Pat Brown is a 1978 graduate of the University of Louisville with a degree in electrical engineering technology. With a background as a musician, sound technician, retail music storeowner, contractor, and consultant, he is familiar with just about every aspect of audio. For all these reasons, he seemed like the ideal person to talk to about the learning process and what customers should expect from experts.

In a Training issue two years ago, we included Syn-Aud-Con as an education resource. Since some of our readers may not recall that issue, let's start with a description of the company and the clients the company serves.
Syn-Aud-Con is short for Synergetic Audio Concepts. SAC holds about two dozen seminars annually with 40 to 50 people in attendance. The attendees are an interesting mixture of contractors, consultants, operators and other people who are serious about sound reinforcement.

That's a pretty wide spectrum. What are they looking for?
Practical information. We try to shorten the learning curve for those new to audio, and help the pro keep current on the latest technologies and methods.

You have a loyal customer base among churches. Is there a typical church audio customer or client?
We get attendees from houses of worship of all sizes - from tens of people to tens of thousands. Sometimes we get the whole audio staff. Some houses of worship have full-time AV staffs, but the vast majority use volunteer help. Since these folks have day jobs, they need technical training that gets them up and running fast.

How much do they know when they come to you? What kinds of concerns do they have?
We're a notch or two above entry level. While our classes start with the basics, we assume a working knowledge of sound systems and that the attendee has spent some time connecting and operating gear. Our seminars are most valuable to those who have already made some audio mistakes and have encountered the typical problems of feedback, hums and buzzes, and bad sound.

Now, let's talk about what happens in the field. How can contractors help to educate customers? What should customers expect or demand?
The first way that they can help them is to provide simple solutions that work. No matter how nice the system, if the operator can't understand how to use it their return on investment is diminished.

Customers should expect the contractor to hand-hold them until they get the basic operation of the system mastered. This means being accessible via phone, email or in person if necessary. On the other hand, the customer must realize that they have a responsibility to learn to use their system. This means reading manuals, practicing, self-study and ongoing training.

What are some of the best ways customers can get up to speed?
Training by nature is a process of "a little from here and a little from there." Over time this gives one their audio background.

The trade magazines are a good way to get familiar with products, model numbers and overviews of successful projects. Websites can provide product literature and technical papers. Seminars are great for getting training on specific products. Syn-Aud-Con seminars are a good source of general training that applies to all brands. (Editor's Note: Check the Shure Calendar in this issue for additional seminars and workshops.)

A 50/50 mix of hands-on work and self-study works is a good place to start.

Most of all, they need to couple hands-on audio work with training. A 50/50 mix of hands-on work and self-study works is a good place to start. One process feeds the other.

Most importantly, forget about "lowest price" and concentrate on "best value."

When should a church hire a consultant (versus a contractor)? Are there indicators?
There's a place for both. Consultants offer objectivity and (hopefully) increased expertise. At the same time a good design/build contractor can often produce excellent results at a lower cost.

The main thing is to qualify your selection, whether consultant or contractor. Get some references, visit some sites, and talk to their customers. Unfortunately consumers often buy from the best sales person rather than from the most qualified firm. Most importantly, forget about "lowest price" and concentrate on "best value." Many HOWs buy lots of gear that they end up replacing. Whoever the HOW selects should be passionate about audio and have a love for both the art and science of sound.

Pat Brown is co-editor of the Syn-Aud-Con Newsletter, a quarterly publication for Syn-Aud-Con members. He writes articles for trade magazines and has contributed content for Glen Ballou's "Handbook for Sound Engineers". Pat was named NSCA "Educator of the Year" for 2005. Learn more about Syn-Aud-Con.