Ever wonder what it’s like to mix sound at Madison Square Garden for the first time without as much as a line check, let alone a proper sound check? In Episode 273, front of house engineer Ben Ivey shares his thrilling experience doing just that for country artist Warren Zeiders. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF. Ben also talks ab…

In Episode 104, James and Gary discuss ways to take your audio knowledge to the next level. A big part of expanding skillsets and understanding is to be a sponge: communicate and network, strive for new and better ways to do things, be open to any and all information, and more. The Church Sound Podcast is sponsored by DiGiCo and Electro-Voice. Epis…

Let’s get down to shackles and eyebolts in Episode 272, as riggers Siobhan Colleen and Katrina Puleo join the show to demystify rigging. Whether it’s a ballroom or an arena, Siobhan and Katrina share their vast experience of what to look out for and how to make life easier and safer for you, your rigging team, and the rest of the production. This e…

In Episode 271, Sean sits down with Nikki Sanz, founder and CEO of Giggs, a platform designed to revolutionize how professionals in the live event industry hire, find work, and connect — essentially a LinkedIn for our word-of-mouth, niche market. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF. After working with a diverse range of clients inclu…

In Episode 103, James and Gary discuss everything feedback — the audio type of feedback — including what it is, how to avoid it, and key aspects such as gain before feedback, loudspeaker and microphone placement, and more. The Church Sound Podcast is sponsored by DiGiCo and Electro-Voice. Check out James Attaway’s new worship audio academy at www.a…

In Episode 270, the hosts are joined by live sound engineers and software developers Justin Tyre and Stephen Bailey, who earlier this year launched ProdCom, new software for the live event industry that provides real-time multichannel text transcriptions of talkback mics, intercom chatter, or any other audio fed into a MacOS computer. This episode …

In Episode 102, James and Gary discuss ways to learn and understand a new console. Different consoles and manufacturers have different configurations, so it’s important and helpful to learn not only the base layout but the different ways to accomplish tasks. Taking the time to learn the “ins and outs” of any console, especially a new one, helps us …

In Episode 269, it’s time to break out your best dayglo shirts and leather jackets, dig out a slap bracelet or two, and get your 80s on, as Chris Pou, FOH and production manager for 80s rock cover band Electric Avenue, joins Sean and Andy to talk about what it takes to recreate those classic 80s sounds (spoiler: allllll the reverbs). Chris also dig…

Co-hosts Andy and Sean celebrate their first anniversary together on the podcast in Episode 268 with a look back on highlights from the past nearly 50 episodes as well as look forward to what the next year of the podcast has in store. They also discuss a momentous week in live sound news — the discontinuation of the ubiquitous Yamaha CL and QL cons…

Frank Padikkala of Audinate joins the show in Episode 267 and talks with Sean and Andy to talk about all things Dante. Frank is a senior technical sales engineer for Audinate, and brings his years of experience in IT/cybersecurity as well as AV integrations together to help clear up a bunch of common misunderstandings about Dante and AV networking …

In Episode 101, James and Gary dive into mixing monitors, including a key aspect of finding the right balance to give artists a reference so they can blend and level themselves within the band. They also talk about the differences between stage wedges and in-ear monitors (IEMs). The Church Sound Podcast is sponsored by DiGiCo and Electro-Voice. Che…

Picking up where they left off in Episode 265, Sean and Andy continue their conversation with Phil Graham and Merlijn van Veen about all things subwoofer, including whether or not to haystack, ways to deal with power alleys (and whether or not it’s worth the cost), and more. Phil Graham started building hi-fi loudspeakers with his grandfather as a …

There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings when it comes to subwoofers and sub arrays, but the reality is that there’s no reason to be afraid of them. In Episode 265, Sean and Andy huddle up with two very smart folks when it comes to low end — Phil Graham and Merlijn van Veen — to bust subwoofer myths and help us all understand them better for …

In Episode 100, co-hosts James and Gary are joined by Luke Vogel for a deeper dive into immersive audio. Luke shares his past of working at houses of worship and how it led him to his current work with immersive audio at Fulcrum Immersive. Like most technological advancements, immersive audio is becoming more accessible and affordable, and may some…

In Episode 264, Sean and Andy talk with two members of the production team for the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio, sound designer Connor Wang and Liz Weber, who was a member of the Access Team for the show and also works as a sound engineer. The musical is based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary about the challenges and triumphs of a …

Veteran audio professional Mike Dias picks up where he left off with last week (in Episode 262), digging into the other side of his career in the worlds of in-ear monitors and microphones. He spends time addressing and demystifying some myths about IEM technology, discusses why we each tend to favor a brand and/or types of IEMs that we do, and digs…

In Episode 99, James and Gary take a step back and discuss how to find and implement an overall vision for a mix. Vision isn’t always about loudness, it’s more about feel: how do we want people to receive the message and how do we match the overall tone of the service? It can vary depending on the day so it’s important before touching faders to thi…

Veteran audio professional Mike Dias returns in Episode 262 to convince us that networking needn’t be a four-letter word! Whether you’re a sound company owner, a freelance engineer, or full-time staff, networking is an important non-audio tool in the toolbox. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF. When Mike isn’t selling microphones (a…

It’s been a year of huge growth and focus shifts for Evan Turunen and Turunen Audio Visual — first featured in Episode 221 — so Andy and Sean wanted to check back in with Evan and see how things have changed and what he’s learned since he last visited. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF. Topics discussed include making a similar maj…

In Episode 98, James and Gary discuss gates and triggers — what they are and how to use them. They come in handy as tools that help not only control how much sound is being let in, but when. For example, if we’re using multiple microphones, we don’t always want every sound being picked up — enter gates and triggers that let us set parameters so the…

For the first time in 10 months of podcasting, Sean and Andy were together in the same place, so how better to celebrate than with a livestream? They talk about meeting up for a music festival Sean’s company (Audio Engineers Northwest) provided a PA and support for, in addition to presenting a demo of the TT+ GTX 12 line array (courtesy of show spo…

In Episode 97, James and Gary discuss an important part of live sound, practice. The little things we take note of, listen for, and learn along the way add up and result in a smoother and better service. The hosts also discuss incorporating tools like virtual soundcheck that allow you to practice without a band and EQ apps to help you discover tone…

Summer concert and event season is in full swing, and Sean’s company (Audio Engineers Northwest) has been running full steam with some exciting gigs the last couple weeks. Two of his regular freelancers, Kyle Shaw and Matt Ratza, join the show this week to talk about what it took the last couple weeks to pull off a huge open air concert on a docksi…

Over the Fourth of July holiday, Andy teamed up with some Signal to Noise guest host alumni, as Kate Foretek pulled up the co-host chair once more to hang with previous guest host, theatrical sound designer and live foley artist ien DeNio. The jam-packed episodes includes tales of travel hijinks, pounding beers as part of a puppet show sound design…

In Episode 96, James and Gary discuss effects, often termed “FX” for short. It’s important to remember that with great power comes great responsibility — particularly when it comes to the application of effects in the mix. The hosts share their observation that the two effects the majority of mix engineers deploy most frequently are reverb and dela…

This week, the hosts get nerdy with Chris Tsanjoures, one of the Rational Acoustics folks behind the Smaart measurement platform, a veteran podcast guest and an avid enthusiast of squiggly lines and measurement geekery. He answers all of Sean and Andy’s questions about Rational’s new Smaart Data Modeler in addition to addressing some of their other…

Fresh off mixing the Broadway musical The Outsiders to a Tony Award win for Best Sound Design of a Musical for sound designer Cody Spencer, Broadway sound engineer and regular SoundGirls contributor Heather Augustine sits down with Andy and Sean to chat about her long touring career (including Billy Elliot, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Mis…

In Episode 95, James and Gary discuss all things compression — not only what compression is but how it effects different instruments or sections during a service. The hosts share some basics and starting points they use when compressing in the mix. Compression is ultimately a tool that can help achieve a desired sound and when used correctly, impro…

In Episode 255, Andy is joined by DC-area based sound engineer Joe “Chef” McGrath, fresh off working together on a now rare “industrial musical” in NY this week. They start off talking about Joe’s extensive work as the mixer for the Ultimate Rap League, and why the mic of choice for them for rap battles might be the brand you’d expect, but almost c…

It’s time for an end-of-spring check-in, as Andy and Sean sit down at the microphones in Episode 254 to catch up on everything they’ve been up to the last month. Sean talks about his trip to Texas to help with a loudspeaker demo for RCF and gives Andy and the listeners a follow-up on his adventures in freewire DSP from a couple episodes ago. Meanwh…

In Episode 94, James and Gary discuss the relationship between audio techs and musicians. It all starts with building positive communication and thinking about not only what is said, but how it’s said. At the end of the day, both audio techs and musicians are needed to put on a good service, and when they’re working together and sharing ideas, that…

Veteran front of house engineer Paul Bevan joins the show in Episode 253 and discusses his eclectic career that includes mixing a wide range of gigs, from regal (Boston Pops Fourth of July) to raucous (Mott the Hoople), and just about everything in between. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF. While his music mixing resume is extensi…

In Episode 93, James and Gary discuss four pillars of a great mix: a great sounding source, capturing the source the right way, level balance and gain structure, and using high and low-pass filtering. Essentially if you start with clean sound, capture it the right way, balance the levels and then make small cuts to fit it all together, a quality re…

In Episode 252, the hosts are joined by Elliot Carroll, director of audio services for Show Imaging, who talks about the business side of audio — deciding what gear to buy (or, more importantly, not buy), when to say yes or no to a proposed project, training staff, keeping staff happy and healthy on job sites, and much more. Elliot’s spent the past…

In Episode 251, Tony-award sound designer Jessica Paz joins the show and talks about all things Broadway and touring sound design, including how to make a theatre sound like a stadium or an intimate office as well as the trials and tribulations of doing live theatre outdoors at New York’s iconic Delacorte Theatre for Shakespeare in the Park, and mo…

In Episode 92, co-hosts James and Gary discuss the foundation of great audio. A solid base starts with the setup. System design, where the loudspeakers are located and where they’re pointed. System tuning, taking those loudspeakers and applying EQ and delay so they all work together. Finally the console setup, having a clear detailed map so you inc…

In Episode 250, Sean and Andy take it back to the early days of grunge when they talk to Craig Montgomery, the front of house engineer for Nirvana. He details mixing and managing small tours and festivals in a van with Kurt, Dave, and Krist from 1989 to 1993 as well as going on to tour manage for Hole, and mix and tour manage other well-known artis…

In Episode 249, Sean and Andy gather around the microphones with Sam Kusnetz, education and training manager for Figure 53’s QLab and founder of Team Sound, maker of MIDI hardware and testers specifically designed for live audio playback users. Sam talks about growing up and falling into theatre in New York, working on smaller tours and regional th…

In Episode 91, co-hosts James and Gary dive into the world of immersive audio. What is it, where do we find it and why is it becoming more popular? Is immersive audio worth looking into for your space? What are ways that it could be used for worship services? The Church Sound Podcast is sponsored by DiGiCo and Electro-Voice. Check out James Attaway…

In Episode 248, the hosts visit with front of house engineer Burton Ishmael, who is currently mixing Madonna’s global Celebration tour, and learn about how the artist sought him out after hearing him mix Post Malone, the latest in a list of A-List hip-hop and R&B acts on his resume that also includes Lil Baby, Nas, Big Sean, Miguel, and H.E.R., and…

In Episode 247, the co-hosts catch up after Sean returns from his first vacation since starting his company. Sean fills Andy in on turning a trip to visit the RCF factory into a vacation for his entire family. He gives a recap of his awesome time visiting the factory and seeing how the loudspeakers he’s bought for his company are made and tested, p…

In Episode 90, the hosts focus on a critical pillar of audio: gain structure and balancing. They discuss how to prepare for a service so you don’t have to make gain adjustments during the worship service — it can throw off everything. They also share strategies and preferences when diving into a mix, including where they like to start. And don’t su…

In Episode 89, the co-hosts get back to the music. In a world with a million and one ways to shape, present, and experience music, how do we get out of our own way and be present in the moment? The Church Sound Podcast is sponsored by DiGiCo and Electro-Voice. They talk about ways to set up before an event and tips to make sure we don’t miss a beat…

In Episode 246, Sean, Andy and guest co-host Kate Foretek talk with financial advisor Bailie Slevin to get the lowdown on making your money work for you as a freelancer to plan for both the future you expect, and the one you don’t! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF. A combination of finance ninja and theatre nerd, Bailie is a busin…

Kenny Barnwell joins Andy in Episode 245 to discuss how to nurture and maintain healthy relationships while working away from home. His advice — which even those who don’t tour will find valuable — touches on communication strategies, mutual support and accountability, self-awareness and boundaries, and how to include your family in your life and y…

Picking up where they left off in last time (here), in Episode 244 Sean and Andy continue their roundtable on corporate event audio with Aram Piligian, Brian Maddox, and Michael Curtis. Previously, they looked at the input side of corporate audio, and this time, focus shifts to the outputs — how to balance the needs of the live sound in the room wi…

Many of us spend tons of time talking about things like crafting the perfect kick drum or guitar or lead vocal, but in Episode 243, we focus the podcast on another important but less recognized set of “money” inputs — corporate event vocals. In part one of a two-part deep dive into mixing corporate events, Andy and Sean bring together a collection …

If you're wondering if we added another bass player to the podcast, we didn't -- he plays drums. Samantha and James welcome on another new co-host, Gary Zandstra, to bring in new perspectives and even more educational content for you listeners. Gary is a long-time contributor and author for Church Sound Magazine, and we couldn't be happier having h…

In Episode 242, Andy and guest host Aram Piligian talk with Mark Russie, who retired from a long career as a Las Vegas-based A1 and A2 to start a small business manufacturing the Lav Magnet and Beltpack Bar, tools he originally invented to make his own life on corporate events easier. Mark shares the story of how, after multiple manufacturers told …

In a “shocking” Episode 241, Sean and Andy talk with Richard Cadena, author of the book “Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician & Technician” as well as serving as a freelance lighting designer, lighting consultant, and trainer. He’s worked on concert tours, television, and theatre, and has designed dozens of lighting systems for permanent i…