Ace Baker on the Road with Chickenfoot and StudioLive

Total Production International’s Zoe Mutter recently caught up with veteran rockers Chickenfoot, near the end of their sold-out European tour. The result is an entertaining and detailed look at the band’s touring setup and production, including some great insight from live sound engineer Michael “Ace” Baker.

Needless to say, the band – Van Halen alumni Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani and, on this tour, drummer Kenny Aronoff (filling in for RHCP drummer Chad Smith) – are all consummate professionals, as are Baker and the rest of the crew.

Baker offers some great commentary on his use of the PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2 console. An intrinsic part of his FOH setup, he uses the console for one-button, no hassle live recording of the band. As Baker explains, he discovered the StudioLive while on the road with Tower of Power. “PreSonus had also provided some recording equipment for Sammy Hagar’s club, Cabo Wabo,” says Baker. “They recommended we take the console on the road with Chickenfoot, and now I’m pretty vocal about my love of it. I think it sounds incredible and I’ve been able to multi-track record all the shows really easily. It takes up no room when it’s set up and has been with me on every tour since I first used it – as a FOH desk or a recording desk.”