Episode 19 Scottie Baldwin: Award-Winning FOH Sound Engineer for Prince And Other Superstars
“I’ve traveled the world, and found that live music is the heartbeat that keeps us all in sync.” - Scottie Baldwin
Running sound for a live show is unlike any other experience in the music industry. The sound at a live show has a feeling, a color and it can be the difference between giving the audience the experience of a lifetime or an utter failure.
Scottie Baldwin has been running front of house sound for huge artists for over three decades and he’s here to share more about his experience and the industry itself.
There are few sound engineers in the industry who take the time to learn the material of their artists as thoroughly as Scottie. He credits his time with Prince for his diligence, but it’s really his work ethic that shines through.
For him, music is not just words being sung to a tune or the amazing rise and fall of a symphony. Music is the string that ties us all together.
Scottie shares how he approaches stadium and arena shows versus smaller venues. For instance, when people attend a show at a stadium, oftentimes they are looking up at the huge jumbo trons.
He makes it a point to collaborate with the videographers and lights folks to be sure that the right people are highlighted at the right times during the show. If he is turning up one member of the band, then that person will be the one you see on the big screen.
This attention to detail is what really sets him apart in the industry and is why he has been called upon to work with the likes of Earth, Wind, and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Tegan and Sara, The Fray, Lady Gaga, and Wang Leehom.
Listen as we chat about his time with Prince and what it was like behind the scenes. We also discuss various aspects of the industry itself and why he’s happy that he didn’t go to school for sound engineering.
He is truly a talent in the music industry and this conversation is filled with amazing insight into what it takes to make artists sound fantastic live.
Show Links
Twitter: @scottiebaldwin
Instagram: scottiebaldwin
Resources:
SoundConnection
The Music Makers podcast theme song was written and produced by Andy Kushner with help from the rhythm section and horn players of the band, SoundConnection: Elliot Jefferson, Lamonte Silver, Keith Hammond, Roy Lambert, Joe Herrera, and Craig Alston.
Sponsor: Kushner Entertainment
Check out Andy's Other Podcast: The Wedding Biz
