One of the more subjective parts of an audio mix involves the use of effects. Effects seem to be absent in a lot of popular music these days—maybe more albums would be sold if we there were more effects employed? Perhaps a hypothesis for another time...
As I've listened to music over the years, I seem to be drawn more to the recordings and mixes that use lots of effects versus those that don't. I've always loved listening to live albums, where you can really hear how the live effects were employed. There's something more exciting and inspiring about a mix that includes the judicious use of reverbs, delays, choruses, etc. to tastefully accentuate the music. Those mixes can make one feel immersed in the content. There is absolutely no reason some of these same techniques can't be put to use in the church environment.
Effects are intended to help a song become easier to listen to: smoothing out the edges, rounding off the corners, and accentuating natural reverb.
I admit, I am an effect junkie. I've found that I enjoy what I'm mixing much more if I can find ways to place effects that accentuate, and even “become“ another voice in the music. These effects are intended to help a song become easier to listen to: smoothing out the edges, rounding off the corners, and accentuating natural reverb similar to that which occurs in everyday life. Think about it, unless you conduct most of your personal and professional business in an anechoic chamber (hey, it could happen!), reverb occurs naturally in most of our surroundings ---in the whispery hush of a forest, the sometimes amazing reflection and reverb in a large church or theatre, or maybe a large lobby lucky enough to still have some marble incorporated in its design. Since these are sounds that make up our everyday experiences, it would seem reasonable that our music mixes could represent some of these same characteristics.
Successfully employing an effect can be much more than just throwing some reverb on an input. It's about finding a voice that can remain transparent while enhancing and accompanying an input source. This is usually easier said than done. So it's a good idea to take some time and experiment to determine how each effect can be utilized dynamically and fluidly as part of the song—just like any other instrument.
Incorporating this mindset effectively takes the audio engineer out of a purely technical role and allows him become part of the musical process. Valid musical contributions can be made with effects, such as adding a shimmery sparkle to enhance a live vocal, using a decay to draw out the resonance and bigness of a live drum kit, or applying a chorus effect to focus the sound of an acoustic guitar or background vocal to draw it closer to the forefront of a mix. In most cases, these are much-needed elements that can't be done by the musicians onstage.
Almost every effect unit has some type of parameter control allowing the user to dial it in specifically to a desired characteristic. Custom parameters are great. Anytime I can tweak something to make it truly unique to my situation, it's a win. After all, isn't that what music is --- a way to express and emote a feeling, message, or vibe in a way that is unique to the performer, listener, or both?
Understandably, not every single event requires an effect to be successful. Nor is it plausible to think that every audio engineer will be comfortable with diving into the effect world. However, I would propose that it is worth a closer look to see if your particular situation might benefit from a greater understanding of audio effects and their usage. I'm confident your listeners will thank you.
