mix.

But on another note... Nothing personal... But I have a real problem with tech guys being in the band. I realize some churches don't have a choice and they make it work. But my church has a real problem with this. Our "sound guy" (I use the term loosely) is the drummer. He sets the mix (in an empty room) and then volunteers babysit it during the service (they don't even mute and unmute mics). And honestly? It sounds like crap. Once in a blue moon they get it right. But it is mostly luck. Honestly I think unless it is 100% unavoidable, people need to choose. Play in the band or mix sound, but don't try to do both, and be where you are needed, not where you want to be. If the backup drummer is almost as good (which is the case at our church) then get back on the console. If you can find a good sound person, then be up in the band. But when you are up in the band, be a band member, and not a sound tech/band member. /rant

By the way withoutfear none of that rant was meant directly for you!!!

Mike

[withoutfear]

I totally agree! I'd prefer to run sound or atleast be present in the tech areas during services unfortunately the other drummer doesn't really want to commit to playing anymore than he is now and I'm all weve got!! We have been scouring for drummers but they just aren't in our church! As far as rehearsals go, the worship leader (pastors wife ) is kinda in the summer mode where she doesn't really want to do much! I do agree with most of your concepts just in this situation our options are limited! Here's another question for you! Is sound teachable to anyone? I have one guy who is just a wierd guy, no personality, Socially awkward, just strange, nice but strange! everything I tell him just goes in one ear and out the other. I'm struggling with what to do with him. I'm considering putting him in another area like CG or something but even then I'm hesitant. Thoughts?

[Esoteric]

Well some people have a tin ear. We have one of them that no one has the heart to tell that he shouldn't be mixing sound. But that doesn't sound like your issue.

For people who are just not reachable you must be firm with them. If they refuse to learn then they can not serve. We all serve at the suffering of the church. If we do not serve well or properly, the church has every right to ask us not to serve.

But the point should always be repentance. To bring them back into service.

But some people need the shock of being asked not to serve (and being told exactly why and what they can do to remedy it) to get the in the right frame of mind.

[Esoteric]

Well some people have a tin ear. We have one of them that no one has the heart to tell that he shouldn't be mixing sound. But that doesn't sound like your issue.

For people who are just not reachable you must be firm with them. If they refuse to learn then they can not serve. We all serve at the suffering of the church. If we do not serve well or properly, the church has every right to ask us not to serve.

But the point should always be repentance. To bring them back into service.

But some people need the shock of being asked not to serve (and being told exactly why and what they can do to remedy it) to get the in the right frame of mind.

[Gracetech]

Drum machine....

It's hard to be two places at once. It's why i gave up drumming to pursue my passion of Audio. As rusty as i am i could still drum circles around a good bit of the drummers around the church. The deal is that you have to choose.

If you are the technical director then you have already chosen and you are slacking on your job by playing drums. If you don't want to be technical director then step down from the job so that someone can take over. If you want the job then step down from drumming and let someone take over. The deal is that no one will rise up until their is a place for them to rise into. In churches their are needs and need fillers. It would be nice if we had awesome skilled folks beating down our doors to get plugged in but often that is not the case. Sometimes you have to let things fall apart in order for those waiting on the sidelines to see an opportunity to fill in.

Step back and allow God to do what he does. This doesn't mean that you won't have the opportunity to use your other skills along the way but if you are holding a position then your responsibility is to that position.

crt

[cmchamp]

I'm the tech director and now the worship leader. Luckily, traditional church, so the "most" I have had to do for a Sunday is PPT announcement loop, start the video/audio recording, lead hymns, play the organ on the offertory, direct the choir, closing hymn and turn off video/audio recording. I need a nap after Sunday morning.
Honestly, it's less "Work" for me to go out and sing at another church, setting up/tear down my own PA and packing up myself. Physically more Work, but much less stress.

[withoutfear]

Grace tech, I think one thing you are failing to realize is that I'm personally questioning this issue for myself. My pastor, his wife and probably everyone else in the building are fine with this setup! Its more of me trying to figure out a way to make it all happen as professionally and seamlessly as possible! I could never ( and hope you could never ) just walk away from serving where you are needed for the sake of "choosing" knowing that there will be big hole in a main portion of your service, under an "assumption" that there is someone waiting in the wings to step up but haven't because they don't feel there a place for them! I don't know how many musicians you have been around but we aren't really that good about not talking about our craft to other musicians! While I understand your train of thought, circumstances are different in every case, and in this one, walking away would not only be selfish, but also leave my WL in a bind and I'm just not willing to do that until we have someone in stone to step up( they wouldn't even let me). It's not about right or wrong but about doing the best we can with what we have at the time that we have it!
Cheers

[SamG269]

Have you thought about making cheat sheets for your volunteers for the LS9? I would say to think about how to train your people better. Like others have said. Get more familier with them. Those that shine lift them up. And those that don't may need more polish or may not be really fit for the position. Time can sometimes be such a stressfull matter that really shouldn't matter. Think about it. Your stressed about what level somebody is at and you are killing yourself about it. You want to train them to be better by x day... Well... what if Jesus comes back before then? What if that person moves? What if wasting all your time stressing about ends up being a big waste of time? Sorry I dont mean to sound rude or anything. Im trying to help you build maybe a plan. Follow what proverbs sais. Anything done hastily never works out. But a thought out plan is always follow by success. There is a way. With God's help and guidence you can do it with whoever you have thats willing.

[prochlea]

I think the thing to do would be to talk to the worship leader and the other drummer and see if you can get a month off drumming to train your team. You also need to get them to come in for a rehearsal a few times. That's not too much to ask. Just tell them that you need this to happen - not "it would be nice if..."

[D.R.HADDOCK]

Burn out is a real problem.
You already admit that you are having trouble doing both jobs.
You must do one or the other, but not both.
I know its hard sometimes in smaller churchs,
But if you are overloaded, then you will never be able to do either
of the two jobs properly or well.
Concentrate on one job, and do it well.
Then the job has a chance of being done well.

[bbrunskill]

it's really hard. I'm in the same position - I'm the tech director, and also in all honesty the best guitarist and the best drummer the church has.

I'm reliable, and in a pinch can play keys, bass or sing, as well. So I'm needed on stage, but that makes it very hard to train and upskill my sound, lighting, and video people.

I still haven't worked it out.