Testimonials
"Great work and workmanship begins with integrity. Integrity is about character. For almost 30 years, I have entrusted not only my audio and sound reinforcement needs, but also cash deposits after performances (!) to Mac McDonnell. His integrity is above reproach. This however is superseded by a vast knowledge of acoustics and sound from 40+ years in the sound business touring with Johnny Cash, John Denver, Whitney Houston and many more. His work speaks for itself.
In ministry, arguably the most important detail after “what’s being said,” is how well it’s being heard. And amazingly, this detail is handled, all too frequently, by volunteers, on systems that are poorly constructed. When the inevitable feedback and distortion happens… the devil gets the blame?
Mac McDonnell and his team can chase that particular demon away with dispatch! I’m a witness."
Kirk Whalum; Grammy Award winning Saxophonist/Composer
“Mac McDonnell has been and will continue to be my "go to guy" on all things audio. He's a brilliant sound engineer who makes everything we partner on better.”
Brandon Hatmaker, Pastor, Author, Founder of Legacy Collective
I have been working with Mac McDonnell since the early nineties and Mac is my first call whenever I need a soundman. In addition to touring with major recording artists throughout the years, Mac recently taught live sound and helped design the curriculum at Mediatech Institute in Austin, Texas. Mac is very knowledgeable about live sound, is a very thorough teacher and has his own succinct style. It is easy to spot his former students because they are the ones that know what they’re doing. Mac is simply the best!
Craig Calvert, Musician - Murphy’s InLaws, Hotcakes, Wheatfield, St. Elmo’s Fire
I moved to Austin TX from New York City in 2009 to pursue an education in audio engineering. I was a songwriter/film maker and wanted to get a better understanding for recording in a studio and in live environments, plus I was ready to get out of the big city and Austin seemed like the perfect place to land.
My first teacher at school was Dan Childers. He taught a course on the basics of Pro Tools. Teaching a room full of students the technical ins and outs of Pro Tools is a pretty complex endeavor, but Dan did an amazing job explaining things in a hands on way that helped everything sink in. Dan has a supreme knowledge in studio techniques and he’s very approachable and willing to take extra time with students to ensure that they understand the world of audio engineering. I remember being truly excited to come to class everyday and learn something new, and I was even more excited to try out all the new techniques Dan taught us in the studio. Dan is a guy that truly loves the art of audio engineering, he opened my eyes to the science of sound and I still find myself referencing lessons I learned in his class to this day.
The last course I took was Live Sound with Mac McDonnell. Mac was the last teacher we would all see before going off into the real world and he made sure we were prepared for the world outside of the classroom once we graduated. Mac has a no nonsense approach that pushes students to greatness. He relentlessly encouraged me to work a little harder, dig a little deeper, and it really paid off. I ended up starting a live event company while I was still a student, and Mac would sometimes sneak into the theater, sit in the back row while I was setting up the stage and yell at me: “Is that how I taught you to mic a drum kit?” “You know you can’t set up the monitors like that!” I can’t explain how much of an impact Mac had on me. He truly cares about his students, but he holds them all accountable. I would go so far to say that Mac is the most influential teacher I’ve ever had, and this is coming from a person that went to a prestigious boarding school in the North East and got his undergraduate from SMU. The amount of respect and admiration I have for Mac is truly indescribable. His knowledge and firsthand experience in the world of Live Sound is unquestionable and his commitment to his students can’t be understated. He’s an amazing teacher and an even more amazing human being and it was a great privilege to be his student.
After graduation, I went on to grow my live event company into an event/video production company called The Sessions Music. I currently live in Hollywood, CA where I own a studio and produce music videos, branded content, and events for some of the biggest names in the industry. Even though a lot of my time is now spent behind the camera, I still implement many of the lessons I learned from Dan and Mac on a daily basis because let’s face it, video people know nothing about audio!
CJ Vinson; Film Maker/Audio Engineer, Hollywood, CA
I attended the MediaTech program in 2006-2008 and studied under Mac McDonnell and Dan Childers. The skills I learned from them prepared me immediately to secure a job in the music industry in Austin, TX (references below). They are both highly skilled at their craft and still, to this day, help me in any way they can.
Dan Childers taught me about becoming a studio engineer and working in a high-level professional studio. He still helps me with gear choices and gives me great technical advice. Someone with his experience of working in a professional studio, recording, mixing, mastering, and knowledge of gear are unsurpassed.
Mac McDonnell taught me Live Sound Engineering, Tour Management and Production Management. Mac still helps me with production issues while I am out on the road. He is one of the best live sound engineers I have ever seen. His knowledge of equipment, the science of sound, how it reacts with different consoles, speakers, rooms, etc, is as professional as it gets.
Because of what I learned from them, I have been able to work with many five star artists and tour all over the world. I could not recommend Mac and Dan more as instructors. Without them, I know I would not be where I am today.
Joey Christopher – FOH & Tour Manager: Kat Edmonson. Hayes Carll, Mike Flanigin, GOBI