You know that sinking feeling when the band is ready to go, the clock is ticking, and suddenly channel 14 has no signal?
You're scrambling to figure out if it's the cable, the snake, the routing, or something else entirely—while everyone on stage is waiting.
Here's the thing: most of these problems are completely avoidable.
The First Thing I Do at Every Gig
Before the band arrives—even if nothing has changed from the night before—I run a line check. It's the single most effective way to eliminate surprises during soundcheck.
Nine times out of ten, you'll never have an unexpected issue during rehearsal after completing one. And when something does come up with the band there, you'll know your infrastructure is solid—so you can confidently start troubleshooting at the musician's gear and work backward.
Here's the workflow
Step 1: Grab a Microphone
Get a known working dynamic mic—something like a Shure SM58. You'll plug this into every input on your stage to verify audio reaches the correct channel on your console.
Step 2: Follow Your Patch List
Start at Input 1. Have a helper plug the mic into that input on stage while you watch the console. Verify you see signal on the correct channel and that the audio sounds clean—no crackling, no hum, no weird noises.
If it works, move to the next input. Repeat until you've checked every channel you'll be using.
Step 3: Diagnose Any Issues
When you find a problem (and you will find problems eventually), troubleshoot it now, not during band soundcheck. Common culprits:
Mis-patched or disconnected cables
Loose connections causing intermittent audio
Faulty cables with broken conductors
The key is finding the problem before the band arrives.
Document Your Routing
An audio line check only works if you know where everything is supposed to go. If you're guessing which input is the pastor's mic, you're going to have a bad time.
I've put together free routing worksheets you can use to document your setup. Use them digitally or print them out and keep them at the console for quick reference.
Download the worksheets:
Behringer WING: Google Sheets | Numbers + Excel
Behringer X32 / Midas M32: Google Sheets | Numbers + Excel
Behringer X-Air / Midas M-Air: Google Sheets | Numbers + Excel
Any Other Console: Google Sheets | Numbers + Excel
Having a documented patch list means anyone on your team can run an audio line check and ensures you don’t miss any inputs!
Over on my blog I have a few other details and some extra tools that I recommend to make the line check go a little more smoothly!
Until next time,
Drew
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If you're working on getting your system dialed in before Christmas services, my preset libraries for the WING, X32/M32, and the X-Air/M-Air consoles give you a professional starting point without building everything from scratch. Each one includes full documentation explaining why each setting was made—so you're learning while you're using them.
And if routing and signal flow still feel confusing, the X32 Fundamentals Course and Complete X-Air Course both cover this in depth.
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Whenever you're ready, there are three ways I can help you:
I created a range of Preset Library Downloads that will help your team get professional quality audio without the hassle of starting from scratch. Each product includes .pdfs with full documentation on how to use the preset and why each setting was made.
If you’re looking for a start-to-finish way to get mixing on the Behringer X32, join my X32 Fundamentals Course. In this 6 hour self-paced video course, I’ll guide you through the five fundamentals that will help you go from overwhelmed to confident when mixing on the X32.
For hands on help, schedule an Online Coaching Call with me, personally. Online sessions provide the flexibility to access personalized support while sitting in front of your own equipment and working in real time.