Signal To Noise Podcast

In Episode 317, Sean and Andy go back to the mailbox for more listener questions, picking up where they left off in Episode 309. This time, the focus is on the business side of freelancing — rates, non-competes/NDAs, W2 vs 1099 work, unions, taxes… Plus some thoughts on choosing which compromises to make when time is short on a load-in, and much more! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Episode Links:Episode 309 – Listener Q&A, Part 1Episode 317 TranscriptNOTE: Mike Green, the artist who performs “Break Free” that opens every episode, has some new music hitting the market starting today, available on all streaming platforms as well as DSPs that support spatial audio. And, Mikegreenmusic.com will direct folks to pre-order the vinyl release, or allow them to purchase singles individually. Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

In Episode 316, it’s time for a post-NAMM recap of all the cool people, places, and things Sean and Andy got to catch up with and check out at the 2026 NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center. Loudspeakers big and small, useful gadgets, new mixers, earplugs, new IEM models… there was something for everybody this year, and we’re here to tell you all about it! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Episode Links:TT+ AUDIO GTX 7CDark Matter Audio Labs DMA7 BA 7Violet Audio dMix 128Yamaha RIVAGE PM V7Adamson USB Milan BridgeNeumann Virtual Immersive Studio (VIS)d&b audiotechnik U SeriesDe-FeedbackYamaha MGX SeriesMeyer Sound TIGRA & LFC-1800Adamson MS 8.2D’Addario IR Mic MuteDark Matter Audio Labs Hearing ProjectionEpisode 316 TranscriptNOTE: Mike Green, the artist who performs “Break Free” that opens every episode, has some new music hitting the market starting today, available on all streaming platforms as well as DSPs that support spatial audio. And, Mikegreenmusic.com will direct folks to pre-order the vinyl release, or allow them to purchase singles individually.Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a

In Episode 315, Sean and Andy get the lowdown on a relatively new live audio tool that took both NAMM and the online live audio community by storm over the last year as they talk with Devin Sheets, founder and owner of Alpha Labs, to learn all about De-Feedback. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.A much-talked-about plugin in live audio of 2025, there are lots of myths and misunderstandings, rave reviews and reticence about this new tool for fighting feedback, handling overly reverberant rooms, and dealing with noise in live reinforcement and broadcast environments, so we get it all straight from Devin, including a live demo of exactly what De-Feedback is capable of.Devin Sheets, founder and owner of Alpha Labs, grew up in Salem, Oregon. His father Duane founded and owns Alpha Sound, a regional live audio production company, so Devin grew up in the busy environment of one of the largest PA rental and installation companies in the Pacific Northwest during the 1990s and 2000s.After graduating from Azusa Pacific University with a degree in music, he and Duane turned the focus of the family business toward high-end corporate and house of worship work. Devin had his industry standard bag of tricks for fighting feedback in these environments, but felt that “the answer” had not yet arrived. After years of unfruitful communication with many leading audio manufacturers about the issue, he decided to try his hand at a custom approach involving AI software. After paying large amounts of his personal money to various coders around the world in an attempt to make something work, the team finally struck gold in mid 2024 with a novel AI model of their own making, using training data largely produced by Devin himself, on a computer they built in-house. He used the beta version throughout the year for his own shows and events, and installed it in several churches in the area.By late 2024 there was pressure to begin selling the algorithm to the public, and so Alpha Labs was formed as a software partner company to Alpha Sound, a website launched, and sales of De-Feedback V1 began November 11 of that year. Within days, the plugin was being used on some of the biggest tours and events of the Christmas season. The software continues to be adopted by many of the world’s top engineers and venues, while Devin and his team concentrate most of their time and energy developing newer, better versions.We've also uploaded a clip of Devin's demo of De-Feedback without our usual dynamics chain, for folks who want to listen to it as raw as possible, which you can download here: https://bit.ly/s2n-de-feedback (as a bonus, that clip is g-rated in terms of language, as well)SPECIAL OFFER: As a limited time bonus for Signal to Noise listeners, Alpha Labs is offering 10% off purchases with coupon code “SIGNALTONOISE”, valid through Feb 10, 2026! Just enter the code at license checkout, and the discount will be applied to all products in your order!Episode Links:Alpha Labs De-FeedbackDe-Feedback Official User GroupThinking Out Loud w/Friends of SoundBroker, Devin SheetsAlpha SoundEpisode 315 TranscriptNOTE: Mike Green, the artist who performs “Break Free” that opens every episode, has some new music hitting the market starting today, available on all streaming platforms as well as DSPs that support spatial audio. And, Mikegreenm

In Episode 314, Jessica Isenhour, AKA the one and only “AV Barbie,” joins the show to talk all things event production, social media networking in the event industry, helping younger technicians grow in the industry, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Jessica is a freelance audio visual technician for corporate and live events and mentor to the next generation of AV leaders. As co-owner of the Growth and Development Network, she’s passionate about entrepreneurial initiatives, including mentorship gatherings, resume review sessions, and one-on-one meetings that help empower young technicians, especially fellow women in AV, to become better business owners and entrepreneurial leaders.She co-owns her business, CJMedia, alongside her husband and fellow AV technician Caleb Isenhour. When they aren’t working live events as a dynamic duo, Jessica, as a singer-songwriter and award-winning lyricist, often finds herself in the studio, working on new music within the pop genre or enjoying the diverse array of local food and entertainment options that her hometown of Orlando has to offer.Episode Links:Jessica Isenhour On Instagram; Facebook; & LinkedInThe Growth & Development NetworkAV Bulletin Board Resource SheetJessica’s MusicConnect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there.

It’s NAMM Show season, with Sean and Andy kicking it off with a bang in Episode 313 by getting the scoop on everything NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) from CEO and president John Mlynczak. He provides a crash course on NAMM, what he’s looking forward to at the show in Anaheim this year, the NAMM Foundation educational program, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Prior to NAMM, John served as president of Music Education & Technology at Hal Leonard, where he oversaw worldwide education market strategy. He also managed Noteflight, Essential Elements Interactive and Essential Elements Music Class, and collaborated on all music education technology related initiatives for Hal Leonard. Previously, he was managing director of Noteflight, and he’s also the immediate past-president of the Technology Institute of Music Educators (TI:ME).John has taught online graduate courses at VanderCook College, served as advocacy chair of the Massachusetts Music Educator’s Association, served on the NAMM SupportMusic Coalition, and on the NAfME Advocacy Leadership Force. He is a Google Level 2 Certified Educator and a frequent clinician on education technology and music advocacy.​Before his career at Hal Leonard, John served as director of Education at PreSonus, where he developed curriculum, products, and marketing strategies for music education technology. ​In addition, he taught general music, band, choir, marching band, and music technology, starting the first music technology course in Louisiana and writing the state curriculum for an official approved course. From 2011 to 2013, He served as chairman of the Creative Arts Assessment Committee in Louisiana, and provided model assessment for the creative arts.On top of all that, John has enjoyed a long career of performing as a solo artist and in symphony orchestras, pit orchestras, and Top 40 bands.Episode Links:NAMMNAMM ShowNAMM FoundationJohn Mlynczak OnlineEpisode 313 TranscriptConnect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast.Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

Sean and Andy start off 2026 with a bang, as live sound “renaissance man” Danny Abelson joins the show to discuss a wide range of bold positions, from how to prepare for a career in live audio to whether or not the quality of sound at shows today has kept up with the quality of the gear available to us to use at them. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.With a 50-plus-year career that started as a teenager working in New York City in the middle of “anything and everything” in the live music industry in the 70s, becoming friends and eventually in-laws with one of Clair’s first employees, as well as having one of the Taits as another in-law, if you saw Danny’s life story in a movie, you might not believe it’s real! From touring with the Eagles and Cheap Trick in the 70s to a theatre degree in the 80s and mixing NFL, MLB, and D1 sports, as well as long tenures on the manufacturing/distribution side of the industry for companies ranging from Turbosound to ATI mixing consoles, high-density Wi-Fi and ultrasonic signaling, and installations in venues as varied as Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, and Lambeau Field, there’s quite literally nothing in the live sound field that Danny hasn’t done at some point!Danny has written many articles published in Live Sound and FOH magazines, and currently writes the monthly “FOH-At-Large” column with close friend and writing partner Dave Natale for front of house. He is member of the Parnelli Awards Board of Advisors.Episode Links:Danny Abelson Archive On ProSoundWebSignal To Noise Episode 57 With Wayne PauleySignal To Noise Episode 287 The Return Of Wayne PauleyFOH Blog Meet The New GuysEpisode 312 TranscriptConnect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

New York-based mixer and sound designer Jason Crystal joins the show in Episode 311 for a tour through his wide-ranging career, spanning from Broadway — where his resume includes working as the associate sound designer and audio supervisor for every production of Hamilton around the world, as well as sound designing the Broadway and touring productions of Suffs — to mixing front of house for major broadcast events such as the Tony Awards and the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Whether you’re interested or working in musical theatre, TV awards shows, a look behind what goes in to SNL every week, or the logistics and technical challenges of massive multi-stage televised concert events, this episode is for you!Episode Links:Hamilton, The German EP On Apple Music & SpotifSuffsSignal to Noise Episode 306 (Sonic Secrets of Hamilton)Episode 311 TranscriptConnect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there.

In Episode 310, the hosts welcome guest Tyler “Ty the Sound Guy” Davis, an experienced audio engineer with two decades in the industry. Born and raised in LA, Tyler started his audio journey two decades ago playing in bands, doing sound at DIY shows, recording bands in his garage, and mostly failing miserably at all the above! Through sheer unwillingness to accept that he wasn’t very good, he honed his skillset to come to the place where, 20 years later, he’s failing much less miserably! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.After touring for about 15 years, he started a family and focused on corporate, broadcast and remote production. While he still gets to mix music regularly, he’s enjoyed translating the years of concerts and touring to large-scale corporate events and broadcast environments.Tyler shares insights from his career, discussing the shift from music touring to corporate and broadcast work, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning, networking, and being adaptable. He and the hosts also talk about the benefits of volunteering at churches for hands-on training, and the potential of having a mentor to guide one’s career. The conversation covers the importance of attitude, technical skills, and being a problem solver, all while maintaining a sense of humor in the ever-evolving world of audio engineering.Episode Links:“Ty The Sound Guy” Website and On TikTok and InstagramAutokue AppGiggs, Connecting The Live Event IndustryEpisode 310 TranscriptRelated Episodes:Episode 271, Nikki Sanz of GiggsEpisode 262, Mike Dias On NetworkingConnect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there.

In Episode 309, the hosts turn over the reigns for a round of listener questions. They reached out to the Signal to Noise Community on Facebook and Discord to invite listeners to submit questions that they’re afraid to ask, or were afraid to ask when they were starting out in their career, and this week the hosts set out to answer the first handful of them. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.No topic was off-limits, from technical to interpersonal… Questions include strategies for overcoming introversion to excel in networking and finding more gigs, the importance of owning your mistakes (and not playing the blame game), practical advice for whether or not to bring personal equipment to jobs, improving mix confidence, virtual sound checks, balancing technical and soft/people skills, and more.They also address broader issues such as effective sales strategies for project managers (and the technicians who love them), and the significance of value over price in client relations. The episode is filled with practical tips, industry insights, and personal anecdotes aimed at helping audio professionals succeed in their careers.The hosts received plenty of questions; in fact, enough for another round in a future episode, but they’re still asking for more! If you’ve got a question you’ve always wanted to ask, email it to the at signal2noise@prosoundweb.com or send a voice memo at http://speakpipe.com/s2n, and we may feature it in a future episode!)Episode Links:Download Sean’s “Cheatsheet”Signal To Noise Facebook GroupSignal To Noise Discord ServerEpisode 309 TranscriptConnect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there.

This week, the hosts turn over the feed to feature a new episode from our sister podcast, Live Sound Bootcamp, to welcome them back after a very long hiatus! In this episode, Ryan John and guest host Aram Piligian answer a question about how best to go about capturing and mixing orchestral instruments in classical environments, and also in the context of adding strings to pop and rock acts. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.There’s some incredible advice and experience to be found in this episode, and we don’t want any of our listeners to miss it, whether you’re an old listener who may have missed their new episode, or a newer Signal to Noise listener who’s hearing of Live Sound Bootcamp for the first time!Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!Also 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 touring lifestyle.”The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there.