Making Sound Work: A Conversation with G. Wright - Part 1

“And I’m mixing for a hundred thousand people and I’m like ‘this is the biggest show I’ve ever mixed,’ and I went to the systems tech and I said ‘look, I’ve done arenas, I’m comfortable with arenas, but this is really intimidating.’ And he said ‘don’t worry about it, we have the system time-aligned. If it sounds great in front of house where you are, it’s gonna sound great everywhere.’ And once I realized that the science behind it is really what’s making this sound work for us nowadays, I could really just mix and enjoy the show. And everybody had a great time, and then mixing arenas was easy after that.” -- G. Wright

This episode’s guest is a producer and media trainer at All Things Relax Studios. He shows coaches, creative entrepreneurs, and authors how to create a crystal-clear message and connect with their audience in the “Rock Star VIP Media Training” program. He’s worked with many well-known artists and bands, including Aretha Franklin, the Jonas Brothers, and Cold Play, as a tour manager and sound engineer for over twenty-five years. He’s learned throughout his career what makes or breaks a great interview and can help you channel your inner rock star.

His name is Gregory Wright – aka "G" – and we'll be talking about making deeper connections through communications, getting to know your own voice as an instrument, and how sound works in different environments. I'm particularly excited to share his stories: his time as a radio DJ, his experiences as a sound engineer on the road working with some pretty famous musicians and musical tours, and also hearing about where he thinks the medium of sound is headed.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page.

Who Knows You

We start things off with G's earliest memories of sound and how, at the age of five, he already knew he wanted to be a DJ. He fulfilled that dream at the age of sixteen, becoming one of the youngest licensed DJs in the country. “Sound has always been part of my life,” he explains, “and it really helped shape me as a sound engineer.” We also talk about some of how he made the transition from DJ to touring with bands and some of the famous musicians he’s worked with, from Aretha Franklin to Dolly Parton. “That's the thing about the music business, the entertainment business,” he says, recalling a surprise phone call from the Queen of Soul herself, “you never know who knows you.”

Speaking with Confidence

The interview continues as G tells us about some of the most challenging venues for a sound engineer, from small and cozy clubs to massive stadiums. “Arenas are the toughest to mix,” he recalls, “because it’s just a big concrete room – but that’s where you rely on the science.” We talk about how he helped found All Things Relax Studios and the “Rock Star” training program, and how much effort it can take behind the scenes to sound natural. “We show authors and coaches and creative entrepreneurs how to speak with confidence and clarity,” he says, “how to have a crystal-clear method.”

Just Keep Going

“Think of your concert you've been to,” G says, “and the lead singer forgets the words, and he puts the mic out. ‘You sing!’” As he explains, confidence is less about never making mistakes and more about thinking on your feet to overcome them. “They fix it and move on,” he explains, “and that’s where speaking with confidence comes in.” We talk about how the lessons learned from musicians can be applied to public speaking and everyday life, and how the most important thing, whether you’re playing a concert, delivering a speech, or running a podcast, is to always keep going. “As long as you don't stop the show,” he emphasizes. “You never stop the show. You just keep going.”

The Inner Rock Star

We close the first half of our interview with G’s advice on keeping cool and confident and being your authentic self when faced with a potentially massive audience. "You just focus on connecting with that one person,” he suggests, “sharing a story with that one person, and that takes away a lot of the fear.” He reminds us to keep in mind that we’re there for a reason, that our audience wants to hear what we have to say, and to lean into that fact. “There's a swagger that they have on stage,” G says, recalling the famous artists he’s worked with, “the inner rock star. That takes skill and it takes practice.”

Episode Summary