Live Sound

From concerts to speeches to theatre, live sound engineering — capturing, processing, distributing and recording audio on the spot — represents a vast range of employment opportunities.

Although there are parallels to studio recording, live performance is inherently unpredictable. No two venues are alike, and live audio elements are often precisely paired with lighting, video and other special effects.

This course will teach you the unique technical secrets required to manage live-sound in a variety of settings, from relatively straightforward podium work to concert gigs, including the basics of DMX lighting. You’ll also learn cable architecture, grounding topologies, how to navigate union regulations and perhaps most importantly, safety and troubleshooting.

As well as practical experience in OIART's Live Sound Lab, the course includes volunteer opportunities at live venues all around London. Past highlights include:

• The Aeolian Hall – One of Canada’s best sounding classical performance halls, it’s used regularly by the CBC and other organizations for recording live concerts
• The John Labatt Centre – London’s 10,000 seat concert and sports arena, hosting large concert tours, theatre performances and sports events
• Sunfest – “Canada's Premier Celebration of the Global Arts” is a multi-day outdoor festival of international talent
• Bluesfest – An international multi-day outdoor event showcasing the best in rhythm and blues music
• Home County Folk Festival – One of the area’s biggest and oldest multi-day, multi-stage outdoor events

Course Outline