Field Guide: What Does an Audio Team Actually Do?

What Is the Audio Department, and Why Does It Split in Two?

Audio is usually the most jargon-heavy department on any live events call — and the fastest way to understand it is knowing it splits into two separate mixes. Someone is always mixing for the audience, and someone else is mixing for the performers — and they’re rarely the same person.

What Does a Front of House (FOH) Engineer Do?

The Front of House (FOH) Engineer mixes the sound the audience hears, working from a console positioned in the middle of the room. This matters because the FOH mix is the show’s entire sonic identity — get it wrong, and nothing else the crew does can fix it. FOH is often the artist’s most trusted touring hire; on smaller acts, the Tour Manager sometimes doubles as FOH engineer. Most FOH engineers start as audio techs or A2s and work their way up through smaller acts before landing a touring FOH chair.

What Does a Monitor Engineer Do?

The Monitor Engineer mixes what each performer hears on stage — through floor wedges or in-ear monitors (IEMs). This role is invisible to the crowd but critical to the band: a performer who can’t hear themselves or their bandmates clearly can’t perform well, no matter how good the room sounds. Monitor engineering is a common next step for audio techs who’ve built strong FOH fundamentals but want a more performer-facing role.

What Does a System Engineer Do?

The System Engineer designs, hangs, and tunes the PA — the large line-array speaker system — for each room, optimizing for brands like L’Acoustics or d&b. This is the science behind the sound: every venue has different acoustics, and the system engineer’s job is making sure the room itself doesn’t work against the mix. It’s a more technical, less performance-facing path than FOH or monitors, and a strong fit for anyone who likes the engineering side of audio more than the art side.

What’s the Difference Between an A1 and an A2?

A1 and A2 are corporate and broadcast terms rather than touring terms. The A1 is the lead audio engineer running the show, while the A2 handles mics, cabling, and RF on the floor. A2 is one of the most common entry points into corporate and broadcast audio work — it’s hands-on, floor-level, and a direct path toward becoming an A1.

What Does an RF Coordinator Do?

The RF (Radio Frequency) Coordinator manages every wireless signal on a show — mics, in-ear monitors, and comms — so nothing drops out or interferes with anything else. As more devices compete for limited wireless spectrum, this job has gotten harder every year, and RF coordinators are increasingly in demand across touring, corporate, and broadcast events alike.

What Does an Audio Crew Chief Do?

The Audio Crew Chief leads the audio crew through the full show-day cycle — load-in, show, and load-out. This is a leadership role built on experience: crew chiefs are almost always promoted from within the audio department after years on the floor, not hired directly into the position.

What Other Audio Jobs Exist?

Beyond the core roles above, the audio department includes a wide range of specialized and adjacent positions: audio tech, PA systems tech, monitor tech, frequency coordinator, recording/playback engineer, broadcast audio engineer, field sound mixer (for location and film work), sound supervisor/editor, DJ tech, and PA tech roles tied to specific speaker brands like L’Acoustics. Many of these are strong entry points if you’re breaking into audio for the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between FOH and monitors? FOH mixes what the audience hears; monitors mix what the performers hear on stage. They’re two separate jobs, often done by two different people on the same show.

Is A1/A2 the same as FOH/monitors? Not exactly — A1/A2 are terms used in corporate and broadcast audio, while FOH and monitor engineer are the equivalent touring terms. A1 functions similarly to a lead engineer role; A2 is a floor-support role.

Why is RF coordination getting harder? Because wireless spectrum is increasingly crowded — more devices are competing for the same limited frequencies at every show.

Recap

Audio splits into two mixes — FOH for the audience, monitors for the performers — supported by system engineers who tune the room itself, RF coordinators who keep every wireless signal clean, and crew chiefs who run the department through load-in, show, and load-out.

Curious how audio fits into the bigger picture? Start with how the live events industry actually works, or check the jargon glossary if any of these terms are new. Head to giggs.live if you’re ready to find your next role in live events.