Lilongwe, Malawi - Sound Addicts Live, an audio company in Lilongwe, recently organized a public lecture on sound technology, bringing together industry experts, musicians, and church leaders to discuss the importance of sound in various settings.

Shadreck Kalukusha, Managing Director and Technical Director at Sound Addicts Live, said the lecture was significant to improve use of sound in churches and events.

"We're here to discuss the issues of sound, but I think it's going to be a broader picture," he said. "Some of the things I'm discovering here myself, as the days go on, but the original inspiration was to have pastors, worship leaders, and technicians all have a conversation together and discuss why we have poor sound in churches."

Kalukusha noted that sound quality is a significant problem in Malawi, with many events suffering from subpar audio. "From what we're discovering, as well as experiences that I've had, I found that 80% of the time, the sound is not good," he said. "So, it's clearly a problem across Malawi."

The event also inspired upcoming sound engineers and provided a platform for industry professionals to share their experiences.

Kalukusha shared his journey, highlighting the progress he's made over the years. "We've come a long way, and it's getting better," he said. "I think we can make this a yearly activity so that we can have bigger market discussions, not just on sound, but on how we can improve different aspects of the industry."

Musician Duncan Zyambo, also known as Gwamba, who was in attendance underscored the importance of sound quality in productions.

"Production quality is not just about the music, but also about the sound," he said. "It's very important to have such discussions because it opens up the mind and helps us plan better."

Zyambo stressed the need for early preparations and having good engineers around a concept. "When you have time, you can plan, and when you plan, you're able to come up with something good," he said.

Prophet Mphatso Gondwe, General Overseer of Good News Ministries, said the significance of music in worship cannot be overemphasized.

"Music is a very great tool of worship, and sound is part of music," he said. "We were invited to share our experiences regarding the role of music in worship, and this is why we're here today."

Gondwe emphasized the importance of investing in music and capacity building for technicians.

"Music is an integral aspect of worship, and some people are attracted to the Lord through music.

"We make sure we invest in music, invest in capacity building of those people that are technicians, and above all, just making sure that everyone is mobilized well in the planning of our worship moments,” he said.

The public lecture provided a valuable platform for industry professionals to share their experiences and insights, highlighting the importance of sound quality in various settings.