Today on the show we tackle timecode vs. MIDI for ProPresenter control; and walkthrough how to use ProPresenter to trigger Ableton!

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Take your first step towards becoming a world-class Playback Engineer, download our free Playback Template!
Download for Free

Welcome to the first episode of the new Behind the Space Bar podcast! We're answering our first two questions in the new format today, and providing some tips on two of the most important topics related to creating and building a playback rig.

Welcome back to Behind the Spacebar! Will and Reece are thrilled to relaunch the podcast after a nearly two-year break, introducing a revamped question-and-answer format specifically to help you become a world-class playback engineer. Listen in to learn how you can get your burning questions answered by the team and what you can expect from this new season.

• Show Relaunch & New Format:
  The podcast returns with a focus on Q&A. Submit your questions to be featured and answered—no question is too basic, advanced, or specific.
• Meet Reece:
  Reece shares his journey from worship leader to Bootcamp member, and how the From Studio to Stage content changed his life. He now implements playback skills in various church and music settings and supports the podcast and community.
• Why the Format Change:
  Will reflects on the transition from one-on-one support to a scalable Q&A format due to increased scheduling demands and touring with Grammy-winning artists. The new format allows the team to maintain personal interaction while reaching more listeners.
• Bootcamp Insights:
  The Perfect Performance Bootcamp is highlighted for its live coaching calls and strong, supportive community aimed at helping members achieve their playback goals, whether on stage, in a local band, or in church.
• The Power of Community Questions:
  The team is excited to receive and answer questions from a diverse audience, covering everything from technical issues to career advice in playback engineering.

How to Submit Your Questions

• Instagram:
  Follow and send a direct message (DM) to fromstudiotostageig
  Reece will sort through the questions and bring them to Will to answer on upcoming episodes.

Launch Date

• First Official Episode Drops: April 28
• Release Schedule: Every Monday

How to Support the Show

• Subscribe and follow wherever you listen (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube).
• Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to subscribe—even if it’s just “two dudes sitting in their offices talking to you!”
• You don’t have to be a paid student to get your question answered—just participate!

Thanks for listening! Hit subscribe, send in your questions, and join us as we help you master playback. See you for the relaunch on April 28th!

Connect with the hosts, submit your questions, and get ready for a season packed with valuable insights and actionable playback advice!

Imagine it's the first night of a an international tour. You're hired as tech to help with playback and drums, and suddenly the MD and keys player gets sick. You've got to step up and run playback and play keys.

COULD YOU DO IT?

That's exactly what my student David Dombrowski had to do. You'll hear how it went, and why he had the confidence he could make it happen.

David is a touring drummer, playback tech, and all around great guy.

He was one of the first people to go through my coaching cohorts, and I could not think of a better person to share as a success story.

You'll hear why David pivoted from only being a drummer, to learning playback as well, and exactly HOW he made it happen.

Want access to the same content David has? Become an All-Access student today! 👇
https://fromstudiotostage.com/subscribe

Want to get in touch with David? Reach out on Instagram 👇
https://instagram.com/dave_dombrowski

Get Access to my weekly group coaching calls 👇

https://fromstudiotostage.com/subscribe

In this episode of "Behind the Space Bar," Will shares tips and tricks for successfully upgrading the operating system (OS) on a computer used for live performances. He emphasizes the importance of waiting for bugs to be fixed and being intentional about the timing of the upgrade.

Key Takeaways:

-Wait for bugs to be fixed and choose the right timing for the OS upgrade.

-Back up files and the entire computer system before upgrading.

-Audit apps, plugins, and helper apps to determine what needs to be reinstalled.

-Start from scratch with a clean install for a fresh and efficient system.

-Conduct a burn-in test on a backup computer to ensure everything is working properly.

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In this episode of "Behind the Spacebar," Will discusses the essential skills needed to become a successful playback engineer. He emphasizes the importance of service, the ability to say "yes" instead of "no," effective file management, quick edits, working quickly, handling multiple tasks, and staying calm under pressure.

Key Takeaways:

• Playback engineering is all about service and making the artist or band feel comfortable.
• Saying "yes" instead of "no" is crucial for success as a playback engineer.
• Effective file management is essential for quick access to files and backups.
• The ability to make quick edits and work quickly is important in a live performance setting.
• Playback engineers must be able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Staying calm under pressure is crucial for troubleshooting and maintaining professionalism.

Building a Playback rig? Don't make this mistake that I see all too often in new Playback Techs.

The Playback and Playback Tech community is a wonderful community.

I love the trend of sharing rig builds and learning what others are doing.

Seeing the gear others rely on, and what they use to craft their sound is inspiring.

But...

I'm noticing an alarming trend with these

Beautiful, Instagram worthy rigs...

I share my thoughts in todays episode of Behind the Space Bar.

#uglyrigsarebeautiful

If you're just starting out with Ableton or using tracks, you're not a burden-we're glad you're here!

Every month, I hold a call just for From Studio to Stage students.

[Want access? Join me here:
https://fromstudiotostage.com/subscribe ]

This past month, I noticed an alarming trend.

There were multiple people asking questions, and apologizing for how "basic" they were.

They were apologizing for "being in the way" because they're just starting out.

I quickly let them know:
-you don't need to apologize and
-you're not in our way.

You're welcome here...
and we're glad YOU'RE here.

Don't miss the gift of beginning.

We've all been there before.

We're all beginners at something.

Glad you're here!