Signal To Noise Podcast

This week, the hosts get nerdy with Chris Tsanjoures, one of the Rational Acoustics folks behind the Smaart measurement platform, a veteran podcast guest and an avid enthusiast of squiggly lines and measurement geekery. He answers all of Sean and Andy’s questions about Rational’s new Smaart Data Modeler in addition to addressing some of their other Smaart-related questions. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Smaart Data Modeler is a new DSP modeling software tool designed to allow you to perform virtual audio system alignment and optimization through the use of level, equalization, polarity, and timing adjustments and to view the effects of those adjustments on Smaart measurement data.Episode Links:Smaart Data ModelerSmaart Data Modeler 10-day DemoSmaart Data Modeler Support Page (Sample Projects & Data)CheatSheet (MacOS)Episode 257 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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

Fresh off mixing the Broadway musical The Outsiders to a Tony Award win for Best Sound Design of a Musical for sound designer Cody Spencer, Broadway sound engineer and regular SoundGirls contributor Heather Augustine sits down with Andy and Sean to chat about her long touring career (including Billy Elliot, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, and Mean Girls), her transition from touring to subbing on Broadway shows such Funny Girl, SIX, and A Beautiful Noise to mixing her first full-time show on Broadway, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Episode Links:Heather Augustine On SoundGirlsClip From Mix Training Video For The 2019 National Tour Of Miss SaigonNPR Article Featuring HeatherHeather On The SoundGirls PodcastGlass Slippers Give You Blisters (Book)Cody Spencer’s Tony Acceptance SpeechEpisode 256 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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 thereEpisode 256 Transcript

In Episode 255, Andy is joined by DC-area based sound engineer Joe “Chef” McGrath, fresh off working together on a now rare “industrial musical” in NY this week. They start off talking about Joe’s extensive work as the mixer for the Ultimate Rap League, and why the mic of choice for them for rap battles might be the brand you’d expect, but almost certainly isn’t the model you’d guess! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.From there, they discuss different aspects of freelance life, including setting and negotiating rates, and when and how to take a gig you really want even if they can’t pay your usual rates without getting taken advantage of.Episode Links:Ultimate Rap LeagueEpisode 255 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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 time for an end-of-spring check-in, as Andy and Sean sit down at the microphones in Episode 254 to catch up on everything they’ve been up to the last month. Sean talks about his trip to Texas to help with a loudspeaker demo for RCF and gives Andy and the listeners a follow-up on his adventures in freewire DSP from a couple episodes ago. Meanwhile, Andy shares some stories and thoughts from a busy month of out-of-town jobs, including a massive multi-city corporate event, a major show mishap that made an online “AV Rigging Disasters” page, and mixing monitors for a huge concert at the Kennedy Center. Some of the tech tips that come up this week include using Unity Connect for passing Dante audio over the internet, and the power of the latest generation of noise reduction processors. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Andy and Sean also spend a bit of time talking about finding gigs and evaluating resumes — specifically when being an audio “Renaissance person”/jack of all trades is a good thing, and when it’s not.Be sure to check out 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 thereEpisode 254 Transcript

Veteran front of house engineer Paul Bevan joins the show in Episode 253 and discusses his eclectic career that includes mixing a wide range of gigs, from regal (Boston Pops Fourth of July) to raucous (Mott the Hoople), and just about everything in between. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.While his music mixing resume is extensive — including The Spin Doctors, Hall & Oates, The Chieftains, and more — and his corporate and broadcast resumes are equally vast, Paul is perhaps best known for helping create the genre of showing films with the score performed live by a symphony orchestra, a specialty that’s led to mixing countless performances such as the Lord of the Rings and Star Wars movies, Amadeus, and doing both the live and broadcast mixes for the Emmy Award winning Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton — Live From Lincoln CenterEpisode Links:Paul Bevan WebsiteBatman Suite (excerpt from Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton — Live From Lincoln Center)Episode 253 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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 252, the hosts are joined by Elliot Carroll, director of audio services for Show Imaging, who talks about the business side of audio — deciding what gear to buy (or, more importantly, not buy), when to say yes or no to a proposed project, training staff, keeping staff happy and healthy on job sites, and much more. Elliot’s spent the past 20 years specializing primarily in corporate audio, with stops along the way doing festivals in below freezing weather in Denver, and even running away with the circus for a stretch. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Episode Links:Show ImagingElliot Carroll on LinkedInEpisode 252 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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 thereEpisode 252 Transcript

In Episode 251, Tony-award sound designer Jessica Paz joins the show and talks about all things Broadway and touring sound design, including how to make a theatre sound like a stadium or an intimate office as well as the trials and tribulations of doing live theatre outdoors at New York’s iconic Delacorte Theatre for Shakespeare in the Park, and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.Jessica’s the first, and to date only, non-male Tony-winning sound designer. She’s collaborated on Broadway productions that include Hadestown (Tony and Drama Desk Award, Best Sound Design of a Musical), A Beautiful Noise, Dear Evan Hansen, Bandstand, Disaster!, The Assembled Parties, and Fela! (Tony Award, Best Sound Design of a Musical).Episode Links:Jessica Paz DesignsMeyer Sound Profile Of Jessica PazJessica Paz Tony Acceptance SpeechTheatre Avenue: Problem Solving in Sound DesignTheatre Avenue: Sound Design of Little Shop of HorrorsKrotos Interview With Jessica PazEpisode 251 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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 250, Sean and Andy take it back to the early days of grunge when they talk to Craig Montgomery, the front of house engineer for Nirvana. He details mixing and managing small tours and festivals in a van with Kurt, Dave, and Krist from 1989 to 1993 as well as going on to tour manage for Hole, and mix and tour manage other well-known artists including TAD, Mudhoney, Weezer, and The Presidents of the United States. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.After getting off the road, Craig settled back home in Seattle, where he had a nearly 15-year tenure as the house sound engineer for famed venue The Triple Door, which he’s only recently retired from. And, as always, there are lots of useful tips and tricks scattered in with all the amazing history Craig has to share, so you’ll definitely want to give this one a listen!Episode Links:Craig Montgomery Reddit AMAPhotos From The Nirvana Days99 Percent Invisible: “Whomst Amongst Us Let The Dogs Out”American Songwriter: Nirvana Sound Engineer Craig Montgomery Shares Stories About the BandEpisode 250 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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 249, Sean and Andy gather around the microphones with Sam Kusnetz, education and training manager for Figure 53’s QLab and founder of Team Sound, maker of MIDI hardware and testers specifically designed for live audio playback users. Sam talks about growing up and falling into theatre in New York, working on smaller tours and regional theatres across the country, and then eventually settling into a dual role as a NY-based associate sound designer and, for the last decade and change, a core member of the QLab support and development team.Sam and the hosts focus on using QLab across all aspects of live sound, from theatre to corporate audio, and even employing it for more exotic things like calling followspot cues in concerts. Sam also discusses some lesser known features and tips and tricks that QLab 5 allows, shares the power of the free and daily rental licenses for QLab as well as the more standard perpetual licenses, and talks about QLab’s free sibling iPhone/iPad app, Go Button.They also spend some time talking about some of the biggest changes that came in QLab 5, such as fully chasing timecode, multi-computer client/server collaboration functions, and much more, and get a brief overview of Team Sound’s hardware, which is showing up in more and more sound engineers’ tool boxes every day!Episode Links:Figure 53QLab AppGo Button AppTeam SoundEpisode 249 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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 248, the hosts visit with front of house engineer Burton Ishmael, who is currently mixing Madonna’s global Celebration tour, and learn about how the artist sought him out after hearing him mix Post Malone, the latest in a list of A-List hip-hop and R&B acts on his resume that also includes Lil Baby, Nas, Big Sean, Miguel, and H.E.R., and others. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.They also talk about what it takes to make a concert spanning a 40-year career sound coherent and contemporary while still remaining true to the individual eras of the artist’s career, as well as the unique collaborative process involved in mixing the vocals and effects for Madonna. And, they spend some time digging into Burton’s outboard signal chains for both Madonna and Post Malone.Episode Links:Burton Ishmael On YouTubeRig Tour: Post Malone Front Of House Engineer Burton Ishmael (YouTube)This is DeLaCruz! — Running Sound For Madonna — Burton Ishmael (YouTube)Episode 248 TranscriptBe sure to check out 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