🎚️ The One Thing Your Channel EQ Can't Fix

THIS WEEK’S SETLIST

I’ll never forget a mix I did years ago where every instrument sounded great in solo, but together it was a complete mess. The acoustic guitar was fighting the piano, the vocals were getting lost, and the whole thing just sounded like a muddy, confusing wall of sound.

It taught me a critical lesson: a great mix isn't about making each thing sound good on its own; it's about making everything fit together clearly. Today, we’re talking about the difference between fixing one instrument and fixing the room itself.

Proverbs 4:7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

A Quick Thought on Good Stewardship...

A big part of my role at home, and I'm sure for many of you, is being a good steward of what I've been blessed with. That doesn't just apply to our service at church, but to how we manage our finances and protect our families.

For most of us, our home is our biggest asset and our family's sanctuary. I realized a while back that I hadn't reviewed my home insurance policy in years. I had no idea if I was still getting a fair price or if I even had the right coverage for my needs today.

Taking a few minutes to check just makes sense. It’s a simple act of responsible planning. Using an online quote comparison tool is a no-obligation way to see if you could be better protecting your family's fortress, often for a more reasonable price. It's one of those simple checkmarks that provides real peace of mind.

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SUNDAYMIX MAIN LESSON: Your Room is an Instrument

The most important thing to understand is that your sound system isn't just playing the instruments on stage; it's also "playing" the room. The size and shape of your sanctuary have a huge effect on the sound, especially the low-end.

This is where we have to know the difference between our two main EQ tools:

• Channel EQ: This is the EQ on each individual channel strip. You use this to fix the tone of a single source, like taking the "boxiness" out of one specific vocal.

• System PA EQ: This is a separate, overall EQ that affects the entire sound system. It's used to fix problems caused by the room itself.

If every single channel sounds a little boomy or muddy, the problem isn't every instrument—it's likely the room. You can't fix a room problem with a channel tool. You'll just end up making all your instruments sound thin and weak trying to fight it.

The reason this happens is that low-end notes have very long sound waves. In a boxy room, these long waves bounce between the walls and build up, creating "hot spots" where the bass sounds overwhelmingly loud and boomy. These are called Room Modes, and they have to be addressed for the whole system, not just one channel.

A Quick Thought for Your Family Budget...

Imagine if you had an extra $50, $100, or even $150 showing up in your bank account every single month. What would you do with it? Would you take the family out for a nice dinner more often? Maybe finally upgrade that microphone you've had your eye on?

For many homeowners, that extra cash is hiding in plain sight in their current home insurance bill.

With this simple tool, you can quickly see if you're overpaying and if you can drop your rate. Many people are surprised by how much they can save—in some cases finding great coverage for as low as $50/month. It takes 60 seconds to find out what's possible for you.

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SUNDAYMIX SKILL BOOST

For a professional, tuning a room involves using measurement software to see these Room Modes visually and apply precise cuts with the System PA EQ. They also deal with how the Speed of Sound creates small time delays between speakers, which they fix to achieve maximum clarity. This deeper understanding of Room Acoustics is the key that separates a good mix from a great one.

SUNDAYMIX ACTION STEPS

1. Walk the Room This Sunday. During the loudest worship song, leave the booth and walk to the back corners, then the sides. Listen for those boomy bass "hot spots." Now you know you're hearing the Room Modes.

2. Ask "Is it Just This Channel, or Everything?" The next time something sounds muddy, ask yourself that question. If every channel feels a bit cluttered, the problem is likely the room, not your channel EQ.

3. Use a Free SPL Meter App. Download a sound level meter app on your phone. During worship, take a reading from where the congregation sits. Just getting a baseline number (Is it 85dB? 95dB?) is the first step toward mixing with consistency.

Until next time,

Church sound that slaps. Built for the volunteers in the booth, not the guys in suits.