Explore every episode of the podcast Live Sound Bootcamp

This question has come up over and over again through the years, and it seems to land in a topic that isn't discussed widely.  How does one move from small clubs, to big clubs, to festivals, to arenas, and sheds to stadiums?  Not just how do you get the gig, but also what changes in your daily workflow, in how you communicate, in who's on the team, and how you manage succeeding in that transition.  Welcome guest Josh Benton as we talk through the process of progression in your career.   One would think this would be a simple episode, but nope, as usual, we go on and on, and this is part two of this two part series.

This question has come up over and over again through the years, and it seems to land in a topic that isn't discussed widely.  How does one move from small clubs, to big clubs, to festivals, to arenas, and sheds to stadiums?  Not just how do you get the gig, but also what changes in your daily workflow, in how you communicate, in who's on the team, and how you manage succeeding in that transition.  Welcome guest Josh Benton as we talk through the process of progression in your career.   One would think this would be a simple episode, but nope, as usual, we go on and on, and this is part one of this two part series.

Remember last episode when we said we would land in the concept of Season 3, answering listener questions, well we screwed that up.  In this episode we answer a question that we had, about how best to go about capturing and mixing orchestral instruments, in classical environments, and also in the context of adding strings to a pop or rock act.  One would think this would be a short and simple episode, but nope, as usual, we go on and on.  This Episode features guest host Aram Piligian.

So finally we fall into the concept of Season 3, answering listener questions.  In this episode we answer a question that digs into dialogue, corporate events, house of worship, expectations, auto mixing, noise reduction, how to make a talking human sound like what the audience expects.  One would think this would be a short and simple episode, but nope, as usual, we go on and on.

Lies and lies, we told you that we would have shorter episodes, and we told you that Season three would be dedicated to digging directly into listener questions, but this episode ended up being the very long answer to some in-person questions that we had run into recently.  In this episode we talk about how to start your day when arriving at a new venue, all the way through how to get through your load out. There are quite a few interesting tidbits on how to move through your daily checklist faster, more accurately and more efficiently

As we enter season three of this podcast, we've decided it makes sense to finally really dig directly into listener questions.  We also had realized that while we had touched on this in many other episodes, we didn't actually ever make an episode dedicated to one of the most important skills in live audio: Troubleshooting.  We knock on a few of the most common issues one may come across, and some of the most likely fixes!

Sticking to the "wall of sound" instruments we chat about strings and some of the various methods for getting them to sound cohesive, or stick out as solo instruments.  While this may not be the most common input an average live sound engineer may come across, the methods for achieving natural sounds with unnatural micing are somewhat easy to transfer to other similar instrument types.  We chat about how to best capture strings, and we dig into monitoring, equalization, dynamics processing, and more!

We gave up on the idea that we would cover multiple topics in this one episode, but in this extra-long episode we knock out one!  Choirs and background vocalists, why did we even think that this was similar to horns and strings? Because the goal is often a "wall of sound."  We chat about how to best capture groups of singers, and we dig into monitoring, equalization, dynamics processing, and more!

We really really did think that we would cover multiple topics in this one episode, but in this extra-long episode we barely covered one!  Not the most common input but brass instruments can be challenging to get right. We chat about how to best capture live various brass instruments, and we dig into equalization, dynamics processing, isolation, effects and a lot more.  

Since it's been ages since we've done an episode, in this extra-long episode we try to make up for lost time!  Continuing down the path of the channel by channel season, we spend a lot of time chatting about how to best capture live pianos, how to set up patches in pianos and synths, and we dig into equalization, dynamics processing, saturation, effects and a lot more.  

In this extra-long episode we skip ahead a bit, and dig into arguably the most important input, vocals.  Like all of the previous episodes we spend a lot of time chatting about how to best capture the sound, and we dig into equalization, dynamics processing, saturation, effects and a lot more, but we also talk a lot about goals and intent with vocal sounds.  This episode also features a special guest host, studio owner, producer, and touring musician Greg Karas.

Covering anywhere from one to a sixty inputs this episode, we dig into playback.  We chat about how to setup the outputs in the rig, how to prioritize the sounds, the difference between monitors and FOH in this regard, how to manage these lines during your line check, and of course we dive into some of the things you can do to make it work for you.

A whole family of inputs in the channel list, this episode we dig into an assortment of instruments that come up in many genres.  Acoustic guitars and other stringed instruments can be a pain.  A pain to get cleanly into wedges for monitoring, and a pain to make sound good given how dynamic they can be, but they're such commonly played instruments.  Like the previous episodes we spend a lot of time chatting about how to best capture the sound, and we dig into equalization, dynamics processing, saturation and a lot more.  

Throwing the hosts for a loop, this episode is an off-the-cuff dive into how routing affects your line check.  We dig into the idea of using grouping for drums, bass, and other instruments, talk about when to get this routing going, and what the benefits can be.  We really dig into idea of when and why to use group bussing, and also the processing that an engineer might use on a group versus a channel.  

Guitars, often the next input in the list, can be quite complicated to manage.  This episode dives into how to capture the tones, how to process them, and even how to approach conversations with the players themselves to achieve tones that are best fit for the mix.  We touch on microphones, placement, and some options on what to do when you have one guitar player, versus two, versus three!

The next input in the channel list: Bass Guitar.  Weirdly, we don't actually talk much about basses pedals and amps, but man we really dig into the processing that an engineer can use to get the most out of this instrument.  Like the previous episodes we dig into equalization, dynamics processing, saturation and a lot more.  I'd also like to call out, that your subwoofer to mains to room relationship has a lot to do with how your bass instruments will sound in your space, be sure to go back and take a listen to some of our system tuning episodes!

We honestly thought this might be a boring episode, but it turned out to be one of the most interesting discussions.  In this episode we chat about cymbal selection, microphones, mic positions, processing, and a heck of a lot more.  This is a set of inputs that honestly took the three of us years to figure out how to use effectively and creatively.

In this episode we bring in a guest-expert Emmanuel “E-MAN” Cervantes (this guy literally started playing drums at age 3!), and hit the next set of inputs in the channel list: Toms.  Like the previous episodes we talk about drums types, tuning, microphones, mic positions, and a heck of a lot more.  In fact we probably overshare in this 70+ minute episode getting seriously detailed about how to make toms sound good in a mix.

As we continue through the line-check, we hit input number 2, commonly the loudest thing on stage, the snare drum.  Much like the first episode in the line-check, we dig into the drum sizes, the heads, the tuning, mics positions and processing.  

Season 2 is here!  In this season we dig into each input, one at a time.  It's like the podcast of a line check.  Input 1, the infamous kick drum.  We deep dive into the drum sizes, heads, tuning, mics, eq, dynamics and more, an entire episode dedicated to the biggest drum.

How many times have you walked into a venue or event space and found a system that's severely underpowered for the gig? Sometimes that scenario is a PA thats just too small,  speakers on sticks for a big rock show, sometimes it's a system that doesn't even cover the whole audience....  In this episode we talk through some of the options and tools you have as an engineer to get the most out of a system thats 'too small for the gig.'

When you've got a resume this long and this varied, everyone wants to know the secrets to your success.  Sully chats with us on this episode about perspective, what to pay attention to in the show and your carreer, and the path that has led him to mixing some of the biggest acts in the world.

We ask the age-old question, What can I do to make my mix feel loud without actually just turning it up?  And what about streaming, how do I make a livestream seem loud?  What defines impact, and what are some tools we can use to maximize the feeling of impact without having to simply make the show push more SPL?

So we've talked a lot about what each of the mixing tools do, but what happens when you simply don't have enough hands to make the changes from song-to song quickly enough?  In this episode we break down 'Snapshots,' what they are, when to use them, and even why they're absolutely terrifying!

As we continue the conversation about feedback, we dive into solutions for managing the ringy mess.  Some things you can do in advance to avoid the problem before it starts, and some common scenarios where you may find yourself ripping out your hair trying to clean up the stage.

Everyone's favorite topic, we delve into the causes of feedback, the most likely sources, and how to tell where it's coming from.  Additionally we chat about the things we can do that affect it, the of course tools to combat it.

So we've talked a lot about what each of these tools do, and a lot about specific processes, but this episode dives into when to use which tools that are available to you.  When do you use your fader versus when do you compress?  When do I boost versus cut on an EQ?  And is there an order to follow?

In this episode of Live Sound Bootcamp, we get into a discussion about building up a mix.  We argue about how to make space for each element in the mix, how to get your balance right, and it all leads to the ultimate question: When is the mix done?

In this episode we enjoy the pleasure of chatting with Michael Lawrence a freelance audio engineer well known for his own podcast Signal to Noise, his incredibly geeky articles in Live Sound International, his Rational Acoustics Smaart webinars, and of course his work as a systems engineer.  We discuss how his career path, some great tips on reading material, and a lot of hints and suggestions for people looking to get into systems engineering and design, but also how to communicate effectively with system engineers.

Michael Lawrence is a freelance audio engineer specializing in system optimization and SPL measurement.  He is the technical editor of several audio industry publications including Live Sound International and ProSoundWeb.  In 2019 he was adopted by audio analysis industry leader Rational Acoustics, where he works feverishly on the SPL feature-set of the Smaart audio analyzer in exchange for a diet of graham crackers and tacos.--- Support this podcast: 

https://anchor.fm/livesoundbootcamp/support

In the last episode for Building a FOH Mix, we chat about groups and VCAs, how they're different, and when we might use each of them.  We get into some of how we personally decide when it's right to use a group versus a VCA, as well as some of the differences in workflows between using these on an analog or digital desk.

In this episode we interview one of our hosts Brendan Dreaper, best known for his touring work with Snoh Aalegra, his work in bay area venues including The Independent, and huge amounts of studio work including the non-profit Zoo Labs.  We discuss how he started his career in live sound, his experience, and what he's planning for the future.--- Support this podcast: 

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Yet another continuation of the previous episode, in part four we deep dive into effects.  We chat about the multiple reverb types, how they're different, and when we might use each of them.  We also jump into some of how we may process the sends and returns.  We also jump into delays and the ways that we use those in a mix.  We even touch on some of the lesser used effects such as phasers, flangers, and choruses.  This episode could have gone on for weeks too!--- Support this podcast: 

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Yet another continuation of the previous episode, in part three we jump into dynamics.  Not just the basics of how gates and compressors work, but some of the many ways to use them, and even how we all differ on our uses of each.  Compression in mixing is one of those dark arts that can be understood but somehow we all use it differently.  Enjoy this one, we could have gone for hours.--- Support this podcast: 

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As a continuation of the previous episode, in part two we jump into concepts about the process including order of operations, setting your filters, making EQ changes.  Although it sounds like this isn't a lot to talk about, somehow we talked about it for an hour, going over all the reasons for every move, breaking down corrective versus creative changes, boosts vs cuts, and even understanding what you can and can't EQ.--- Support this podcast: 

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Up front, it's time to figure out how to actually put together the mix.   In this episode we cover how to start at FOH, from getting talkbacks up, routing your outputs, the order of your channels and fader positions, and of course the biggest one: Gain Staging.  This episode has a lot of different ideas and opinions in it.  --- Support this podcast: 

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Rather than getting ultra-technical, in this episode, we go over how we address issues in PA systems.  Much like the last episode on PA system design, this process is complicated and learning about it can span your entire career, so do take our basic information here with a grain of salt.  We review the goals of a PA system, the difference in perspective for tuning for a system designer and a band engineer, as well as some methods for measuring, and the things you can apply to a system to achieve your desired output.--- Support this podcast: 

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In this episode, we dove into the basics of the FOH speaker system design.  This topic as a whole spans entire careers, so do take our basic information here with a grain of salt.  We talk through speaker types, coverage goals, placement, and how to integrate subs, front fills and other PA into your setup.  --- Support this podcast: 

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In this episode, we jump into the first steps of understanding the signal flow of a FOH system.  Covering the physical wiring, and the patching inside of desks.  We jump through things like festival patches, methods for managing your patch, and how get out of the desk to PA systems.  It's a quick overview on the basics, to be continued in the next episode on system design.--- Support this podcast: 

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We figured it was time to get away from technical topics for an episode, and talk about something personal.  The three of us have all reached where we are in our careers in different ways along different routes, and we had some fun with our different perspectives on the idea of how to get the job.  This episode covers the various audio jobs that exist, and some of the common paths to those various positions.  We talk about networking, and even cover some odd things like how to say no to a gig.  --- Support this podcast: 

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This episode is the remainder of the conversation from the previous episode, and is the third in the series on building a monitor mix.  Here we get into some of the details Sends on Fader workflows, where to keep your output masters, how the room changes once it fills up, how the PA affects your mix, and of course effects in monitors.  This episode also gets pretty deep in methods for how to approach actually putting the mix together for Wedges, Side Fills, Subs, versus In Ear Monitor setups.  This episode gets pretty technical, and hits on specific workflows.--- Support this podcast: 

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As a continuation of the previous episode, we jump into concepts for which channels to use for various methods of monitoring.  This episode also gets pretty deep in methods for how to approach actually putting the mix together for Wedges, Side Fills, Subs, versus In Ear Monitor setups.  This episode gets pretty technical, and hits on specific workflows.--- Support this podcast: 

https://anchor.fm/livesoundbootcamp/support

We've gone through how it's all wired up, we've gone through ringing out wedges, now it's time to hit on how to actually put together the mix.  Of course we all have different approaches, but in addition to that, we jump into how the approach for In Ear Monitoring may be different than that of wedges, sidefills, or even drum subs.--- Support this podcast: 

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The scariest part of doing sound: ringing out wedges.  In this episode we spend some time going over quite a few methods for how to ring out wedges and eliminate feedback the best you can.  We also jump into some workflows for checking your work.--- Support this podcast: 

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Once you've gotten down the basics of the signal flow, the next step is designing how your monitor system is setup.  In this episode we run an in-depth overview for common setups for wedges, side fills, subs and in-ear-monitor setups.  --- Support this podcast: 

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This episode pulls together an overview for the standard signal paths for monitoring, including the connections and routing from the stage, the connections for wedges, wireless in ears, and even wired in ears.--- Support this podcast: 

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Live Sound Bootcamp is intended to be a basic primer in live sound.  It is expected that listeners have a base knowledge of audio or concert production, but from there, this series may provide some insight into how productions work.  Each host brings an individual style, workflow, and experience to the podcast.  This episode jumps into an often overlooked topic, cable management, what the best practices are for running cables on stage, maintaining safety and even building looms.--- Support this podcast: 

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In this episode we interview engineer Manu Jimenez, best known for his work with Snoh Aalegra, Mary J Blige and his own studio Arimaka Studio.  We talk about his career path, approach to mixing, and general insights into the world of mixing and playback enginering.--- Support this podcast: 

https://anchor.fm/livesoundbootcamp/support

Live Sound Bootcamp is intended to be a basic primer in live sound.  It is expected that listeners have a base knowledge of audio or concert production, but from there, this series may provide some insight into how productions work.  Each host brings an individual style, workflow, and experience to the podcast.  This episode delves into microphone selection including a basic explanation of types of mics, polar patterns, common uses, and more.--- Support this podcast: 

https://anchor.fm/livesoundbootcamp/support

The third episode in the series.  Live Sound Bootcamp is intended to be a basic primer in live sound.  It is expected that listeners have a base knowledge of audio or concert production, but from there, this series may provide some insight into how productions work.  Each host brings an individual style, workflow, and experience to the podcast.  This episode goes through what information you need in your input list, along with some recommendations for best practices.--- Support this podcast: 

https://anchor.fm/livesoundbootcamp/support

The second episode of the series.  Live Sound Bootcamp is intended to be a basic primer in live sound.  It is expected that listeners have a base knowledge of audio or concert production, but from there, this series may provide some insight into how productions work.  Each host brings an individual style, workflow, and experience to the podcast.  This second episode gives an overview for the typical signal flow of a stage, sources, connections and destinations.--- Support this podcast: 

https://anchor.fm/livesoundbootcamp/support