I wanted to share what I heard on the recording of this week's service, namely a very good vocal blend. Props to our vocalists, Steve, Debby, and Rhonda, and also to our sound tech, Chris, for doing such a great job.

Take thirty seconds to listen to the clip and tell me what you notice!

Good Vocal Mix

VOLUME DISCREPANCY
Thanks to Chris Sabatke for his problem-solving thinking. As you know, we face a volume discrepancy between the right and left (with left being about 6db louder) and so my solution was to run each stereo pair sub group (the red sliders) 6db louder on the right fader.

Chris, however, suggested adjusting the panning on the left-panned faders to be at about 9 o'clock instead of hard left, therefore sending more to the right side. Although this is still a workaround, and a permanent solution is still needed, this technique allows us to run the faders at an even level. So far, so good. Thanks Chris!

VOLUME “HOT SPOTS” and “DEAD SPOTS”
Speaking of discrepancies, there is an inconsistency in volume levels throughout the sanctuary, in case you haven’t noticed! Where the mixer is located is the ideal place for good sound, and that’s about the only ideal place. Unfortunately, the sound from the speakers can change dramatically within just a few feet from spot to spot. In general, the quietest seats are up front, as they sit beneath the speakers. The loudest section on the main floor is actually the middle back, where, ironically, many of our older brothers and sisters like to sit. To help those who are concerned about sound levels, we are going to make a color-coded map of volume levels in the sanctuary. I’ll get it started, and I’ll leave a copy for you to contribute your analysis on the mixer each week. During rehearsal, after levels are set, and microphone batteries are replaced, take a few minutes to walk around the area and familiarize yourself with the hot spots and dead spots. Take the map around with you and take notes. Leave them for me, and if there’s anything missing, I’ll add it.

MIXING
I want to quickly share a thought regarding the mix. Of course, we always want to run the overall mix at 85 db (A Weighting, and Slow Response) on the loud songs. But how should the various parts be mixed?

Here is how it should be mixed in order of volume:
1. Lead Vocals (who sings lead often changes within a set)
2. Drums & Bass
3. Electric Guitar
4. Lead Instrument, that is the instrument played by the leader (usually acoustic guitar, but changes from week to week and from song to song)
5. Background Vocals
6. Piano, Violin, other instruments
With other styles, such as bluegrass, folk, or rap, things would be mixed differently. But for the style of music that we play, this is what we should aim for.

VOCALS
You may think that background vocals are lower on this list than you expected. The reason they should be toward the bottom is that the leader on any particular song should be the one vocal to really stand out. If the BGVs are too prominent, the sound gets muddied up. When should they be louder? If a person on vocals is singing lead, then they should be the loudest part (without sticking out like a sore thumb), and the person previously singing lead should be at the BGV level. Another exception would be when vocal harmony is a prominent part of the song. For example, if a song starts out with an a cappella chorus, then the BGVs should be just under the lead vocal, and then fade them back down after that a cappella section is over.

INSTRUMENTS
Drums and bass should be the most prominent sound after the lead vocals. As one worship pastor said, we are still a surprisingly tribal society! This is what just sounds good in today’s music (and the style of music we do at church). Turn to a radio station like 99.9 the River or 104.9 Positive Life Radio, and turn down the volume so that it is almost off. What do you hear? Chances are, it will be the sibilance and air (the high frequencies) in the lead vocals, and the sound of cymbals and drums. Turn it up a little bit more, and you can hear the bass. The bass and drums together work to create the rhythmic feel of a song.
Electric guitar should be the next loudest instrument. It defines the rest of the sound we are going for. The exception to this paradigm would be when the piano is the key instrument on a song, such as on the intro of “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” or this week’s “Revelation Song.”

USE YOUR EARS, NOT YOUR EYES
When mixing, it is important to remember to use your ears as the reference, and not the way the faders look. While the faders can look like they are in the right position to give the desired mix, don’t let that satisfy you until your ears hear it. I try to mix my AVIOM to the way I would want it to sound in the front of house. So if you are ever wondering what sounds good, try plugging your headphones into headphone jack on the rack unit for my AVIOM and using that as a reference.

CONCLUSION
This turned out to be a miniature essay! Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please email me if you have any questions or want to continue the conversation.

Thanks and happy mixing!
Pastor David