Live Sound Bootcamp in Zakk’s Audioverse: Tuning a new generation of musicians

One of the goofy catchphrases I always throw around is "a first-world problem in our third-world country." It sounds stupid, but it also hits on a larger truth—kind of like what musician and audio engineer Zakir Hossain was trying to challenge with his three-day sound engineering boot camp. 

Jokes aside, in Bangladesh's dysfunctional and borderline non-existent music industry, there aren't many opportunities to properly learn the craft of sound engineering or how to elevate the live concert experience. 

That's why something like the 'Live Sound Bootcamp in Zakk's Audioverse', held this week at the Yamaha Music Store, is a rather big deal—it's a rare chance for those serious about building a career in this field to actually gain hands-on experience.

For Zakir, this boot camp is his way of giving back to the "community" that shaped him into who he is today. And it's no exaggeration to call him the go-to guy for live sound in Bangladesh's music scene. 

If you've ever been to a great local concert and loved how it sounded, there's a good chance he was the one behind the console—almost like a conductor leading an orchestra. That's exactly why, for aspiring sound engineers, there's probably no better person to learn from than Zakir himself.

The module

The workshop began with live sound fundamentals, covering basic audio theories, gig preps, and signal patching. A modest set of 13 participants addressed their queries through Q&A sessions. 

A workshop with just 13 participants might seem small, but that was intentional. The organisers never planned for more than 20 attendees, believing a larger group would make it harder to effectively communicate key concepts. 

"We conducted surveys to understand what enthusiasts wanted to learn, their specific questions, and how we could best help them," said Tasneem Batool, CEO of JB Productions, the organisers of the workshop.

The second day focused on optimising sound systems, covering speaker placement, feedback control, and sound checks. The final sessions explored mixing techniques, console setup, and gain staging.

"Live audio engineering is a mix of operational skills and personal taste. We can teach the skills, but one's taste is what defines an individual engineer. To each their own." Zakir explained.

Not every audio engineer masters their craft through workshops like Zakir's—many learn on their own or through the internet. However, with so much information online, it can sometimes be overwhelming and even slow down the learning process.

"I was lucky to have guidance from senior artistes in our music scene, but for amateurs and enthusiasts, having a clear starting point is crucial. You need to know what to learn and where to learn it from," Zakir explained.

The workshop also focused on industry-standard digital consoles used in Bangladesh, including the Midas M32, Behringer X32, and Yamaha TF5, ensuring hands-on experience with essential gear.

Does this skill set improve live entertainment in Bangladesh?

Watching the workshop on the second day, it was clear that while the lectures covered plenty of technical details, they always tied back to real issues faced in Bangladesh's concerts. Troubleshooting the recurring technical problems at local shows was a major focus throughout.

"Knowing the venues, handling uncontrolled environments, and figuring out how to get the best possible sound in those conditions is crucial for delivering a great show with a solid auditory experience," Zakir explained.

Zakir also mentioned that the skills learned in the workshop aren't just limited to rock or metal concerts—they can be applied to all kinds of events, whether it's an indoor gig, an outdoor festival, or even the growing number of DJ parties and small-scale techno fests popping up across Bangladesh.

The larger vision of workshops like this is to help build a pool of skilled, professional sound engineers in Bangladesh—so that one day, our shores can play hosts to global musicians and major international music festivals.

Zakir believes that over the years, Bangladesh has indeed produced world-class music, especially in terms of sound production, with local rock bands matching international standards. 

However, he regrets that the country has yet to showcase this quality on a global stage and one of the main obstacles is the lack of both the necessary skill set and the manpower to make it happen in the industry.

"I want our music to be showcased on global stages. We have the quality, and we have the bands," Zakir said. "India is hosting festivals like Lollapalooza now, but honestly, Bangladesh could have hosted it before India. We have more bands, whereas, in India, band music is mostly tied to Bollywood rock. The reason it hasn't happened here is simple—we're not equipped, and we don't have enough skilled engineers."

He hopes that projects like this will help change that. Maybe in 10 years, Bangladesh will have a strong pool of professionals, capable of delivering world-class shows. This could just be the beginning.