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Liam provides the mixing console, CAT5 cable & stageboxes for Yamaha's Music School concert at Nottingham Albert Hall.

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Role Title: Live Sound Engineer

Role Description:

Sound Engineers are audio professionals that work in live events such as Festivals, Music Venues and studios. These skilled individuals are vital to the creation of live music with their knowledge to operate a variety of equipment including mixing consoles, microphones, amplifiers and speakers. They also need to have leadership and communication skills to make sure all crew are satisfied.

Relevant Skills that are Mandatory or Preferred:

Mandatory:

Good Leadership Skills

Execellent Communication Skills

Proficient in Audio equipment & software

Strong knowledge of Audio Engineering and techniques.

Familiarity with different audio equipment

Ability to work under pressure

Pay attention to detail

Time Management

Preferred:

Basic understanding of music theory

Training and Qualifications preferred, some may include Audio Engineering, Dante Networking, Rational Acoustics Smaart, Health & Safety of lifting heavy equipment.

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Role Title: Musician

Role Description:

Musicians are individuals who possesses the knowledge to compose, create or perform either live or in the studio. Musicians can vary in their talents which can either include the ability to play a wide range of instruments, vocal or composing music. These abilities can either be used in the studio or live.

Relevant Skills that are Mandatory or Preferred:

Mandatory:

Good Leadership Skills

Execellent Communication Skills

Familiarity with different audio equipment

Creativity

Motivation and determination

Pay attention to detail

Time Management

Ability to play an instrument well.

Preferred:

Training and Qualifications preferred, some may include music theory, Music Technology and Audio Engineering.

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A Music Director conducting a live orchestra

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Role Title: Music Director

Role Description:

Music Directors direct and conduct instrumental performances, such as orchestra, choir or other vocal performances. These individuals often gestures to communicate with other musicians which keeps them in time and on key.

Relevant Skills that are Mandatory:

Mandatory:

Good Leadership Skills

Execellent Communication Skills

A passion for Music and a good working knowledge within the Music Industry

Creativity

Motivation and determination

Pay attention to detail

Time Management

Advanced Knowledge of Music Theory

Training and Qualifications preferred, some may include Audio Engineering, Music Theory, Orchestrating and Music.

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A Lighting Director operating lighting & other lighting components at a large sized event.

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Role Title: LD (Lighting Director)

Role Description:

Lighting Directors play an important role in the production of film, television, theatre and live events. These individuals work alongside the AV crew to set the atmosphere of productions and ensure the performance is lit for audiences.

Relevant Skills that are Mandatory:

Mandatory:

Good Leadership Skills

Execellent Communication Skills

A passion for working in the live production industry

Creativity

Motivation and determination

Pay attention to detail

Time Management

Advanced Knowledge of DMX protocol, Lighting, rigging and programing lights.

Preferred:

Training and Qualifications preferred, some may include DMX Programming and Lighting, Rigging, Health & Safety with lifting heavy equipment & safe use of Pyrotechnics.

Career Paths:

You have many paths you can take when you become a Musician, some jobs include..

Sound Engineer

Production Designer

Tour Manager

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Role Title: Casual Technician

Role Description:

Casual Technicians work as part of a team, under instruction of the Technical Manager or Stage Manager. Working as a Casual Technician gives the opportunity to support with Lighting, Audio and Visuals.

Relevant Skills that are Mandatory:

Mandatory:

Execellent Communication Skills

Be able to work within a team

A passion for working in the live production industry

Motivation and determination

Physically Fit

Time Management

General Knowledge of AV

Career Paths:

You have many paths you can take when you become a Musician, some jobs include..

Sound Engineer

Lighting Technician

Lighting Director

Tour Manager

Rigger

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Career Paths:

You have many paths you can take when you become a Sound Engineer, some jobs include..

Music Producer

Recording Engineer

Podcast Producer

Film Sound Designer

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Career Paths:

You have many paths you can take when you become a Musician, some jobs include..

Sound Engineer

Composer

Music Teacher

Tour Manager

Radio Producer

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Career Paths:

You have many paths you can take when you become a Music Director, some jobs include..

Sound Engineer

Music Teacher

Radio Producer

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Career Paths:

You have many paths you can take when you become a Lighting Director, some jobs include..

Sound Engineer

Production Designer

Tour Manager

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Career Paths:

You have many paths you can take when you become a Casual Technician, some jobs include..

Sound Engineer

Lighting Technician

Lighting Director

Tour Manager

Rigger

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Luke at the Bethel Campus Broadcast Studio

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Broadcast Sound Engineer for Bethel Church

Luke Hendrickson is a mixing engineer, producer, and musician. He has over 20 years of professional experience, working in studios and mixing live.

Luke started out in his early teen years, with a hobby for Music; playing piano, guitar, and drums which was inspired by his parents who are worship leaders.

His first introduction to DAW software was in the late 90's, where he discovered a software which allows you to multi-track record multiple audio layers together. Creating demo tracks for his friends, then eventually being offered cash to create some tracks for small artists.

Luke always looked up to Bethel Church, and was given the opportunity to hang out with some leaders from the ministery. This allowed him to get known within the production team of Bethel, and eventually offered the opportunity to join their productions.

He is now a Tech Director and Broadcast Mix Engineer for Bethel Church.

Transferable Skills:

Creative Sound Design - Creativity in sound design sets apart skilled audio engineers from exceptional ones. This skill allows the imaginative use of audio elements to create a certain atmosphere or mood for various projects, such as music production in studio's and can be transferred to live audio mixing. This skillset can also be used for other productions such as film, television and video games.

Critical Listening - An engineer must posess acute listening skills, with a critical ear for detail and sound quality. This includes the ability to hear certain nuances in sound, identify imperfections, subtle microphone feedback and make minor adjustments to achieve a perfect mix. Analytical skills allow an engineer to evaluate audio content, understand different acoustic enviroments, and apply techncial knowledge to solve complex audio challenges they may face.

Project Management - Organisational skills are important for audio engineers as they need to navigate complex schedules and deadlines. They must prioritise to finish projects that have tight deadlines. Efficiency in managing time, resources and workflows is key to meeting the demands of production schedules.

Understanding of Audio Equipment - A Deep understanding of sound equipment, soft, and hardware, such as mixing consoles, microphones and digital audio workstations (DAWs) will allow engineers to work under any conditions, with any consoles and software.

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Ed Sheeran is an Award-Winning musician, songwriter and singer known for hit songs like 'Castle on the Hill', 'Thinking out Loud' and 'Shape of you'.

Ed began playing guitar at a young age and soon after, he started writing his own songs. When he was a teenager, he moved to London to further pursue his music. This gave him a massive boost in popularity, releasing EPs and performing at hundreds of live shows. After gaining popularity on major music streaming services, he reached No. 1 on the iTunes Chart before he was given the opportunity to sign up with Atlantic Records. He has now sold millions of records and won Grammys for his songs.

Transferable Skills:

Creativity - Creativity and and Imagination are essential for transforming simple melodies into catchy ones. It's what seperates the great songwriters to the good ones.

The ability to improvise and spontaneously create music is crucial for musicians and songwriters

Attention to Detail - Placeholder

Time Management - Placeholder

Dedication, Discipline, and Commitment - Placeholder

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Chris Marsh mixing on a Digico Quantum 7 during Ed Sheeran's Divide Tour

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Sound Engineer & Production Manager for Ed Sheeran's Tour

Starting out over 25 years ago, initally as a Freelance Sound Engineer, Chris Marsh has worked with a variety of artists, including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Prince and Andrea Bocelli.

In 2011, he took a chance on an unknown, upcoming artist and became the production manager for Ed Sheeran. He worked in venues as small as clubs, to festivals, arenas and now stadiums.

As the production got bigger, Marsh tried using a Digico SD11i mixing console for his Solo Tours, finding it a perfect solution to a compact console, but with the same amount of flexibility and DSP of the Digico SD7, which he used whilst working on Diana Ross's Tour.

Today, he mixes both Front of House and Monitors for Ed and his band on a Digico Quantum 7.

Transferable Skills:

Creative Sound Design - Creativity in sound design sets apart skilled audio engineers from exceptional ones. This skill allows the imaginative use of audio elements to create a certain atmosphere or mood for various projects, such as music production in studio's and can be transferred to live audio mixing. This skillset can also be used for other productions such as film, television and video games.

Critical Listening - An engineer must posess acute listening skills, with a critical ear for detail and sound quality. This includes the ability to hear certain nuances in sound, identify imperfections, subtle microphone feedback and make minor adjustments to achieve a perfect mix. Analytical skills allow an engineer to evaluate audio content, understand different acoustic enviroments, and apply techncial knowledge to solve complex audio challenges they may face.

Project Management - Organisational skills are important for audio engineers as they need to navigate complex schedules and deadlines. They must prioritise to finish projects that have tight deadlines. Efficiency in managing time, resources and workflows is key to meeting the demands of production schedules.

Understanding of Audio Equipment - A Deep understanding of sound equipment, soft, and hardware, such as mixing consoles, microphones and digital audio workstations (DAWs) will allow engineers to work under any conditions, with any consoles and software.

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Billy Strings performing at Red Rocks Amphitheater

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Billy Strings (William Lee Apostol) is a Musician, Songwriter and Singer known for his Bluegrass and Country music.

William always had a taste for music, inspired by legendary musicians including Tony Rice, Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs and Earl Scruggs.

William was four years old when his father bought him his first guitar. His father, Terry Barber managed to bargain a $25 deal on a guitar he spotted in an antique shop in Ionia, Michigan, and came home with an instrument that would set young William on a path to bluegrass history. Fast forward 20 years and he has had the opportunity to perform with Del McCoury, David Grisman, Greensky Bluegrass, Sam Bush, and more. In 2016 he won the international Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Awards Instrumentalist of the Year.

He is now touring with his band all over the USA & Europe.

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Joe Jearson is a Musician, Singer and Conductor. He is the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Symphonia Verbom Orchestra, Stoke-On-Trent's first and only orchestra.

Born to musical parents in Stoke, his earliest years were spent in performance venues around Staffordshire, where his dad would be conducting musicals and his mum playing with brass bands. Even life at home as a child was were filled with a variety of musical sounds as his parents taught their students.

It was sure as Joe grew up; he would become a musical genius. It was through his parents' production company that Joe had his first conducvting experience, conducting the overture to The Pirates of Penzance, and soon afterwards, the musical calamity Jane.

When he dad passed away following an 18-year-long battle with caner during the rehearsal period for My Fair Lady in concert at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, it was appropriate that Joe took over and conducted the concert. He has never looked back.

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Aside from college, I work as a Freelance AV technician and Video Editor, creating engaging videos for content creators on YouTube.

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Timeline of a DHGate Haul Unboxing Video, one of the videos I have produced and edited for a regular client. I use Premiere Pro for editing and After Effects for motion graphics.

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Another project I worked on, for the same client.

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Liam running tech for a dance show at the Mitchell Arts Centre

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I currently work two freelance jobs, both video editing and sound engineering. For the 2 years, I have worked on a wide variety of events. Some including orchestra's, music festivals and ran tech for dance shows. Alongside my audio career, I produce lots of different video content for YouTube creators. Having worked with clients such as Supershiftery, EMKAY Plays and Jamall Resells.

Average Income:

Audio Engineering: I earn about £250 on average per event. This does not include fuel allowance, accommodation and equipment rental costs.

However this past year, I have only been called up for a total of 6 events which gives me £1,675 to work with. (One event was charged more than the rest, hense that amount of income.)

Video Editing: I produce 4-5 videos a week, with the cost per project being £36. This gives me on average £600 a month.

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Skill Rating: 1-5 (from a skill needing improvement to mastered skill)

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I have fantastic communication skills within a team. An example of this is working with other musicians, ensuring I have all of the technical specifications provided by the band or organisers of the show. Making sure I am able to provide the correct equipment for their event.

Long term: Improved teamwork & communication will allow me to work efficiently for larger and more production heavy events in the near future.

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Over the last couple years, I have improved my ability to problem solve and work confidently around change. This skill is important for any job, but especially cruicial when working as a Sound Engineer or technician; when discovering a technical issue and working to solve it without panic. This shows professionalism but also resilience and great knowledge of equipment.

An example of this skill: During Cliff Festival 24, I had to clear the stage and set up a full band in a very short changeover time of about 10 minutes. In this time I didn't have chance to look at the mixing console to check whether all instruments and vocals were unmuted as I was using the iPad remote mixing app.

Once the set started, I soon realised I had no background vocal coming out of the PA, even though I had a healthy amount of signal coming into the channel and the fader at 0db, unity.

I originally thought I double patched an instrument or vocal; causing phase issues with whatever was already patched. It turned out the background vocal was muted on the desk, but I couldn't see what channels were muted on the iPad App. I quickly unmuted the channel and that solved the problem.

During this time I didn't panic, I ruled out what could be the potential problem until I figured it out.

Long term: A fantastic skill to write down into your resume, this shows employeers you are a great problem solver and show professionalism.

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Creativity in Sound Design sets your standard as a great audio engineer to a fantastic one. Being able to produce Audio Elements whilst adding some unique qualitites will set your work apart from other competing engineers.

When working as an Audio engineer, I always like to play and try new things to see how they sound during a show. This can include trying out new Waves plugins live with SoundGrid on audio elements such as Drums, Guitars and Vocals. SoundGrid allows you to insert any Virtual Plugins completely live with almost 0ms latency.

Long term: Being able to produce projects that sets you apart from others. This can increase your recognization amoungst other Musicians and Engineers.

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Smaart Suite Software - An essential SPL, Frequency Analysis & Sound System Measurement tool, used by many engineers and system techs across the globe.

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Acute Listening & Analysing Skills  (3 / 5)

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Acute Listening & Analysing Skills  (3 / 5)

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An audio engineer must posess acute listening skills, with a critical ear for detail and sound quality. This includes the ability to hear certain nuances in sound, identify imperfections, subtle microphone feedback and make minor adjustments to achieve a perfect mix. Analytical skills allow an engineer to evaluate audio content, understand different acoustic enviroments, and apply techncial knowledge to solve complex audio challenges they may face.

Long term: Having a critical ear for subtle nuances will allow you to create fantastic mixes in any type of acoustic environment.

Other engineers or AV companies will recognise this.

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I have execellent general & specific technical skills. I have operated and understand a wide range of digital and analog mixing consoles, some including Yamaha, Allen & Heath, Digico, Midas and more. Alongside this, I also have been teaching myself how to solder and make my own XLR cables.

Long term: Higher chance of getting a job in the Live Entertainment industry.

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Liam tries a Allen & Heath DLive C1500 Mixing Surface.

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As an audio engineer, you are expected to have both basic along with advanced knowledge of how to operate and mix effectively with digital and analog consoles.

Long term: With the experience of being able to operate multiple consoles with ease, companies will recognise your understanding and ability with a diversity of consoles.

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Setting up the 2nd Stage for Frodsham Christmas Festival 2023

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Organisational skills are important for audio engineers as they need to navigate complex schedules and deadlines. You must prioritise certain equipment to be set up first and as quickly and efficiently as possible, without comprimising health & safety.

Long term: In this industry; companies highly value efficient and seamless workers.

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Digico Quantum 338 used for Billy Strings' Europe Tour., provided by Major Tom Audio. One of the industry standard mixing consoles for large events.

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Adaptability to new industry trends is a critical skill for AV technicians in the increasing evolution of technology. Such as, newer and more powerful mixing consoles, new PA systems and other ground-breaking industry equipment. Engineers must be willing to learn and integrate new techniques and technologies. Those remaining flexible and proactive in adopting new industry standards of equipment will lead the future of audio engineering.

Long term: Engineers who are willing to learn and integrate techniques and technologies will lead the future of the Live Event Industry.