Reprinted from the Nov/Dec 2008 issue of Church Production Magazine
Musical Mixing for the Layperson
I have found in my time as a church sound tech an interesting trend: many people are drawn to this area of ministry because of their technical interest and ability, not necessarily because of their musical talent. While this is not entirely a bad thing, it can lead to neglect in the more musical aspects of live sound mixing. In this article I hope to provide a fresh perspective on mixing to help improve the musicality of your church’s live sound.
Mixing live sound is both a technical and musical process. While it is important to understand the technical aspects in order to properly setup, operate and trouble shoot the sound system, it is also important not to overlook the musical elements that contribute to achieving a quality mix and experience for everyone involved. The soundboard should be seen as an instrument. Similar to the musicians on stage, the soundboard should be continually “played” or adjusted as changes take place on stage to maintain the most musical and pleasing mix possible.
Front of House Mixing
I encourage you to think of the mix as a box to be filled with sound or music. As in any box there is only so much room. It is important to think of where each instrument will fit in the box. This is achieved primarily through EQ and volume.
EQ - Each instrument produces sound in a certain frequency range but many instruments’ frequencies ranges overlap. Instruments and voices are most intelligible when they occupy mostly their own space in the mix. Each time instruments overlap in frequencies there is less space at that frequency and the corresponding instruments become less intelligible or “muddy.” The more instruments there are in the mix, the less space each one has in the box.
Piano and guitars are two of the most problematic instruments in a band setup because they have such a broad frequency range. You may have to EQ them so they don’t sound full range (or the same as they would acoustically) in order to help them stand out in the mix. If a guitar and/or piano are the only instrument, or one of only a couple, you can EQ them much more full range. The same is true with all instruments and voices but these tend to be the most troublesome.
Following is the recommended frequency space that each instrument in the modern worship band should occupy, keeping in mind that all instruments will overlap a little bit. I believe the mix should be built from the bottom up to create a foundation for the music so I’ll start there.
- Bass guitar will be the lowest instrument in terms of frequency. I have found that in general not much EQ is needed on bass guitars but you can adjust to your ear so it sounds natural.
- Kick drum will occupy much of the same space as the bass but it should also have some high end to make it “snap.”
- Toms will occupy similar space and will be incrementally higher in frequency as the drum sound gets higher in pitch.
- Next is the male voice. Most sound boards have a high-pass filter on each input that rolls off frequency response at somewhere between 80–100 hertz . The filter allows frequencies above to “pass,” thus limiting unwanted low frequency noise on those inputs such as microphone popping and stage noise. The high-pass filter should be used on all vocals. You will probably need to EQ quite a bit of low end out, as well as some low-mids. High-mids and highs should be adjusted to help make the voice intelligible but not shrill.
- Note that High-mid range frequencies are heard loudest by the human ear and thus are the first to hurt people’s ears. When people say the music is loud they usually mean the high-mids are loud. Because of this vocals are one of the biggest culprits of the mix sounding loud. You can have a fairly loud mix that is full and warm but that doesn’t hurt people’s ears, if the high-mids are adjusted appropriately.
- Next highest is the piano. As I mentioned before, the piano’s frequency response is very wide and will overlap a lot. I have found that EQing out a bit of the lows helps bring it out in the mix. The high pass filter should also be used on the piano.
- Next is the female voice. The high-pass filter should be used. You will need to EQ out quite a bit of low-end and follow a similar EQ to the male voice so it is clear but not shrill.
- Snare drum is next highest. It should sound full but not too low and also snap.
- Next are guitars. In a full-band set-up I like to EQ guitars a bit high so that they will stick out and not clutter things as much. When played by themselves they may not sound full-range but that is ok.
- The highest instruments in terms of frequency response are the cymbals.
Parametric EQ – Many sound boards are equipped with high-mid and low-mid semi-parametric EQ. This type of EQ enables you to dial in a certain set of frequencies and either turn them up or down. It is an extremely helpful tool to help dial in detailed EQ
Additive vs. Subtractive EQ – The same desired affect can often be achieved by subtracting EQ as with adding it. Because subtracting EQ takes sound out of the mix rather than adding, it is almost always preferred. Also, adding EQ runs the risk of causing clipping in the channel’s signal path that may not show up on a clip indicator light.
Volume
Overall volume is a very subjective and at times tense topic. As sound techs we have a responsibility to protect the hearing of the congregation. As stated before, I believe it is possible to have a very warm and full mix without being perceived as loud or hurting people’s ears.
The following is a general guideline for the volume level of each instrument or voice in the modern worship band. Keep in mind that the music is constantly changing, therefore one of the most important aspects of achieving quality, live musical mixing is being active and able to adjust with it, not just set it and leave.
In worship music the loudest “instrument” should be the vocals. Being able to hear and understand the vocals is critical to people feeling comfortable participating in worship.
Next loudest but a very close second are bass and kick, snare and hi-hat (depending on taste, it is ok for the toms and cymbals to sit a little further back in the mix). They provide the foundation for the music and should never be too soft.
Next is what I like to call the “color instruments.” Depending on the band these could be electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, horns, etc. It is with these instruments that I most actively mix. They provide a lot of the color and interest in the music but you have to be conscious of who is providing the best color at a given time and bring them out (never louder than the vocals unless it is a solo). Only paint with one or two colors at a time, too much color makes a mess!
Next loudest are other rhythm instruments. These are typically piano and guitar.
Piano: If the piano player is primarily playing rhythm and chords and is using both hands most of the time, it is sure to clutter the mix. I will usually keep the volume pretty low unless the piano is necessary to carry a certain part of the song or unless it is the only instrument playing (on a soft intro for example).
Guitar: If the player is primarily playing rhythm and chorus, it could quickly clutter the mix as well. If both piano and guitars are playing rhythm (hopefully they are not) I recommend using them interchangeably but not at full volume at the same time.
Remember that just because an instrument is on stage and is being played doesn’t mean it needs to occupy a prominent space in the mix. In fact, I have at times completely cut out an instrument for a while if I felt it was cluttering the mix too much. Hopefully if the band has played a lot together they will be conscious of what each member is playing and will not compete with each other. However, that is often not the case. At those times you must be even more active as a mixer to bring out the instruments that will make the mix sound best at a given time. This may change throughout the performance so you must stay alert and active. The body language of the musicians can help cue you into who is carrying the song at any given time.
Compression
Compression is a tool used to limit instrument dynamics. The human voice is the most dynamic instrument and can almost always benefit from some compression. This will help the vocals maintain a prominent space in the mix. Bass guitar is another instrument that can usually benefit from some compression to help it maintain its space in the mix. Acoustic drums are also usually compressed, especially kick, snare and toms. Depending on your instrumentation and musicians, other instruments as well may benefit from some compression.
Reverb
Reverb is used to give the effect of playing or singing in a larger space. It is most commonly used on vocals and can often make them sound more natural and smooth. It is also often used on drums, especially the snare. In my opinion a little reverb should almost always be used on vocals. It should be used more heavily on slow songs and less on fast songs because it takes up space in the mix. When used too heavily it can clutter the mix. Reverb should be felt more than heard and it should always be turned down when someone is talking and not singing. Moderate reverb on instruments like violin and flute during slow solos can also add a beautiful, haunting quality to the music.
Listening to the Room
It is important to get out from behind the board and listen to the mix in other parts of the room, paying special attention to how it sounds different in different places. Always go to the front of room before the service starts and make sure too much of the monitor mix isn’t spilling into the audience. Also turn down the main system and listen to just the monitor system to see how loud it is. It may be causing the main mix to sound bad.
Monitor Mixing
Since monitors help musicians hear themselves, the monitor mix is equally as important as the front-of-house mix. Most small churches only have one mixing console so they have to mix monitors from the front-of-house position. The majority also use floor wedges as monitors. Since in this situation you cannot hear the monitors, you rely on the musicians to say what they need for the proper mix. Your willingness to actively listen to the needs of the musicians, help troubleshoot and make them feel comfortable and confident is one of the greatest ways you will serve as a tech as it enables a greater team dynamic which results in a better overall delivery and offering of worship time. That said, I recommend the following as a starting point.
Each person most importantly needs to hear them self first and the leader next. Because of that I give them quite a bit of themselves and the leader to start with and let them ask for the rest. Each person definitely does not need to have each instrument in their monitor. In fact, that will just clutter their mix. Much can be heard on stage acoustically. The monitors are just there to reinforce the most important instruments to help that person perform their best.
If a musician is asking you to turn something up in their monitor, they may actually need you to turn something else down that is cluttering the mix and preventing them from hearing what they need to. I recommend actually going up on the stage during practice to hear the monitor mix for yourself. Listening to the mix can help you understand what the musicians are hearing and what they are asking for.
The goal should be to get the quietest possible monitor mix that still makes the band feel comfortable and confident. The quieter the monitor mix on stage, the less chance there is of fighting feedback and the clearer and more intelligible the front of house mix will be.
Monitor placement
Whenever possible, monitors should be placed so they point directly at the performers face. They should be able to see directly into the horn. A common mistake is to place the monitors too close to the performer where they are pointing instead at the musicians legs. If a musician asks you to turn up their monitor, first check to see where it is pointing.
In Conclusion
I believe you can train your ears to notice more musical detail and become more accurate. To be a successful sound engineer you have to learn to trust your ears. That means being a critical listener. If it doesn’t sound good to you, it probably doesn’t sound good to other people. This will come from practice mixing live but also from listening to recorded music and paying special attention to how it is mixed.
Over time and with practice these mixing techniques will become less of a conscious process and more feel and response. They will lead to a more musical mix, a more confident and comfortable worship team and a congregation that is more engaged in worship.
[ Editor’s note: Other helpful articles on developing your mixing techniques can be found at churchproduction.com. Take a look at Ear Training and Critical Listening, and The Art of Listening. ]
Nate McIntyre is the volunteer sound ministries coordinator at Southside Community Church in Newberg, OR. He has been mixing live sound for churches and other groups for over 10 years. For his day job he works in the Undergraduate Admissions Office at George Fox University. He and his wife Kim have two little boys.