Live Sound / Live Music
Course 1: Safety and Operations

A career in live music as a live sound engineer can be fun and very rewarding. Nevertheless, live sound is serious business. Your positive, professional demeanor, high-caliber work, and exacting adherence to safety and best practices will set you apart from the rest. Part of that professionalism includes taking all proper precautions while on the stage.

Safety is paramount in live sound. There are a plethora of ways to get injured while setting up or running a show so developing the right habits and adhering to best practices is a must. Along with safety comes organization: From cables to logistics, you have to stay organized in the live sound field.

In the first course of our Live Sound Program, you’ll learn about safety, operations, and how there are no small gigs for a live sound engineer. Taping down cords, knowing where fire extinguishers are, proper lifting techniques, and using surge protectors are all important to keep your crews, your artists, and your gear safe.

Operationally, staying organized is invaluable. In your road cases, cables go with cables, mic cables with mic cables, instrument cables with instrument cables, etc. Punctuality is as important as anything: Showing up late means you’re hurrying to catch up and that’s when mistakes happen.

For all courses, you will need to take a quiz to test comprehension, touch base with your Academic Facilitator for scheduling your next in-person attendance, and record what you’ve learned in a weekly blog post. The main takeaway from the first course is you’re here to make your bands sound awesome–and you need to be prepared to do everything you can to make that happen safely.