As one of the most influential and respected live-sound guys in the business, Dave Natale's long-time career spans every…

At The Blackbird Academy, students are prepared to do the real work. Meaning, you get your hands dirty from day one, learn…

Vance Powell is an audio legend, six-time Grammy winner, and friend of The Blackbird Academy who stopped by to visit our…

New music and more engineered, recorded, produced, and/or mixed by students and graduates of The Blackbird Academy in Nashville, TN. This week: Madison Nolan & Jason Maxwell.

They came from both coasts and everywhere in between to learn how to record a song. Six music-loving teens joined us August…

This week: THE SWEAR, The Clinic and the Sane.

Forget the canoeing and the campfires – THEY WANT TO ROCK! And, rock these campers did with some of Nashville's premier…

New music and more engineered, recorded, produced, and/or mixed by students and graduates of The Blackbird Academy in…

If The Blackbird Academy had existed when I was growing up, it would’ve saved me ten years of struggling to learn what I needed to know.

Here are the ancillary pieces of gear that could make or break a recording session …

The Blackbird Academy is so honored to be named in College Magazine‘s 2016 Top 10 Schools for Music Recording Technology &…

Along with receiving an exceptional audio education, The Blackbird Academy students are offered the opportunity to partake…

The ongoing relationship between Ultimate Ears and The Blackbird Academy was established to provide students with…

When it comes to successful and great-sounding live mixes, it is important to remember that the name of the game is “sound reinforcement.” So what does it mean to reinforce?

Capturing a great acoustic guitar recording all starts with the source. Even the greatest mic and signal chain will not fix…

As you might imagine, there are various approaches, as there are different individual instruments, players, and genres. As…

With this in mind, I challenge budding mix engineers to find a use for reverb that may be out of the ordinary. Don’t just…

Have you ever wondered how a day runs at a major recording studio? For all the high-end clients at Blackbird Studio, it all…

Working in audio isn’t easy, but that doesn’t mean you should be intimidated by it. Sure, it takes hard work, consistency, determination, luck, and skill, but doesn’t any professional field?

There isn’t any one way to get studio work, but there are typical paths and ways to maximize your chances. Finding studio…

Bass guitar recording is an important skill. The bass provides the harmonic foundation for the music and helps form the…

Recording drums can be a challenge. To get top results, pay attention to the three elements that will render a great…

The studio recording process has so many delicate and nuanced interactions, and as in the rest of life, behavior and communication are critical. Promptness, work ethic, reliability, and a great attitude are crucial — if you don’t have them, don’t go into this field.

Audio engineering schools aren’t a mixed bag. It’s about one craft and one craft only, and that’s something not to take…

I believe that some people are born to great things, and that greatness is defined by a feeling you have in your heart when…

Music is a powerful form of communication, and we generally tune into and relate most deeply to the most human instrument –…

Michael Freeman was part of the first-ever The Blackbird Academy studio engineering class. We tracked him down to chat about…

Plugins are essential tools used in modern-day audio production. Unlike their hardware counterparts, plugins can be used on multiple channels simultaneously, making them incredibly affordable.

It goes without saying, a clear, intelligible vocal is paramount to a great mix. Nothing will kill the audience’s enjoyment…

One key to quick and effective recording is the use of Pro Tools playlists. Playlists allow us to save and switch between…

Since we first published this story, we have added a few more snares, like 59. “We have 160 snares,” says John McBride.…

Kevin has been a musician, recording engineer, and educator for over 30 years. He has engineered and been on the production…

Mark Rubel is the Director of Education, an instructor, and an integral component of the BBA team. Mark has recorded and produced extensively since 1980, both at his Pogo Studio in Champaign, Illinois and elsewhere. His list of clients includes Hum, Alison Krauss, Rascal Flatts, Fall Out Boy, Ludacris, Adrian Belew, Luther Allison, Jay Bennett, Melanie, Ian Hobson, Henry Butler and many more. For the Wall to Wall/Ellnora Guitar Festival, he has recorded Los Lobos, Calexico, Ani DiFranco, The National, Junior Brown, Derek Trucks, Taj Mahal and many others!  

Here’s the truth. Getting a job in live sound isn’t easy — but it is far from out of reach. Our team has been working in the…

Kyle Welch is one of our Live Sound Instructors at The Blackbird Academy. He has worked in the entertainment industry as a…

The Live Sound Engineering students went behind the scenes on July 10, 2015, viewing the load-in and setup for Luke Bryan’s…

In only its second year of competition, The Blackbird Academy was awarded the top prize at the Nashville Audio Engineering…

This two-day, intensive seminar will be taught by The Blackbird Academy Instructor / Mix Technical Editor Kevin Becka and Blackbird Studio staff engineers. The focus will be on intermediate to advanced skills...

The most powerful and effective way to learn is first hand from a mentor working in the industry. The Blackbird Academy’s…

The Blackbird Academy is now approved through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and accepting applications…

The Blackbird Academy has the unique opportunity to invite an impressive roster of guest mentors from the live sound…

The Blackbird Academy Live Sound Engineering students weren’t “outsiders” on Saturday. They started at 7 a.m. to observe…

Clip FX processing has no latency and may be used in a session with live players. However, keep in mind that Clip FX can only be used on previously recorded clips – it can’t be used on new clips as they are being recorded.

FOH engineer Wayne Pauley invited the Blackbird Academy Live Sound Engineering students to a Lee Brice show at the…

As part of their commitment to music and the development of new artists, The Blackbird Academy, Blackbird Studio, 12th &…

Reserve a seat in the next High School Summer Recording Camp, August 5-7, 2020, by calling 615-385-2423 or click for the…

John McBride received two Pensado Awards at a ceremony held in Los Angeles on June 28, 2104 – one for “Live/FOH” engineering…

As every good assistant engineer knows, hitting Command+S is invaluable during a session. When I was assisting in the studio, I would hit “⌘+S” or “save session” after any good take.

Every day at The Blackbird Academy, I teach students on gear that spans from 1930 to the present. For example, this week we…

Our first Live Sound Engineering class has had an amazing and very busy month! They’ve had guest speakers Randy Rhodus (FOH…

There is something transcendent about being in the room with an excellent person, getting to observe their real-time…

The Blackbird Academy’s Studio Engineering and Live Sound Engineering programs are taught at the famous Blackbird Studio in…

With top instructors and guest mentors, they experience and practice the concepts first-hand with professional rooms and gear – the same gear and facilities used to make hit records every day.

The Blackbird Academy was proud to have legendary producer Nick Raskulinecz mentor the Studio Engineering students this past…

The new Studio I at The Blackbird Academy is a hybrid desktop recording, mixing, and mastering environment featuring Pro…

What is an equalizer’s purpose? It’s meant to change timbre- tone quality. What else can we do in creating, capturing,…

The new Studio I at The Blackbird Academy is a hybrid desktop recording, mixing, and mastering environment featuring Pro…

When putting my IEM system together, I had several considerations that would need to be met. The IEM package needed to be…

Eight years ago, I stepped into what was the start of my audio career. I was beginning my internship at Blackbird Studio.…

An Emergency Medical Technician would always carry a set of first aid tools, so should audio engineers carry a crash kit, at…

Week 1 at The Blackbird Academy included lots of experiential learning and networking with the top names in the industry.…

In our curriculum at The Blackbird Academy, we put the student’s experience high on our list of priorities. Not only will we focus on mentor-based interaction with Mark and myself, but we’ll also invite a range of pro engineer guest lecturers and recording artists into our classroom and studios.

Engineer Robert Bull is one of the many guest lecturers in The Blackbird Academy’s live sound program. He has worked in the…

This first audio tip may seem obvious, but it took me decades to figure out. When recording background vocals, have the…

When making career decisions, an insider’s view can be essential when you’re looking for direction on where to go, what you…

Kristian Bush is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer who co-founded the band Sugarland in 2002. He recently visited The Blackbird Academy during our first ever Summer Recording Camp for high school students, who came from all over the United States and Canada.

Live Sound engineer Tom Abraham has worked with Alice in Chains, Keith Urban, Shakira, and more. In this video, Tom shares…

In my live sound classes at The Blackbird Academy, students will have their hands on all kinds of gear, from large touring…

I can see either of these consoles handling the most demanding theatrical productions to gigging bands and houses of…

At The Blackbird Academy, we will be learning large to small footprint digital and analog consoles. Our classroom will be…

When you are around the best in the business, you absorb all kinds of information. Whether it’s technical or social cues, sometimes it’s the seemingly insignificant details that make all the difference.

Our students have been incredibly engaged from day one, coming to class early and staying late, so I knew that they were all…