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"Ears that hear and eyes that see—the Lord has made them both" (Proverbs 20:12).

Unfortunately, too many houses of worship were designed only for the "eyes that see," neglecting the "ears that hear." Because of this, acoustical problems—problems that affect how well the message is heard and understood—are common.

The best way to avoid acoustical problems is by properly addressing acoustics during the design phase of a building. But if it's too late for that, be assured that many existing facilities can enjoy improved acoustics. A good place to start is with an understanding of common problems, and learning the terms used by consultants in the acoustics world. This knowledge will help you select and work with professional consultants who combine the science of acoustics and the art of their experiences to achieve better sound.

One of the most important factors that both directly and indirectly affects how the room "sounds" is style of worship. Most churches fall into one of three broad categories of worship style—each style requiring different acoustical characteristics. The first style is liturgical, or ritualistic, with much emphasis on organ and choral music. This style sounds best in a very reverberant room.

The second style is a blend of organ and piano music, modern choral ensembles, and possibly some contemporary instruments. There is equal emphasis on music and the spoken word. This style requires some amount of acoustical life, and creates an enveloping atmosphere.

In the third style, organ and piano music are often replaced with a full band, playing predominantly contemporary musical selections. There is heavy emphasis on the spoken word, or perhaps equal emphasis on speech and music. This style requires a well-controlled acoustical environment.

Each of these worship styles should be addressed individually, with different acoustical considerations. To complicate matters, many churches now offer both traditional and contemporary style services in the same space, requiring even more consideration.

Regardless of style, the first enemy of good acoustics is noise. Noise is unwanted sound. Sources of noise include air conditioning, fans, lighting, highway traffic, air traffic, trains, and footfall noise. All of these should be minimized. There are several methods used to quantify noise, the most common is a Noise Criteria (NC) rating. Generally, the noise level for a worship space should not exceed NC 40 to NC 45. The best way to get noise under control is with the help of a qualified acoustical consultant.

One of the key differences required for each worship style is in the amount of reverberation in the room. Reverberation is measured by reverberation time (RT), a number (actually, a set of numbers) that helps quantify the acoustical properties of a room. In basic terms, RT describes how long echoes last, and is measured in seconds.

Most acoustical professionals agree that a mid-range RT of 1.0 to 3.5 seconds is desirable for a house of worship. The space should not be too "dead," indicated by RT values below 1.0. For example, a large, traditional space can exceed an RT of 3.0 seconds with few complaints, but special attention to sound system design will be required. At the other extreme, contemporary worship venues rarely exceed RT of 1.5 seconds.

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