Proper Prep: Practice ≠ Rehearsal ≠ Sound Check

Something that easily defines “X number of minutes or hours we can’t get back” are those times when we end up waiting for someone to… Read More

More Winning Together: “The Things I Wish Musicians Would Do Differently Are…”

My previous column (here) brought together responses I’d received from a wide variety of musicians, several of whom also work in audio,… Read More

The Sound Of Sound: Analyzing Acoustic Versus Amplification

What makes acoustic sound sound acoustic? I got to thinking about this once when I attended a performance of Wozzek by Alban Berg at the… Read More

Focus On The Knobs? Making Technology Transparent In The Quest Of Art

At one time or another, all of us who have sat behind a mixing console at a show are asked “do you know what all… Read More

Winning Together: “The One Thing I Wish Live Mix Engineers Would Do Is…”

One recent day I got to thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great to come up with an idea for an article that would write itself?” It… Read More

Make It Stop! There’s No Excuse For Loud, Bad Sound

Preserving our hearing is critically important, but that’s not what motivated me to write this piece. Really, I just can’t stand bad sound! To a… Read More

Subjective Versus Objective: If It Sounds Good, Is It?

As with the ever-ongoing debates about “tubes versus transistors,” “analog versus digital” and “Mac versus PC,” there’s not likely to be agreement any time soon… Read More

Setting The Pace: Thoughts On The Power Of Leadership

Whether you’re a mix engineer, system tech, technical ministry leader or a member of a sound crew, some universal concepts apply to success in leadership. Read More

In This Together: A Manufacturer Perspective On The Wireless System Market

The major wireless manufacturers have poured significant resources into lobbying the U.S. government and educating the professional audio market about what’s been happening with FCC’s… Read More

True Audio Path: And Now You Know The Rest Of The Story…

In virtually every textbook and training class covering the basics of audio signal flow and mixing, there’s an “audio flowchart” or “signal flow diagram” detailing… Read More

Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Sound People

This list of “effective habits” is distilled down from a much larger list as being the most important – based on my experience over many… Read More

Silly Talk: Sometimes We Say The Darndest Things

I’ve heard many really silly things in this business, some that I’ve had to respond to over the years. After all, our jobs are mostly… Read More

Purple Sounds Best: A Matter Of Mass Psychology

Purple loudspeakers sound better than black ones. At least that’s what I hear when I see them. And plaid loudspeakers sound, well, more complex, with… Read More

Defining Yourself: Where Do You Want To Go & How Are You Getting There?

Many years ago, I was asked to accompany the president of Neumann Berlin to Aspen, CO to attend a music festival, specifically the Aspen Festival,… Read More

Avoiding The Trap: Politics, Religion And… Microphones?

One of the more curious things I’ve noticed over many years of participating in online newsgroups, forums, and social media is that the question that… Read More