Acoustic treatments are used to alter the sound dynamics in a room. Acoustic treatment might be necessary because of dead spots in a room (areas with little volume), too much reverberation in a room, or uneven frequency distribution in a room. There are three types of acoustic treat. These are ... Read More
Taking Control of Your Music: Musician’s Guide to Sound Checking
Today, I'm writing to the musicians. One way to take control over your music is by maximizing your sound check. I've outlined how you can maximize this process so your monitor mixes are tighter, your house mixes are tighter, and your confidence is higher. The sound check process ... Read More
A Sound Tech’s Thorn in the Side: House Volume Level
If ever there was a thorn in the side of a sound tech, it would be one labeled VOLUME. A couple of days ago, I talked about balancing the stage volume with house volume. But that's not the volume thorn I'm discussing. I'm talking about the right house volume level. My favorite volume story ... Read More
Is Your Worship Leader Too Loud?
Dare I suggest the volume of your worship leader could be detrimental to the worship environment? Yes, yes I suggest that very thing. Overall audio volume level discussions are common between sound techs but I submit to you, my friends, that the overall volume isn't nearly as much of a ... Read More
Add Power To Songs With These Volume Tips
The two biggest mistakes I see sound techs make are when they tweak the mix during the ENTIRE worship set and when they NEVER touch the mixing board during the worship set. There is a time for active mixing and there is a way you can use it to bring power to a song. Volume Balancing Volume ... Read More
Channel Volume Balancing – The First Step in Mixing the Band
The band is on stage and the gain levels are set. It's the perfect time to reach for an EQ control. Or so you think. Instead, the next step should be to balance the instrument and vocal volumes so every musician is heard in the right relationship to the others. In short, the first part of mixing ... Read More
How Volume Can Help, Hinder, or Hurt Worship
[Guest Post from Robert Naylor, Jr. with his take on volume levels] This is a challenge for all church sound people to consider your volume level and how it may be impacting your worship services. This is not a discussion of specific SPL levels, or contemporary versus traditional worship. I want to ... Read More
Your House Volume and My Grandmother’s Cooking
A sound tech from Washington writes regarding finding the right house volume levels, "It's either too loud for the elderly or too soft for the youth, or too much electric or not enough bass, it’s just impossible to please everyone." My grandmother's cooking immediately comes to mind. My ... Read More