These software-based mixing solutions are becoming increasingly easy to use, and can offer an affordable option to a separate hardware-based audio console, and potentially can provide better results than mixing the live stream through the house console. But like most technical solutions, there’s more to the story than just buying the software.
For example, using a DAW system can look really inexpensive. But let’s dig a little deeper. First, we need a way to get the tracks from the console to the computer (typically via USB3, Dante, or MADI), a high quality computer (typical budget could be $2,000), the DAW (Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton, Cubase, etc.), studio monitors or high end headphones (typical budget $250-$1,000) and some type of output device to get the final product to the video computer. What is listed above can be anywhere from $2,500-$4,000. This is also without a template.
Many churches not only want great sounding mixes, but they also want their worship leader’s vocals run through autotune.
Most smaller churches that rely on volunteers have found great value in mixing templates for their DAW that are designed specifically for worship services. There are several companies in the market and their templates are priced from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. For churches without professional sound engineers with studio mixing experience, they can be worth the money.
The biggest investment will likely be a server for your plug-ins. Many churches not only want great sounding mixes, but they also want their worship leader’s vocals run through autotune. The problem arises when all of the dynamics, EQs, and now autotune are running simultaneously; a single computer often can’t handle it. That is why there are plug-in servers. These servers connect to your DAW and give external processing to the plug-ins for the mix. Yet, plug-in servers can be powerful and expensive.
So, what started out seeming fairly inexpensive can jump into the five figures pretty quickly, depending on the expectation of the end product. So the question is two-fold: does the church have the money to invest in a DAW system? And will they be happy with the results they receive based on what they spent?
A DAW is not a replacement for a person who is paying attention to the mix. However, a DAW template that is set up right can be helpful to a person who is just learning to mix.
Does Your Church Have The Right People?
One of the biggest misconceptions about DAW systems are that they don’t require an operator—that they are “plug and play” once they are set up. If you’re hoping a DAW will magically mix your Sunday morning worship and it will sound just like your favorite megachurch, please stop listening to the worship mix template commercials. Templates that aren't maintained and updated will actually sound worse over time. In short, a DAW is not a replacement for a person who is paying attention to the mix. However, a DAW template that is set up right can be helpful to a person who is just learning to mix.
The second misconception is that the DAW is plug and play. Too often in churches, pastors think that if a person knows how to run sound, they know about all things technical. And while this makes us techs feel like superheroes, we know it's not true. This matters because often tracks are coming from the console to the DAW computer through a network, and networks often require troubleshooting. If the production team has a person who can help troubleshoot basic networking issues, then consider yourself blessed. But if there isn’t someone with an IT background on the team, this type of setup might be regularly frustrating. There needs to be a person serving weekly that can help make sure the console and the computer are talking to each other.
If the current console at the church is ready to run a DAW system, and the right people are ready to serve, adding a DAW could be the right choice.
Can Your Mixer Connect To A DAW?
This may seem like a silly question, but just because you’re using a digital mixing console doesn't mean that it can route signals to a DAW. For example, if a church is running a Behringer X32 and the card slot is already being used for something else, there may not be an option to get multitracks into a DAW in real time. You may find that the console can send multitracks out via Dante or MADI, but that can require another card, and the X32 only offers one card slot.
So, before making the assumption that a DAW system is the only way to go, it is important to know whether or not your current gear can support it and what it will cost to connect that gear to whatever computer will be used. While this might seem like a great way to get the church to upgrade with a new console, simply having the ability to have a DAW for the live stream is probably not worth buying a new console. Ultimately, if the answer to this question is “no, it can’t connect,” then mixing audio for your livestream through an aux or matrix on your house console may be the best route to take.
Is a DAW Worth the Investment?
Is your current live stream mix good enough? At first glance this may seem like the wrong question for this type of article. Shouldn’t we always be striving for better, for excellence? The answer to this question is always, “yes.” Doing things with excellence honors God and inspires people. But the pursuit of excellence isn’t always the right reason to invest in a significant upgrade. If the current console at the church is ready to run a DAW system, and the right people are ready to serve, adding a DAW could be the right choice. But when the money is spent to make the online experience better, will the church grow? Will it reach more people? Will it bring more people into the church on a Sunday morning? If the answer is “yes,” then it is probably worth the investment. If the answer is “no,” then maybe your current online mix is good enough?
Whether your church chooses to mix the live stream on an aux, matrix, a separate console, or a DAW, there are always opportunities to grow and improve. If this article leads your church to purchasing a DAW, that is great. But if you choose an alternative, there are still ways to improve your mix. Happy mixing!
