Monitor engineer Jesse Benfield is touring with country artist Don Williams and a PreSonus StudioLive mixer in monitorworld.
New York, NY (June 2, 2014)—Country Music Hall of Famer Don Williams has been touring in support of his latest album, Reflections, and along for the ride are engineer Jesse Benfield and a PreSonus StudioLive 32.4.2AI digital mixer in monitorworld.
Benfield keeps the onstage mix together for Williams’ band, which includes percussion, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, multiple acoustic and electric guitars, and vocals. “This is a really organic band,” Benfield explains. “Everyone plays clean and simple parts but there are lots of little nuances.”
A veteran engineer with live and studio credits, including work with Pam Tillis, Tracy Lawrence, Keith Anderson, and Chuck Ainlay, Benfield chose the StudioLive 32.4.2AI, upgrading from a first-generation StudioLive 24.4.2. “We put a lot of miles on that console, but it’s great to have those extra eight inputs,” he says.
Benfield also brought an ADL 700 channel strip on Williams’ tour. “We’ve got it on a split between Don’s vocal channel and the record feed,” he explains. “It enables me to apply a bit of subtle EQ and compression here and there, which adds a really magical quality to Don’s vocal.” The record feed is necessary as he’s recording each show for a live album and DVD, with all 32 channels going over a FireWire 800 cable into a Mac.
PreSonus Audio Electronics
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