vocals and transitions , or some combination of co-mixing where the seasoned mixer can maintain the quality standard . Mixer shadows . The seasoned mixer shadows and verbally helps the new mixer maintain a quality standard . New mixer mixes solo .
The length of this process was dependent on each new mixer ’ s musical aptitude and growth curve .
[ WM ] You are now working for a Pro Audio company called Fulcrum Acoustics . Tell us about that ?
[ Luke ] In 2022 , I moved to Charlotte , NC , with my family and joined a team developing and promoting immersive audio solutions for live mixing spaces . I am now the Immersive Market Development Manager for Fulcrum Acoustic . One of the things I really love about our immersive technologies is that they are very accessible to churches of all sizes . As someone who spent years mixing in church using Fulcrum ’ s immersive technology , I understand how approachable our software really is and how it makes the leap to immersive mixing accessible .
[ WM ] You do some coaching of church FOH folks and give them tips on getting a good mix . Can you share a few basics here ?
[ Luke ] Here are a few big-picture thoughts .
I would encourage anyone who mixes or is wanting to get into mixing to view it as more of a musical pursuit than a technical one . Once everything is working , from a technical standpoint , focus on making the music portion of the service as engaging as possible . Big picture , mixing music is a combination of sound and feel . Make sure that you don ’ t get so caught up in the technicalities of the sound itself that you forget to make the music feel good . Of course , we want things to sound as good as possible , but sometimes , a worship service can feel better than it sounds — and that is okay .
While mixing , continually ask yourself : What is
“ the main thing ” in the mix ? In church contexts , I would argue that “ the main thing ” in the mix should be the vocals . That is the primary aspect of our music that is leading people into a worshipful experience . The lyrics matter most and need to be prioritized in the mix . And , to take it a step further , the highest priority should be the lead vocal and the melody , because that is what the congregation is singing along with . During a musical intro or guitar solo portion of a song , “ the main thing ” would be whatever instrument or combination of instruments are carrying that musical moment .
I ’ ve made up a word to describe my primary goal while mixing a church worship service . Make each song “ sing-along-able .”
[ WM ] Thoughts on drum cages ? Do you prefer using sound deflectors ? Are they working well ?
[ Luke ] For me , this is very situational . At Highlands , we used a fully enclosed drum tank , because one of the goals from our leadership was to make the seats directly in front of the drum kit sound as good as any other seat in
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