FRONT OF HOUSE
WHAT TO LEAVE IN, WHAT TO LEAVE OUT | Kent Morris
Photo by Clement Felix on Unsplash
What does a mix need to be a proper mix? For monitor applications, the answer is whatever the user needs to stay on time and on pitch. Generally, instrumentalists need kick, bass, hi-hat, themselves, some lead vocal plus the obvious click and guide while vocalists need the click and guide along with some bass for root, keys for context, themselves ahead of other vocals in their range, and the lead. For FOH, the answer falls to one of three options. Either the mix is determined by what the engineer deems correct, what leadership desires, or what the prescribed“ church normal” entails. However, a better option is to mix what serves the congregation to best engage them in corporate worship and the gaining of Biblical knowledge.
Achieving such an engaged mix for the congregation requires attention to detail and to each moment. Mixing is not a passive endeavor. Instead, it is adherence to a constant“ now” precipitated by the constant“ what’ s next.” Sensing what is happening in the room, where the Spirit is moving, and how best to present such movement is difficult for it runs the risk of leading the moment instead of accompanying the moment. On the other hand, remaining static with the mix fails to follow the evolving moment and forces the congregation to miss something important. The best resolution is to stay connected to the ebb and flow of the service. As things begin to expand, let the mix expand with it. Bring in more effects, a slight bump in the lows, and a tad more level to the vocals but then, just as quickly, allow the mix to settle down when the moment becomes reflective. The idea is to deliver a mix synchronized to the worship, not ahead of it and not lagging behind. When the pastor is praying with underbed keys, don’ t overemphasize the music; allow it to be known only in its absence in order to give full attention to the spoken word.
Stay on top of media playback to keep things on an even keel. Often, audio from video is muffled or shrill, so prepare beforehand with EQ curves set to eradicate the problem and present a mix in line with expectations. To do so requires listening and adjusting the playback audio prior to the service which can be problematic when the person supplying the media fails to deliver it until the morning of the service. In those moments. at least run it through the console with headphone monitoring to roughly dial-in the response.
When the worship mix fails to“ gel” the typical engineer’ s first response is to increase the
overall level, but a better approach is to pull out any signal that is distracting to the whole. For instance, an acoustic guitar stepping on the vocals can be brought back in line not by juicing the vocals, but through a broad-based EQ cut on the acoustic guitar channel around the 1KHz range which will let the vocals shine through without added volume.
Similarly, a loose drum kit sound can be corralled with careful use of parallel compression, a technique involving the“ squashing” of the overall drum sound inside a group where heavy-handed settings, such as-20 threshold, 8:1 ratio, fast attack and slow release create a tighten kit tone that resonates with the audience. The compressed signal is then mixed to taste with the uncompressed signal.
Finally, paying attention to details such as muting the choir monitors when the choir isn’ t in the loft, turning off guitar channels when the pastor is speaking to eliminate noise, and keeping currently unused, but possibly used mics at-30 instead of at unity will go far in building a mix that is truly worthy of use in a service of worship.
Kent Morris Kent Morris is a 45-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge all technology is in a temporal state.
114 June 2025 Subscribe for Free...