5. WEDGES AND EQ
for a couple of seconds may be okay when
KEYS
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really necessary. As a general rule though, get
Wedges are usually processed with equalization
‘em right at sound check!
essential part, resolve the conflict with the other
at the console’s output bus or downstream to
9. STEREO IEMS AND PANNING player. Do your job.
wedge as well, which may affect the wedge’s Musicians face the opposite direction of the • What range of the instrument are you using?
gain before feedback. Use caution when doing house, and here are different schools of thought Is it a low register? If, for example, you’re
this. when building stereo image in IEMs: 1) “stagger playing a pad sound, you generally want to
panning” spaces sources for the purpose of avoid very low notes, especially when a bass
“un-mixing” them, keep them separated for player is involved. Your low pad notes can very
easier monitoring, and the positions may have much muddy the band’s sound. Try instead to
At FOH, artificial reverb, delay, and other effects no relation to their physical or visual orientation play in the middle register of your instrument.
are shaped to suit the room, performance style, to the listener (some performers find this and sonic goals. We may or may not want disorienting), 2) matched stereo places sources • What resolution of note is predominant
these same effects blended into monitors. according to their physical orientation for that in your part? Whole note? Quarter note?
For vocalists, I prefer to use one static reverb particular listener position. The floor tom, for Sixteenth? Again, factor in what rhythms
setting for monitoring. If I need to change instance, may be panned partially LEFT at other instrumentalists are playing. Is there a
reverb parameters in the FOH mix, I use a FOH, but RIGHT in the drummer’s IEM. This lot of activity from drums and guitars already?
different reverb. requires a bit of reverse thinking at FOH. Playing whole notes with a pad sound can be
maximize gain before feedback. If an input
EQ is adjusted for FOH it probably affects the
6. FX
a great complement to those parts. Choosing
7. VOCALISTS AND IEMs
an acoustic or electric piano sound can do the
10. IEM-ONLY SOURCES
same.
Vocalists on sealed earphones are unique in Some sources are meant only for IEMs. These that they are occluded (ears plugged) and sources must be landed on the FOH console I never was much of an athlete. For sure. But
their instrument is actually in their head. They and carefully routed as such. These may I’ve enjoyed watching various sports through
not only hear their voice in the earphones, but include clicks, guides, talkback and MD mics, the years. I know that part of an athlete’s
also through their head via bone conduction. audience response, and/or ambience mics. development involves watching film, studying
their performance in past games, as well
And that bone-conducted sound is very tubby
or muddy (plug your ears with your fingers and For audience response or room ambience, as watching film of great athletes. Consider
say something - sounds really weird, right? microphone placement is critical. It’s best to listening to recordings of your worship services
This is why vocalists often have a harder time keep these in sync (time) with the PA. This as the equivalent of an athlete watching film.
adapting to IEMs than instrumentalists). This often means placing them somewhere along Evaluate what went well from your perspective.
is frequently offset by thinning the vocal in the edge of the stage (under the PA?) or similar. Evaluate spots where the arrangement felt
the singer’s IEM (using equalization). Anyone Mics placed halfway back into the house will cluttered or too empty.
auditioning that vocalist’s ears mix (FOH mixer have acoustical delay, and while this sometimes or other musicians) may find the vocal to sound sounds good in broadcast or recording mixes, You may discover a thread, a theme, or a
very thin, while it sounds “right” to the vocalist. it’s a disaster for IEM monitoring. connection in what you observe. Be willing to
listen well and to do your job. Your worship
Finally, find time during rehearsal to walk the team will benefit, your church will benefit and,
venue and listen, and let the musicians see as this willingness to be who God made you
The audience doesn’t care what the monitors this happening. Even stand beside them as spills over into your everyday waking and
sound like, and whenever they’re present the they rehearse, showing interest in their stage sleeping life, the world will benefit. Do your job.
mixer’s ears should be focused on the house experience. Even if no further monitor mix mix. It’s appropriate to monitor the stage mixes tweaks are necessary, morale is improved and some during sound check and occasionally the musicians understand the FOH mixer cares.
8. SPOT CHECKING
during rehearsal, but dangerous to focus on
them live. This takes our ears and attention
away from FOH. Spot-checking a monitor mix
Kent Margraves
Heads up training and education at MUSIC Tribe, and
continues to mix FOH for various worship artists.
March 2018
Ed Kerr
Ed Kerr lives in Seattle with his family, he is worship
arts director at First Free Methodist Church, teaches
keyboards in Paul Baloche’s leadworship workshops
and is a clinician with Yamaha’s House of Worship.
www.KerrTunes.com
WorshipMusician.com
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