It’s not the gear, it’s the engineer

When it comes to live shows, sound engineers rarely get to work with ideal conditions. From subpar equipment to unrealistic timelines, The Production Academy’s online courses give you the fundamental knowledge you need to handle anything that is thrown your way.

I know what it’s like to have stress dreams right before a gig, and I’ve had live shows fail on my watch. Growing from those experiences has made me better, but it also made me realize that the stage can be a terrible classroom.”

— Scott Adamson, founder of The Production Academy

Founder Scott Adamson has mixed FOH for:

Scott’s journey into the world of sound starts with music

When I was 14 my parents bought me a drum set. I'm pretty sure they regretted it almost immediately! I was hooked. I practised hard, formed bands, and eventually started playing shows. I knew that I wanted to be involved in music as much as possible. When it came time for my band to start recording, I was the one who purchased a couple of mics and a cassette 4-track recorder.

From the studio to live shows

When I was kicking off my career, I enjoyed building a studio in Chicago with some friends, which became my primary source of employment. But, the love of live music was always there. I had gotten a taste at 18 when I worked as a sound engineer at a small venue and booked my first tour a few years later with Jimmy Eat World and At The Drive-In.

Worldwide tours and legendary venues

These days I often get to mix for artists I love on multimillion-dollar systems. Like many other engineers, I’m self-taught and have had to sharpen my skills in small venues before making my way up to Madison Square Garden and Coachella’s main stage.

It’s all about the fundamentals

No matter where you are in the world or whom you are mixing, it's your job to get the most out of the audio system and equipment that is at your disposal. The Production Academy is the resource I wish I had when I first started: it’s all about gaining a firm grasp on the fundamentals.

From self-taught engineer to self-taught entrepreneur

Being entirely responsible for a show’s live sound can be a stressful and lonely experience. I founded The Production Academy because I thought it was the best way to offer support to others at scale. My most recent project has been to train an AI (ScottBot) to digitize my knowledge, and give you access to my expertise on demand. 

Meet the ScottBot

The ScottBot is the next best thing to having me right there with you. It is trained exclusively on The Production Academy’s proprietary content and will only source answers from reputable and reliable documentation. It will instantly search through hundreds of video transcripts produced by myself and other experienced live event professionals to get you the answers you need, fast.