Introduction to Cassettes in Ministry

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Cassette recordings can be very effective tools in ministry, especially when you are working in a culture or language that is not your own.

The following topics provide information to help you set up and run a cassette ministry. The information is very basic, and no previous experience is necessary. The topics are based on material used to train local workers in Papua New Guinea and elsewhere.

1. Using Cassettes in a Group.
2. Managing a Cassette Ministry.
3. Preparing your Own Recordings.
4. Recording Procedures.
5. Recording Techniques.
6. The Inside Info on Cassettes.

1. Using Cassettes in a Group

Cassettes can be used in all kinds of ways, in many different places:

1. In Hospitals, Gaols and Schools, you can play cassettes during visitation or leave the player with a responsible person.

2. In Open-air Evangelism and market places, with extension speakers and large flip-charts.

3. In Personal witnessing in homes.

4. In contacting other villages or people who have a different language, especially if you have recordings in their own language.

5. In reaching into 'hostile' areas, with people who are traditional enemies or people who are as yet unreached with the gospel.

6. In Bible studies, group discussions and T.E.E. for advanced level, which can be held anywhere, any time as part of the regular church outreach.

Prepare Yourself

• CHOOSE the right message.
• Before you play the program to others LISTEN to the program yourself.
• READ the Bible passage used in the program.
• THINK about what is said.
• LOOK UP extra notes or other looks on the subject being discussed.
• PREPARE questions to ask, explanations to give and discussion points.

REMEMBER: The cassette program is an AID to help you in your teaching. It is NOT meant to be used just by itself. It is not for lazy Pastors or teachers who don't want to spend time preparing. You need to prepare with cassette programs also.

Prepare Your Machine

CLEAN your machine. Twist some cotton wool over a match, dip it in some methylated spirits and clean the heads and the capstan. Use another match and cotton wool. Wet the cotton wool with your saliva and clean the rubber pressure roller.

Using methylated spirits or head cleaning fluid on the pressure roller can cause the rubber to become hard and not play the cassettes well.

Make sure that the BATTERIES are still good. A set of batteries will allow you to play a cassette player for about 10 hours. Remember to take a spare set of batteries with you.

Practice

If there are several of you using cassettes, you may prepare together. Go through the above points and share ideas. Then you can go out to villages or towns using the cassette programs in the same way. In this way you can work as a team. Share experiences or ideas when you can.

The best way to learn is by doing. As you use the cassettes with groups and individuals you will quickly be able to improve your methods of explaining parts of the message that may not be easily understood, asking better questions and giving clearer applications and examples.

Presentation

When you take your cassette player and program to a village or group there are few things to keep in mind:

1. Decide a good TIME when people will be free to listen.
2. Choose a good PLACE where the listeners will not be interrupted. (under a tree, in a house etc)
3. Put the cassette player where it can be EASILY HEARD - on a chair, table, log etc.
4. Get people to sit in a CIRCLE so that they can all have equal opportunity to hear well. This also makes it easier for discussion to take place.
5. When many people want to hear the program it may be helpful to LIMIT THE SIZE of your group. You could arrange to play it a second or third time for those who don't hear it the first time. The smaller group can facilitate easier discussion. This is not always possible of course.
6. Play ONE PROGRAM and then stop the player. Don't play the next program until the first has been talked about and understood. Ask questions. You may use your prepared questions to get discussion moving.
7. Try to get as MANY PEOPLE TAKING PART as possible in the discussion. Ask different people questions about the program. To get a quiet person to join in you may ask what part of the program he/she found interesting.
8. BE READY to rewind the cassette and play parts (or the whole) of the program again. You could stop the cassette part of the way through a program is you think that extra comment will help.

Plan Ahead

DECIDE what series of programs you want to use in each place. Follow one series through rather than changing from one to another all the time.

DISCUSS your needs with your team leader, if that is appropriate, and decide together what plan to follow.

ORDER your cassettes well in advance if you need to obtain more material.

2. Managing a Cassette Ministry

Using One or Two Cassette Players

Send the players to different places in turn while you go to another place, eg. homes, hospitals, schools, prisons, market place etc.

Using a Number of Cassette Players

These machines can be loaned for use in different places, eg. homes, Bible study groups, interested individuals, hospital, church, prison, market, business fellowship group etc.

Record Keeping

If you are using cassettes in ministry it is helpful to keep a record of how the material and the machine is being used. A record book could include:

Player Number	Date Sent	Date Due Back	Date Returned	User	Program	Place used	Condition of the machine when returned

Keep a record of cassettes used and where the payers are located. Perhaps you will need one book for each machine.

Record keeping should be done carefully or you will lose machines and cassettes.

Duplicating Cassettes

You can use two cassette recorders to duplicate cassettes. In one cassette recorder put the original cassette and in the other put a blank cassette for the copy. The two recorders are joined by a patch cord. On the original machine the patch cord is plugged into the LINE OUT or MONITOR socket. On the copy machine the patch cord is plugged into the AUXILLIARY INPUT socket.

You can also use a double cassette deck, which is easier as there is no extra cable required. Some double cassette decks can eve copy cassettes at higher than normal speed.

Things to remember when copying cassettes:

1. Make sure the BATTERIES are NOT OLD or LEAKING. If they are old, use fresh ones.

2. Every cassette recorder is different. One may run fast, the other run slow. This means that the same cassette used on different machines, will finish at different times.

3. Each cassette is different. One cassette can be longer than another.

You must allow 12 - 20 seconds of blank tape at the beginning and end of the cassette. The reasons for this are:

1. If one cassette recorder is faster and finishes first, all of the talking and singing will be recorded on the copy.

2. If one cassette tape is longer than the other, the speaking will fit on the short one.

3. Preparing your Own Recordings

Using existing scripts

Prepare these in the trade language or translate them into your own language. Members of the Global Recordings Network have many scripts which have been used many times over the years, and these are available for use. Some of these have pictures that go with them, giving an audio-visual presentation of the gospel.

You can also use existing scripture translations.

Preparing your own messages

The are many types of messages that you can record:

1. Messages preached at Church meetings. These could be your own messages or another pastor or a visiting speaker.

2. Bible Studies. You may prepare a whole series. These an then be done at the same time in different places throughout your area.

3. Messages prepared for a particular need e.g. marriage guidance, cargo cult etc.

4. Testimonies.

5. Translation of scripts from Language Recordings or Scripture Gift Mission (Scripture portions) or Translation of Scripture.

6. Songs in your language or a trade language.

It is important to write the message out fully. This will help you not to stray from the message and waste time repeating yourself or waffling on.

There are 5 points to remember when preparing a message

1. ATTENTION - you must capture the listeners attention

2. INTEREST - you must hold the person interest

3. CONVICTION - you must convince the listener that what you are saying is true and believable.

4. DESIRE - you must develop a desire in the thinking of the listener to obtain what you are telling him.

5. DECISION - you must help the listener decide to take the step of acting on the message you have been giving him.

After you have done your preparation of your message, use your notes and record the message one section at a time. Unless you can read with very natural expression, it is better not to read. If you record one short section at a time you can memorise the section and repeat it using natural expression.

Listen to it to see that it is okay, then continue.

Try to keep your message brief.

Listen and evaluate each section. Have someone else listen to it also for their evaluation before you use it publically.

Planning for the future

Look out for people who are good at this work, and encourage them to help you regularly. Train them to do the work well, so that you will have a good team of helpers to assist you with your programs. Encourage your church leaders to plan what would be most helpful for people to listen to.

Choosing Your Content

Recordings can include Testimonies, drama, dialogue, songs etc. If the recordings can be made in the local language they will carry more impact. You must be careful however that the life of the speaker says the same thing as his words.

As an example, you could make up a tape with a series of personal testimonies followed by a message, or use a testimony with a particular message, e.g. salvation, marriage, guidance, drunkenness. Wherever possible use sound effects or dramatization to add interest to your recordings. You can use drums or other sounds if they fit in with the message. Dramatize Bible stories or other messages where possible.

Songs can be a very good addition to any program. They may be existing songs in the language, or translated from other languages. If traditional music is acceptable you can set words to that. You can also translate scripture verses, or simple messages to fit tunes. When recording, make sure you have people who can sing the song properly.

Variety in presentation

People can become tired of listening to the same kind of program all the time. Try to have plenty of variety in your programs. There are many ways you can do this.

Singing Groups: Try to encourage people in your area to form singing groups. They can practice well-known songs and compose new ones. Songs can be in the local language or trade language. When they have practiced the songs and are singing them really well, then record them. Then the songs can be used in your programs or you can make up a whole singing tape. The best size for a singing groups is 4 - 8 people.

Traditional story-telling and singing: If you can use one of the traditional legends or stories in your program, get one of the older men to tell it. You may have traditional chanting or singing that can be adapted to use with Scripture reading and Bible stories.

Personal testimonies: particularly from people in your area, can add a lot to your programs.

Dramatization and Sound Effects: Use these to make your stories come to life e.g. story of Noah. People will be glad to help you do this.

A Matter of Timing

Cassettes are not limitless so it is important to control the length of messages used.

The attention span of people is usually quite short so it is important to keep your messages short also. Television is reducing the attention span of people because of the constant changes of scene. The average time frame of one scene on a TV program is about 5 - 7 seconds.

Choose the messages you want on the program, and anything else you want to add e.g. hymns, choruses, questions, testimonies, etc. Write out your program Allow for breaks between messages. Time your messages, hymns, breaks, etc. accurately, like this:

C60 WAGHI LANGUAGE	TIME
SIDE ONE
Leader	00:15
1. The Two Roads	03:54
Break	00:05
Song : Jisas i Gutpela Rot (Pidgin)	01:25
Break	00:05
2. Don't be afraid	04:04
Break	00:05
Song : Hear Christ Calling (WAGHI)	00:45
Break	00:05
Other items etc...........
TOTAL TIME	29:30

Make sure the program does not exceed the time limit for the cassette.

• 29:30 for one side of a C60
• 14:30 for one side of a C30

Turn over cassette at the end of the time limit, and start side 2 there. Do NOT run the tape through to the end and start side 2 at the beginning of side 2.

4. Recording Procedures

When recording at the beginning of a tape allow 12-20 seconds before you start recording.

1. Rewind tape to the beginning. Press Play button. Use stop watch or count slowly to 12.

2. Press Stop button. Set the counter to 000.

3. Check that the speaker is seated comfortably.

4. Check that the script is behind the microphone.

5. The speaker practices reading one or more sentences. (If you like, you can mark the start and finish of the section to be read.)

6. The speaker's mouth should be 30cm (12") from the microphone.

7. Press down Pause button, then press Play and Record.

8. Adjust recording volume control so that the meter needle peaks between 3 and 0.

9. Watch this closely all through the recording.

10. Release the Pause button.

11. Speaker reads one or more sentence. Check meter closely.

12. When the speaker is finished, let the machine keep recording for 1 or 2 seconds. Do NOT stop immediately after the speaker finishes.

13. Press down Pause button.

14. Press down Stop button.

15. Press down Rewind button. Rewind tape to a position just before the start of the passage just recorded. Take note of number on the counter.

16. Press down Play button.

17. Release Pause button.

18. Listen carefully to the join between the sentence just recorded and the previous sentence. Are both sentences approximately the same volume? Is the gap between the sentences the right length (1/2 to 1 second between normal sentences, 1 to 2 seconds for a pause)?

19. Listen carefully to the sentence just recorded. Is it too loud? too soft? Is it the right sentence? Are there any mistakes? Are there any outside noises, or other things that have spoiled the recording?

20. If the recording is OK proceed to the next section. If not, rewind to the end of the previous sentence and do it again. At the end of playing back the recording, press down the pause button as soon as the speaker is finished. But make sure all of the last word is heard clearly.

21. Press down Stop button.

22. Press down Play and Record buttons. Now you are ready to record again.

    To erase a section of a recording

23. Press down Pause button.

24. Press down Play and Record buttons.

25. Make sure Record switch is in Manual position.

26. Turn volume switch down to 0.

27. Release Pause button.

28. At the end of the section press down Pause button.

29. Press down Stop button.

30. Rewind to the beginning of section erased. Turn volume switch up to 4 or 5.

31. Press down Play button and listen carefully to see that the section has been properly erased.

5. Recording Techniques

Choosing where to record

Find a suitable place to record - a studio is not always necessary. A quiet place without any echo is important. This could be under a tree, in a house, church or other suitable place, eg. a shower recess.

If recording inside, it is good to use a small room, or a room full of furniture, to minimise echo. Clap your hands to find out what the room sounds like - you want an ALIVE sound, not a dead sound.

If there are a lot of outside noises, you will need to make a padded cell with mattresses and blankets. Stop and be quiet for two minutes. Write down all the sounds that you hear. Avoid distracting sounds.

Placing the speaker(s) and microphone

Put the microphone in the right place for monologue or dialogue.

Place the microphone in front of the speaker's mouth.

• Point it away from where it will pick up outside noises.

• Do not have the person speaking to a flat wall because the voice will bounce back.

• Have a person in the corner speak to the middle of the room.

• The type of voice determines how far away you put the microphone. A loud voice should be 30cm (12") away, a soft voice only 8cm (3") away.

• If the microphone is TOO CLOSE you will get breath noise and popping sounds. If the microphone is TOO FAR AWAY you will hear too much outside noise.

• Presence (getting the speaker's voice to sound like he is right there) is also determined by the closeness and angle of the microphone.

• Check and recheck the volume level. Watch the meter. Have the person practice speaking into the microphone so you can get the correct volume.

• DO NOT TAP OR BLOW INTO THE MICROPHONE TO SEE IF IT IS WORKING!!

• If there is more than one person speaking, as in a dialogue, you can increase the contrast between their voices by one person speaking directly into the microphone and the other speaking off mike. This is particularly useful if their voices both sound the same.

Some helpers prefer to stand rather than sit down.

Generally try to avoid people simply reading scripts, because it usually sounds like the person is reading. This is one reason why GRN uses the sentence by sentence method of recording.

Reading takes a longer to say than "AD LIB". e.g. 2 minutes of reading could be shortened to 1 1/2 minutes of speaking.

Singing

Singing is mainly used as a break between messages. It is used to complement spoken messages, and not to be in place of them.

AIM: for balance and clear diction (words). Usually place singers 3 feet from the microphone.

Use indigenous (local) tunes or trade language tunes. These may be tunes used in work songs, but you must avoid using tunes with bad connotations. Use Scripture in Song, or other Christian words that fit in with the theme of the message.

A small number of singers is best. Use solos, duets, quartets , etc. Put the people with the best voices near the microphone. Maybe the leading person in the village must sing but if he has a bad voice, put him at the back of the group. Choose what is culturally most acceptable: men, women or both.

Use indigenous (local) instruments. Put the people playing the instruments away from the microphone so that the voices and words can be heard louder than the music. Put noisy instruments e.g. the drum, at the back or side of the microphone.

Good Recording Habits

Always keep the machine clean.

Check batteries to see if they have enough power for recording. Make sure you also have a spare set of batteries.

The tabs must be in the cassette.

To record, press down the "Record" and "Play" buttons at the same time. STAND-BY position, press down "Pause" button first, and then Record and Play buttons. Release "Pause" to record. The Pause button needs to be pushed down in order to be released.

Put announcements on the tape: name of message, name of language then 5 sec gap

Signal when you want the speaker to start. It is useful to be able to fully operate the cassette recorder with one hand, so that the other hand is free to signal. Establish eye contact when giving a signal.

Turn off cassette recorder when not in use, so that you don't waste batteries.

Write language name and other major details on the tape.

Pack away cassette recorder in a safe place.

During the recording

Watch the level meter all he time you are recording, to maintain constant levels and avoid overloading.

Watch helper's face to see hesitation, readiness, problems etc.,

Listen for background noises - e.g. crying children, people talking, cutting wood, outboard motors, aeroplanes flying overhead, roosters crowing, dogs barking, fires crackling, birds and wind noises etc.

Listen for FADING or change in volume, that shows a change in the distance from the microphone of the speaker's mouth. e.g. the bad habit some language helpers have of practicing their sentence at one volume and then bringing their head closer to the mike and speaking louder for recording.

Listen for loss of presence, overloading, popping and stumbles, repetition, fading away at the end of a sentence etc.

Listen to the pause lengths in between sentences.

Working with Language Helpers

1. SPEAK SLOWLY, CLEARLY & SIMPLY if the language helper does not understand very well the language you are speaking in.

2. Be careful not to use SLANG or COLLOQUIAL WORDS.

3. If the language helper has not understood what you said, say it a different way.

4. Make sure everyone is comfortable - in chairs or on the floor.

5. Tell everyone to be still and quiet while a sentence is being recorded.

6. Have at least 2 speakers, so that the pressure is not on one person.

7. Don't have too many people watching, as it might make your helper nervous.

8. If the language helper gets tired, let him rest.

9. Begin with prayer.

10. Tell the language helper all about the script you want to record.

11. Explain how you are going to record e.g. sentence by sentence or a paragraph at a time if it is going to be read.

12. Show the signal for when you want him to start speaking.

13. Explain that you will get him to practice the sentence a couple of times before it is recorded.

14. Demonstrate to him how you want him to say something.

15. You may have to re-record the first few sentences.

16. ENCOURAGE the language helper even though he is finding it difficult. Never laugh at his poor efforts. Help him to feel relaxed.

17. If he does not say the sentence well the first time, then get him to repeat it. Tell him that stumbles and mistakes are usual and that it is a simple matter to erase and do it again.

18. Be careful of paper rattle noise. Put paper on a clipboard.

What the speaker needs to remember

1. No-one can see the person who is speaking, so their voice must carry the whole impact of the message.

2. The listener has to be able to IDENTIFY with the message and to be INTERESTED in it.

3. If you have to read the script, be a fluent reader. Practice the script several times.

4. Put plenty of expression into reading.

5. Tell the message as though you really mean it. Your voice tells how you feel about what you are saying.

6. Speak as though you are talking to a friend and you have some good news to tell him. We want the listener to identify with the message and be interested in it.

7. Don't preach or yell. Use your natural speaking voice.

8. Be careful to say your words clearly and don't fade off at the end of a sentence.

6. The Inside Info on Cassettes

TAPE is made up of a BASE (plastic tape), BINDER (glue) and OXIDE (Iron Oxide particles). The DULL side is the OXIDE side.

Tapes come in different LENGTH. The total listening time is marked by a "C" followed by the time in minutes, such as "C30", "C45", "C60" or "C90". Tapes have two sides, "A" and "B", so the listening time on each side is half of the total length. For example, a C60 has 30 minutes on each side, and a C90 has 45 minutes on each side.

Tapes vary in THICKNESS. Cassette cases are all the same size, so long playing tapes such as a C120 are thinner so that more tape can be wound around the hub. For STRENGTH it is better to use shorter, thicker tape for recording, such as a C60.

The QUALITY of a cassette is determined by how well the bottom and top of the case match together, and how good the tape is. A good tape has an even, shiny surface. A bad tape will look patchy because the oxide has not been spread over the tape evenly. Also the oxide will lift off the tape when running past the heads.

Cheap Tapes are often BAD QUALITY. Some of the bad things about them are:

• no guide rollers, but just posts
• foam plastic behind the pressure pad instead of felt
• plastic sticking out of the hub, making a bump in the tape
• the 2 sides of the case are just glued together instead of having screws. (You can open these cases with a screwdriver and they can be stuck together again with a soldering iron.)

The oxide on the tape has a limit to how much it can be magnitised, ie, a limit to the level (volume) at which the recording is done. If this limit is exceeded, serious DISTORTION will occur to the recording. Care should be taken to crefully monitor and adjust the level during the recording process.

Another problem that can be ancountered with cassettes, especailly when they have been recorded at high level, is called PRINT THROUGH. If a cassette is left unused for a long period, the magnetic variations of one section of tape can "print through" onto the section in contact with it. Cassettes should be forwarded and rewound every 6 months to reduce this problem.

Inside a Cassette

LINER SHEETS are pieces of paper treated with silicon which helps the tape to run smoothly. The tapes moves on the sheet instead of the case.

The HUB is what the tape is fastened to. Inside the hub there is the fastener. If the tape comes off the hub, you can restring the tape with the fastener. In a cassette, the oxide is placed on the outside, so keep your fingers away from it as much as possible.

LEADER TAPE at the beginning and the end of the tape is made of clear, thin plastic, attached to the hub. Roll the leader tape onto the hub before recording. Have it so that you have tape with oxide touching the record head.

FELT PRESSURE PADS, mounted on a copper spring, press the tape on to the head. If the tape is wrinkled, it will not go smoothly across the heads. If the spring is bent, the pressure will be changed and be either too tight or sagging.

ANTI-MAGNETIC SHIELD PLATE stops other magnetic signals getting in the way especially when playing back.

GUIDE ROLLERS assist the moving of the tape. They should be the same width as the tape. They are held in the case with stainless steel pins.

SAFETY TABS prevent erasing of the message on the tape. They need to be knocked out in order to work. They can be replaced with sticky tape.

The FEED REEL and TAKE-UP REEL.

Care of Cassette Tapes

1. Make sure your hands are clean when working with cassettes and cassette equipment. Do not handle the tape with your fingers if you do not need to.

2. Before putting the cassette in the machine, take up the slack to avoid jerking.

3. Do not leave the machine on after the tape has finished as it is possible the tape will stretch and distort.

4. If a cassette is tight, causing difficulty in fast forward, rewind or even play modes, it can be due to the tape not running evenly onto the spools. The cassette can be smacked flat a few times onto your hand, first one side then the other. This helps the tape settle evenly onto the spool, making it looser in the cassette case and allowing it to travel more smoothly.

5. Store tapes in a COOL, DRY place, away from direct sunlight, heat and dust. Keep them in an AIRTIGHT BOX. To avoid sagging, store them on their side rather than flat. Keep them away from magnets, clocks, speakers and 8-10cm away from cassette and tape recorders.