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In this episode of Sound Design Live I talk with the Sound Designer for Broken Chord and Project Design Manager for Sound Associates, Phillip Peglow. We discuss the night broadway was shutdown by COVID-19, whether or not you should go to graduate school, how EQ is ruining your show and what to do about it, why you’ll never beat the room, and why you should give the producer whatever they want.

I ask:

• What are your concerns about work because of the pandemic?
• When you get a new system installed and calibrated in a theatre and you want to give it a test drive, what music do you listen to?
• How did you get your first job in audio?
• 8 years ago I interview your partners in Broken Chord, Aaron Meicht and Daniel Baker, after I saw their sound design for the pulitzer prize winning play “Ruined”. So how did you meet those guys and what do you like about working in a team instead of working solo?
• How did you get the job at Sound Associates?
• Looking back on your career so far, what’s one of the best decisions you made to get more of the work that you really love?
• What are some of the biggest mistakes you see people making who are new to sound design for theatre?
• Tell us about the biggest or maybe most painful mistake you’ve made on the job and how you recovered.
• What’s in your work bag?

You can’t beat the room. Trying to punch your way through with EQ or level is a fool’s errand.

Phillip Peglow

Notes

1. All music in this episode by HouseFrau and RRound.
3. Workbag: headlamp,
4. Books: Sound System, Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook
5. Quotes
   1. Unless you have that opportunity [graduate school] at zero to you, I wouldn’t do it.
   2. If you really really really really really really really want to be on Broadway then you must move to NYC. It’s not an option.
   3. Use your ears first, before you put pink noise through anything. Start there.
   4. “If you’re making anything more than a 6dB cut, it’s probably time to reevaluate your decisions.” -Jamie Anderson
   5. Don’t ever use a GEQ.
   6. If you’re trying to make narrow narrow cuts, you are probably trying to optimize for a specific point in the room that has not bearing on 3-4 inches away from that position.
   7. You can’t beat the room.
   8. Trying to punch your way through with EQ or level is a fool’s errand.
   9. If I want into a theatre style setup and I have 5 minutes to get it going, I’m going to delay the system before I do anything else.
   10. When the people who sign your checks say, “This is what I want,” then just do what they want. It’s as much a psychological issue as it is an audio issue.