Q&A with Audio Engineering Professor, Brian McKeever.

Your Name: Brian McKeever

Your Location (City, State):  Boston, MA

What do you teach at Bay State?

I teach AUD300 – Sound Design, which is an overview of the process of audio post-production for film, television, radio and interactive.

If you were not a teacher, what would you do?

I’m part-time adjunct faculty; my primary job is as an audio post-production engineer and sound designer.  I also teach at Berklee College of Music and freelance voice over instruction classes for a local casting company.

What is the one important life lesson you’d like your students to know?

There is no such thing as “luck” when it comes to success – what most people would consider luck is when preparation meets opportunity.  It’s your job to make sure that you’re prepared when an opportunity arises and you have the capability to take advantage of it.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be and why?

Nikola Tesla.  Or Einstein.  Tough call to pick.

If you were to create a slogan of your life, what would it be?

“I Can’t Believe That Worked…”

 What’s your go-to order at Starbucks?

 Nothing.  Surprisingly for my field, I don’t drink coffee or tea.  So not much for me at Starbucks…

What’s something you would have done differently as a college student?

I would have done a dual major with music synthesis – I was a music production & engineering major and might have benefited from learning more about music synthesis then as opposed to later in life.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Boston?

Grill 23 & Bar.  Or Capitol Grill.  Either way, great steaks and drinks.

What was your first job?

At 14, I got my first job as a bus boy for a local 24-hour restaurant near my parent’s home.  Had to get a waiver signed to be allowed to start working at 14 instead of 16.  Most of the money I made went toward my college fund and musical instruments (bass) and equipment.  Went from bus boy to dishwasher to prep-cook to line cook over the course of four years.  It was a tough job but it taught me the value of hard work and why I needed to study something I loved so that I’d have a career in life and not just a job.