More Than Software
Rational Acoustics, he quickly adds, isn’t just about technology, it’s about support and being genuinely helpful – an outlook that’s reflected as much in the slightly irreverent tone of the Rational Acoustics website as it is in Anderson’s conviction that audio professionals are, by necessity, fun to be around.
“The rules of touring are simple. Show up, do your job well and don’t be a jerk. You’re living in a submarine with a bunch of other people. You’ve got to be enjoyable to be around.”
“We’re not just selling software,” he notes. “We’re selling the knowledge to use it. Training is integral not only to use this tool, but to it’s evolution. Teaching is a process of learning.”
If so, Anderson has had plenty of opportunity to teach and learn, running approximately 300 Smaart and SIM classes in 20 countries to this point. It’s also a process, he explains, that is as much about growth as it is about preparation.
Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis two years ago, he knows that somewhere down the road, he may not be able to keep up the hectic pace he currently maintains. Even so, as with everything in his life, Anderson’s approach is to focus on solutions.
And as much as he loves to travel, outside of work it’s not a pastime. Soon after re-locating to the northeast, he and Karen purchased a 14-acre spread in Pomfret, CT. “We’ve got goats, horses, chickens, two dogs, two cats…” A farm, in other words.
“A dysfunctional farm,” Anderson clarifies with a laugh, but one that still comes with responsibilities that make scheduling lengthy vacations difficult.”
“And, even as their menagerie has grown, so has their business, as they consistently add to a global network of instructors and associates in taking pro audio test and measurement to ever increasing heights.
Fast Facts
Job Title: Owner, Educator Guy and SysTweak for Rational Acoustics
Location: Putnam, CT
Years in the Business: 20
Favorite Tools: Dual-channel FFT analyzer, Rat Sniffer and B&K 4007 microphone
Worked With: Meyer Sound, SIA and EAW, Loud Technologies, Rational Acoustics, system engineer with A-1 Audio (k.d. Lang) and UltraSound (Dave Matthews Band), Montreux Jazz Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, The Grateful Dead, Anita Baker, Louis Miguel
Based in Toronto, Kevin Young is a freelance music and tech writer, professional musician and composer.