The Behringer WING’s scene system is identical in concept to smaller Behringer mixers but exponentially more powerful at scale. With 48 channels, 16 aux buses, complex routing, effects, and motorized faders, a well-designed scene library makes operating the WING straightforward even during complex productions.
Understanding Scenes at WING Scale
A WING scene captures the complete state of all 32 channels: fader positions (which motorized faders will physically move to), channel names, EQ settings, effects, routing decisions, monitor sends, streaming auxiliary levels, and every other parameter.
For a large church, scenes become your operational foundation. Instead of the mixing engineer wrestling with 32 faders during service, they load a scene and 90% of their setup is instant. During the service, they make minor adjustments rather than comprehensive mixing decisions.
The WING stores scenes in internal memory with no practical limit on quantity. You might maintain 50+ scenes covering every service element, special event, or production scenario.
Building a Comprehensive Scene Library
Start by defining your service structure. Most churches follow a format: opening worship (4-6 songs), announcements (light music or no music), sermon (just vocal), special music or additional worship, closing.
For each segment, create a master scene. Your “Opening Worship” scene has all 32 channels routed to the main output, effects configured (reverb on vocals, compression on drums), all subgroups active, monitor sends dialed in, and your streaming auxiliary buses configured. When you load this scene, the WING is fully configured for opening worship.
Create a second scene called “Announcements” based on the Opening Worship scene but with music lower and vocal higher. The announcements segment doesn’t need full band energy; it needs clear spoken word. Your scene reflects this.
Create “Sermon” with music disabled entirely, maybe just a click track or backing music for transitions, and the pulpit microphone high in the mix.
Create “Special Music” for any unique performance (choir, soloists, special production).
Create “Closing Worship” that’s similar to opening worship but perhaps with slightly different energy for a closing set.
Motorized Fader Automation
One of the WING’s standout features is the motorized fader automation. When you load a scene, all 24 faders physically move to their saved positions. This visual feedback is both impressive and practical.
You can record fader movements during the service, then play back those same movements next week. For complex transitions where multiple faders need to move in coordination, record the movement once and playback every service.
Example: During your sermon transition, you need to fade out music, bring up the sermon vocal, and adjust monitor sends. Record this entire transition as you perform it, then next week the faders move automatically at the exact right moment.
Multi-Service and Multi-Campus Scene Organization
If your church has multiple services with different bands or productions, organize your scenes accordingly. Create a “9am Sunday Service” show file containing all scenes for that service. Create a “11am Sunday Service” show file with scenes for that service (which might have different music, different musicians, or different production elements).
This organization keeps your show files manageable. Each service has its own show file with its own scene library, preventing confusion between services.
For multi-campus situations, each campus might have its own show file. The main campus has comprehensive scenes for their productions. A satellite campus has a simpler scene library for their smaller operation.
Complex Routing and Subgroup Scenes
At WING scale, you likely use subgroups—logical groupings of channels that route to a master fader. For example, a drum subgroup that contains all eight drum channels. A vocal subgroup with all four vocal microphones. Keyboard subgroup, guitar subgroup, and so on.
Your scene saves all these subgroup assignments and routings. When you load the scene, not only are fader positions restored but all your subgroup configuration is re-established.
This is powerful because you can design your mixing approach entirely through scenes. Your master engineer decides on optimal subgroup architecture, creates it in a scene, saves it, and every service loads that same architecture. New mixing engineers learn by working within this proven structure.
Effects and Processing Templates
Different service segments benefit from different effects approaches. Your opening worship scene might include reverb on vocals and compression on drums. Your sermon scene disables most effects. Your special music scene applies different reverb and delay settings optimized for that particular performance.
Save these effects configurations as part of each scene. The first time the sermon scene loads, all the effects flip to sermon-appropriate settings automatically. You don’t have to remember to disable reverb mid-service.
Managing Streaming Mixes in Scenes
Each scene saves the configuration of all your auxiliary buses, including your streaming mixes. Your opening worship scene might configure Aux 1 for your primary stream (Facebook Live) with emphasis on the vocal, and Aux 2 for YouTube with a more balanced mix.
When you transition to the sermon scene, the auxiliary buses reconfigure automatically to sermon-appropriate levels and settings.
This means your streaming engineer doesn’t have to manually adjust streams when scenes change. The scenes handle it. The streaming engineer monitors and fine-tunes, but most of the work is automated.
Volunteer-Proof Scene Structure
For churches that rely on volunteer scene operators, design scenes with protection against accidental changes. Create custom user profiles that limit what volunteers can adjust. Some volunteers might only be able to recall scenes and adjust main faders, not touch effects or routing.
Alternatively, operate scenes from a secure control position where only authorized personnel have access. Volunteers execute mixing decisions selected by the primary engineer, not making creative choices.
Backup and Recovery for Scene Libraries
Your scene library is your operational foundation. If something corrupts the WING’s internal memory, you’ve lost everything. Backups are essential.
Regularly export your show files to a USB drive. After every significant update to your scenes (adding new scenes, modifying existing ones, testing new production elements), export an updated backup.
Keep multiple backup drives. One at the church, one at your tech director’s home, perhaps one with your IT provider. This geographic redundancy means if the church’s equipment is damaged or destroyed, you can quickly restore everything on replacement gear.
Testing Scene Changes Before Service
When you create new scenes or modify existing ones, test thoroughly before using them in a live service. Have the band do a dress rehearsal and load the scenes in sequence, exactly as they’ll be used Sunday. Verify that transitions are smooth, levels are appropriate, and effects are correct.
Make any necessary adjustments during rehearsal, re-save the scenes, and you’re ready for service.
Complex Production Scenarios
For special events (Easter sunrise service, Christmas candlelight, wedding, conference), create dedicated show files and comprehensive scenes. These non-standard services often require unique mixing approaches, unusual routing, or special effects.
By designing these as scenes rather than improvising during the event, you ensure professional results and reduce stress on your operators.
Documentation and Training
With 50+ scenes across multiple show files, documentation is essential. Create a simple list of your show files and what each one contains. List the scene names within each show file and briefly note what each scene is for.
When a new volunteer comes on board, this documentation helps them understand the scene structure quickly. “Sunday Service show file contains Opening Worship, Announcements, Sermon, and Closing Worship scenes” is clearer than them having to explore and figure it out.
The WING’s Scene Power
At WING scale, comprehensive scene management is the difference between professional, consistent mixing and chaotic improvisation. A well-designed scene library makes the WING’s 32 channels feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
Spend time initially designing your scene library, and that investment pays dividends every single service. Your mixing becomes reliable, repeatable, and professional.
Getting Started With WING Scenes
Week one: Create your basic service scene library (Opening Worship, Announcements, Sermon, Closing).
Week two: Test these scenes with your band during rehearsal. Refine as needed.
Week three: Execute your first service using scenes. You’ll discover adjustments needed.
Week four: Create your first special event scenes (if applicable) or expand to additional services.
Within a month, you have a solid scene foundation supporting professional mixing. Build on that foundation as your needs evolve.
The WING’s capabilities are vast, but scenes are your primary operating tool. Master scenes, and you’ve mastered the WING.