FOH / Monitor Audio Engineer

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Either, they both have incredible strengths. As I get older, touring with analog gets harder on the back, however I do feel there is an edge there in audio quality, and I do absolutely love an analog FOH setup. Digital definitely has its strengths too, these days it seems I’m spending 90% of my time behind digital desks. There is incredible amount of power with a digital desk. Remote mixing all over the venue from my Ipad is an incredible tool. Most people jump at having a gate or comp on every channel, there is power there for sure, however if you are comping every channel, you are doing something wrong. Analog or digital, get quality gear. It is cheaper in the long run and the quality difference is amazing. Sorry: the x32, not quality gear, sure it has the features and looks flashy, but that is only 1% of the equation. Under the hood, the software, DSPs, and algorithms just don’t line up. Put it up against a Avid, Digidesign, or Yami and you will see what I mean.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I’ll give you 100%. I’ll do my homework, pull it all together, and give you 100%. Mixing, advancing shows, tour managing/production managing: I’m organized, professional.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I get to meet people, and make their show a success. If my job was just show up, mix, shut up, and go home. I would hate it. I really enjoy the relationships I develop, and seeing the success that comes from them.

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Ask questions, and get to know the people you are looking to hire. I think it is absolutely imperative that you have a great relationship with your engineer. FOH, MON, or Studio, you need that trust and open communications. If someone doesn’t have the time to get to know your needs/wants/desires, they probably don’t have the time to give you 100% performance. The most professional engineers I have worked with, are the ones who are calm, in control, and open to direct communications. They make it look easy, and you don’t even know how much work they are putting into the project/gig. The ones that make it look hard, and are very critical, are not the top dogs.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is definitely live audio. I have a great “nak” for quick thinking, and problem solving. These skills go a long way in ensuring performances go on without a hiccup. Attention to detail is also a strong skill required in live audio, (and studio work as well) I never want to be 100% satisfied with my mix. I see lots of FOH guys, get the mix set and let it ride, calling it “good enough” I think there is always work to be done, throughout the gig.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Most of my work is live mixing, however I also do a significant amount of studio mixing. I have two complete FOH setups (one analog, one digital) that I can take on the road with me, but also doubles as my studio setup when at home. Networking with other engineers is important too, I definitely take advantage of borrowing or loaning gear (especially when it comes to analog outboard) with other local venues or engineers. This really helps ensure I can get the right tool for the job, be it on the road or in the studio.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: The majority of my work is live mixing, either FOH or Monitors. Lately it seems I am doing allot of one-off gigs where I only get to mix the band one or two times. This is a change from my past experiences where I was on longer time tours where I was able to really get to know the artists, and tailor to their needs. With one-offs I have to spend a significant amount of time before the gig listening to albums and past live performances to help get a feel for their desires. It does make the job more challenging, but still very rewarding when it all comes together.