The Engineer Is in the Band: Instinct, Ears, and Live Sound with Mike deAlmeida

You’ve done gigs where nothing goes according to plan, but this episode reminds you that chaos is often the classroom. From sleeping on road cases at the Puerto Rican Day Parade to riding a flatbed packed with servo-driven subs that overwhelmed even earplugs and shooting cans, you hear how real-world pressure forges real skills. Mike deAlmeida walks you through learning to roll with it, figuring out systems on the fly before tools like Smaart were common, and walking into unknown gigs where the unknown singer/songwriter turns out to be Shawn Colvin. The lesson is clear: when you don’t know the band, communication is everything. Ask how they sound, listen closely, and remember that for that moment, you are part of the band. You’re playing the “mixing keyboard” today, so Always Be Performing. As the night wears on, the room changes and so must you. Heat, humidity, and ear fatigue quietly shift the mix, especially in the highs and high-mids, and Mike explains why gradual adjustments beat drastic moves every time. You’re reminded to watch the show, not just the meters, and to listen first before using tools like Smaart to confirm what your ears already know. From sweating out microphones and treating them like EQ devices to protecting your hearing with custom molds, active earplugs, and smart exposure management, this episode ties craft, tech, and longevity together. Layer in legendary Celebrity Week stories, the Van Halen M&Ms lesson, and Beach Boys theatrics, and you’re left with one guiding principle: mix a good show, every time, because that’s how careers last. 00:00:00 Gig Gab 517 – Monday, January 19th, 2026 January 19th: Tin Can DayGuest co-host: Mike deAlmeida, Program Director, Audio Engineering at University of HartfordNAMM coming up! GG Coverage Sponsor: Ultimate Ears Pro! 00:01:50 Puerto Rican Day Parade Sleeping on road cases overnightAn insane number of speakersEarplugs + Shooting cans STILL were too loudServo drives – highly efficient, but not fast. They have motors in them.Security wouldn’t let us off the truck. 00:06:43 Gig learning vs. classroom learning Learning to roll with it 00:08:52 When you don’t know the band A little jazz band…as wallpaperSussed out the system manually (before the Smaart Live days!)And a singer/songwriter… who turned out to be Shawn Colvin 00:12:52 Communicating with a band you’ve never seen Very helpful tips:“Here’s how our band sounds.”Guitar players who manage their levels between rhythm and solosAs an engineer, you are a member of the band (for that moment)“You play mixing keyboard today” 00:20:37 Teaching the foundation in class, students often seek practical experience on their own Finding practical applications WHILE you’re in class is gold. You learn so much.It all comes back to communication skillsFor FOH engineers, watch the show! Pay attention to the band members 00:24:30 Sound changes throughout the night Heat and humidity will cause ebbs and flows (especially outdoors, but even inside)Watch the highs and high-midsSound travels faster through a thick mediumGradual adjustments so it sounds betterIncreasing the mains throughout the show to keep the perceived level due to ear fatigueSmaart Live for tweaking live soundListen first, then use the gear to confirm what you’re hearing 00:31:35 When I mix, I want to hear a good show So I tell the sound guy (me) to mix a good show 00:32:57 Using the tech to isolate live to find (and fix) problems Beyerdynamic MM1 – a measurement mic AND a podcast mic 00:33:48 Learning the nuances of problems00:35:24 Hot lights to add to the sun! Sweating out microphones… heat shrink tubing plus medical tape solves itMicrophones are EQ devices – Matt from Roswell Audio 00:39:38 Mixing with earplugs? Westone custom mold earplugs with 15dB Etymotic filtersHearing protection vs. exposure timeUS Navy study on hearing health with submarine crewHuberman Lab episode on hearing health 00:44:39 AirPods Pro “active earplugs” (aka Hearing Protection) Comply Foam tips for AirPods ProDefendEar from Westone 00:52:25 Stories from Celebrity Week at North Shore Music Theatre Almost got into a rumble with Al MartinoFace the wall when Wynona Judd walks byGallagher (or his brother!)The Beach BoysWeird Al 00:56:04 The Van Halen M&Ms story00:57:37 The Beach Boys surfing on the revolving stage00:59:41 Gig Gab 519 Outtro Follow Mike deAlmeida Check the University of Hartford’s BS in Audio Engineering Technology Contact Gig Gab! @GigGabPodcast on [e-mail] Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List The post The Engineer Is in the Band: Instinct, Ears, and Live Sound with Mike deAlmeida — Gig Gab 517 appeared first on Gig Gab.