Join Will for the Perfect Performance Bootcamp, a transformative six-month, on-demand program designed specifically for playback engineers, bands, and solo artists. Whether you dream of integrating original sounds into your live shows, mastering Ableton Live, or becoming a top playback engineer, this bootcamp promises real results, not just information.  Dive into exclusive content, weekly green room sessions, and personalized feedback to elevate your live performances. Don't miss this chance...

Imagine it's the first night of a an international tour. You're hired as tech to help with playback and drums, and suddenly the MD and keys player gets sick. You've got to step up and run playback and play keys.  COULD YOU DO IT?  That's exactly what my student David Dombrowski had to do. You'll hear how it went, and why he had the confidence he could make it happen. David is a touring drummer, playback tech, and all around great guy.  He was one of the first people to go through my coaching...

Get Access to my weekly group coaching calls 👇 https://fromstudiotostage.com/subscribe In this episode of "Behind the Space Bar," Will shares tips and tricks for successfully upgrading the operating system (OS) on a computer used for live performances. He emphasizes the importance of waiting for bugs to be fixed and being intentional about the timing of the upgrade. Key Takeaways: -Wait for bugs to be fixed and choose the right timing for the OS upgrade. -Back up files and the entire...

In this episode of "Behind the Spacebar," Will discusses the essential skills needed to become a successful playback engineer. He emphasizes the importance of service, the ability to say "yes" instead of "no," effective file management, quick edits, working quickly, handling multiple tasks, and staying calm under pressure. Key Takeaways: Playback engineering is all about service and making the artist or band feel comfortable. Saying "yes" instead of "no" is crucial for success as a playback...

Building a Playback rig? Don't make this mistake that I see all too often in new Playback Techs. The Playback and Playback Tech community is a wonderful community. I love the trend of sharing rig builds and learning what others are doing. Seeing the gear others rely on, and what they use to craft their sound is inspiring. But... I'm noticing an alarming trend with these Beautiful, Instagram worthy rigs... I share my thoughts in todays episode of Behind the Space Bar. #uglyrigsarebeautiful ...

If you're just starting out with Ableton or using tracks, you're not a burden-we're glad you're here! Every month, I hold a call just for From Studio to Stage students. [Want access? Join me here:https://fromstudiotostage.com/subscribe ] This past month, I noticed an alarming trend. There were multiple people asking questions, and apologizing for how "basic" they were.  They were apologizing for "being in the way" because they're just starting out.  I quickly let them know:-you don't need...

Want access to Beat Academy Pro + The Ultimate Producer course + my all new How to Create Live Remixes with Zero Production Knowledge course?  Sign up here: https://fs2s.link/beat-academy [You only get access to my How to Create Live Remixes with Zero Production Knowledge course if you use this link] How to get access to my "How to Create Live Remixes with Zero Production Knowledge" course: 1) Sign up for Beat Academy Pro here: https://fs2s.link/beat-academy2) Forward your sign-up...

I’m no swifty… but T-Swift got it right… I’m the problem.. it’s me. Do you believe that the next piece of gear will unlock your potential? We'll debunk the myth of external factors and shed light on the internal drive that genuinely propels us forward. 🚀 Understanding the difference between internal vs. external motivators. Personal experiences from years of coaching students on stage performance with Ableton Live. Three invaluable tips to help you make real progress in your musical...

Are you trying to convince your band to use tracks? Here’s a difference approach you can take. I get it. You’ve seen the light. You want your band to use tracks. It’s going to improve your sound, make it easier to perform on stage, but you can’t get the rest of your band on board. I’ve been there. I’ve coached students that are there (or have been there). We can address every objection your bandmates may have…but sometimes you’ve got to take a different approach. In today’s episode of Behind...

Sure — anybody can learn how to use Ableton as a software program. But the ones who master using Ableton on stage don’t think of it like that. What’s the difference between knowing how to use Ableton and using it on stage to put on a killer performance? It’s pretty simple, really. It’s your mindset in how you approach it. If you only view Ableton as just software, you limit it to being utilitarian. It’s just there to do a job. But I’m going to teach you a different way to approach it — one...

Martin Roberts has had a successful career bringing artists’ records to life on stage (including Shawn Mendes, M83, and others). He’s a playback engineer, music director, system designer, and just an all-around pro. Watch the interview to hear Martin’s thoughts on live performance, playback, gear & music tech, and what it was like working with Shawn Mendes. ★ Support this podcast ★

The bands that use backing tracks the best are the ones that do it without anyone noticing. But how do they do it? Context is everything. EDM, cover bands, acoustic bands — all different types of bands use tracks. But they don’t all put the same stuff in the tracks because, well, it would be ludicrous for an 808 drop to happen in an acoustic set (or would it be awesome, actually?). Watch for some tips to think through your context and examples of potential types of sounds to put in your...

Brian (Not Brain) Funk teaches a class at Berklee Online Online, hosts the The Music Production Podcast, and creates sample packs for Ableton Live (and is also an Ableton Live Certified Trainer). How in the world does he do it all? I got to sit down with Brian to discuss his crazy schedule and how he stays productive and creative with so many things to juggle. This conversation was pure gold, and I learned a ton from chatting with Brian. Not just about Ableton Live, but about creativity,...

There’s a lot that goes into a redundant playback rig, and it can feel pretty complex to figure out. So, the natural question is…is it really worth all that time and money? I break it all down for you in this video so you can know whether or not you really should invest in one or if you can get by without it. ★ Support this podcast ★

I’ve helped thousands of people get more out of Ableton. But you shouldn’t trust me. Apparently the best way to trigger anyone who uses Ableton is to show them another way to do things. I’ve spent years creating hundreds of videos and tutorials about using Ableton on stage, and most people have found them helpful (over 4,000 people have now downloaded my free tracks template: http://fromstudiotostage.com/template). But a lot of people are pretty resistant to it. Some ask thoughtful questions...

If you’re stepping on stage to do anything, embarrassing mistakes are part of the job. I share some of mine and some of my favorites that you all shared with me. If you’ve ever experienced a major on-stage fail, you know what it’s like to want to just crawl into a hole…forever. But you gotta laugh at yourself and just take it on the chin. Especially because you’re not alone! Everyone has been there. Check out some of these stories of major on-stage fails to give yourself a little...

Jeff is the creator of one of my favorite MIDI controllers ever made: the Oakboard Mini. In this interview, Jeff talks about how he came up with the idea for the Oakboard Mini, and how that eventually grew into a fully-fledged music software and hardware company. I love Jeff’s story because he never set out to start a company. He just started solving his own problems by learning to code. He built a small MIDI controller to do exactly what he needed it to do. Turns out he wasn’t the only one...

Sometimes what seems like the simplest solution is actually the worst. If you’re using your computer to run in-ears, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. I’m as much an advocate for using computers on stage as anyone, but this is one thing that you shouldn’t use your computer for. I’ve got 8 reasons why and what you should do instead. P.S. What do you use to run in-ears? ★ Support this podcast ★

Here’s how to use tracks on stage, without cheating and feeling like a fraud. We’ve all seen those videos of a pop artist’s performance going sideways with tracks and all of the sudden the whole world knows they’re lip-syncing. And yeah, I’m not a fan of that. But that’s not what the way most artists use tracks. Some of the best musicians in the world are using tracks on stage. And they’re doing it in a way that maintains the authenticity of musicianship and skilled performance. In this...

I’ve been an Ableton Certified Trainer for 13 years. These are the 8 most common questions I get. I take a few minutes to answer each question, but I also share where you can get loads of free resources to dive deeper into each topic. My suggestions on the best gear for live performance 👇 https://fromstudiotostage.com/gear Session View vs. Arrangement View 👇 https://youtu.be/l_4lIV3Ehqc https://youtu.be/sukloetXkJE Should you become an Ableton Live Certified Trainer...

Mike is a pro drum tech and playback tech — building and setting up rigs for some of the biggest metal artists to…Avril Lavigne and Smashing Pumpkins? Yep. Plus, he’s a From Studio to Stage student. Mike was kind enough to hop on a call with me and share his story about becoming a playback tech and what really helped him get to the point he’s at now working with these pro artists and bands. He also shares some great stories from the road and even some nice little tid bits of advice for...

I’ve made this dead simple. These are the only 5 pieces of gear you need to start running tracks with your band. When it comes to buying gear to run tracks, you’ve got more options than you know what to do with. And if you’re just starting out, it’s hard to know what’s actually necessary versus what can wait til later. Well, I’m making it easy. These 5 pieces of gear give you everything you need to start running tracks. Plus, learn about the Ableton template that 4,000+ musicians and touring...

I branched out from Ableton and live audio for two whole years to run a video broadcast. What I learned surprised me. I never wanted to be a broadcast video guy, and honestly, I don’t know if I’ll do it again. But for 2 years, that was my job. And it was 100% worth it. It made me a better Ableton trainer and playback tech, and it taught me some basic principles that I apply every day in what I do now. -- 0:00 Things I Learned as a Broadcast Video Director 0:11 Behind the Space Bar: My...

I used to see other people in my industry as a threat. And it turned me into a bit of a jerk. But I eventually flipped the script and became a champion of others rather than just viewing them as the competition. I guess I’m still a jerk, but I’ve made a lot of progress (yep, it really was that bad). So to build on this, I’m focusing on community over competition in 2023. And I’ve distilled my experience into 5 tips to help you stop seeing other people as the competition and start celebrating...