Good transitions…

Today’s post is inspired by content I recently watched on Ownthemix.com (are you a member there yet??).  I’ve realized this is one of those areas where there’s lots of things I just do instinctively without really thinking about them in order to ensure smooth transitions between the elements I’m mixing of a service, band set, event, etc.  I’m going to try to outline some thoughts that I’m planning to share with my team the next time we’re together talking audio.

A primary responsibility of mixing audio well in a church is to do everything possible to eliminate distractions.  One of the best ways to do this is by having great transitions.  Transitions make a good audio guy into a great one.

• Don’t just mute and unmute inputs.  Always try to fade into and out of elements.  Make them smooth and seamless so they flow together.  If the mic starts feeding back, you can catch it before it gets out of control.  You don’t ever want to just turn on an input full volume – who knows if it will be louder then expected, crackle, or have feedback.
• Always turn on a communicator’s mic right on time.  Too early and you might catch a sideways conversation with someone in the front row or clearing the throat.  Too late and you miss the first few words.  It’s a simple thing, but earn the trust of your communicator by having his back.
• If the communicator is going to have the audience talk with each other for a moment and then they’re going to continue speaking, you should bring their mic back a bit (maybe 5-10 dB) while the speaker isn’t “on” so they can take a drink or speak to someone without disrupting the moment.  But keep your eyes closely on the communicator so you don’t miss when they are ready to proceed.  Again, have the speaker’s back so the mic is transparent to them.
• The worst thing you can do is to forget to turn the speaker’s mic off when they are off stage.  The music starts and you hear the speaker singing – this can be very embarrassing for said speaker.
• Slow, intentional fades are MUCH better then quick mutes and unmutes.