AudioFOH Reference
Welcome to Production.
We’re so glad you’re considering serving on the Production Audio team. This guide walks you through who we are, how to prepare for your interview and audition, and what to expect as you onboard.
We steward the room.
The Production team serves every other ministry through Video, Audio, and Lighting. We steward the room so the congregation can encounter God without distraction. On the Audio side, that means running a clear, natural-sounding mix that lets the Worship team lead well and the sermon come through clearly.
Production and Worship are one team.
We coordinate closely, not as separate departments. Worship leads rehearsal, Production leads Line Check and Sound Check, and both work toward the same moment together.
Central sets the standard; each campus stewards its own room.
The mixing philosophy and training are consistent everywhere, but every campus (like Southern Pines) owns its own input list, show file, and SPL targets, built around its unique instrumentation and needs.
This is a growth path, not a one-time test.
Every volunteer starts with an interview and audition, then moves through hands-on training with a mentor before ever running a service solo.
Five steps.
- Interview
A relational conversation with production staff.
- Virtual Sound Check Audition
A technical check-in to find your starting point.
- Track Placement
Accelerated (4 weeks) or Conventional (7 weeks), based on your audition.
- Weekly Training
Videos, discussion, and hands-on practice at RXL.
- Classification
You’re rated A2, A1, or A1T based on demonstrated skill.
It’s relational, not technical.
The interview isn’t a technical test; that’s what the audition is for. It’s how we get to know you as a person before we talk about audio at all.
A conversation about your story, your walk with God, your availability and schedule, and why you’re interested in serving on this team.
How to prepare
- Come as you are. There’s nothing to study or cram beforehand.
- Think through your general weekly and monthly availability so we can talk realistically about scheduling.
- If you have any past audio, tech, or music experience, it’s worth mentioning, but it’s not required. Plenty of great engineers started with zero experience.
The Virtual Sound Check.
You’ll build a live mix from a pre-recorded Grace Church multitrack played back through our dLive console. There’s no band in the room, so there’s no pressure of a live service.
This isn’t pass/fail. It exists so we can find your true starting point, place you on the right onboarding track, and give your mentor something to build on.
What happens About 30 minutes
- A welcome and walkthrough of what’s ahead, so nothing is a surprise
- Setting input gain on a few channels together
- Building a full mix from scratch, at your own pace
- One simulated “live curveball” (like a feedback ring or a missed cue) to see how you notice and respond
- A few questions where you talk through your thinking out loud
What we’re paying attention to
How comfortably you navigate the console, whether you can set solid gain levels, whether your mix sounds cohesive and natural, how you respond when something goes wrong, and how you take feedback and talk through your decisions. You don’t need to be polished at all of this. We’re looking for a starting point, not perfection.
How to prepare
- If you already know the fundamentals, a quick refresher on gain staging and EQ basics won’t hurt, but it’s genuinely optional.
- A short video on how the show file will be set up for your audition is coming soon.
- If you’re new to audio, don’t stress. That’s exactly what the Conventional track is built for.
- The self-study library is available if you want to look something up beforehand.
- Get a good night’s sleep and come ready to think out loud. We’d rather hear your reasoning than see a perfect mix.
Every scheduled week follows the same rhythm.
You’ll be paired with a mentor (an A1T) who walks alongside you the whole way.
Instructional videos
Short, practical walkthroughs filmed on our own console and stage.
In-person discussion
That week’s topic, Thursday or Sunday.
Hands-on practice
During RXL (rehearsal).
At the end of your track
| Rank | What it means |
|---|---|
| A2 — Audio Engineer in Training | Can run FOH with active oversight. Still building reps. |
| A1 — Audio Engineer | Runs Line Check, Sound Check, RXL, and a live service with minimal oversight. |
| A1T — Audio Engineer & Trainer | Handles advanced problem-solving and can teach A2s. |
Onboarding isn’t the finish line, either. Afterward there are monthly Virtual Sound Check workshops and quarterly Worship & Production collaboration workshops to keep growing.
In a nutshell.
What every engineer here holds to, regardless of campus or service.
- Vocals are top priority in the mix. They should be clear, intelligible, and never drowned out by the instruments.
- We favor a clear, natural sound over a heavily processed, aggressive sound.
- SP campus worship sets average 88 dB(A); announcements and sermons average 72 dB(A).
- Instruments and vocals are preamp gained to −12 dBFS average; drum transients stay under −4 dBFS.
- We stay attentive to the Worship Leader, especially in spontaneous moments.
We’re here for you.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to Production Leadership with any questions or concerns.
Who you’ll meet