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!

I love electronic gadgets! I have always had pocket pc phones, gps units, and I love my iPhone. My wife, however, always buys these kitchen gadgets. The irony in that is that I’m the one that cooks (and she cleans- it’s a good system).

Too often, the magic slicing and dicing gadget that costs as much as eating dinner out, is a disappointment to me. I’m no master chef. I’m not above being lazy sometimes. The honest truth is though, that most of the time, a good trusty knife does just as good and usually a much better job than the newest gadget. So what if the gadget is quicker if you are not happy with the results? Also, gadgets tend to be a pain to clean up!

So, you’re wondering what this has to do with your Sunday audio set up, aren’t you? Well, read on…

A common technique I see in churches, especially ones on a tight budget, is the use of a compressor on a subgroup. The thinking is that rather than having to purchase 4, 6, or 8 channels of compression, the user will just get a 2-channel unit, insert it into a subgroup, and then whenever something needs compressed, they will route it through that subgroup instead of straight to the master output of the console.

Ideally, if something needs compressed, you should insert your compressor into that input’s channel directly. By routing everything through a subgroup, the compressor can have some ill affects on your mix, and you may be adding more frustrations than your solving.

I want to talk about a commonly overused piece of gear- the compressor. The basic concept of a compressor is to turn the volume down when the signal gets too loud. A lot of inexperienced engineers think they can put a compressor on almost every channel and then sit back like they’re on auto-pilot. It’s not quite that simple, and using these too often goes against my entire approach of keeping it simple. Just because you read in a magazine that the bass was compressed, doesn’t mean you automatically need to compress yours. Too many compressors, and all of the sudden your mix has no life, no air, and no dynamics. To tell if your compressor is working well or not, there is 1 sure-fire way to find out.

A lot of church sound engineers do not have the luxury of mixing 5+ shows a week, and most church musicians do not have the time to do a full soundcheck before each rehearsal. What this means, is that the average church sound engineer does not get to a chance to experiment with gear, learn EQ, understand gates, or tweak good compression. So, I present UNFINISHED sounding (on purpose) sound check audio files for you to use in your sound system and get more alone time with your gear.