FRONT OF HOUSE
IN PRAISE OF REMOTE MIXING | Kent Morris
Take a look at a typical mid-century Protestant church and you will likely find a small room at the back of the sanctuary with a sliding glass window designed to house the media equipment . From this enclave , stalwart techs struggled to mix the services since they were not in the same physical space as the congregation . Often , they would lean out the window to get a little closer to the energy in the room or walk out into the sanctuary in an attempt to memorize what it sounded like long enough to walk back in and make an adjustment . Their available tools were primitive , with six channels and a few bands of main EQ the norm . In all , the experience for both tech and congregation was mediocre at best .
Today , the vast majority of churches use a digital mixing console with the capability for remote control of most parameters . Even entry level mixers have some type of iOS interface to allow the mix engineer access to level , mutes , EQ , routing and effects from an iPad or similar device through WiFi . For those mid-century churches with an enclosed “ sound room ” or a tech booth placed at the rear of the balcony , remote mixing is an answer to prayer . Let ’ s look at some best practices to implement in a remote mixing environment .
First , use a dedicated router . The router built into the mixer is fair to poor in quality and should be ignored . Buy a good quality router and keep everything other than sound control off the link . Using clear line of sight positioning , test the connectivity during rehearsal and use a strong password protection scheme to prevent someone else from mixing the service .
Second , realize there will be latency in the system . It takes time for the adjustment signal to leave the iPad , go through the router , into the console and effect a change , so be prepared to mute / unmute a second before the action is needed . Spend some time practicing alone in the room to figure out the time delay and if some room areas are more latent than others .
Third , be aware the smaller screen makes mixing more difficult . Scrolling is essential when mixing from an iPad and it is easy to think you are on ear mix one when you are really on
ear mix three , meaning it is vital to develop a “ confirm then adjust ” process . Taking an extra second to verify position can make the difference between success and failure .
Fourth , touch is touchy . Touch screens will implement any command they recognize , so keep fingers off the surface until a change is needed .
Finally , realize remote mixing is a compromise and has limits . Sometimes , it is simply easier and quicker to walk to the console and make the needed change .
Remote mixing control has been a boon for churches with outdated mix positions and portable churches without a dedicated tech space . Used correctly and with focus , it provides a useful tool in the struggle that is live sound .
Kent Morris Kent is a 40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state .