If you are ready to take your mix to the next
level, it is time to EQ your room. This is also a great way to solve feedback problems. Although this technique is somewhat of an
advanced tip, I am going to break it down in a way that is easy to understand. Once you have some basic EQ parameters set
to compliment your room, it is going to be much easier to create a great mix. This video is brought to you by Behringer
X32 Mastery, the fastest way for church sound techs to master the X32. And, with a team license, you can enroll unlimited
team members now and in the future. Finally, everyone will be on the same page. Visit x32.church or click the link in the
description to learn more. To properly tune your room, you will need
a reference microphone. The one I use is the DBX RTA Microphone. Reference microphones have a flat frequency
response so they can be used to effectively ‘hear the room’ without bias. If you have an iPad connected to your X32,
it is extremely helpful during this process, although not required. Alright, let’s go through the process step-by-step. Step 1: Level your main mix EQ. We will be using the main mix EQ to tune the
room. So, if you already have EQ parameters set
up for your main mix, you will need to level them out. To do this, press the Main mix SELECT button
and then hit the view button under the equalizer section. Then, push the button to reset all. Keep in mind, you want to make sure the Equalizer
is activated because we will be using it later. Step 2: Change a few settings on the X32s
built-in RTA. To do this, press the METERS button next to
the X32’s screen and page over to the ‘rta’ tab. Use the following settings: Peak Hold: 3s Decay: 1s Auto Gain Step 3: Set up reference microphone in the
middle of your listening area. The microphone should be pointed to the stage,
parallel with the ground, and at ear level (~ 5 feet off the ground). Connect the microphone to an open channel
on your X32, select the channel, and use the following settings: Activate 48V phantom power (under the gain
knob) Make sure Low Cut, Gate, Compressor, and Equalizer
are all deactivated Hit the View button under the BUS SENDS section
of your mixer and make sure all busses are turned off for this channel Under the ‘MAIN BUS’ section of the X32,
make sure Mono Bus and Stereo Bus are both deactivated Step 4: Set the gain for your reference microphone. To do this, you first need to generate the
noise we will use to tune the room, which is called an oscillator. Here’s how you do it: Click the View button towards the top right
of the X32 under the Talk A & B buttons Page over to the ‘oscillator’ tab Set Oscillator Type to ‘Pink Noise’ Set Destination to ‘Main L+R’ Turn the oscillator on by pressing the knob
labeled ‘Generate’ Use the same knob to set the level so that
the sound fills the room (similar to what your regular service is like) Now, select your reference microphone channel
and set the gain so that the level meter’s -18dB mark is mostly solid. Step 5: It’s time to EQ your room. With the oscillator still going, select your
reference microphone channel and hit the view button under the Equalizer section. On the X32’s screen, you can now see what
the reference mic is hearing. You want to look for the little yellow bars
that are hanging out significantly above the rest. These are the frequency ranges that
stick out in your room. EQ should be applied to your Main mix to cut
these frequency ranges and provide a more even frequency response. If you have an iPad handy, pull it out and
navigate to the EQ for your Main mix. Now you can adjust the Main mix EQ on the
iPad while watching the RTA on the X32. If you don’t have an iPad, you’ll just
need to navigate between the reference mic channel and the Main mix using their SELECT
buttons. So, you’ll make an adjustment on your main
mix EQ and go back to the reference microphone channel to see if it fixed the problem. This is the part where you get to have fun,
using EQ on the Main mix to create a more even frequency response, measured by your
reference mic. Of course, every room is going to be different,
but let’s go over a few guidelines as you set EQ. First, focus on areas where frequencies need
to be cut. When EQ'ing a room, boosting frequencies is usually not the right strategy. Next, use PEQ filters only. There is no use
for high cut, low cut, or shelving filters when tuning a room. When it comes to the Q value, start around
4 and then find the highest Q value that achieves the desired result. Here’s another tip. You most likely won’t
need huge adjustments when tuning the room. If your EQ gain is set lower than -6dB, you
may be a little too aggressive. And this one is important. Don’t obsess
over perfection. You are simply looking to fix frequency ranges that are significantly
out of line. If you prefer a warmer, punchier sound, then
frequencies around 400Hz and lower should be registering a bit higher than those above. Finally, don’t forget, you are adjusting
EQ on the main mix, not on the reference microphone. It can be easy to get them mixed up, especially
if you are not using an iPad. Once you feel like you have solved the major
EQ problems in your room, play your favorite song through the sound system and toggle the
Main mix EQ on and off to hear the difference. You’ll also want to try the same thing when
the band is playing. If you are struggling to get it right, level
out your Main mix EQ and try again. Don’t give up! It takes a little time to get it
right. I know this was a lot. So, if have questions,
drop them in the comments. I’d be glad to answer. If you’d like to see more videos like this,
give me a thumbs up to let me know. And if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe
to our channel and ring the little bell so we can let you know when a new video comes
out. I’ll see ya next time.
