This undergraduate course introduces the fundamentals of live sound in real venues, from small clubs to mid-size halls. You’ll build a practical foundation in acoustics, PA systems, power, system components, and troubleshooting, while learning how to design, deploy, and operate reliable live sound setups and communicate effectively with artists, venues, and production teams.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Design and deploy a live sound system for a specific event based on venue conditions, budget, and production needs
- Identify and connect core live sound system components, including microphones, speakers, mixers, amplifiers, and cabling
- Recognize how acoustics, power, and signal flow affect system performance in real-world venues
- Create and interpret essential live sound documentation, including stage plots and input lists
Course Description
Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Production 101 is for anyone who has the desire to work as a live sound engineer. You’ll learn all the basics needed to run a live sound event in 100-1,000-capacity venues. This course examines the craft of live audio when applied to musical performances, helping you develop an empirical approach that encourages you to try out different configurations, while empowering you to research and make informed decisions for your setup. We’ll cover the basics of acoustics and sound, moving on to how power works in a system. Next, we’ll discuss all the aspects of a sound system, including speakers, mixers, monitors, and how to troubleshoot and take care of equipment properly. We’ll also discuss analog vs. digital systems and the pros and cons of using wireless systems. Additionally, we’ll touch on mixing a live show. You’ll be able to put everything you’ve learned into practice and design your optimum system. Finally, you’ll reflect on your professional goals and develop a career plan.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Set up and operate a simple to mid-level PA system for live music and spoken-word events
- Employ basic live mixing techniques to balance levels and apply effects in a live setting
- Apply fundamental troubleshooting strategies to diagnose and resolve common live sound issues
- Differentiate front-of-house and monitor roles within small- to mid-scale live productions
- Identify potential career paths and employment contexts within the live audio industry
Syllabus
Lesson 1: The Fundamentals
- The Science of Sound
- Phase Coherence
- What is Sound Reinforcement?
- The Relationship Between Music and Audio
- Who Does What?
- The Mindset of Troubleshooting
- Assignment 1: Research Front-of-House Engineers
Lesson 2: Room Acoustics
- The Live Environment and Your Ears
- When Sound Hits Things
- Why Rooms Sound How They Do
- Types of Rooms and Problems
- What Do We Do When a Room Sounds Bad?
- Dealing with Excessive Ambience
- Assignment 2: Review the Venue, Not the Performance
Lesson 3: Power: Power Amplifiers and Cables
- Basics of Electricity
- Grounding
- Power Amplifiers
- Crossover Systems
- Cables: Input Cables
- Speaker Cables
- Multi Cables/Snakes
- Power and Computer Cables
- Digital Audio Cables
- Assignment 3: Dante: Research and Applications
Lesson 4: Speakers
- How Speakers and Speaker Systems Work
- Simple Systems
- Mid-Level Systems
- Big Systems
- Time Alignment and Phase Coherence
- Software Involved in Deploying PA Systems
- Picking the Right Option
- Assignment 4: Speaker Specifications
Lesson 5: Inputs
- Microphones
- Dynamic Microphones
- Condenser Microphones
- Specialized Microphones
- Direct Boxes
- How to Mic a Band: The Drum Set
- How to Mic a Band: Other Instruments
- How to Mic a Band: Vocals
- Assignment 5: Determine Microphones and Inputs
Lesson 6: Mixers
- The Mixer
- Main Sections
- Analog vs. Digital Consoles
- Offline Console Software
- Remote Control of Consoles
- Assignment 6: Create a Show File
Lesson 7: Digital and Analog
- Understanding Digital Audio
- A/D and D/A Converters
- Analog Outboard Gear
- Digital Outboard Gear
- Multitrack Recording
- Assignment 7: Compressor and Noise Gate
Lesson 8: Wireless
- Basics of Wireless
- The Hardware: Wireless Microphones
- The Hardware: In-Ear Systems
- Setting Up the Hardware
- Frequency Coordination
- Assignment 8: Research and Submit a Gear List
Lesson 9: Monitors
- The Role of the Monitoring Engineer
- Stage Monitoring
- Hardware Used in Stage Monitoring
- Types of Stage Monitors: Floor Monitors
- Types of Stage Monitors: Drum Fills
- Types of Stage Monitors: Side Fills
- Controlling Feedback
- In-Ear Monitoring
- Assignment 9: Monitor Mix Visualization
Lesson 10: Designing the System
- Advancing the Show
- PA Options
- Stage Plots
- Input Lists
- Reading Between the Lines
- Assignment 10: Create Documentation for a Live Show
Lesson 11: Mixing a Show
- The Call Sheet
- Mixing FOH and Monitors on the Same Console
- Mixing FOH
- Basic Effects
- Mixing Monitors
- The Politics of Mixing
- Building a Mix
- Assignment 11: Mix a Set of Pre-Recorded Tracks
Lesson 12: Employment Options
- How to Find Work
- Your Band, Local Bands, and Local Clubs
- Touring Sound Engineer
- Houses of Worship
- Sound Companies, Corporate Audio, and Broadcast
- Sporting Events
- Advice from the Pros
- Assignment 12: Apply for a Job
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
Students should have:
- Experience working with a full-featured DAW
- Desire to be a sound engineer
Textbook(s)
- Introduction To Live Sound Reinforcement by Teddy Boyce (FriesenPress, 2014)
- The Sound Reinforcement Handbook by Gary Davis and Ralph Jones for Yamaha (free PDF download provided within the course)
Software
- Full-featured Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), such as Pro Tools (Studio or Ultimate), Logic Pro, Cubase Pro, Ableton Live (Suite or Standard), Reaper, Reason, or FL Studio (Producer or Signature). Note that GarageBand is not acceptable.
- Yamaha’s RIVAGE PM Editor (free for Mac and Windows)
- Word processing software, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs (free), Apple Pages, Apache OpenOffice (free), etc.
Hardware
- Audio interface
- XLR microphone and cable
- Closed back, over-ear studio headphones (advanced tier or higher)
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
- macOS Monterey 12.0 or later
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author & Instructor
Toby Francis is a front of house engineer with more than 45 years of touring experience. He has worked with numerous artists including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Kanye West, Travis Scott, Aerosmith, and many more. While he spends most of his time touring, he is also a sales consultant for Clair Global, one of the world’s premier sound companies.
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Production 101 can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Related Degree Majors
Related Music Career Role
Employers look for skills learned in this course, when hiring for the following music career role:
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
