360º Technical Service is the Way to Go

Why a Unified Approach to Live Production Makes All the Difference

Introduction

Live music production is a technical puzzle, and for years, bands and artists have been expected to put it together using separate, often disconnected teams. One team handles hardware systems—playback racks, power distribution, audio integration. Another is in charge of session programming—stems, live effects, vocal processing, playback reliability. A third focuses on MIDI and show control, managing how instruments, effects, lighting, and automation interact. And then, cabling and transportation are left to the crew, who have to make sense of whatever they’ve been handed.

Each of these groups operates within its own scope, often without a full understanding of the entire system. The result? Communication breakdowns, redundant work, avoidable mistakes, and systems that don’t function as seamlessly as they should.

For years, this fragmented approach was just how things were done. But the reality of modern touring has changed, and the approach needs to evolve with it.

The Problem with the Old Way

The industry didn’t set out to create this level of complexity—it evolved over time. Technical needs expanded, and instead of designing one unified workflow, each area became its own separate specialty. The assumption was that playback, session programming, MIDI, and cabling were separate concerns rather than interdependent elements of the same system.

That way of thinking has serious downsides:

• Miscommunications between teams lead to incompatible setups, mismatched hardware, or poorly optimized workflows.
• Unnecessary troubleshooting becomes part of the daily routine—MIDI controllers that need constant reconfiguration, playback rigs that aren’t properly integrated into the session programming, cables that aren’t optimized for transport.
• Freight and setup inefficiencies cost time and money—bulky, overcomplicated systems that take longer to load in, check, and troubleshoot.
• Reliability suffers because the system isn’t designed as a single unit—just as a collection of independent parts.
• It’s more expensive—multiple teams mean multiple invoices, extra labor, and higher freight costs due to inefficient designs.

At Custom Live Rigs (CLR), we take a different approach.

Building a System That Works as One

Instead of forcing different teams to adapt to mismatched workflows, we build fully integrated technical solutionswhere every element is designed to work together from the start.

This means:

• Hardware, session programming, and MIDI integration designed as a single system—not separate elements forced to fit together.
• Playback setups that are pre-cabled, pre-configured, and pre-tested, ensuring consistency from venue to venue.
• MIDI and show control solutions that aren’t an afterthought but a core part of the system, eliminating unnecessary workarounds.
• Cabling and transport that are part of the design process, not just something left to the crew at the last minute.
• Lower overall costs—fewer teams, less freight weight, and fewer troubleshooting hours translate directly into saved money.

Instead of arriving at a venue and spending time troubleshooting why the playback rig isn’t communicating with the MIDI automation, everything is built, optimized, and tour-ready from day one.

The Real-World Impact

The shift toward unified live production isn’t about making things easier—it’s about making them faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective.

A fully integrated system:

• Reduces failure points by eliminating unnecessary complexity.
• Drastically speeds up load-ins and soundchecks because the system is already dialed in.
• Cuts down on freight weight and bulk, saving time and money on transport.
• Costs less overall—by reducing redundant work, wasted time, and inefficient setups.
• Provides consistency night after night, because it’s pre-engineered rather than cobbled together.

For artists, engineers, and production teams, this means fewer distractions and a seamless live experience where everything just works—without last-minute fixes or unreliable workarounds.

A Necessary Evolution

At CLR, this isn’t just an idea—it’s what we build. The highest levels of live production are already shifting toward self-contained, touring-ready systems rather than disconnected components, and it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the industry follows.

For those still relying on fragmented setups, the question isn’t if they’ll make the switch—it’s when. Touring with a unified system isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity for any production that values efficiency, reliability, and cost control.