Introduction and Setup Goals
Hey guys, I’m here with Churchfront at Rock Harbor Church, Florida. I’m the audio engineer at this time, and today we’re going to walk through the LV1 and how I have it set up. If you’re struggling with it, I’ll show you how you can set it up for your church. Let’s get started. My goals for the setup are four main things: simplicity, teachability, consistency, and as an added bonus, the best quality possible. Of course, I’m sure you want that too. Let’s go through the different layers and how I’ve set things up to achieve those goals.
Layer Overview and Simplification for Volunteers
First, I want to keep it simple. I have one main layer for mixing. If a new volunteer doesn’t fully understand the system, they can still get up here and start mixing with minimal instruction. I’ve set up links, which function like DCAs or VCAs, to connect all the different elements I need to mix from front of house without navigating the full system.
My vocals are easy to access since they constantly change, and I have vocal effects available for instant control, such as reverb or tap delay. Key moments, like acoustic and keys, are also at my fingertips. Each week, we have a bumper video, so I’ve made sure it’s easy to access our CG computer, which handles computer graphics. As I go through each layer, you’ll see I have quick access to the entire band—drums, vocals, effects groups (including crowds), and all my master channels.
User Keys Setup and Scene Management
Next, I want to explain my user keys. I have a few set up to quickly access scenes and in-ear monitor vocals for my volunteers. This makes it easier to navigate things on the fly without going back into the setup. If a volunteer struggles with their in-ears, I can quickly help them make adjustments or diagnose problems.
All my scenes are organized so that, with a single touch, I can adjust keys in waves as needed. I also have a “safe scene” set up—scene five. This scene takes waves and turns them into a chromatic zero, which is useful if something goes wrong with the tuning. It quickly resets everything.
Channel Distribution and Group Management
Let’s walk through how I have our channels distributed. They are set up as if I were mixing a song. My first layer includes drums, guitars, keys, and tracks. The next layer is for vocals, including headsets and handhelds. I leave room in the future layers for additional instruments, depending on who is playing that week.
Further down, I delegate channels that aren’t related to front of house, like the click, guide, and in-ear monitor vocals. Then I have groups split between broadcast and front of house, followed by effects, monitors, and finally, masters.
Front of House and Broadcast Group Processing
Now, let’s discuss how I set up my groups to be processed individually for broadcast and front of house. For front of house, I adjusted the sound to suit the room, cutting out some frequencies that didn’t work well with the acoustics. Meanwhile, for broadcast, I aimed for a mix that sounds good in headphones, on a phone, or in a car—wherever people might be listening.
I routed my groups to separate places for broadcast and front of house, blending each individual group for a nice, even mix online.
Drum Processing and E-Note 703 Pro Kit
Let’s take a closer look at the drum processing. We have an F Note 7 0 3 Pro, and it’s been an amazing drum kit—consistent, easy for volunteers to play, and a dream to mix. There have been some challenges, particularly with the kick and snare, but we’ve worked through them.
For the kick, I’ve used some EQ, a little bit of smack attack to control dynamics, and some compression. The snare, being more challenging, required more extensive processing to replicate a natural snare. I’ve used tools like F6, torque, and smack attack to get the best sound possible.
Guitar Processing and Waves Plugins
Moving on to guitars, the approach is similarly simple. For online mixes, I’ve focused on controlling the low end, keeping the sound clean and pleasant. I use tools like the F6 plugin to manage harsh frequencies without overcomplicating things.
The F6 is one of my go-to plugins because it’s very dynamic and allows me to control unpleasant frequencies without taking away too much information. This dynamic control is especially helpful for maintaining a consistent and pleasant sound.
Vocal Processing and Dynamic Control
Vocals are by far one of the most important parts of the mix, and they should be processed carefully to sound good. Each vocal is processed similarly, with adjustments made for thresholds and EQs based on the singer. I start with a PSE expander to manage noise, followed by F6 for dynamic EQ adjustments.
Compression is layered in a way that balances dynamics while preserving the natural sound of the vocals. Finally, I use plugins like the Silk Vocal Live and Waves Tune Live to add extra control and polish, helping vocalists stay in tune and sound their best.
In-Ear Monitor Setup and Crowd Effects
For in-ear monitors, the setup is designed to be consistent and easy to use. I’ve applied compression, EQ, and other processing to make the in-ear experience as pleasant as possible.
For crowd effects, I use a bit of reverb to create a sense of space, making the room feel bigger and the mix more natural. This is especially important in smaller rooms where the natural reverb might be too harsh or distracting.
Reverb and Effects Processing
Reverb and other effects play a significant role in shaping the sound. I use compression to manage the reverb, ensuring it doesn’t overwhelm the mix. For example, with vocal reverb, I compress the input so that the reverb only comes through when the vocals are quieter, allowing the vocals to stay clean and upfront during louder moments.
I also use tools like the SuperTap for delay effects, adding a bit of reverb to give the delay more depth and space. Snare reverb is processed with an expander to control when the reverb comes through, ensuring it only enhances the bigger snare hits.
Group and Master Processing for Front of House
When it comes to group processing for front of house, I focus on color and control. Each group is carefully molded to fit the room, with low-end frequencies often reduced to manage the room’s natural reverb.
Vocals in front of house are processed to be bright and airy, enhancing clarity without adding harshness. Dynamic processing helps maintain consistency without sacrificing the fullness of the sound.
Final Mastering and Glue for Front of House
The final step in the front of house mix is mastering, which adds the final layer of glue to the sound. I use compression to smooth out the mix, ensuring that it flows naturally from quieter moments to louder ones.
The L3 Low-Latency MultiMaximizer is a key tool in this process, controlling peaks without destroying the overall mix. This helps maintain a consistent, high-quality sound throughout the service.
Online Mastering Chain
For the online mix, the mastering chain is crucial. I apply compression and EQ to control and mold the sound for online streaming. I use multiple F6 plugins to manage different frequency bands dynamically, ensuring that the online mix remains balanced and clear.
The L3 MultiMaximizer is also used here to control peaks and ensure the mix sounds polished and professional online. Visual tools help me monitor the frequency response and make adjustments as needed.
In-Ear Monitor Mix Simplification
To make in-ear monitors easier to manage, I’ve simplified the process. Instead of adjusting each individual channel, vocalists only need to adjust groups like drums, guitars, and tracks. This reduces confusion and helps volunteers focus on what matters most.
I also ensure that in-ear mixes are consistent from week to week, making the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved.
ProPresenter Ears and Monitor Setup
For ProPresenter ears, I use Monitor 16 to create a fully processed, fully mixed feed. This allows the ProPresenter operator to hear everything they need without having to manage multiple channels. It’s a simple yet effective way to ensure they stay connected with the service.
Mixing for Both Front of House and Broadcast
One of the challenges we face is controlling both front of house and broadcast mixes simultaneously. We accomplish this by using links, which tie front of house and broadcast groups together. This allows me to adjust both mixes with a single fader, keeping things simple and manageable.
However, there are limitations, such as muting issues in in-ear monitors, which we continue to work on as we develop our system further.
Review and Closing Remarks
In review, our main goals were simplicity, teachability, consistency, and quality. Through this system, we’ve achieved those goals despite limited people and gear. If you’re struggling with similar challenges in your church ministry, head over to Churchfront.com and apply now. We’d be happy to help with your ministry needs. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you in the next video.
