Glossary (tech and chart terms)
Roles, hats, clocks, and worship language live in Definitions. This page is the tech and chart vocabulary a volunteer meets on a checklist.
Chart shorthand
| Tag |
Meaning |
I |
Intro |
V1, V2 |
Verse 1, 2 |
PC |
Pre-chorus |
C |
Chorus |
B |
Bridge |
T |
Tag (a repeated line or phrase) |
E |
Ending |
| Capo |
Clamp that raises the guitar’s pitch so it can play easy shapes in a hard key |
| BPM |
Beats per minute — the tempo |
Audio
| Term |
Meaning |
| FOH |
Front of house — the mix the congregation hears, and the person running it |
| Monitors / IEM |
What the band hears: wedges (floor speakers) or in-ear monitors |
| Click |
Metronome in the in-ears that keeps band and tracks together; the room never hears it |
| Phantom (power) |
Extra power some mics (condensers, DIs) need from the console — turn it on only for those |
| Gain |
The first volume knob on each channel; set it sane before anything else |
| VCA / DCA |
One fader that controls a group of channels (e.g. all drums) |
| Mute group |
One button that mutes a set of channels |
| Scene / snapshot |
Saved console state |
| Golden file |
The known-good show file a trained operator can always load |
| Matrix |
A mix of mixes — used for feeds like the stream or lobby |
| Mix minus |
A feed that leaves out one source so it does not echo back (e.g. for a remote speaker) |
| Patch |
Physical or digital routing connection |
| Snake |
Multi-channel cable run stage ↔ FOH |
| DI |
Direct input box (instrument to console) |
| SM58 |
The standard handheld vocal mic — “the spare SM58” is the backup vocal mic |
| RF |
Wireless radio management (scan, coordinate, batteries) |
| Talkback |
Console mic FOH uses to speak to the stage |
| Feedback / howl |
The squeal when a mic picks up its own speaker — pull that fader, find the open mic |
| Term |
Meaning |
| House / overhead lyrics |
Lyrics projected for the congregation |
| Confidence monitors |
Team-facing lyric/cue screens on stage. Synonyms: video monitors, stage video, confidence screens |
| Safe slide |
Black or known holding slide when the operator is lost |
| Lower-third |
Name/title graphic on the bottom of the stream picture |
| Encoder |
The box or software that sends the stream out |
Lighting
| Term |
Meaning |
| Universe / patch |
How fixtures are addressed on the lighting console |
| Grand master / bump |
The master fader / the button that restores a look — know blackout and restore |
| Busking |
Running looks live by hand instead of from a cue stack — use sparingly |
Stage and schedule
| Term |
Meaning |
| Music stand |
Physical stand for charts — exception path, not default staging |
| Downstage / upstage |
Toward the congregation / toward the back wall |
| Strike |
Tear-down after the service |
| Green room |
Offstage waiting/prep area |
| Prior rehearsal |
The group rehearsal required before the service you serve |
| Freeze |
Experiments stop (default: doors) — see Definitions |
https://theonize.github.io/petra/11-reference/glossary/
