Factors That Influence Tempo
The acoustical characteristics of a room are an important part of the hymn-singing environment. The acoustical setting is to hymn singing what a sounding board is to a piano, or a violin body to a violin. A room with hard, reflective surfaces will sound much different than a room filled with softer materials that absorb rather than reflect sound waves.
Rooms with “LIVE” acoustics, that is, where a sound lingers after its release for a second or more before disappearing, tend to inspire slightly slower, more “grand” singing than do rooms with “DRY” or “dead” acoustics.
Congregations that sing in a live acoustical setting hear one another better and feel an increased sense of community. Hesitant hymn singers are more likely to become involved if they feel that they are part of a singing community rather than that they are singing alone.
