For the good part of my professional career in event production, I have filled diverse audio roles, from studio recording to A1 sound engineering to monitor mixing for live bands, to mixing sound for corporate events, and everything in between. Over Covid, I have intentionally sought out mixing opportunities where I could still practice my craft and keep up with the ever-changing world of audio and technology. The reason for doing this is closely tied with the fact that my favorite part about mixing is that 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈; 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈.
There is always something new to learn. And keep learning I shall.
There is always something interesting to try or even get from another sound/audio engineer.
20 years into this and there is still so much more to learn. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈.
All those years of mixing monitors for live bands, especially in the old analog days, before IEMs (in-ear monitors) and the Aviom personal mixing became the next best thing, have thought me so much during those training, trial under fire years, the most mentionable being 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞, especially when you have a few different demanding artists all needing their levels and mix just right, all at the very same time.
It also thought me 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 so I accomplish them as efficiently and fast as possible.
𝙈𝙞𝙭𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙩. I promise, there’s a process to the madness.
Every sound engineer out there starts layering the sounds, starting with the drums first, then bass, guitars, keys, synths, strings (if any), before they get to vocals, effects, etc.
Likewise, 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, there’s a method to the madness, and knowing what this method is will always produce the most desired outcome.
Not understanding the flow will only 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕.
And nobody wants to do things the hard way when there’s an easier way.
𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐥𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭. A few more consultation spots are available before I take a break over the summer for wholeness & rest.
