The factors that make for good sound in a church need
to be built into the design from the beginning. Since
the acoustics of a space are so highly dependent on its
shape and finishes, improving the acoustics after the
building is completed is often a very expensive proposition.
Having the proper loudspeaker and microphone
systems installed in the right place is fundamental to
good sound system performance. If the architect has not
provided for the right loudspeaker system in the original
building design, the congregation has to make a
choice between looking at ugly loudspeakers that work
well, not seeing loudspeakers that don't, or spending a
lot of money to hide them after the fact.
Not all churches need the same kind of acoustic
environment. Good acoustics for one congregation
may be unsatisfactory for another. A Gothic structure
is a wonderful environment for a congregation whose
normal liturgy is rooted in European music and Gregorian
chants, if it has a good sound system to make
speech intelligible. The same church would be unusable
for contemporary Christian music, and wouldn't work
very well for a jazz mass or a choir in the contemporary
gospel tradition.
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