After class one day at the studio, my mentor introduced me to a Live Sound Engineer that owns a local sound company that needed a extra guy to help out around the shop, come to gigs and help wrap cables and do tech work.
After a few weeks of doing grunt work I started to mix some shows and he realized that I had a good ear. He decided to hire me as a Lead Engineer for a 10-piece band that he had just taken on. After working really hard and getting more Live Sound experience and gigs I was able to quit my full time job at a big chain music store and work full time doing live sound.
I found out that live sound suited me better than Studio work. Live sound is very fast paced environment and I get to work on different gear in different rooms, with different situations every gig. After graduating from the Recording Connection I've been working with a Live Sound company and I have gotten the opportunity to mix Monitors and Front of House for a variety of National Acts like, Ambrosia, Chad Smith (RHCP), Eddie Money, Edgar Winter Band, Fuel, Firehouse, George Lynch, Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall), John Waite (Bad English), John Corabi (Motley Crew, Ratt), Johnny Rabb (The New Deal), LA Guns, Little River Band, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (Motown), Robben Ford, Simon Kirke (Bad Company), The Three Degrees (Motown), Victor Wooten and many more.
Depending on if the band travels with an Engineer depends on what I do on that particular gig. If they bring an engineer I am a Stage Tech, if they don't I'll usually end up behind a console. I've been very lucky to work with big acts and I've gained more experience than I ever thought was possible in such a small amount of time. Along with mixing national acts I have also been privileged enough to work behind the console for high profile speakers such as Steve Forbes, Governor Ed Rendell, Mayor Michael Nutter, Merrill Reese, and the head coach of the Eagles Andy Reid. I've been so busy with work, I went back to my mentor and taken a few Recording Connection students and graduates to provide them with on the job experience to assist me with gigs.
Without Recording Connection none of this would have been possible. I'm living a dream of mine and I'm glad I decided to leave traditional college and work to become a Professional Audio Engineer. read more