[MusicTlk] Playing guitar at church and a question about music mixing

[Sandra Gayer]

Hello Mike,
I'm a singer but played guitar as a child. I was going to say that it
sounds like your problem is a scientific one; brass instruments carry,
guitars don't. If they're turning you down at the input stage, have
you asked them not to? Sorry I haven't got any better advice than
this.

Very best wishes,
Sandra.

On 10/11/22, TheOreoMonster via MusicTlk <musictlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Nice Rig! How are you using that helix accessibly? My first question would
> be have you tried dialing in the tones of your rig at with the band in
> rehearsal, or are you using the tones you get at home by yourself in the
> band context.  The frequencies and levels that work well for the guitar in
> solo isn’t always what works well in a full mix. Less lows and more  Mids
> for example may help a guitar cut through better in a mix. That’s probably
> where I’d start if you haven’t yet,, readjust those patches with the band
> and save a bank for playing with the band.
>
>
>> On Oct 11, 2022, at 7:09 AM, Mike Jolls via MusicTlk <musictlk at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> OK, I need some opinions.
>>
>> I play electric guitar at our church.  We record our band and show the
>> videos on YouTube.  In the past, I’ve tried to use the YouTube videos to
>> see how I’m doing, how I’m sounding, etc …  BUT, invariably when I listen
>> to the videos, it’s very difficult to hear myself.  You can hear the
>> acoustic piano, the leaders electric piano, the drums, and the singers.
>> When those instruments go up in volume and the vocals are going, all of
>> the guitars (electric as well as acoustic/electrics) get lost in the mix
>> and it’s very difficult to hear what I’m playing.
>>
>> For those interested, I play a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar through a
>> Line 6 Helix which is fed to the sound board in the back of room.  They
>> mix it and record from there, and what they mix gets sent out to YouTube.
>>
>> Don’t get me wrong.  I’m no egotist who wants to be the star of the show
>> all the time.  I get that, especially in a church environment, the vocals
>> MUST be heard over everything else.   The words of the song are the whole
>> point.   But if I have $2500 worth of gear on the floor and I’ve put my
>> time in practicing, I want to be at a volume where I can be heard on the
>> video.  If I can’t hear myself on the video, I question whether I can even
>> be heard at church.  When I’m not heard, I get frustrated.  it’s like …
>> “what’s the point if I can’t even hear myself?”.
>>
>> An interesting thing is that our church doesn’t appear to be alone in
>> this.  I’ve listened to other churches in our area that record their
>> services and post them on YouTube.  They have the same issue.  The guitars
>> get lost.  I’m just wondering (I say this in jest) if there’s a Church 101
>> music mixing class that all sound people go to that tells them to turn the
>> guitars down!!??  Perhaps they just automatically think that electric
>> guitars are going to be too loud so they have to turn them down.
>>
>> My opinion of this is that the people at the mixing board already know
>> what they want things to sound like and they keep our volumes low.
>>
>> Let me also say … don’t tell me to turn my volume up.  I’ve already tried
>> that with no results.
>>
>> OK, with all that said, what I’d like to know is whether any of you
>> musicians play guitar at church and have you had the same issue?  And if
>> so, have you resolved it?
>>
>> Also, are any of you involved in mixing music if you go to church?  I’d
>> like to hear comments from both sides of the fence.
>>
>> Thanks for letting me blow some steam.  I won’t take comments personally.
>>
>> Mike Jolls
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> MusicTlk mailing list
>> MusicTlk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/musictlk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> MusicTlk:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/musictlk_nfbnet.org/monkeypusher69%40gmail.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> MusicTlk mailing list
> MusicTlk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/musictlk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> MusicTlk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/musictlk_nfbnet.org/sandragayer7%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Sandra Gayer DipABRSM, LRSM.

Soprano Singer
www.sandragayer.com

Broadcast Presenter
www.rnibconnectradio.org.uk/music-box.html

Actor
www.visablepeople.com

Voiceover Artist
www.archangelvoices.co.uk/content/sandra-gayer