Live sound is an excellent training ground for audio professionals.
The immediate nature of the work, the absence of an undo button, and the pressure to get it right the first time can refine skills that pay off in every other corner of the industry.
Gilad Eric Avni, one of the most influential recording engineers in Israel, is a clear example of this.
His journey through live and studio environments has informed a career that includes over 230 verified recording credits, 27 million+ streams, and projects with the country’s most acclaimed artists.
Like many in the industry, Avni’s path has included both live and studio work, and that crossover has been critical.
In live sound, there’s no second take – a lesson that carries into sessions where every performance counts.
The discipline learned in high-pressure situations translates into meticulous preparation, clear communication, and an ability to anticipate problems before they happen.
That mindset was essential during the Apple Music Sessions with Ninet Tayeb, a project that demanded both speed and precision.
Over three days in producer Yossi Mizrahi’s private Tel Aviv studio, Avni captured every instrument and every nuance of one of Israel’s most celebrated vocalists.
With no iso booth, he worked in the same room as Tayeb, using a carefully chosen combination of vintage Shure, Schoeps, Neumann, and Coles microphones to create an intimate yet powerful sound.
The turnaround was tight – the recordings had to be mixed and mastered within a week, yet the session ran smoothly, earning praise from both the artist and Apple Music.
Live engineers learn to read people quickly, a skill that Avni brings to high-profile studio sessions.
In the Ninet project, the three-person team – just the artist, producer, and engineer relied on trust and unspoken cues.
At one point, Tayeb personally messaged him after the session to thank him for both the sound and the energy in the room — a small but telling reflection of the connection built during the process.
Live sound’s unpredictability forces engineers to think on their feet.
Avni’s adaptability has served him in projects from Berry Sakharof’s nationally broadcast “Kanfey Ruah” to chart-topping singles for Yeled, Raviv Kaner, and Yuval Gold.
In the Ninet sessions, this adaptability meant quickly reconfiguring mic setups to suit changes in arrangement, ensuring every performance was captured with clarity and warmth.
In live work, decisions are immediate – EQ adjustments, fader moves, dynamic control etc, and Avni applies the same decisiveness in the studio.
During the Apple Music Sessions, he balanced the natural room sound with tight control over tonal detail, producing a mix that felt open yet intimate.
This ability to commit to a sound in the moment is part of why he has been celebrated as one of the most in-demand engineers in the country.
The Apple Music Sessions are invitation-only, with a small roster of international artists selected each year.
Being asked to engineer such a project is rare.
For Avni, it was another step in a career that has garnered significant industry recognition and national acclaim.
From Eran Tzur’s full-length albums to internationally covered projects like AS1ONE’s debut single featuring Nile Rodgers, his work carries an unrivaled, sustained mark on the Israeli music industry.
The lesson he draws from live sound still holds: you prepare, you adapt, and when the moment comes, you capture it.
Because in music , live or in the studio, you only get one chance to make it happen.
