Sound Board Basics: What Does the Mixer Do?
| Back to Sound Crew Hub | Troubleshooting |
The sound board (also called the mixer) is the heart of the audio system. It lets us control the volume, tone, and routing of all the microphones and music during a show.
This guide explains the basics of the mixer for anyone helping with sound - whether you’re a middle school student running their first show, or an adult director pitching in during tech week.
The Big Idea
The mixer takes sound from many sources (like mics and music) and sends it out to different places (like the main speakers, monitors, and headphones). You can:
- Turn individual sounds up or down
- Mute a mic if someone isn’t speaking
- Adjust tone with EQ
- Apply effects (like reverb or compression)
- Control who hears what
Key Parts of the Mixer
| Part | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Channel Fader | Controls the volume of one mic or input |
| Mute Button | Turns a channel off without moving the fader |
| Select Button | Lets you change EQ and other settings for that channel |
| Gain (Trim) | Controls how much signal is allowed in from the mic |
| Pan | Sends the sound more to the left or right speaker |
| Main Fader | Controls the overall output volume to the audience |
| Solo | Sends the sound to headphones without affecting the audience |
What You Should Do
- Keep all vocal mics labeled clearly (e.g., “Mic 1 - Jamie”)
- Keep faders around 0 (unity) for normal use
- Use Mute when someone isn’t speaking
- Check that Main L/R is turned on for each channel
- If something sounds wrong, ask before changing too much
What Not to Do
| DON’T | Why |
|---|---|
| Don’t touch EQ or gain during a show | Small changes can make big problems |
| Don’t mute or solo channels randomly | It can cut out important mics |
| Don’t push faders past the top line | That can cause distortion or feedback |
| Don’t turn off the mixer during a show | It shuts down the whole sound system! |
For New Crew Members
- Always check with the sound lead before changing settings
- If you’re not sure what a button does, it’s okay to ask!
- Try practicing with just one mic and learning what each control does