An Interview with Lee Mayeux for Performance & Backstage Systems
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Transcript Details
Full Transcript Below
Mike Dias:
Your ears are your biggest tool…
“Protect your livelihood out there. Continuous heavy SPL will ruin your ability to listen to what you enjoy most!”
This month we caught up with Lee Mayeux for our On The Road With… series. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about live recordings, read on!
Hi Lee, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to talk with us and to share some tips and tricks. I was hoping to focus on your studio recording background and on recording live multi-tracks but before we get into all of that, who are you currently out with and what are you doing?
Lee Mayeux:
Currently, on the road I’m out with The Neighbourhood doing FOH and production design as well as Monitors with Black Label Society. Both are a true honor and pleasure to work for. In the studio, I’m working on an untitled album. Tracking and editing drums as well as composing for film and TV right now.
Mike Dias:
What’s a typical day been looking like lately?
Lee Mayeux:
Generally my day consists of advancing gigs, troubleshooting PAs from the power to the drivers (dare I say “Smaarting rigs” as well, ha!) then from soundcheck to radio sessions to the show or even mixing/editing/mastering projects in a hotel room, lobby or on the plane. Wake up, and do it all over again! Health is a main focus for me…
Mike Dias:
Are you carrying your own board and gear or is it dependent on the venue?
Lee Mayeux:
It’s always a gig by gig call… If a venue has stepped up to a decent digital console, you can get a lot done on your laptop and USB stick… Digital has really taken over.
Mike Dias:
You split time between touring and studio work — are those complementary skills?
Lee Mayeux:
Your ears are your biggest tool… The laws of physics are undeniable. You’ve really got to keep your chops up in order to stay on top of either…
Mike Dias:
What’s the biggest difference between studio work and running FOH?
Lee Mayeux:
Isolation in the studio is a luxury… Live is compromise and time pressure. Placement is everything in both.
Mike Dias:
Do you ever mix for bands you’ve recorded?
Lee Mayeux:
All of the time… You want it to represent the vibe of the artist while still impacting every listener.
Mike Dias:
Tell us about live multi-track recording.
Lee Mayeux:
Key words: isolated mic splitter → preamps → DAW… capture the environment intentionally. The crowd is its own instrument.
Mike Dias:
Should concerts sound like albums?
Lee Mayeux:
Each is its own thing… preserve the artist’s vibe.
Mike Dias:
Any final advice?
Lee Mayeux:
Signal flow. Know the path… experiment… use your ears — and protect them.
Bio (as provided):
Lee Mayeux has over sixteen years of studio recording and live sound experience… owns and operates a Studio City recording studio… works across touring, film scoring, and multi-track capture.
Transcript Word Count
END OF TRANSCRIPT
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