Church Livestream Audio: Tips for Better Sound

Achieving clear, balanced audio is crucial for delivering an engaging livestream experience for your online congregation. When your church livestream is properly mixed, it not only enhances the worship experience for viewers but also reflects the quality of your ministry.

Whether you’re working with a simple setup or a more complex system, here are some key techniques to help you get the best sound out of your livestream mix.

1. EQ: Making Space for Each Sound

EQ is one of the most powerful tools in your livestream audio arsenal. By adjusting the frequency balance, you can help each instrument and vocal sit properly in the mix, avoiding muddiness or frequency clashes. The goal is to make space for each sound, ensuring clarity and separation.

Tips for EQing Your Mix:

Cut the Muddiness: For many sources, a slight cut in the low-mid frequencies (around 200-400Hz) can remove unwanted muddiness, allowing vocals and instruments to sound cleaner.
Boost Small Amounts: When boosting frequencies, do it in small amounts (around 1-3dB) to avoid overwhelming the sound. For example, boosting high mids (1-5kHz) on vocals can help them cut through more clearly.
Use High-Pass Filters (HPF): Consider using high-pass filters to make space for the bass, kick, and other low-end elements. Cutting low frequencies on non-bass instruments will help clean up unnecessary low frequencies and allow for better separation between instruments. Getting the low end right is pivotal for a good mix.

2. Compression: Control Dynamics Without Squashing the Sound

Compression helps maintain consistent levels and prevents sudden volume spikes in the livestream mix. But when overused, it can result in a lifeless sound. The goal is to apply compression in a way that controls dynamics while preserving the energy of the performance.

Tips for Using Compression:

Light Compression: Apply light compression to smooth out vocals and keep levels consistent. A good starting point is 3-6dB of gain reduction. For most sources, aim for a ratio of about 3:1 to 4:1.
Fast vs. Slow Attack: A fast attack (1-10ms) is useful for controlling transient peaks, such as snare hits, without allowing them to distort the mix. A slow attack (20-30ms) is better for letting the natural dynamics of the sound come through.
Avoid Over-Compression: Be careful not to over-compress, especially on vocals or drums, as this can cause the sound to lose its natural dynamics and make it feel flat. If you can hear the breath of a singer too prominently in a mix, it might indicate that the compression is set too aggressively.
Maintain Dynamic Range: For an impactful livestream mix, it’s important to maintain a healthy dynamic range, allowing louder moments to feel powerful while quieter moments can create emotional impact.

3. Reverb: Adding Depth Without Clutter

Reverb adds depth and space to the sound, but too much can make the mix feel distant or cluttered. Striking the right balance of reverb is crucial, especially when mixing for both in-person and online audiences.

Tips for Using Reverb:

Balance for Online and In-Person Audiences: Consider the acoustics of your physical space when applying reverb for in-person listeners. For the online audience, a more generous reverb might be preferable to make sure it doesn't sound dry.
Subtlety is Key: Use a short reverb tail to add space around vocals and instruments without overwhelming the listener. A touch of reverb on vocals can make them feel more present and cohesive in the mix. Pro Tip: EQ the reverb if your mixer allows it. Removing lows below 100Hz and highs around 12kHz is a good starting point.
Find the Right Amount: Adjust the reverb amount depending on the size of your room and the characteristics of your sound. A small church space might need less reverb, while larger sanctuaries might benefit from a bit more to maintain a natural sense of space.

4. Monitoring: Hear What Your Online Audience Hears

Accurate monitoring is essential for making sure that what you’re hearing is what your online audience will experience. Proper monitoring helps ensure that adjustments are made for a balanced, professional mix.

Tips for Proper Monitoring:

Mix in a Separate Room: Ideally, your livestream mix should be done in a separate room, away from the main sanctuary, to avoid room acoustics interfering with your mix. This allows for a more accurate representation of what your online audience will hear.
Proper Room Treatment: Proper room treatment can significantly improve your ability to make accurate mix decisions. Acoustic panels and bass traps can help minimize room reflections, allowing you to hear the mix more clearly.
Headphones for Budget-Friendly Monitoring: If you’re unable to set up a dedicated mixing room, good-quality headphones can serve as an affordable alternative. They isolate you from the live sound, but be cautious of overreliance on headphones, as they don’t always reflect how the sound will translate through speakers.

5. DAW vs. Mixing Console: Choosing the Right Tools

The choice of mixing tools plays a big role in your livestream audio. While some churches opt for a digital audio workstation (DAW), others rely on a sepaerte digital mixing console for simplicity and flexibility.

Tips for Choosing the Right Equipment:

DAW Integration: Many churches use a DAW to handle livestream audio, providing more flexibility for complex mixes. Done right, this will provide the best sound. However, this setup requires and additional person with a good ear to operate effectively. Pro Tip: Musicians make the best mix engineers ;)
Dedicated Digital Mixers: A dedicated digital mixer might be the right choice for churches seeking another all-in-one solution. These mixers offer direct control and is simlar to mixing FOH. You can even get the same mixer so volunteers don' thave to learn two different consoles.

6. Get Professional Help to Improve Your Livestream Mix

Most churches, especially those with small or non-existent budgets, can benefit from professional help in improving their FOH (front-of-house) mix, which in turn will enhance their livestream mix. Whether you’re just starting out or need to fine-tune your setup, Surrender Sound can help you find the right balance.