The Subconscious Distraction of "Dead Air"

We have been conditioned to respond negatively to silence.

Silence is a powerful thing.  The presence of sound wouldn't be nearly as valuable to us if there was no absence of sound.  It's like the negative space on a painting or photograph.  The busier a piece of art is, the likelihood that its artistic value will go down.  Artists know when to add and when to subtract.

But as the general public, things can get very uncomfortable very quickly in silence.  No one in particular is to blame for this, but research has shown is that a group of people in public can withstand silence for no more than a few seconds before it becomes distracting and uncomfortable.

I personally find silence in my home to be very comforting.  And since we have two children under the age of 6 in our house, silence rarely happens!  When it does, it's sweet and enjoyable.  But is it really "silence", or are there sonic-atmospheric instances still happening?  Of course it's not pure "silence".  There's the sound of breathing, of the air conditioner or heater, nearby traffic, the dog barking next door, the wind, etc. - and atmosphere is wonderful!

Now, think about your congregation for a minute.  You want to effectively lead them not just in a group of songs, but in unadulterated worship of God.  Which means you need to be conscious not only of your songs, but of the atmosphere that your congregation is perceiving at any given moment.  You need to be conscious of what moments need the presence of sound, and what moments need the absence of it!

When you have a humble moment (absence of sound) in your worship service - transition between songs, a speaking/sharing moment, prayer, etc. - it is a great idea to use worship pads like ours to add just the right amount of atmosphere to the room.  Not only will it give you the freedom to lead appropriately, but it destroys the opportunity for the congregation to be distracted by "dead air".  

Whether we think about it or not, we are all distracted by the absence of sound.  It captures our attention.  So even if I'm trying to consciously not be distracted by silence, my subconscious will still notice the silence and allow it to steal my attention.

Pads do a great job of filling your sonic atmosphere during your worship team's songs, but they are priceless when you use pads to ensure your time in between songs doesn't have "dead air".  That doesn't mean it has to be big & loud every moment - many of our pads are very well suited for the quietest of moments!  Our pads will help you lead your congregation well and keep them focused on the very thing (the very One!) you desire for everyone in the room to be focused on.

No more "dead air".  It's easy to kill that subconscious distraction with pads.  Try it today.

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