Reverb can make a vocal sound full and powerful…or like someone’s singing in a cave. In church sound, we tend to love reverb a little too much. So let’s talk about what it’s really for — and how to use it musically, not emotionally. 🎚️ What Reverb Actually Does Reverb creates space. It makes a sound feel like it’s in a real room — not a dry, close-mic’d recording.The problem is, most church mixes already happen in a real room… with natural reflections bouncing off every wall. So adding reverb on top of that? That’s double-room. Instant mud. 💡 The Golden Rule If you can hear the reverb clearly during a song, it’s already too much. Reverb should be felt, not heard. It glues the mix together quietly in the background, not up front like a fog machine. How to Dial It In Right 1️⃣ Start Small Add reverb until you can barely hear it… then back it off a touch. 2️⃣ Medium Decay for Vocals1.5–2.5 seconds is plenty for most worship vocals.Enough space to sound natural, not enough to drown the lyrics. 3️⃣ EQ Your Reverb Return Cut lows below 200 Hz (they just create mud).Sometimes roll off highs above 8 kHz to keep it soft and warm. ⚡ Pro tip: Reverb isn’t a fix for a bad vocal sound — it’s the icing after the vocal already sounds good. 💬 What’s your go-to reverb setting for worship vocals — long and lush, or short and tight? — Nate

If your mix ever feels like it’s fighting itself — vocals vs. pads, kick vs. bass, or keys vs. tracks — sidechain compression might be the missing piece. It’s one of those tools most sound techs hear about but rarely use right. Let’s fix that 👇 What Sidechain Compression Actually Does: A regular compressor reacts to its own channel.A sidechain compressor reacts to another channel. So when one signal gets loud, it gently pushes another out of the way.It’s basically your “make room” button for the mix. Real Church Uses for Sidechain Compression: 1️⃣ Vocals vs. Pads/KeysPads are beautiful… until they bury the vocal. 👉 Use a compressor on your pad bus and key it to the lead vocal.Every time the singer comes in, the pads dip slightly, giving space for the voice.When they stop singing, the pads rise back up. Smooth, invisible clarity. 2️⃣ Kick vs. BassClassic problem: the kick and bass live in the same frequency zone. 👉 Put a compressor on the bass channel and key it to the kick.Each time the kick hits, the bass ducks just a little.The low end stays tight and punchy instead of muddy and overlapping. 3️⃣ Speech vs. Background MusicPerfect for pre-service playlists, transitions, or altar calls. 👉 Place a compressor on the music channel and key it to the pastor’s mic.When they speak, the music automatically ducks under them.When they stop, it comes back up. No more chasing faders. 💡 Tips to Get It Right - Keep the ratio gentle (2:1 or 3:1). - Fast attack, medium release — it should move naturally. - Aim for 2–4dB of gain reduction, not massive drops. ⚡ Sidechain compression isn’t about volume control — it’s about space control.You’re not lowering levels; you’re creating breathing room.

Hey everybody, been playing around with the mixer and dialing a mix for the church. FOH mix has been dialed in pretty nicely for the church . But i feel like the livestream can improve way more. I'm sending the church's livestream to you guys. Would like some input and critic on what can be improved, what's missing and what's needed. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JgSap18yh/

There are a LOT of bad ideas floating around about how to make your livestream mix sound “better.” Let’s clear some of that up 👇 🎤 Myth #1 – “Add more reverb so it sounds bigger.” You don’t need a worship cathedral on your stream. Reverb on livestream audio can make it muddy and distant if not dialed correctly. Keep it natural. The “air” people want to hear actually comes from room mics, not plugins. 🧠 Myth #2 – “It’s fine if the mix clips — Facebook/YouTube will normalize it.” That’s like saying, “It’s fine if the car hits the wall — airbags will fix it.”Once your signal distorts, it’s baked in.Always leave a few dB of headroom before your limiter. 🎧 Myth #3 – “Headphones are enough to monitor.” Not even close. Always check your livestream on real devices — a phone, a TV, a laptop.You’ll be shocked how different it sounds outside your booth. ⚡ Truth: A great livestream mix isn’t louder, brighter, or wetter — it’s balanced, consistent, and human. 💬 What’s the biggest livestream myth you’ve heard other sound techs believe? Drop it below 👇 — Nate