Auditorium FOH Audio Volunteer Role Guide

Document Control

Owner:
Last Reviewed: 2026-08-23
Depends on Room Overview: Auditorium Room Overview
Printable Quick Reference: Yes

Before You Start

Confirm that you are serving as the FOH Audio operator in the Auditorium.
Remove the cover from the Avantis.
Use the FOH power sequencer to turn on the sound system, then log into the console with the Engineer user so the normal service scene is recalled.
Turn on the TV at the front of the balcony.
Turn on the digital keyboard and the keyboard iPad, and make sure the Sunday Sounds app is running on the keyboard iPad.
Have the paper service schedules available.

Quick-Start Checklist

Review the service schedule and mark which microphones will be used.
Give the second service schedule to the Livestream Audio operator.
Change batteries in the wireless handheld microphones and the pastor’s microphone.
Set up any extra microphones or stands that are needed and adjust choir microphone positions.
Perform a line check on every microphone needed for the service.
Perform a sound check with any special music.
If a lapel microphone will be used instead of the pastor’s headset, reduce how much of the pastor channel feeds the wedges and load the Pastor Lapel Eq preset onto the pastor’s mic channel.
Turn on the keyboard rig and test that playing the keyboard produces sound through the sound system. Leave the volume knob on the keyboard itself turned all the way down, because the Sunday Sounds app on the keyboard iPad sends the sound to the sound system, not the keyboard. If there is no sound, check that the keyboard speaker on top of the keyboard is on, and turn it off and back on again if needed.
Turn on the stage lights about 3 to 5 minutes before service starts.

What You Are Responsible For

You are responsible for the House Mix in the Auditorium, the platform monitors, and the normal-service lighting handoff that usually stays with FOH Audio. You are also responsible for making sure the Livestream Audio operator has the service schedule they need before service begins.

What Good Looks Like

Needed microphones are ready before each speaker starts.
Only the microphones needed at the moment are turned on.
Choir microphones add support during congregational singing without adding echo between verses.
Special music sounds natural and the melody is easy to hear.
Feedback is prevented or corrected quickly.
Stage lights are on before service and shut back off at the right time after service.

Operating Steps

Turn on the FOH system from the power sequencer, log into the Avantis with the Engineer user, and turn on the front-balcony TV.
Review both paper service schedules, mark the microphones that will be needed, and hand the second schedule to Livestream Audio.
Replace batteries in the wireless handheld microphones and the pastor’s microphone before service.
Set up any extra microphones or stands, adjust choir microphones as needed, and perform the line check and special-music sound check.
During the service, stay focused and make sure each microphone is on before the speaker starts.
Keep only the needed microphones on. Extra open microphones create extra echo and feedback risk.
When the choir sings during congregational music, start with the choir fader low, unmute it, and then bring it up smoothly. Bring it back down between verses and at the end of the song.
Use reverb during special music when it helps the vocal sound more natural.
During group special music, mix so the melody clearly comes through instead of flattening every singer to the same level.
Listen for feedback and address it quickly.
Mute the choir and band monitors during preaching.

Common Problems and First Responses

Problem	First thing to check	What to do next	When to escalate
A speaker starts talking before their mic is heard clearly	Whether the channel is muted or the fader is still down	Turn the needed mic on immediately and bring it to the normal service level	The microphone still has no usable signal after checking the channel and pack
Choir microphones sound noisy or echoey during congregational singing	Whether the choir mics were brought up too high or left up between verses	Pull them back down between verses and after the song, then bring them up gradually again when needed	Echo or excessive room pickup continues even with conservative levels
The pastor’s lapel microphone is feeding back in the wedges	Whether the normal pastor headset wedge send is still too hot	Reduce the pastor channel feeding the wedges and load the `Pastor Lapel Eq` preset onto the pastor’s mic channel before continuing	Feedback continues after wedge reduction and normal mic-placement checks
The keyboard makes no sound during the sound check or service	Whether the keyboard speaker on top of the keyboard is powered on	Turn the keyboard speaker off and back on, confirm the Sunday Sounds app is still running on the keyboard iPad, and remember the keyboard’s own volume knob should stay all the way down because it does not control the house level	The keyboard still produces no sound through the system after these checks
Special music sounds flat and the melody is getting buried	Whether reverb is off or every singer is being mixed at the same apparent level	Add the normal reverb amount and rebalance so the melody leads clearly	The vocal still does not sit correctly after normal mix moves

Helpful Context

Logging into the Avantis with the Engineer user recalls the normal service scene.
In normal services, FOH Audio usually also handles the basic stage-light timing.
The paper service schedule is the main guide for microphone planning and for coordinating with Livestream Audio.
The front-balcony TV gives a quick confidence view from the room while mixing.
Keyboard sound comes from the Sunday Sounds app on the keyboard iPad. The keyboard itself only sends MIDI to the iPad, so turning its own volume knob up does not make the keyboard louder in the room.

Shutdown or Handoff

Turn off the stage lights after the piano finishes at the end of the service.
Make sure the wireless handheld microphones are turned off.
Take down any extra microphones or stands that were used.
Turn off the keyboard speaker, the digital keyboard, and the keyboard iPad.
Shut down the console and turn off the FOH system with the power sequencer.
Replace the cover on the console.
Turn off the monitor for the lighting computer.
Note any battery, microphone, monitor, or feedback problems for the next operator or the AV Leader on Duty.