Great Church Sound

Audio cables are the backbone of every sound system. Here's how your 1/4" cables actually work. Plus, find out the difference between a guitar cable and a speaker cable - and why you should NEVER confuse the two in your sound system.

How 1/4 inch Audio Cables Work How do you know if you're using the right 1/4 inch audio cables in your sound system? Here is the pro-level information that all sound techs should know about their audio cables.

Want to keep church sound "simple"? Here are a few tips to consider.

3 Tips For Simple Church Sound Great sound doesn’t have to be complicated sound. In fact, a simple setup and mix can increase the potential for better sound quality. Whether the need for simple sound is a necessity (like a new church plant) or a choice (like acoustic-style worship), it is important to understand what contribute...

Gearing up for some new wireless mics? Pay attention to a few important details.

5 Critical Factors to Consider Before Buying Wireless Systems Start with the skillset of the team as your main consideration, not the overall cost. From there, a wireless mic can be purchased for under $100 or for several thousand dollars per channel. Our checklist helps you cut through the decision-making ...

This collection of links and resources for church sound techs includes a lot of free training material!

Resources & Recommendations Resources and recommendations for learning more about getting great sound at your church, including apps, books, videos, and valuable websites.

A good reminder about miking your instruments here!

Custom Mic’ing: A Look at Drum and Instrument Mics Adaptability is key. If you can’t mix without an X microphone you need to rethink your approach. Oftentimes the most difficult mixing situations can end up being the very moments that make us better.

What do ALL sound techs need to know? This, for starters...

Top 3 Things All Church Sound Techs Should Know Bonus: Download Frequency Chart So many of us got our start in audio by simply being a “warm body” that was willing to help. And what started as “just helping out” turned into a trial-by-fire method of learning how to run live sound and deal with all of the challenges associated with it. Bei...

EQ is such an important topic for church sound techs. It can make the difference between an OK mix and a really awesome mix. Check out these tips from a professional audio engineer.

The Beginner's Guide To EQ One of the best secrets to a great mix is using just the right amount of EQ to make each instrument shine and to bring the mix together. Professional sound engineer Terry Bledsoe shares his tried and true live sound EQ tips in this value-packed post.

Need to get that live stream sounding great next Sunday? Here's how to do it.

Live Streaming Audio Tips Live streaming your church services can be a great way to reach your congregation. In fact, it may be the only way some members can even attend church.

Active vs Passive loudspeaker tech. How do you choose?

Loudspeaker Selection: A New Twist on Thinking Outside the Box From aesthetics, passive vs. active versions, and the financial impact your speaker choices will have on your ministry, our expert sources offer up invaluable advice to help you make a wise decision.

Great tips from Doug Gould and Worship MD!

These 10 Tips Will Avoid Sound Mistakes During Worship Mistakes? I’ve certainly had my share and I know there will be more in my future. Pay attention to this short list and I believe the number of mistakes you may make will be reduced. Prepare Have a plan and keep it as simple and as consistent as possible. Know the program and what […]

These 3 EQ tips will help you dial in your church sound mix fast. Tip #1 is for Drums. Tip #2 is for Bass. Tip #3 is for Vocals.

3 EQ Tips for Better Sound Get better sound from the drums. Make the bass guitar pop in the mix. And learn a secret trick to blending background vocals for the worship team. These three EQ tips can take your church sound mix to the next level.

Yeah, everyone has an opinion. How do you handle "special requests"?

Complaints about church sound? Here's how to handle it. Mr. Opinionated is approaching the sound booth…again. Do you pretend like you can't see him and walk away? Or, listen to his hundredth complaint about how loud it is and pretend like you are going to do something about it? The truth is, there will always be opinionated people (maybe you used to be...

Here is a list of gear to preserve your sound tech sanity behind the mixing console!

Church Sound Survival Kit Running sound for church can be a dynamic and fast-paced endeavor--and, because it’s live “production,” anything can and does happen, normally when you least

In search of the best digital console for your church? Here are a few tips to help narrow down your options. There are even some analog/hybrid options that work great for churches on a budget.

Mixing Consoles for Small & Medium Churches Small and medium sized churches have unique needs when it comes to the right mixing console. Here are the most important questions to ask before selecting your next soundboard.

Here's a step by step guide for fixing and soldering your audio cables.

How To Fix Audio Cables The most common cable problem can actually happen inside of the connectors at either end of the cable where individual wires can become physically detached from the connection points.

What is the most important sound effect for live sound?

Church Sound And EQ: The Most Important Sound Effect There is one audio effect that is absolutely CRUCIAL for getting your sound to actually sound great. The funny thing is that most people don't even really think of it as an effect at all. That's why I like to call it "salt and pepper for your sound." Salt and pepper aren't necessarily considered spi...

A sound tech can dream, right?

Power Of God Enables Church Drummer To Play At Reasonable Volume PALM SPRINGS, CA—According to sources at Revelations Church, drummer Carl Jackson drew on the indwelling power of the Lord in order to play the whole first verse of “God of this City” at a reasonable volume during Sunday morning’s service.

Here's a great collection of free church sound tips and digital console training videos.

Videos These videos will help explain some important audio concepts and can help you get better sound at your church. Learn more abut balanced vs unbalanced audio, choir mic tips, signal to noise ratio, and more.

Do you have any words of wisdom for the church tech?

Church Techs Share Career Advice Experienced church technical leadership reveal what their mentors shared with them that made them successful.

Good compression should tighten up a mix, give added presence to various instruments and maintain clarity for your vocals. Here are a few more helpful tips...

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Worship distractions are the worst. Fortunately you can stop the distractions caused by bad sound. Here's how to do it.

Worship Distractions - Finding & Fixing Them Some distractions just can’t be avoided, like the baby in the back row making a less-than-joyful noise. But there are a number of distractions that can and should be completely avoided.

What in-ear monitors and headphones do you use at church? Here are some of my top picks for any budget.

In-Ear Monitors and Headphones for Church Sound Here are some important details you need to know to select the right IEM or headphones for your church sound needs – for musicians and sound techs.

Podcast Interview: Don't let these audio "enemies" ruin your mix at church.
Join Kade Young from Collaborate Worship and James Wasem from Great Church Sound in this exclusive podcast episode (video and audio available).

Ep 18: The Enemy of Great Church Sound ft. James Wasem Great church sound. It's what we all want, isn't it? I suppose that's why our guest, James Wasem, named his book Great Church Sound. I have a copy of it, and to me, it’s like the manual you’ve always wanted. Everything you need to know about church sound is in there. But unlike most manuals, [.....

Requesting new sound gear can be tricky sometimes - even when everyone knows you need it! Here are some helpful tips.

What Your Church Board Should Understand About Sound Committees are uncomfortable spending money on something they don’t understand. When it comes to audio, sell the benefits rather than the features.

Learn how to save money on your next church technology project with some of these crucial tips.

How to Get the Best Deal for Church Technology How do you get the best deal on new equipment for your church audio, video, or lighting project? Follow these important tips to make sure your project comes in on time and within budget.

"Buy this book. Read this book. Pass this book on to the rest of your sound team." -Phil from ChurchMag

Great Church Sound: a guide for the volunteer Great Church Sound: a guide for the volunteer

When it comes to live sound, it is critical to prepare and get organized. Here are some tips for that.

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A lot of us tech geeks are accidentally confusing our volunteers. Are some of the words you use in church tech causing a problem for new team members? Might be worth taking a moment to think about...

Is Jargon Killing Your Tech Team The words we use and the way we throw them around in casual banter within our tech circles can feel incredibly exclusive and off-putting for new volunteers or those who may want to join the tech team. Here's how to solve this tech problem!

AWESOME APP! "This is a great app with a wealth of information. The tools included are invaluable, and I�ll be asking my entire tech team to download the app so they can take advantage of everything it offers. Based on an equally awesome book, the two combined make an exceptional resource for the newbie techs as well as seasoned vets." ~WSan05

Church Sound Guide Mobile App Get the mobile app designed specifically to help church sound team volunteers get great sound at church every week.

Compression is a great tool that can tighten up your mix. Here are a few audio compression tips for church sound techs from Twelve:Thirty Media

Audio Compression Tips for Church Sound | Twelve:Thirty Media James Wasem with some audio compression tips for church sound. Compression is a great tool that can tighten up and enhance your mix.

Mixing for monitors can be tough. Here are some super important things to watch for.

Why Monitor Mixes Change What changes between rehearsal and performance? Generally, it comes down to one thing. Adrenaline.

It's time to finally tackle that pile of bad cables in your tech closet. Here's how to do it right. (Step-by-step guide included.)

How To Fix Audio Cables The most common cable problem can actually happen inside of the connectors at either end of the cable where individual wires can become physically detached from the connection points.

So, how do you handle criticism? It's an important topic for church techs.

How to Handle Criticism When church techs are criticized, our tendency is to take one of two paths. The first is to lash back out. The other is to over-internalize the criticism. But is there a third path we might consider taking?

Planting a church? Need a sound system? Check out the 4 most important tips to consider before investing in your next audio rig.

Sound System Considerations For Church Plants There are a lot of details to consider for a new church plant. The right sound system can be one of the most important tech decisions a young church makes.

Not sure if you need a contractor for your next church technology project? This guide might help.

Should My Church Hire an Audio Contractor? When is it right to hire a contractor for your church technology project? And how can you know if you're making the right decision? This advice will help with that.

Tech ministry burnout is a real thing. I think every sound tech and tech team should read this book. Super simple, yet powerful message for all of us techies behind the scenes.

Sound in the Gospel book review Sound in the Gospel is a must-have for church sound techs and teams. The author wastes no time in getting to the core of what really matters when serving in a church technology role: Attitude and Heart.

Considering in-ear monitors for your sound system? Check out these tips from

In-Ear Monitor Tips & Tricks | Twelve:Thirty Media In-ear monitors or personal monitor systems can be a great tool for both the worship team and the sound team. Here are some In-Ear Monitor Tips & Tricks.

A few more mixing practice tips for ya!

How to Get Out of Your Mixing Rut If your mixes are in a rut of mind-numbing sameness, it’s time to try something new. Here, in no particular order, are several things you can try to breathe new life into your mixes.

Looking for quality sound equipment you can find on Amazon? This page has a list of adapters, cables, and other hardware for church sound.

Great Gear for Great Sound Get better sound with better gear recommended by James Wasem, author Great Church Sound. Quality audio equipment for churches, including microphones, mixers, and accessories.

This is one of the best biblical admonishments for training and discipleship in church tech teams.

Pride: The Best Reason Your Tech Team Needs a Training Program No one should be able to say, “I’m the only one who can do this.” If you don't have a training program for your church tech team, the Apostle Paul offers you a blueprint.