Sound Tech Connect

The Mix

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:39:00 +0000

From time to time I receive constructive feedback (not the audio kind) about the mix. I'll share with you the most common comments I receive, then why I think it's important to get this right:
1. The lead vocals were not loud enough. "I couldn't hear the melody or what you were saying."
2. The electric guitar was too loud.

I don't receive the complaint that the electric was too loud nearly as much as I hear that the lead vocals were too quiet, but I have received it a few times. The electric guitar is an important part of the mix because it helps define the sound of our modern worship style.

More importantly, it is critical to hear the lead vocals and melody above everything else because that is how people know what to sing. If the melody is low, congregational participation will reflect that. People will be reticent to sing out if they're not sure what the melody is.

So just keep these things in mind when mixing.

PS - I have not received ANY complaints about the overall volume being too loud or too quiet in a long time. Keep up the good work!

Updated Sound Level Map

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:37:00 +0000

So I measured volume levels again, this time using pink noise. Here is the raw data from this little science experiment.

I ran the noise at 75 dB because 85 dB of pink noise is REALLY LOUD and annoying. I figured that the exact level at which it is running didn't really matter, as long as it is in the same ballpark as 85.

As you can see the results were less sporadic, but still show the same general pattern of loud and quiet areas.

My question is, does anyone know how to convert this into a color coded map?

Good Goals

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:49:00 +0000

I thought I would share something I just shared with our multimedia volunteers.

By serving [with excellence] you are helping to
• Maximize the impact of the Message
• Minimize distractions
• Remove obstacles to worship
• Create transformational moments

We are each doing our part on Sundays to help people believe in Jesus, belong to his church, and become committed to his purpose.

Thanks for working for his mission.

Sound Level Map in Sanctuary

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:23:00 +0000

So last week I started work on our project of mapping the decibel levels in the sanctuary. I had to decide on a method. The mixer is equipped with a sine wave tone generator with a sweepable frequency. This makes a constant monophonic sound whose volume can be set with a knob. I set the volume so that the meter read 90 dB at the mixer and turned the frequency to 1kHz, a sort of mid-range frequency. With some earplugs, I went around to strategic areas in the sanctuary and wrote down the volume for that spot. I was surprised to find what I did.

First, that tone generator is REALLY annoying. At that volume level, even with my hands over my ears, it felt like the noise was in my head. Unpleasant. Second, the volume was unpredictable. I originally thought that the very front rows would prove to be the quietest spots in the room. I was wrong. I was also surprised to find out that the sound levels in some areas on the main floor were louder than they were behind the mixer.

Another observation I made was the drastic volume difference between areas only a few feet from each other. Often, the end of one short row was more than a few decibels louder or quieter than the one at the other end. On the longer pews, the difference was drastic. I also noticed that the height at which I held the SPL meter seemed to make a difference so I tried to hold it at ear level for an average person.

Please take a moment to look at the map. What do you notice about the sound levels? Where are the quietest areas in the sanctuary? Where are the loudest? Does anything surprise you?

Here are some caveats. As Chris Sabatke pointed out, using a monophonic tone such as the one produced by the mixer opens us up to some anomalies for that frequency only. The room might be "more sensitive" to some frequencies than to others. Some frequencies build up in some areas due to the unique shape of the room while others cancel out. Chris suggested using white noise, pink noise, or brown noise (not brown nose). You can listen to audio examples and read explanations on Wikipedia. While these types of noise are each different, they are useful because they contain all the frequencies of sound that we can hear, so we might get a more accurate reading of the levels.

More on Building a Mix and EQ

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:17:00 +0000

Here is a good article on mix building and EQ by John Mills, a live sound expert who runs the mix for guitarist/worship leader Lincoln Brewster, on his blog, TechTraining101.com. If you haven't already, I would suggest creating a log-in and password if necessary to access these articles for free.

He stresses cutting as opposed to boosting frequencies in the EQ because, to put it in layman's terms, it sounds better.

Good Vocal Mix

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:03:00 +0000

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

Sound Tech Connect

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:35:00 +0000

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