Church Livestream Audio That Actually Sounds Good (No Extra Gear Needed)
How I Mix a Great Livestream with Just One Console and One Person
by Matt Woltjer
At River Run Christian Church in Melbourne, Florida, our goal for livestream audio isn’t perfection—it’s clarity, consistency, and giving people an accurate preview of what worship sounds like when they walk through our doors. In this post, I’ll show you how I achieve a clean, engaging livestream mix using a single console and just one personmixing both front of house and the stream.
And the best part? It’s fully repeatable and doesn’t require a separate DAW, engineer, or broadcast mix station. You can make this happen in your church too.
The Foundation: Your Room Comes First
Before we talk faders and effects, we have to talk about the room. Your online mix is only as good as your in-person mix—and your in-person mix is only as good as your room allows.
Here’s what I prioritize:
Minimize stage volume: If you’re still relying on loud amps or acoustic drums in a small room, it’s time to rethink. We use electronic drums to keep stage volume under control.
Treat the space: We’ve treated our room acoustically to cut down on harsh reflections and reverb. A square drywall box with nothing on the walls is a nightmare to mix in.
Tune the PA: This is essential. Even great gear sounds bad if it’s not tuned properly.
The Secret Sauce: Room Mics
Once your room is in shape, room mics are your best friend for livestreaming. I use two stereo pairs:
One pair above the congregation, behind the mains (to avoid direct PA pickup).
Another pair over front of house that intentionally picks up the PA.
I personally time-align these mics to my main mix in Waves LV1, though that’s an optional advanced move. Some engineers leave the natural delay for a bit of ambient smear, and that works too.
Step-by-Step: Building the Mix
With my virtual soundcheck recording (captured during band rehearsal via Logic), I start building the mix like this:
1. Start with Drums
I push up the kick and snare first. These are electronic drums routed into LV1, so we’re already starting with clean, consistent samples.
2. Add the Bass
This locks in the low end. I tweak levels so it glues to the kick nicely but doesn’t overpower the mix.
3. Introduce the Lead Vocal
This is the anchor of the mix. I want it sitting just right on top of the foundation.
4. Blend in Background Vocals
I balance BGVs underneath the lead. I’ll often send more reverb to the BGVs to push them back in the mix a little further. This helps separate them and keep the lead vocal front and center.
5. Layer in Tracks and Choir Stems
I send all my stems into a stereo tracks channel, but I break out choir/extra vocals into their own channel. When mixed just right, these help the online mix feel congregational and full without being overbearing.
The Game-Changer: Effects
Here’s where many churches fall short: reverb and delay. Your livestream mix needs more of it—especially if people are listening on phones or headphones.
A dry mix on a phone sounds harsh and small. Reverb smooths the edges and adds realism. I’ll typically send:
Lead vocals to a more focused reverb
Background vocals to a wetter, more ambient reverb
Instruments to their own subtle space as needed
Going Beyond the Left/Right Mix
This is where the Waves LV1 system shines. I use a dedicated matrix output for the livestream, fed by a custom aux mix that includes:
My full mix bus groups (drums, band, vocals, tracks)
FX returns
Stereo audience mics (added last for realism)
Some elements (like talk mics and playback audio) bypass the groups and go directly to the livestream aux for better control of levels. For instance, spoken word always needs to be louder online than it is in the room.
Final Blend and Tips
Once I’ve built the aux mix with post-fader sends and the right blend of instruments and vocals, I bring in the room mics. This creates a sense of space, realism, and participation for the viewer.
When it’s all said and done, the goal is a natural, musical livestream that reflects what’s happening in the room.
You don’t need to build an entire broadcast mix suite to make this work. You just need:
A great in-room mix
Clean routing with post-fader aux sends
Room mics
Some extra love with reverb and EQ
Want Help Building a Mix Like This?
If you’re looking to level up your livestream mix or even just start from scratch, check out Churchfront’s Premium Membership. I run the group coaching calls, and I’d love to help you build a solid, streamlined system just like this one.
Let’s make your church sound amazing—both in the room and online.
