The reason why your livestream mix sound dead...

Ever watched your church’s livestream and thought, “Why does it feel like a band rehearsal instead of worship?”

The answer is simple: no crowd mics.

When you’re in the room, you hear the congregation singing, clapping, and reacting. That energy fills the space. But online? Without crowd mics, all of that disappears. It’s just raw instruments and vocals with zero atmosphere.

What Crowd Mics Do:

They capture the room—the sound of the congregation, the ambience, the “life” of worship.
They make online viewers feel like they’re actually there.
They glue the mix together so it doesn’t sound sterile or awkward.

How to Set Them Up

1️⃣ Placement is everything. Put them far enough to capture the congregation, but not so close they pick up the band more than the people.

2️⃣ Stereo pairs work best. Small diaphragm condensers or even shotgun mics can give a natural spread.

3️⃣ EQ with care. Roll off the lows so subs don’t rumble the stream, and tame highs if it gets harsh.

4️⃣ Blend, don’t blast. You want just enough to hear the room without drowning out the worship team.

⚡ Pro tip: Don’t forget to check phase—if crowd mics are out of phase with the PA, your livestream can sound thin and weird.

💬 Do you run crowd mics for your church’s livestream? If so, how many—and where do you place them?

— Nate

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