“Mix with your ears, not your eyes.”

-Jeff Sandstrom (FOH Engineer at Passion City Church)

Audio consoles today often have graphical displays of audio. However, it is always important to remember to rely on what you hear rather than what you see.

Audio Systems

Audio systems convert acoustical energy (such as a voice) into electrical energy which is then converted back to acoustical energy (speakers).

Overview

The main goal of mixing sound is to mimic a recorded album.

Building a Mix

When building a mix, it's best to just start from the leftmost input that is in use. Make sure that you can hear it, then move on to the next, and so forth until you get through all of the active channels.

After Building a Mix

Once you are satisfied with your mix, scan the stage from left to right, looking at each band member, and making sure they are audible and at the proper level in the mix.

Cues

Before going into any further, it is first important to note that audio cues are just as important as mixing a song. Audio cues can include unmuting or muting a speaker microphone or a video. If any of these are muted or unmuted too late, it can cause a huge distraction for the congregation and can disrupt the flow of the service.