Pitbull’s FOH engineer Wil Madera doesn’t go anywhere without his Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console – and the Fridayz Live tour of Australia was no excepetion!
Madera has built a reputation for delivering consistently high-calibre mixes for some of the biggest names in music, including Lil Jon, Travis Scott, and Gunna. For the past seventeen years, Madera has served as Pitbull’s engineer, a steady, long-term position that reflects a deep professional rapport and mutual trust.
“The LV1 Classic delivers exceptional sound quality,” Madera says, “the best I’ve heard. We’re talking about top studio-grade audio, in a demanding live environment, which raises the bar for live mixing. On top of that, all the Waves plugins are fully integrated into the system, which means zero stress and seamless control during every show.”
He says, “I absolutely love the LV1 Classic because it allows me to create any mix style I want without overcomplicating things—it really puts everything I need right in front of me. The interface feels natural, and having access to all the Waves plugins makes the process smoother. It runs the same plugins we use in the studio, so I can share settings with our studio engineer and keep everything aligned. That makes the workflow familiar and reliable for me. From the moment I started using this console, it felt intuitive, and I got super-comfortable using it very quickly.”
“When it comes to workflow,” he adds, “I love how the LV1 Classic streamlines our work with plugins, which has become such an integral part of live mixing. The plugin integration is very streamlined and powerful now—it just allows you to reach results more quickly.”
Describing his must-have Waves plugin workflow within LV1 Classic, Madera comments, “The SSL E-Channel is my go-to plugin for everything. I love the character it brings to my drums, bass, guitars and vocals. I tweak a couple of settings, sometimes boosting slightly to add body, warmth, and that analog feel I love. The PuigTec EQP-1A has a beautifully musical sound that enhances vocals, drums, bass and my master buss with ease. Whatever I boost on the high end, I smooth out with the PuigTec to avoid harshness and keep the mix clean. It gives me a really clear vocal. I also rely on the BB Tubes plugin to add rich, warm saturation across vocals, bass, drums and the master buss. The SSL G-Master Buss Compressor is essential on my drum buss and for parallel compression, and it’s always present on my master buss to glue the mix together with a smooth finish. For vocals, I love using the Waves CLA-2A Compressor/Limiter. Its warm, smooth and natural compression makes it a standout. I use it to control any peaks that escape the mix and to glue the vocal together. In my vocal chain, after compression, I always reach for the CLA-2A to keep everything smooth and sitting perfectly in the pocket.”
He concludes, “The LV1 Classic is already in my setup for future tours and projects. I like the faders, the shape, and the screen. You can see everything very well. The tilt is perfect. I don’t want to get up, I just want to keep mixing. Its portability and seamless plugin integration with our studio setup make it incredibly reliable and easy to use. The intuitive interface, consistent plugin performance, and compact design make it an ideal choice for sound engineers looking to craft any mix style with ease while delivering high-quality sound at every show. It’s a system I genuinely trust and would recommend to any engineer who values flexibility, efficiency, and studio-grade results in a live setting.”
JPJ Audio were the audio production company for Fridayz Live.
Concert Photo: Jordan Munns
www.waves.com
Australian Distributor: Sound & Music Promotions www.sound-music.com
