Last week, while Andy was home in NY catching up on work after a vacation in Iceland, Sean headed to LA (well, Anaheim) to take in the 2024 NAMM Show. In Episode 238, the two catch up — Sean talks about everything he saw and learned at the show, how lessons learned at a trade show translate to how we run live events and shows, getting to meet up with a handful of friends and listeners from the Signal to Noise Discord Server, and more. Andy also talks about the stunning beauty of Iceland, from ge...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr
In Episode 237, four members of the audio team for Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps — Jonathan Yoo, Rosa Westfall, Tyler Hanson and Cole O’Malley — join Andy Leviss to talk about what goes into reinforcing sound for a modern Drum Corps International performance. They provide an in-depth look at the ins and outs of a true “battleground” audio situation, with 90 seconds or less to set up line arrays, wired microphones, and dozens of channels of wireless in some of the largest stadiums in the wo...
Jan 24, 2024•1 hr 12 min
It’s time to get our system engineer and designer hats on for Episode 236, as the hosts talk to Pat Brown of SynAudCon and Pro Sound Testing about all things loudspeakers, measurement mics, gain structure, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Note: Pat and Brenda Brown are offering a 10 percent discount on any SynAudCon training/membership until 1/31/24 — just go here (click on either Training or Membership in the menu at the top to purchase directly), type the word...
Jan 17, 2024•1 hr 6 min
In Episode 235, the hosts are joined by Suzi Green, tour manager and founder of The BACK LOUNGE, a peer support group for the live music industry. She talks about her journey out of and back into the music world with a new mission to help make it a better place, creating healthier work environments, mental health first aid, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Episode Links: THE BACK LOUNGE On Facebook & Instagram Healthy Touring Resources Touring and Mental Hea...
Jan 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Audio “renaissance man” Jim van Bergen joins the show in Episode 234 to talk about his wide-ranging career, including his tenure mixing the Times Square New Year’s Eve broadcasts, serving as front of house engineer for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, recording singer-songwriter Shane MacGowan live, touring with the Metropolitan Opera, mixing the Beatles tribute Rain’s Broadway residency, and much more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Episode Links: Jim vanBergen On L...
Jan 04, 2024•1 hr 21 min
To wrap up the year, the hosts of Signal To Noise and Live Sound Bootcamp joined forces in Episode 233 for an extra special live episode to talk about all things audio — favorite gigs of the year, goals for 2024, fun toys, and a deep dive into console presets, drum mics and processing, in addition to answering listener questions from the live chat! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: Live Sound Bootcamp Podcasts On PSW Lewitt MTP-50 Hand...
Dec 29, 2023•2 hr 13 min
Chicago-based live audio legend TC Furlong joins the show in Episode 232 and talks about his journey in founding a live audio company that just celebrated its 50th anniversary, his life as a pedal steel player in a one-hit wonder band, and the details of a tool he invented in the 1980s that many of us still use on every single music gig we do nearly 40 years later! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: TC Furlong — Live Sound Since 1973 Ju...
Dec 20, 2023•1 hr 7 min
After a brief foray into his time touring the world with monster trucks, sound engineer/lighting designer/production manager/event producer Adam Brunetti joins the show in Episode 231 to talk about producing and mixing the Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series as well as the positive impact small music series and festivals can have on their cities, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: Levitt AMP Woonsocket Web & Facebook Gina C...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 7 min
In Episode 230, the co-hosts have a post-Thanksgiving catchup on a grab bag of topics, including an upcoming warehouse move, new consoles, and FX rack and reverb/delay settings, in addition to answering some listener questions and “nerding out” about making tastier coffee. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: Sprint-Nextel Commercial: “If Roadies Ran the World” James Hoffman’s Ultimate French Press Technique George Howell’s Montecarlos Ge...
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr 11 min
In Episode 229 — and just in time for the holidays — the hosts put on their coziest pajamas and grab a virtual cup of hot cocoa with Joe Palermo to talk about his nearly decade-long tenure as the sound designer for the Polar Express Ride Experience, a theatrical production that takes place on fully functional (and moving!) Amtrak trains in the U.S. every year throughout the holiday season. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: Polar Expres...
Nov 29, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Long-time professional touring musician and Live Sound International/ProSoundWeb writer Kevin Young joins the show in Episode 228 and talks about a range of subjects, including building and maintaining the artist-tech relationship, concert production in the middle of an active war zone in Ukraine, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: Kevin Young Article Archive On ProSoundWeb Kevin Young Website , LinkedIn & Instagram Be sur...
Nov 22, 2023•1 hr 13 min
Mix engineer, sound designer and technical manager Pete Wiejaczka joins the show in Episode 227 and talks all things corporate/special events, including the importance of client and vendor relationships, putting together the right team for each show, varying responsibilities with different scales of events, transitioning to freelance work after more than a decade and a half at the same AV company, and the importance of morale and mental health in the event industry. This episode is sponsored by ...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 14 min
In Episode 226, David Scorteccia, the founder of Sonnect and a veteran sound engineer, joins the show to talk about how his work as a mixer, patch/backline tech, and system designer/SE led him to create the successful Sound Bullet audio tester, including the journey from an on-the-job idea to creating a viable commercial product. He also provides details of Sonnect’s new SoundWire transformer-balanced USB-C audio interface, which sold out it’s entire pre-sale run in the first two days after it w...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 7 min
David Stanton, currently serving as the front of house engineer for country music icon Tanya Tucker, joins the show in Episode 225 and talks the benefits of being a “weekend warrior” as well as why he continues to work at a small blues bar despite co-owning a production company in addition to touring with a top artist. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: AKD Audio Solutions AKD Audio On Instagram And, David mixed Tanya Tucker on for an u...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 8 min
In Episode 224, theatrical sound designer and composer Lindsay Jones joins the show along with guest host, sound designer and foley artist ien DeNio. They discuss Lindsay’s long history in the theatre world, his role in co-founding the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA), the loss and restoration of Best Sound Design honors at the Tony Awards, and how to get the most out of work-related travel. Plus, Lindsay shares a handful of his trademark (and hilarious) “How in the w...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 29 min
In Episode 223, Sean and Andy turn the mic on Katie Karch, who talks about her journey in the audio world from a start in theatre and local bands to large festivals, theatre tours, and now rocking out of her new home in Nashville. They cover an eclectic range of topics, from working for the historic Dallas-based sound company Crossroads Audio to the surprisingly interesting history of road cases, and even why snacks might just be the most important tool in your gig bag! This episode is sponsored...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 12 min
Touring mix engineer Josh Penner (Phantogram, Run The Jewels, and more) joins the show in Episode 222 to talk about what it takes to be successful on the road and off, what he enjoys about each end of the snake, and how different it is to mix in clubs versus arenas. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Be sure to check out the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server . It’s a space for listeners to create to generate conversations around the pe...
Oct 04, 2023•1 hr 18 min
In Episode 221, co-hosts Katie Karch and Sean Walker talk with Evan Turunen, a bright rising star in the AV world. Evan shares his journey from middle school student with a single loudspeaker to recent high school graduate with a production company that does 100 events a year as Turunen Audio Visual, based in Southern California. The co-hosts caught up with Evan on his first tour to hear his story. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: Tur...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr 3 min
In Episode 220, co-hosts Katie Karch and Andy Leviss are joined by guest co-host Ryan O John to interview Andy Peters, front of house engineer for New Jersey-based indie rock band The Feelies in addition to being an astronomy instrumentation developer and long-time ProSoundWeb Live Audio Board denizen. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . As the house mixer for Maxwell’s, the seminal Hoboken, NJ club dubbed the “Island of Misfit Toys,” Andy had a back r...
Sep 20, 2023•1 hr 22 min
In Episode 219, new co-hosts Andy Leviss and Katie Karch talk with Sean Walker about his journey from being a mortgage broker to owning Audio Engineers Northwest, his own regional sound production company based outside of Seattle, as well as what it takes to run a small business, why he made a loudspeaker transition with his main PA system, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath , RCF , and Rational Acoustics . Episode Links: Audio Engineers Northwest “New In Town,” the latest ...
Sep 13, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Ryan O John returns in episode 218. They discuss how to approach mixing a festival or "throw and go" type of situation, especially when the console may not be your regular choice. They also talk about networking for potential jobs with manufacturers, a new possible path Ryan has found to give back and collaborate with other mix engineers, and more. This episode is sponsored by Rational Acoustics , Allen & Heath , and RCF Join our Discord Server and our Facebook Group , and Follow us on Insta...
Aug 30, 2023•1 hr 10 min
In episode 217, John Huntington returns, sharing his latest work, "Introduction to Show Control." This episode delves into the delicate balance between technology and art in entertainment—an enduring relationship that has shaped John's journey over the past 30 years. He reflects on the genesis of his first book, "Control Systems for Live Entertainment," and how it paved the way for his two new books. Together with his host, he explores the impact of these works and the fascinating interplay betw...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 30 min
Ryan O John returns on episode 216 to talk with the hosts about his experiment comparing "in the box" mixing versus using analog outboard gear, and which one is "better" or which one is more exciting to listen to. They discuss how it's important to know the functions within a signal chain versus what specific gear you use in the chain and more. Ryan also gives a recap of the incredibly difficult but rewarding Danny Elfman show he recently did for a second year in a row. They first talked about t...
Aug 17, 2023•1 hr 20 min
In episode 215 we chat with Barbara Adams, a seasoned audio engineer and educator with 30 years of music industry experience. Discover her journey through the Philly music club scene, and how she grew both technically and personally to excel in her career. We also explore her 13-year tenure as an audio educator, uncovering her approach to preparing students for success in the industry. This episode is sponsored by Rational Acoustics , Allen & Heath , and RCF Join our Discord Server and our F...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr 10 min
UK-Based freelancer audio engineer Kim Watson joins the hosts on episode 214. They talk about how Kim has made a 23-year career so far by being well-rounded in all areas of sound and with a "never stop learning" mindset. She has started to turn that into a mission of giving back to the next generation which led to recently teaching a Rational Acoustics Smaart class. Kim talks about battling imposter syndrome and how she has learned to create a work/life balance after going through an injury and ...
Jul 26, 2023•56 min
Mike Dias the executive director for the In-Ear Monitor International Trade Organization ( IEMITO) and the vice president of sales for Earthworks Audio joins us on episode 213 to talk about the story and history of in-ear monitors. While this is not a complete breakdown of the full history of IEM's, Mike sets the table for the plotline of the documentary he is working on. Weaving together the storylines of the influence and impact that everyone from musicians, audio engineers, manufacturers, and...
Jul 19, 2023•1 hr 11 min
In Episode 212, we are joined by David Loy , the talented FOH engineer for Country Music artist Kane Brown. David shares his methodical approach to his work, emphasizing how it contributes to delivering the art in the show whether it's live in concerts or in post-production. We delve into his affinity for analog outboard gear, the invaluable impact of mentors on his journey, and the pivotal role of Blackbird Academy in shaping the start of his live sound career. This episode is sponsored by Rati...
Jul 13, 2023•1 hr 16 min
Kenny Barnwell of Crew Coach joins the hosts on episode 211. He talks about going from being homeless to a successful career in the touring industry. They discuss some of the avenues of getting into the touring industry along with the key to relationships and how integral that is to continuing to get work and more. They discuss the balance of understanding our identity is not in our career, and how this plays into downtime. learn more about Kenn Barnwell and Career Coach Kenny offered this speci...
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 23 min
Sound Designer and Engineer Andy Leviss joins the hosts on episode 210. They talk about his time as a Support Specialist and Product Trainer for the playback program QLab, along with suggestions on how to get the most out of tech support. Andy discusses some of the cultural differences between Broadway and Corporate audio work, balancing relationships with a partner who is also in the industry, as well as being mindful of people on the spectrum within social media groups and in person on show si...
Jun 30, 2023•1 hr 20 min
In Episode 209, Jess Jacobs joins Sam and Kyle to discuss her work as a monitor engineer, backline, and playback tech for artists such as Missy Elliot, Sylvan Esso, Ella Mai, and more. She delves into what it means to be a playback tech and how she has utilized the capabilities of technology such as Ableton Live in. She also discusses the importance of self-education and how that impacted her journey transitioning from musician to tech as she blends self-taught knowledge with taking formal class...
Jun 21, 2023•49 min
