After a year of mixing live worship recordings, I've learned that great mixes aren't about having the most expensive gear or the longest plugin chains. They're about smart decisions and understanding what actually matters.

Here are the five biggest lessons that transformed my mixing in 2025:

1. Sidechain Everything

This was the single biggest game-changer for me. Instead of reaching for EQ to carve out space, I started using sidechain compression—specifically with a plugin called Trackspacer—to create room for competing elements.

Here's how I use it:

Bass Guitar Sidechained to Kick Drum I love a bass guitar with lots of low end, but that low end competes with the kick drum. Instead of cutting the bass with EQ (which affects the entire signal), I use Trackspacer sidechained to the kick. I set it to only affect frequencies around 90Hz and below, and only when the kick hits.

This means the bass guitar automatically makes room for the kick drum on every hit, but keeps all its low-end power when the kick isn't playing. The result? A punchy kick that cuts through without sacrificing the bass guitar's fullness.

Instrument Bus Sidechained to Vocals I also set up Trackspacer on my instrument bus (everything except drums) sidechained to the lead vocal. I use mid-side mode and pan it to the center, so it only compresses the mid channel where the vocal lives.

I focus on the 1kHz to 6kHz range—where vocal clarity and presence really shine. Whenever the vocal sings, the instruments automatically make room in that frequency range. When the vocal stops, the instruments fill back in.

This creates a mix where the vocal always sits on top without you having to constantly ride faders or over-EQ the instruments.

2. Processing Is Subjective—Listen First

I used to see these elaborate vocal chains online—10 plugins deep with specific settings—and think I needed to copy them exactly. Or I'd see someone say "you only need three plugins on vocals" and think that was the rule.

Here's the truth: There are no rules.

Processing is completely subjective and depends entirely on what the source audio needs. Sometimes I put 10 plugins on a bass guitar. Sometimes I use just three—an EQ and two compressors. It depends on what I'm hearing.

The key is to listen to the track within the context of the mix and ask:

• Does it need more brightness?
• Does it need more consistency?
• Does it need to poke out more?
• Does it need to sit back more?

Then do what's needed. Don't overdo it. Don't underdo it. Just do what the song needs, not what you saw someone else do.

From my experience mixing live worship recordings, I've noticed that keys and electric guitars (excluding acoustic) don't actually need that much processing nowadays. A little EQ, some compression to sit in the mix, maybe some reverb depending on the song—and they're good.

It's the vocals and drums that need the real work. They need sidechain processing. They need reverb to create space. They need more attention.

3. You Don't Need As Much Reverb As You Think

This one surprised me. I used to listen to my mixes and think they sounded washy and messy compared to professional releases. I assumed I was using the wrong reverb settings or the wrong plugins.

Then I discovered the truth: I was using too much reverb.

Professional mixes often use less reverb than you think. The reverb is just tailored better to the song. It's not about drowning everything in washy space—it's about placing elements in the right sized room.

I did a whole video on how professional mixes get their reverbs to sit right in the mix without sounding washy. The key is using less than you think you need, then shaping it carefully.

This ties back to lesson #2: listen to what the track needs. Sometimes a vocal needs a big, washy reverb. Sometimes it needs almost none. Don't default to drowning everything in reverb just because that's what you think "pro" sounds like.

4. Half of a High-Quality Mix Is in the Performance and Editing

This is the lesson nobody wants to hear, but it's absolutely true: You can't mix your way out of a bad performance or poor editing.

I used to think that if I just had the right EQ settings, the right compression, the right effects, my mixes would sound professional. I'd spend hours tweaking plugins, trying to make things sound good.

But I was ignoring the fundamentals:

Editing matters.

Lining up instruments on the downbeat makes your mix explode with power. When the kick, bass, guitars, keys, and drums all hit at exactly the same moment on that big chorus downbeat, it feels massive. You didn't need special EQ. You didn't need special effects. You just needed proper editing.

Vocal tuning matters.

A slightly out-of-tune vocal will never sit right in the mix, no matter how much EQ or compression you apply. Fix the tuning first, then mix.

Timing matters.

If the bass guitar is consistently hitting slightly after the kick drum, your low end will always feel flabby. Line them up.

I don't love editing. If I'm being honest, I'd rather be EQing and compressing than tuning vocals or lining up tracks. But you can't skip it. Half the quality of your mix comes from the editing and the performance. Don't try to mix your way around bad editing—it won't work.

5. Reference the Best of the Best

This lesson came from a conversation with a friend. I was complaining that my mixes always felt like they fell short of my references. I was using mixes from other churches—churches with a couple thousand people, good but not world-class productions.

My friend said something that changed everything: "My references are only top tier."

He explained that if someone sends him a reference from a church that isn't the best of the best, he doesn't really use it. He only references the absolute top-tier mixes.

Why?

Because when you reference the best—Bethel, Elevation, Upper Room, Red Rocks—you're training your ears to what excellence actually sounds like. These churches have been capturing live worship for decades. They've refined their processes. Their captures are spot-on.

Your capture probably isn't as clean. You probably have more drum bleed. You don't have the best mics or the best room. But when you reference the best mixes, you learn what to aim for:

• Where should the low end sit?
• How bright should the guitars be?
• Where should the snare sit in the mix?
• How much reverb is actually on that vocal?

You're not trying to match their exact sound—you're trying to match their level of excellence within your context.

This was a game-changer for my mixes. When I started referencing only the best, my mixes jumped from "pretty good" to "actually professional." My ears were calibrated to excellence, and I could hear what was missing in my own work.

Putting It All Together

These five lessons completely changed how I approach mixing:

1. Sidechain everything to create space without destroying your tone
2. Listen first—processing is subjective, do what the track needs
3. Use less reverb than you think and tailor it better
4. Edit meticulously—half your mix quality comes from performance and editing
5. Reference only the best to calibrate your ears to excellence

If you're mixing live worship recordings, these lessons will take your mixes from "fine" to "professional." They're not about buying more plugins or more gear. They're about making smarter decisions and putting in the work where it actually matters.

Want to dive deeper? I break down each of these lessons with real mix examples in this video. And if you want a quick reference for your next mixing session, grab my free Live Worship Recording Mixing Cheatsheet.

Happy mixing.