If you’re a sports fan, one scenario that can be fun to discuss is, “If you were starting a new [insert sport] team, who would be the first player on your roster?”

In other words, what would be the most critical piece of the team or system that you would build the rest around? In audio, this happens sometimes even without knowing it. You might be starting a building project, or be getting ready for some upgrades or remodeling, etc. Soon you start surfing the net, looking at catalogs, reading reviews, putting together the new dream sound system. Then, the reality of the budget sets in, and you start making cuts. What’s the one thing that you determine you are set on and will build the rest of the audio system around?

For me, it would be amplifiers, although the majority of people would probably say the console since you spend 99% of your time hands-on with it. Still, neither of these would be the most critical piece of gear that determines the level of quality in your system.

That piece of gear is none other than YOU! It doesn’t matter how fast the race car is, without a skilled driver, it will not operate at it’s maximum potential. In fact, this car is probably a danger to someone like me! The same is true in churches all over. An audio system that has tons of options, configurations, FX, routing, compression, EQ, delays, etc… can be dangerous for your mix if you aren’t sure what you’re doing.

There’s hope though! Be patient and trust your ears more than any piece of gear. Bypass the outboard gear. Leave the EQ’s at zero. THEN build your mix. If you need to make adjustments, do them slowly and listen critically to the changes you’re making. As you start to train your ear, you will find you have better control over the gear. Don’t get frustrated. If it still doesn’t sound right, go ahead and try experimenting, but do so deliberately and evaluate as you go. What changes to the audio when you make adjustments. Are they better? Worse? Just different?? Evaluate as you go, make notes, and apply what you learn. Better yet, discuss it with the others on your team. Before you know it, you’re ears will become your most valuable element of your system!