Next webinar: Pathways into Live Sound Engineering

We are excited to announce our next webinar and Q&A, where we will be exploring pathways into live sound engineering. Join us at 7:30pm BST / 6:30pm UTC on Thursday 17September 2026 – register below!

Whether you’re just starting to explore live sound, you’re already getting involved with local gigs, or you’re an experienced audio professional looking to develop your skills, this session will offer practical advice, real-world experiences and plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Join Michelle Guadalupe Felix Garcia, from the Audio Accessibility Alliance; John Ramm, sound engineer; and Jay Pocknell to explore what live sound engineering actually involves, how people get their first opportunities, what equipment you really need, and how blind and partially sighted engineers can navigate the industry.

Topics will include:

How live sound works: Get to grips with the key components of a live sound setup, the differences between analogue and digital desks, and how live sound engineering differs from studio work.
From first gigs to professional events: Discover how live sound changes from entry-level and community gigs to larger professional productions, with insights into the experiences and career journeys of our guests.
Finding your pathway into live sound: Explore practical routes into the industry, including community gigs, shadowing, theatre sound and higher education, as well as the essential kit you actually need to get started.
Building an accessible career: Hear about support, practical approaches and accessibility innovations that can help blind and partially sighted engineers develop their skills and build careers in live sound.

We are keen for this session to be shaped by your questions. Submit your questions when you register, and we’ll do our best to cover them during the discussion.

Michelle is a Mexican audio engineer, and a graduate of the San Diego State University Music Recording Technology and Audio Design program.

Michelle’s passion for sound began when she taught herself audio hardware and editing skills at the age of 13. Her live audio career started to take shape four years later, at a Coldplay concert, where she had the chance to play piano with the band, and witness their team working together to bring the show to life.

After graduating with honors, Michelle began advocating for equal employment opportunities by educating others in the industry about the capabilities and competence of audio professionals who are blind or have low vision. Through a 20-video Frequently Asked Questions series about how blind audio professionals work with digital audio workstations, Michelle generated more than half a million views.

Her current goals include becoming a working member of the industry she has helped shape.

John Ramm is a totally blind sound engineer, drummer, percussionist, singer, and acoustic guitarist.

He has engineered live sound for over 30 years in small venues of all types, most recently mixing at one of the venues for the Focus Wales festival.

He lives in Wrexham, North Wales in the UK and is currently working with three local bands. He also teaches drums privately.

The session will last 60 to 90 minutes, including Q&A. This will be a relaxed, informal event and audience participation is encouraged. We really want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to ask a question if they would like to. Submitting questions in advance enables us to ensure that they get answered.

Please note that this session will be recorded and published on podcasting platforms, so if you contribute during the session, you are consenting to appearing in the recording.

The session is open to all ages, but we advise that children and young people should be accompanied by an adult.

We hope to see you there!

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About our webinars

Sound Without Sight is a community-led initiative, which collates and commissions resources to support blind and partially sighted musicians, audio engineers, voiceover artists, and other industry professionals to thrive. We want Sound Without Sight to grow into a thriving community that showcases the work of blind and partially sighted creatives, and how they navigated the industry to find themselves in their current role.

Since 2024, we have been curating monthly webinars, which will bring together established professionals, community members who are just starting out, and everybody in between, creating a space to share knowledge, solutions, and tips for success.

The sessions are open, informal, and supportive – we hope that all attendees will feel comfortable to ask questions as well as share advice.

How are webinars structured?

Each session will begin with a live interview between a headline guest speaker or panel and members of the Sound Without Sight team. The host will ask curated questions, including relevant ones submitted in advance by the community.
We will then open up to questions and discussion between attendees, which could be about anything related to music or audio.

When and where?

Third Thursday of the month, 7:30pm UK time. Sessions will take place on Zoom and last around an hour, followed by some open Q&A time.

Previous webinar recordings

Recordings from previous sessions are published to the Sound Without Sight podcast. You can access this at the podcasting platforms listed below, or continue to browse individual episodes.