Keith Loboda’s career in audio started like many others. “I wanted to be a rock star, until I realized I’d rather be working for rock stars,” he recalled. “You get a regular pay check, and you still get to be in the element – I get the same kind of rise out of it.” Loboda had played in a band previously, learning the business and self-marketing side of the industry, but zeroed in on recording and production as his true passion. “I chose to take the audio route,” said Loboda. “My friend Justin Hershey took me under his wing and I did my first live show with him and learned all the basics. The intensity of live sound, and having to adapt to the chaotic environment – it was intriguing to me.”
Loboda’s first solo mixing gig was on an analog Allen & Heath GL3300. “I’m grateful I started off with analog,” said Loboda. “It made me really appreciate the benefits of digital when that all started to gain traction.”
Later, Loboda started working as house engineer at a local punk rock venue – which helped him build up a network of touring artists and production companies. “I saw a lot of tours come through, and was hoping to get picked up to join one,” he recalled. “Fortunately, that finally happened. I went on the road for two weeks, and I knew I wanted just to keep doing that over and over.”
Through hard work and networking, Loboda began working his way up to major tours – including a recent 7-year tenure with popular progressive rock group Polyphia. Loboda began by mixing the group on house consoles in each venue; but as Polyphia’s crowds grew, so did Loboda’s need for consistency. Venue house consoles weren’t enough—he needed a system he could trust night after night. “I started seeing other engineers with these compact fly rigs,” he recalled. “Between the different rackmount mixers and compact surfaces like the (Allen & Heath) dLive CTi1500, those seemed like manageable systems for travelling with.”
The idea of consistently working on the same console at every tour stop was appealing, so Loboda invested in his own Allen & Heath SQ-5. “It was such a wonderful decision to make,” he recalled. “I can take the console and GX4816 stagebox on a plane with me and it’s below 50 pounds.”
Loboda also appreciated the workflow that SQ provided. “It felt like an analog console, but with all the benefits of digital,” he explained. “And it sounded incredible with the 96kHz processing and plugins. I also love the built in USB interface for multitracking every show. It had everything I needed in the box.”
In addition to the stock dynamic processing and FX, Allen & Heath offers add-on plugins for more advanced tinkering. “The Opto compressor is probably one of my favorites,” said Loboda. “I’m also starting to learn how to use the multiband compressors and dynamic EQs.” Loboda notes that Dynamic EQ is especially useful with Polyphia for taming the low end in their backing tracks. “I try to keep the backing tracks from masking the kick drum and bass guitar,” he explained. “The dynamic EQ can ensure that the kick drum can still pound through without competing.”
Polyphia’s critical guitar tones are sculpted through Neural Quad Cortex DSPs, which change settings throughout a performance using MIDI commands from the playback computer. Loboda also makes changes at the console to further create separation between them. “Both guitars are in stereo, and I pan one of them a little wider and keep the other more inward,” he explained. “I also use slight EQ changes to keep them from competing in the mix.”
Despite the MIDI automation built in to the band’s production, Loboda prefers to use his ears and keep his hands on the faders for the actual console mix. “I like to be present and keep my eye on the stage,” he noted. “I’ve been mixing this band for the past 7 years, so I already have a feel for when the changes need to happen.”
Loboda also loves the customizable interface available on SQ. “I like that I can configure a SoftKey to bring in an out my drum verb as I need it,” he explained. “Also the custom fader banks are a big thing. I have my comp groups on one layer, another for DCAs, another for matrix sends – that ability to navigate between those channel types at the push of a button is just awesome.”
Polyphia’s most recent tour concluded this month, with 6 shows supporting System of a Down and co-headliners Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, and Deftones at various venues across North America.
