Education for Live Sound Professionals

Free Guide: How to live on a Tour Bus

Your go-to survival guide for your first bus tour—covering unspoken rules, hygiene hacks, and pro tips to help you thrive on the road.

Hi, I’m Gene, and my goal is simple: to help you become the engineer people REFER for more work. I say that as someone who’s not looking back on a past career long long ago — I’m a FOH engineer who’s actively touring now. And while I enjoy touring as much as I ever have, I've also become more familiar with the parts of our industry no one warns you about.

“How do I get on tour?”

It’s a good question — but it skips the step that actually gets you the call.

Before anyone gets the offer,
before anyone gets the laminate,
before anyone gets on the bus…

Someone has to say your name in a room you’re not in.
And they only do that when your reputation tells them, “This person would be a great fit.”

That’s something engineers overlook.

YOU DON’T BUILD A CAREER BY CHASING OPPORTUNITIES.
YOU BUILD A CAREER BY BECOMING THE PERSON OPPORTUNITIES CHASE.

The engineers I admire most built their careers on invisible work, steady habits, and the kind of reliability others feel confident vouching for. No shortcuts. No magic connection. Just consistency show after show, new opportunity after new opportunity.

To be completely transparent, my path hasn’t always been easy. I've made all the mistakes, worked myself into burnout countless times, and in 2017 I even had to step away — and poorly at that. Worst of all I nearly lost my marriage because I had let touring become too much of my identity. And I learned something few talk about:

If you think touring or traveling for work isn't something you need to prepare for, you are risking your finances, your sense of well being, and the relationship you care about most. 

Because yes — it can be one of the most rewarding career choices you’ll ever make. (Many of my favorite people in the world are people I've met while doing shows together, and work is a weird but wonderful way I get to see my friends all around the country.) But it can also come at great personal cost, expose your shortcomings, and distort your perspective on a career you feel trapped by.

It’s also worth mentioning: For most touring engineers, Touring is not 100% of our income. A sustainable career is always a mix of local events, corporate gigs, installs, and other regional work.

Your reputation determines your opportunities in ALL of it.

That’s why I’m more interested in teaching the non-technical skills that can move your career forward — to help you navigate your path with clarity, negotiate your compensation confidently, and understand what people are considering when they hire you. With just as much empathy for your employers, and care for yourself and the services you provide.

Here’s what I can help you learn:

• How the industry actually works (referrals, hiring, reputation)
• The habits and skills that make a professional a professional.
• The early-career pitfalls that quietly end opportunities.
• How to shape a career that supports your life, not the other way around

NOBODY can guarantee how to land you your dream gig on your preferred timeline, however, I can promise this:

If you do the work, you won’t just be waiting for opportunities — you’ll be ready for them.

Not because you got lucky, but because you built a reputation that quietly opens doors long before you arrive.

Be encouraged, there’s a path in this industry that fits you — your strengths, your values, and your life. My role is simply to guide you as you step into it with the confidence of someone who knows they belong there.

—Gene