Achieving a good mix for worship by Brad Herring

 

I read this and thought it was really good so am reposting.
Original Article here: http:/bluetoad.com/display_article.php?id=685884

Achieving a good mix for worship by Brad Herring
It’s one thing to know how to use your equipment. It’s another thing to know how to critically listen to what you are doing, and musically create a good mix.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

The key to a good sound mix is a good relationship with the worship leader and the band. It’s that simple.Successfully mixing sound on a fundamental level is all about trust. The only way you build trust is through relationships and repeated successful experiences. It’s easy for technically focused people to miss this (or in some cases, avoid this), but it’s a critical part of being successful.

Let me elaborate with one specific example: guitar amplifiers on stage.Almost every contemporary church struggles with stage volume. It’s a known and proven fact – if the stage volume is too loud, the main front of house mix will suffer. So, churches are always trying to solve this problem. The problem is solved with relationships. In this example of guitars, once the sound engineer takes the time to get to know the guitar player(s) and spend time learning why the amplifier is so important, the two begin to develop a trust.You see, a guitarist usually wants the amplifier on stage because it’s a comfort. The artist KNOWS they can control the sound – tonality and volume- if the amplifier is right behind them. This is a trust issue between them and the sound engineer.

As the sound engineer and guitarist start to form a relationship, trust begins to form. The sound engineer starts to know the artist, but through this process, the sound engineer should also be trying to learn more about the artist in relation to playing the instrument. For instance, try asking, “What do you want the instrument to sound like?” You see, what YOU want it to sound like is not important. It’s important that you make it sound like THEY want it to sound. You can’t do this if you don’t ask (and really care). Remember, being a worship technician is truly about service. You’re providing a service ministry for the pastor, worship pastor and the band.

As these relationships are forged, the sound starts to grow into what the artist expects. The engineer starts to deliver a consistent mix in the house and in the monitors. The two begin to talk about it more. They have lunch together and start to know each other’s families. And over time, you know what? The amplifier comes off stage because the two have a trust. There are other solutions (such as isolation cabinets) and the problem is resolved. But note- it’s resolved first relationally and THEN technically.

In keeping with the relationship theme, the very first thing you should be doing as a sound engineer is discussing the sound with your worship pastor. Find out what they want it to sound like overall. Just as you ask the musician how they’d like the instrument to sound, ask the worship pastor what the overall mix should sound like. What’s important to them? For instance, a good starting point should be to ask: “What is the primary instrument that drives worship?” If the answer is guitar, then the guitar should sit pretty high in your mix. It should be the primary instrument. This is critical.

LAYERING THE MIX

While there are many different philosophies on mixing live sound, I believe that mixing sound for worship is very specific. Mixing live worship is about connecting with the congregation. The primary objective is to create a transparent environment in which people can freely worship. It’s very different than mixing a CD recording or even, in many cases, mixing a concert.

In order for people to connect and participate in worship, they need to hear the worship leader’s vocal.Period. If they can’t hear (and clearly understand) the words they are not going to participate. So, it’s important that the worship leader (which might potentially change from song to song- or even verse to verse) be at the top of the mix. The vocal needs to stand out just a bit and have good presence and clarity to it. Now, don’t read into this – I’m not saying to overkill the Lead vocal and slam it through the back windows. It needs to sit nicely on top of the mix with a comfortable volume level where people can easily hear and engage with it.

Next in the mix should be the primary instrument that’s driving worship.Usually this is fairly stable, but in some cases it could change from song to song. Typical lead instruments would be piano (or keyboard), guitar and drums. Whatever your worship leader chooses to be the lead instrument should sit just a little higher in the mix than the rest of the instruments. Again – I’m not talking about a drum solo – just a little higher in the mix than everything else. Actually, if you weren’t critically listening you wouldn’t even notice this instrument is louder than the rest of the band. It’s a very subtle finesse.

Next in your mix should be the praise and worship team (or choir).The vocals should be well blended, properly equalized and intelligible.After all, if people can’t physically understand the words that are being sung, they are not going to participate and all your effort is for naught.

Finally, the rest of the band should settle in a well-mixed arrangement under the praise and worship vocals.

With this arrangement, your worship leader stands out vocally so the congregation can connect and get audible cues for singing. The primary instrument is driving the sound, the praise and worship team are providing good background vocals that help people find the melody to sing, and the worship band is coming though with a full mix supporting the entire mix.

Remember, ‘subtle’ is king here.Once you get the worship leader’s vocal to the top of the mix, the other elements are blended pretty close. The primary instrument should be just a small touch above the rest of the band and the background vocals just barely riding over the main band mix. If done correctly, it sounds like a good overall mix – not several groups in different volume zones. What you are really trying to accomplish is To push the vocals in the mix so people can easily engage. Try to let the one instrument drive the mix to build that cornerstone, but not to the point that all people hear is the one instrument. So, take a minute and absorb this theory before you just start mixing.