Signal To Noise Podcast

Production and tour manager Bill Reeves joins us in this episode to talk about "how to get on tour".  We also talk about Roadies of Color United which Bill and "K.C." Jackson founded in 2009. Their goal is to be a place where professionals in the industry can unite, network, promote each other and collaborate to help promote a more diverse and inclusive industry. Check out this...

Ken Newman joins us in this episode. Currently, he is the FOH engineer for Barry Manilow. Ken tells us all about how he built his first two mixers in the early 70's, one a Gately Pro-Kit and the other he built from scratch. We touch on various parts of his 40 plus year career working with artists like  Chris Isaak, Paul Anka, Shirley Maclaine, and many more as well as high-end corporate work....

Michael and Willa chat with Ashton Parsons, who mixes monitors for Disturbed and has also worked with Animals as Leaders, 98 Degrees, Bush, Anthrax, Fifth Harmony, Daya, Daughtry, Papa Roach, and many more, as monitor engineer, FOH engineer, tour manager, playback tech, and a variety of other production roles. Ashton gives some helpful guidance about mixing in-ear monitors and communicating with a...

John Huntington joins us to discuss his new book Introduction to Show Networking .  He is the leading expert in our industry on show networks and control systems. We discuss some of his earlier work in Vegas among other current projects he is working on. We are giving away a free copy of his book. Go to www. SignalToNoisePodcast.com and enter to win. John Huntington is a Professor of Entertainment...

Audix just released a simple and effective way to test in-ear monitors (IEMs) for potential damage or performance degradation.  By pairing the TM2 with test and measurement software, a transfer function of an in-ear monitor can be easily generated and compared to previous measurements of the same device.  Steve Young and Fred Bigeh join us in a demonstration and discussion on the TM2 You can watch...

Ike Zimbel joins us again to talk old school audio. Ike tells us about how he achieved Frank Zappa style studio guitar effects live in 1979, using 5-way PA systems in 1980, time aligning crossover settings in speaker cabinets, with a tape measure and more. Ike Zimbel is a wireless frequency coordinator and tech based in Toronto. A 35-plus year veteran of the audio industry. During that time he has...

Dennis Culp has influenced the music industry from both sides of the console - not only is he the trombone player in the groundbreaking Christian ska band Five Iron Frenzy , but he's also the owner and executive producer of Singing Serpent , a company that offers composition and sound design services for some of the largest brands in the world. This episode is sponsored by: Audix NEW Online P...

 SGM Brian Archer & SSG Michael Willis from The United States Army Band join us this week. Many people may not realize you can do full-time audio and production work while in the Army. Brian & Michael talk about what lead them to an audio career path within the Army, and what type of work they do on a daily basis. The United States Army Band is also looking to hire a Live Production Techni...

This week, we are joined by Tarik Solangi, VP of Sales and Marketing for RCF loudspeakers.  Tarik and Kyle discuss their experiences as the "boots on the ground" interfacing between the R&D teams and the product's end users and the importance of support and service. We also delve into the manufacturer's role in the system design process, and the nuisance of cutting analog t...

In this episode, the boys are joined by Samantha Potter and Willa Snow to discuss that all-important aspect of our jobs: money. We touch on freelance vs salaried, full time vs part time, handling your own schedule and books, self advocacy, rates, and a whole bunch of related and important topics. Send us your comments at signal2noisepodcast@gmail.com This episode is sponsored by: Audix Please chec...

Live Episode #6 featuring guests:  Jeff Hawley, Pavan Grewall, Daniel Lundberg You can watch the video of this episode on the ProSoundWeb Youtube Channel This episode is sponsored by: Audix Please check out and support The Roadie Clinic , Their mission is simple. "We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the t...

Yes there is more than one Chris Leonard in the audio world. Chris joins us this week to discuss his path in audio including a humbling learing experience while on tour with Scott Stapp. Currently he is the Production Manager and Front of House Enginer for country artist Russell Dickerson. Should we call oursleves Audio Engineers? We dig into this topic and more. This episode is sponsored by: Audi...

On this episode, the boys are joined by the one and only Dave Rat. Dave mixed FOH for the Red Hot Chili Peppers for 30 years, and has also worked with Rage Against The Machine, Blink 182, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, The Offspring, and more. When he was 18 years old, he co-founded Rat Sound Systems, a major provider of touring concert sound systems. Dave is best well known in the pro audio industry...

Drew Thornton joins us this episode to talk about his new YouTube channel A Sum Of Two Busses .  Currently Drew is the FOH engineer for Billie Eilish and previously artists like Sick Puppies, A Great Big World, Timeflies, and  Amy Shark to name a few. This episode is sponsored by: Audix Please check out and support The Roadie Clinic , Their mission is simple. "We exist to empower & heal r...

Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato, founder of MixingMusic Live and co-founder of Soundgirls.org joins us this episode. We get into her approach to mixing while reminiscing back to the good old analog days and the transition from analog to digital. Michelle talked about what inspired her to give back and be a voice to the audio community, and more. With a career in professional concert sound that spans...

Ryan O John joins us again to talk about his approach to mixing drums and bass. Ryan has mixed FOH for a lot of bands like Pussycat  Dolls, Jessie J, Phillip Phillips, and many more and is currently the Principal Product Manager & Principle Product Designer of live sound for Avid. We talk again about a fun project started by Ryan called "Mix 45", where a group of engineers record the...

Internationally-acclaimed electronic music artist Joel Zimmerman a.k.a. Deadmau5   joins us this episode to talk about how his explorations into the technical innovations that form an integral part of his live show. We discuss the role of technology in his creative process and his full-circle approach to crafting a unique audience experience. Joel recently released his brand new performance contro...

Our hosts speak with Steve Adelman, VP of the Event Safety Alliance, and head of Adelman Law Group, about the role each of us in the industry will play in the roadmap for restarting live events safely, including a discussion about liability and professional responsibility. https://www.eventsafetyalliance.org/ ESA Reopening Guide: https://www.eventsafetyalliance.org/esa-reopening-guide Steve Adelma...

ProSoundWeb Podcast Network joined forces to host “The FOH & Monitor Engineer Relationship” LIVE, the first-ever Front of the House Fridays live event. FofHF host Russ Long and Signal To Noise co-host Chris Leonard teamed up with FOH engineer Chris Taylor and monitor engineer Robert Bull to talk about mix strategies and how two sides of the same coin successfully come together You can watch th...

On this episode, Michael and Willa dive deeper into the art of theatrical sound design with guests Jason Crystal (Associate Sound Designer, Hamilton, The Cher Show ) and his colleague Elisheba Ittoop (Sound Designer, The Edge of Night, A Raisin In the Sun, Testmatch). The conversation explores how technical tools help achieve artistic goals, and comparing and contrasting sound design for musicals...

Michael and Kyle are joined by touring audio engineer Fletcher McDermott and Smaart instructor Chris Tsnajoures to talk about their workflows for quickly wrangling PA du Jour, mixing techniques, and some nerding out about synthesizers.   Links: https://www.prosoundweb.com/2019-top-20-9-front-lines-why-we-measure/ This episode is sponsored by: Audix  Be sure to check out the Signal To Noise Faceboo...

Co-Host Chris Leonard was on the Church Sound Podcast episode 11. "Chris Leonard, one of the hosts of the Signal To Noise Podcast and director of audio at IMS Technology Services joins me this week. What does it look like to play well with others? Chris and I discuss what it means to work with people we don't get along with (and why it matters most.) Additionally, we hash out adding in p...

Doug Deems was a touring monitor engineer for 25 years with bands like P!nk, Backstreet Boys, Babyface, and Kid Rock to name a few. 10 years ago Doug transitioned into broadcast mixing for live sports like UFC, Hockey, and Football. We discuss how that transitions came about, where he got his start along with stories along the way, and how they helped develop his career. This episode is sponsored...

Pavan Grewall is a FOH engineer who has worked with Lizzo, Carly Rae Jepsen, Pentatonix, 5 Seconds of Summer, Meghan Trainor, Nick Jonas, and a long list of other major pop acts. Pavan joins Michael, Kyle and Chris to talk about both the technical and non-technical aspects of his work. This episode is sponsored by: Audix  Be sure to check out the Signal To Noise Facebook Group . It’s a space for l...

In Episode 57, veteran front of house engineer Wayne Pauley details his all-analog approach at FOH for country artist Lee Brice, including the “epic” ATI Paragon II console, EQs, outboard processing, and more. Wayne, who’s also worked with artists that include Celtic Women, Bo Bice, Trisha Yearwood, and many others, also provides an overview of his system tuning process. This episode is sponsored...