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?

So far this year I’ve been to a few church services that are more traditional- piano, organ, choir, hymnals, etc. In a way, it’s been a little nostalgic for me, as I grew up in small churches that only sang hymns with piano accompaniment. It occurred to me how a lot of traditional churches on the surface appear to not suffer from the frustrations of audio problems because they aren’t trying to amplify drums, electric guitars, etherial keyboards, pop-style vocals, etc. The reality though is that there are still issues that need addressed and sometimes, the simplicity of the mix can make problems even more noticeable.

If a bass guitar, snare drum, or singer is overpowering your mix, your first thought might be to add a compressor to that channel. This will of course turn down those loud moments when the musician gets inspired or blessed or just flat out stops trying to blend with the rest of the group.

A compressor, though, can also be used to increase volume when used correctly. Because a compressor decreases the range between the loudest and softest points (the dynamic range), it will then allow you to turn up the entire channel and increase the average volume for that input. Remember though, that a compressor is working best when you cannot hear it!

If you’ve been to a show recently or been to an auditorium with an updated sound system, you’ve likely seen the single column speakers hanging from each side of the stage, called line-arrays. These have replaced the large grids of speakers used not that long ago that may (for example) use 3 columns of speakers- 1 angling away from the stage, 1 straight ahead, and 1 facing towards the middle of the room. There are many advantages to these line arrays, but don’t assume that your room needs these new shiny toys, or that they will fix all of your audio issues.

Ever been to a soundcheck for another band other than the one that sings in your church every Sunday? Show up early to club show, sneak in mid-day to a tour stopping through your city, or pay attention between bands at an all day festival, and the first thing you’ll likely hear for sound check is… kick drum, then snare, then hats, etc. Watch the other musicians on stage and you’ll see them speaking in sign-language to the monitor engineer trying to communicate. “I need more.” “It sounds flat.” “Can you make it punchier?”