Are you frustrated with your in-ear mix as a vocalist? You are not alone!! One of the most challenging aspects of being a worship team vocalist is learning how to "dial in" your mix.
I'm here to help!! So, let's dive into the topic of monitors!
First, be patient with yourself. It takes time to adjust and tweak your mix until you feel settled with it.
Secondly, building a vocal in-ear mix can be subjective. There are always exceptions and other factors at play, so do what works for your situation and environment.
BUT...I'm going to give you some BEST PRACTICES and TIPS for finding that mix that protects your ears and sets you up well for leading worship effectively.
TIP #1: Leave both in-ears in!!!
This is very IMPORTANT! When you pull one of your monitors out of your ear to hear the congregation or because you have mix issues, you risk damaging your hearing. The decibel level each ear is receiving will be different and that causes more issues. You can read more about this common issue here.
Also, your click/guide can bleed through the removed monitor into your microphone and be heard by the congregation.
There are ways to prevent the need to take an ear out. Add a little bit of room/house mics to your mix or implement some of the tips I give you in this email.
TIP #2: Put your volume at the halfway mark
Start with your pack or monitoring system at 12 o'clock position (or halfway) and build your mix from there. This gives you more head room to bring things up or down in your mix.
TIP #3: Make sure you can hear the Music Director and/or the Guide
Whether you are leading a song or not, you need to be able to clearly hear direction from either the MD or the Track Guide so that you know where to go vocally and can move in unity with the team.
TIP #4: Bass Guitar can affect your pitch
The low frequencies of a bass guitar (and other low toned instruments such as certain keyboard patches) can be very temperamental and therefore mess with your pitch.
It's best to lower the bass guitar in your mix significantly or cut it out altogether, especially if you struggle with pitch when you sing.
TIP #5: Limit the other vocals in your mix
I know...no one wants to turn their fellow worship vocalist's mic down, but YOU NEED TO! It's best practice to only have the worship leader (of each song) and one other strong vocal that is singing a different part/harmony in your mix.
Too many vocals can muddy up your mix and you will be chasing the volume of your own voice trying to hear yourself.
Learn to blend without having every vocal in your mix by using a technique and resonance placement that gives you a “blendable” quality and tone.
An exception would be if you need help with your part/harmony and need someone in your mix who is singing that part, you are singing a duet, OR if you are responsible to listen to vocalists in order to correct any issues (for example: You are a Vocal Director). Keep their volume lower than your own voice.
TIP #6: Turn up the piano!
The piano is your pitch reference, so make sure you have enough in your mix.
If there is no piano and/or an acoustic guitar is actually the lead instrument for a song, then adjust accordingly.
Remember...these are just best practices to give you a good foundation to build upon. If you are a vocalist and an instrumentalist, then you'll need to modify this mix a bit in order to hear your own instrument as well.
But, DON'T LIVE WITH A BAD MIX!! Get help, ask your audio team for advice and use these tips!
Click below for a FREE downloadable PDF of my 6 In-Ear Mix Tips and the Mix Chart! And PLEASE share our website with your Worship Pastor or Team so they can join our TRIBE!
Have a GREAT week and Happy Singing!