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Ask the Experts – How to Produce a Podcast

There’s a lot that goes into making a great podcast beyond pressing record and rambling for a while before hitting the upload button. From strategy and pre-production, how to record a podcast, and editing, through to distribution, our Ask the Experts webinar has you covered.

We’re going to talk about choosing a name and artwork, planning your topics, getting the most out of your guests, creating a narrative and cleaning up the sound in the editing and post-production stages, how and where to host and distribute your podcast, and a lot more.

This is your opportunity to have your questions answered by Fela Davis, Larry Millburn, Beckie Campbell, and Chris Leonard.

Tuesday, March 30th at 6 PM EST / 3 PM PST

Register Here and Post Your Questions

Moderated by Laura Clapp Davidson

Laura Clapp Davidson heads up the retail market development team for Shure. She brings passion and knowledge of gear that comes from over 15 years in the MI industry. When she isn’t talking about music equipment, she’s singing or playing through it as a professional singer/songwriter. Laura lives in her hometown of Guilford, CT with her two daughters, two dogs, two rabbits, and one very patient husband.

Panelists
Fela Davis

Fela is a graduate of Full Sail University with 20 years of experience in audio engineering and inducted into the University’s Hall of Fame in 2020. Her mixing experience at front of the house position includes Ron Carter, Brian Blade, Jose Feliciano, Meshell Ndegeocello, Bilal, and almost a decade with 6-time Grammy Award winner Christian McBride, mixing sold-out shows across Asia, Europe, Canada, and America.

Currently, I co-own One of One Productions Studio and a writer for Pro Sound News and Podcast Pro Newsletter. With many of her studio clients needing home audio setup, we began selling one and two-person audio kits. One of One Audio Kits includes Focusrite interfaces, Lewitt Microphone, Wireworld Cable, AKG or CAD headphones, and a waterproof travel case! Check out One of One Audio Kits and more audio related gear at our One of One Shopify store!

Larry Millburn

Larry Milburn, Producer: Award-winning filmmaker Larry Milburn has been involved as a producer/editor on several behind-the-scenes EPK’s and DVD documentary projects for both film and commercial production studios as well as advertising agencies such as FOX, Columbia Pictures, BBDO Detroit, RSA, and BMW.

It was with great pleasure that he was asked to co-produce the film SWEET BLUES: A FILM ABOUT MIKE BLOOMFIELD, directed by Bob Sarles and part of the 2014 Sony Legacy Boxed set FROM HIS HEAD TO HIS HEART TO HIS HANDS. As a cousin of Michael Bloomfield’s, this film helps to keep the memory of such a gifted guitar player relevant and alive. Along with film, music plays a large part of Larry’s life, and when he finds the opportunity to marry the two he takes full advantage. Since 2016, Larry has been the host of the podcast ROADIE FREE RADIO, a weekly series on which he interviews the men and women behind the scenes of the music and film business. He has also produced podcasts for wide range of his commercial clients.

Beckie Campbell

Beckie Campbell is a FOH, Mon Engineer, and Owner of B4Media Production. As a twenty-year veteran of the music business, Beckie has had the honor to help mentor and train teams for several theaters, live events, and houses of worship. All while touring as a FOH Engineer for major acts and still working local hometown gigs. Beckie has had the pleasure to work with major acts such as Indigo Girls, Altman Betts Band, The Commodores, Nicole Nordaman, Firehouse, Colt Ford, Ace Freely, Julian Marley, Gary Pucket and Union Gap, just to name a few. She has also mixed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, 30A Songwriters Festival, and does the live and on-air mixes for the City of Orlando Christmas Tree and 4th of July Live Shows. Early in her career, she was a Technical Director/FOH Engineer for two Mega Churches in Florida.

During the pandemic,Beckie has continued to find work including Producing and Training at HOW, doing installs for streaming, online training, and is one of the hosts of the SoundGirls Podcast and the Orlando SoundGirls Chapter head.

Chris Leonard

Chris Leonard has been in the professional live audio world for almost two decades, following in the footsteps of his father. As a monitor engineer with Maryland Sound International, he toured with artists like Tears for Fears, Don Henley, Disturbed,
Josh Groban, Anthony Hamilton and more.

Chris is currently Director of Audio at IMS Technology Services, where he has spent the last ten years overseeing and managing all aspects of audio for the Event Staging Division of the company. IMS is a full-scale production company providing audio, video, and lighting for special events, conferences, and conventions nationwide. A highlight while at IMS includes designing and mixing for the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory parade, with an estimated 800,000 + audience and the largest outdoor event in Philadelphia’s history. He has also worked on the last four Presidential Inaugurations.

Chris is a co-host on the Signal To Noise Podcast presented by ProSoundWeb. The podcast has over 70 episodes and has been downloaded over 100,000 times. The show features conversations with people from all corners of the live sound industry, from FOH and monitor engineers, tour managers, Broadway sound designers, broadcast mixers, and more. Chris’s current project, “How We Got Loud” begins with this podcast focusing on the stories of the people, technology, and passion that built the history of live sound, with many plans to grow and expand beyond the podcast in years to come.

 

 

Ask the Experts – Teching for Live Sound Engineers

 

The role of FOH or Monitor Tech differs from the role of system and stage techs, system engineers and crew chiefs. They work alongside FOH and Monitor Engineers and responsible for setting up and maintaining the FOH/Mon equipment. (consoles and processing). The FOH Tech is responsible for running walk in and out music, announcements, media feeds. FOH techs often fill the role of the system engineer and are responsible for or assist in the EQ and time alignment of the system and setting the rigging points. FOH Techs can be called on to record the performance through digital technology such as Pro Tools. FOH Techs often mix the opening artists. FOH Techs should have solid experience with different consoles and outboard processing.

At the other end of the snake, Monitor Techs are often responsible for In-Ear Monitoring Systems (IEMs) and RF coordination. The Monitor Tech will most likely be responsible for mixing monitors for the opening artists. The Monitor Tech should have solid experience with different consoles and outboard processing, as well as different types of monitor and IEM systems.

Both of these positions are often filled by well-established engineers. FOH and Monitor Techs often work with Artist Engineers on a regular basis and are an important part of a touring production.

This is your opportunity to have your questions answered by Rachael Moser, Krysten Dean, Trevor Waite, and Ivan Ortiz.

Feb. 20, 2021, at 11 AM PST

Register Here and Post Your Questions

Moderated by Beth O’Leary

Beth is a freelance live sound engineer and tech-based in Sheffield, England. While studying for her degree in zoology, she got distracted working for her university’s volunteer entertainment society and ended up in the music industry instead of wildlife conservation. Over the last ten years, she has done everything from pushing boxes in tiny clubs to touring arenas and spends a lot of her life in muddy fields working on most of the major festivals in the UK. She has a particular passion for flying PA, the black magic that is RF, travel, and good coffee. Read Beth’s Blog

Panelists
Kyrsten Dean

Krysten is a touring Sound System Engineer and Crew Chief working for Eighth Day Sound Systems, but if you said Krysten on the road, most people would not know who you were talking about because everyone calls her “KD.” She has been working in professional audio for the last 17 years after quitting her corporate engineering job. She has toured with JayZ, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Earth, Wind and Fire, Drake, and Madonna to name a few. She is also an entrepreneur working to introduce more women and people of color to the technical side of the touring industry, through what she likes to call S.T.E.M.M. – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Music.

Trevor Waite 

Trevor works for Group One Limited as a technical support engineer. The company is the US distributor for Digico, Calrec, Klang: technologies and Avolites, among other professional audio and lighting brands. Prior to this Trevor was an audio technician for Firehouse Productions and Eighth Day Sound. Trevor has worked as technician, engineer and crew chief for multiple tours, festivals, and one-offs. Over the years, as both an independent and staff engineer, he has mixed monitors for countless well-known artists, including Harry Belafonte, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Thirty Seconds to Mars, The Black Keys and many others.

Trevor worked for The Who  (from 2007 – 2019) as a monitor tech for their two monitor engineers Bob Pridden and Simon Higgs. Trevor would take over mixing for Pete Townshend when Bob retired.

Rachael Moser

Rachael has worked for Clair Global in Nashville for over ten years as a PA Tech, Monitor Systems Tech, RF Tech, Monitor Mixer, and most recently System Engineer/Crew Chief. She has worked in audio for over 15 years and attended Belmont University, graduating from their Audio Engineering Technology program with a BS and minor in business

Ivan Ortiz

Ivan is an audio veteran, with over 18 years of experience in professional audio – gaining his education working for a small sound company that specialized in Latin acts while attending Full Sail. After he graduated he headed to the west coast – taking an internship at Rat Sound Systems and his “can-do attitude” led to weekend work with several Los Angeles-based sound companies. Ivan would go on to tour as a system tech for Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Pepe Aguilar and toured for several years as a monitor engineer for My Chemical Romance, Gavin DeGraw, and multiple fill-in gigs for other bands as FOH or MON Engineer.

Ivan would go on to work for LD Systems in Houston Texas working the Houston Rodeo as Monitors Engineer for the event for five consecutive years. While working for LD Systems Ivan also had the opportunity to work on nationally televised events as the A1 for NCAA Final Four, NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Houston’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, before returning to Rat as shop manager and all-around Tech Master.  Ivan is now the Technical Resources and Account Manager at Rat Sound Systems.

 

SoundGirls Electricity and Stage Patch

Learn the basics of Electricity and Stage Patch, and Putting together a Gig Bag.

Electricity

This workshop will cover the Basics of Electricity.  What you need to know on the gig – Not a bunch of theory, but what we need to know for gigs. There are two basic aspects of working with electricity. One is to move enough electrical power from point A to point B to adequately energize the equipment that requires it. The other is to do it safely. Sometimes, these two factors will be in conflict with each other, usually because of budgetary restraints Large wire and cables are needed to move a lot of power, and they are expensive to purchase and install properly, but small, cheap gangs of “extension cords” may seem to get the job done, until a plug or receptacle burns out, or a cable catches on fire. And therein lies the potentiality for serious problems.


Stage Patch

Stage Patch is the most important job on a gig. You will learn how to properly wire a stage, learn how to make input lists, festival patches, and best steps to becoming a patch master.


Gig Bag

What’s in your Gig Bag:  Learn what tools you should have in your gig bag.


Taught by Ivan Ortiz

Ivan Ortiz is an audio veteran, with over 18 years of experience in professional audio – gaining his education working for a small sound company that specialized in Latin acts while attending Full Sail. After he graduated he headed to the west coast – taking an internship at Rat Sound Systems and his “can do attitude” led to weekend work with several Los Angeles based sound companies. Ivan would go on to tour as a system tech for Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Pepe Aguilar and toured for several years as a monitor engineer for My Chemical Romance, Gavin DeGraw, and multiple fill in gigs for other bands as FOH or MON Engineer.

Ivan would go on to work for LD Systems in Houston Texas working the Houston Rodeo as Monitors Engineer for the event for five consecutive years. While working for LD Systems Ivan also had the opportunity to work on national televised events as the A1 for NCAA Final Four, NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Houston’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, before returning to Rat as shop manager and all around Tech Master.  Ivan is now the Technical Resources Manager at Rat Sound Systems.

 

SoundGirls FOH Tuning Workshop – Los Angeles

This  workshop covers various Front of House system design and scenarios. Topics include designing the PA, software prediction, coverage over SPL, time alignment, sub-woofer configurations, and coverage gaps. This is an intermediate course and will help professionals to hone their skills.

Designing  your  PA  

Using  Prediction  Software  accurately  

Coverage  over  SPL  

Time  Alignment  

Subwoofer  configurations  

Filling  the  gaps  of  coverage

About Ivan Ortiz

Ivan Ortiz is an audio veteran, with over 18 years of experience in professional audio – gaining his education working for a small sound company that specialized in Latin acts while attending Full Sail. After he graduated he headed to the west coast – taking an internship at Rat Sound Systems and his “can do attitude” led to weekend work with several Los Angeles based sound companies. Ivan would go on to tour as a system tech for Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Pepe Aguilar and toured for several years as a monitor engineer for My Chemical Romance, Gavin DeGraw, and multiple fill in gigs for other bands as FOH or MON Engineer.

Ivan would go on to work for LD Systems in Houston Texas working the Houston Rodeo as Monitors Engineer for the event for five consecutive years. While working for LD Systems Ivan also had the opportunity to work on national televised events as the A1 for NCAA Final Four, NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Houston’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, before returning to Rat as shop manager and all around Tech Master.  Ivan is now the Technical Resources Manager at Rat Sound Systems.

 

SoundGirls FOH Workshop – Los Angeles

This  workshop covers various Front of House system design and scenarios. Topics include designing the PA, software prediction, coverage over SPL, time alignment, sub-woofer configurations, and coverage gaps. This is an intermediate course and will help professionals to hone their skills.

Designing  your  PA  

Using  Prediction  Software  accurately  

Coverage  over  SPL  

Time  Alignment  

Subwoofer  configurations  

Filling  the  gaps  of  coverage

About Ivan Ortiz

Ivan Ortiz is a veteran, with over 18 years of experience in professional audio – gaining his education working for a small sound company that specialized in Latin acts while attending Full Sail. After he graduated he headed to the west coast – taking an internship at Rat Sound Systems and his “can do attitude” led to weekend work with several Los Angeles based sound companies. Ivan would go on to tour as a system tech for Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Pepe Aguilar and toured for several years as a monitor engineer for My Chemical Romance, Gavin DeGraw, and multiple fill in gigs for other bands as FOH or MON Engineer.

Ivan would go on to work for LD Systems in Houston Texas working the Houston Rodeo as Monitors Engineer for the event for five consecutive years. While working for LD Systems Ivan also had the opportunity to work on national televised events as the A1 for NCAA Final Four, NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Houston’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, before returning to Rat as shop manager and all around Tech Master.  Ivan is now the Technical Resources Manager at Rat Sound Systems.

 

SoundGirls Workshops – Rat Sound Systems

Soundgirls.Org Workshops – Dec. 2016 and Jan. 2017

All Seminars are held at

Rat Sound Systems

486 Constitution Ave

Camarillo, CA 93012

Seminars taught by Ivan Ortiz

10 am to 2 pm

Cost per seminar $40

20% discount for two or more seminars

Financial Assistance Available


Dec. 10 – Workshop on Best Practice for Throw and Go FOH and MONs

Seminar will cover:

Venue Limitations (Stage dims, proximity effect, House gear)

Priority in dialing a mix

Foldback mixing

Microphone selection and placement

File Storage

Digital console file management

What size USB, Virus protection

Festival file management for guest engineers (output patching, global, scenes, etc.)

Overview on different consoles – Hands on

Digico

Midas

Avid

Soundcraft


 

Dec. 17 – Power / Networking – Workshop on Best Practice for Power

Seminar will cover:

3 phase power vs. single phase

Clean power source

Isolating transformers

Battery backups

What you must know

Multi-meter

Dynamic Load

Generator power

Load Balancing

Networking

TCP/IP and the dot whatevers

Audio via Cat5 (Dante, AVB, etc.)


 

Jan 18th – What skills You Must Have

Seminar will include:

Listening/Mixing

Technical

Bring your many hats

People Skills

Communication

Know your place in a production

Working with Stage Crew

What are Sound Companies looking for in a technician

Qualities

Knowledge

Personality


 

Jan 14 – Understanding RF

Seminar will include

Transmission

Antennae

Cables and Impedance

FCC regulations

Active / Passive / Helical

Best Practice

Ideal and not so ideal scenarios

What not to do

Having a plan of action

Coordination

US Major cities

Tools / Software

Reality check

Limited Spectrum


 

Registration – Space is limited

If you would like to register for these seminars – please email soundgirls@soundgirls.org with the following info.  We will send you an invoice to pay for the seminars. You will not be registered until payment is made. We will send you confirmation of registration.

Please include

Name:


 

Phone:


 

Email:


 

Seminars you would like to register for:

Dec. 10 – Workshop on Best Practice for Throw and Go FOH and MONs

Dec. 17 – Power / Networking – Workshop on Best Practice for Power

Jan 18 – What skills You Must Have

Jan 14 – Understanding RF

All seminars are $40, there is a 20% discount if you register for two or more seminars.

Financial Aid is available.

 

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