Live Sound Roundtable Brings Leading FOH Engineers to the AES Show Nashville 2026At the AES Show Nashville 2026, four leading live sound engineers will share their experiences and practical insights during the Live Sound Roundtable on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 11am CST on the Davidson Ballroom stage at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. "Live sound is such an important part of our industry, especially here in Music City, where live music venues and stages are woven into the fabric of Nashville," says Russ Long. "As part of AES addressing all things audio, this panel brings together some of the leading front-of-house engineers in the business to share practical insights, discuss the challenges they face on the road and exchange ideas with attendees. It's a chance to learn directly from the people shaping the live music experience every night." The discussion will explore real-world approaches to mixing, system design, and optimization, collaboration with artists and production teams, troubleshooting and reliability. Panelists will also examine emerging technologies and evolving workflows, offering perspectives on adapting to increasingly complex live sound environments. The panel brings together experience spanning clubs, festivals, arenas and major international tours: Hanford Pittman, touring front-of-house engineer for Jack White, has worked across six continents, from Los Angeles's iconic Troubadour to festival stages and arenas. His fan-first approach combines analog gear and digital technology to capture the emotional power of the music and strengthen the connection between artist and audience. Sage Tichenor, a Nashville-based freelance front-of-house engineer, has toured with Lindsey Stirling, Riley Green, Celtic Thunder, and Todd Rundgren. A classically trained musician, she balances impact, dynamics, and depth while maintaining a commitment to safer listening. Todd Wines, front-of-house engineer for Miranda Lambert, brings touring credits including Cyndi Lauper, Olivia Newton-John, Lauren Daigle and Ben Rector. His musical background and expertise in audio system design inform an approach that blends the art and science of live sound. Jim Yakabuski brings 45 years of live audio experience, with credits including Van Halen, No Doubt, Matchbox Twenty, Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, and Journey. The recipient of the 2013 Parnelli Award for FOH Mixer of the Year, he serves as Global Lead of the Touring Liaison team at L-Acoustics and is dedicated to teaching and mentoring engineers. Moderator Long has engineered and mixed live and recorded music since the late 1980s, with album engineering credits including Dolly Parton, Wilco, Amy Grant, and Miley Cyrus, along with Grammy and CMA Awards broadcasts and film soundtracks. A longtime AES member and Leadership Music alumnus, he joined Yamaha Pro Audio in 2018 and works in Field Marketing and R&D, focusing on large-format consoles and the needs of touring engineers. Audience participation will be central to the session. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions, challenges, and topics for the panel to address. With an emphasis on open exchange rather than a single product or workflow, the roundtable will offer practical knowledge attendees can apply to their own live sound work. 
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