New to Sound System Design and Tuning? Start Here (for intermediate audio techs)
- Steven Visser
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Michael Curtis makes a ton of great content. I’d highly recommend subscribing to his channel and checking out his other videos.
TLDR:
What the video is about:
A beginner's roadmap for getting into live sound system design and tuning.
Key resources he recommends, in order:
His YouTube playlist — 15 curated videos to watch in sequence covering speaker placement, building a tuning rig, software, and more.
Signal to Noise Podcast Discord — A free community (run by Pro Sound Web) with veteran system engineers, manufacturer reps, and contractors who answer questions. Great for mentorship and career advice.
Two books: Between the Lines by Michael Lawrence — a framework for the craft from a seasoned engineer Sound System Engineering by Bob McCarthy — the deep-dive bible (577 pages), great as both a read and a reference
Blogs & publications: Pro Sound Web Study Hall Merlin van Bean's blog (Meyer Sound's education director) Michael Lawrence's blog Nathan Lively's blog / Sound Design Live podcast
Measurement software: Open Sound Meter (free/pay-what-you-want) — start here SMART (paid) — upgrade once comfortable with OSM
Prediction/design software: EASE Focus 3 — simulate speaker coverage in a room Meyer Sound MAP 3D / MAP XT — more robust prediction with phase data
Tracebook — a community database of real-world loudspeaker measurements you can download and compare against your own field measurements.
The overall advice: Start with the YouTube playlist and Discord, then layer in books, blogs, and software as you progress. Don't just consume info — get hands-on with the tools.
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