Eddie Caipo: Family Jam to Studio Tour

Ever wonder what it takes to be the sound engineer for music legends like Gwen Stefani and Enrique Iglesias?

Eddie “El Brujo” Caipo knows firsthand. As a seasoned pro in live sound and studio mixing, he’s spent years crafting the perfect mix for some of the biggest names in the industry. He’s fresh off the massive Trilogy Tour with Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Pitbull.

In a recent interview on Avid’s Unlocking the Stage podcast series, Caipo shared his journey, approach to tour prep, and the art of delivering an unforgettable audio experience.

The art of live sound

I'm currently working with both Gwen and Enrique. They're the two I'm constantly with, and it's always an incredible experience.

The way I prepare for a tour depends on what we’re doing. I’ve been with Enrique for over 12 years and Gwen for more than eight, so a lot of my core settings haven’t changed much. Once I dial them in during the first few weeks, they stay pretty consistent—unless we add new elements to the show.

We recently did a live project with Gwen for her new album, now on YouTube, and added an extra musician and two background singers. With the Avid VENUE | S6L offline editor, I can prep in advance.

Honestly, I was patiently waiting for S6L to come out. I kept asking, ‘Is there any new board coming out?’ Back then, other companies were sending me boards to try at home, but nothing clicked. I wanted something that felt right, and from the moment I started working with Venue especially since the Profile came out, it just made sense. The way it works, the way it’s designed—it’s intuitive, easy to understand, and no other format could convince me otherwise.

When the S6L finally launched, the transition was effortless. My Profile files converted smoothly, and I was up and running. Immediately, I noticed the preamps sounded better, and the workflow was much more efficient. I also love the surface.

One thing I continue to appreciate is the automation. Programming it is so simple, especially because I do studio work. The integration with Pro Tools was seamless—just an Ethernet cable, and it’s good to go. I can make snapshots, resulting in memory locators in Pro Tools, and after a show or a TV gig, if I’m asked to mix a song, I can just open it up in my studio or even in a hotel room. It’s all right there—I don’t have to search for it.

The ability to program function keys, macros—it’s incredible. I can set up things like TalkBack switches or reverb bursts easily. It just works, and that reliability makes it less stressful. Even if you don’t have time to fully program, you can plug in and start mixing right away without needing to be a coder or IT expert. It’s just plug-and-play.

I come from a family of musicians. My grandmother played piano, my dad is a keyboard and accordion player, my brothers and cousins are musicians, and I even have family members who are producers. Music was everywhere around me growing up.

My parents owned the only Mexican restaurant in Peru that featured live performances every night. From an early age—around 13 or 14—I started getting involved, mixing live performances. The restaurant hosted a variety of acts covering multiple styles of music.

I got my hands dirty learning sound engineering by helping out at the restaurant. My dad also had studio equipment at home, so I started recording his work and experimenting. Whenever there was a school event, I brought my dad’s gear to improve performances. For gigs outside the restaurant, I assisted with sound setup, becoming the go-to person running sound at the restaurant. As my brother started playing gigs, I became his front-of-house sound engineer.

Learning and adapting

Even though I was immersed in sound engineering, I realized there were moments when I didn’t fully understand what I was doing. We didn’t have the same access to learning resources that exist today, like online tutorials or YouTube. So, every time I traveled to the U.S., I’d buy audio engineering books used in schools and read them cover-to-cover to improve my knowledge.

I moved to the U.S. to pursue a career in sound engineering. I always knew this was what I wanted to do, and I’ve worked in both live and studio environments, simultaneously. I never saw them as separate worlds—live and studio work complement each other. Whether you’re in a studio or a live setting, you’re dealing with artists, their strengths, insecurities, and creative vision.

Merging live and studio work

My transition into studio work became more solidified when I started working on jingles before moving to the States. In Los Angeles, I worked at a jingle house owned by a talented Peruvian producer. That experience immersed me in a studio environment, producing, recording voiceovers, and mixing.

At night, I continued doing live sound, which eventually led me to the Bay Area, where my brother was already performing. I started getting live gigs at clubs, and soon, club owners would ask if I could work there which led to even more opportunities.

Eventually, I worked at a mid-sized studio in San Francisco called DCP. I became so involved that I ended up running the place.

Most of my clients were independent artists, covering every genre—metal, punk, jazz, funk, Latin, R&B, hip-hop—you name it. I’ve always wanted to be a mixer who can handle all styles, and working with such a diverse range of music helped train my ear. If a rock band suddenly wanted to add horns, I’d be ready for it. If a track needed extra percussion, I’d know how to approach it.

A lifelong passion for sound

I’m a frustrated drummer! My brother is a drummer, and many of my best friends are drummers. I can play enough drums to fix recordings, enough keyboards to tweak MIDI, and a little guitar to understand arrangements. But my true instrument has always been sound itself. I used to be in a rock band during the Rock en Español movement in the ’90s and 2000s, but I always found myself drawn back to the mixing board. Sound engineering is where my passion truly lies.

Don’t be afraid to ask

Nothing intimidates me when it comes to audio. Collaboration is key. My advice for anyone starting out is simple—if you don’t know something, ask and keep learning. Don’t be afraid to try new things. In school, they might teach you a specific way to EQ a kick drum, but there are so many variables—who’s the drummer, what kind of kick drum and heads are being used, whether it's padded, the size of the room, or even if you're in an arena. What they teach is just a reference, one possible approach.

At the end of the day, you have to develop your own way of doing things and adapt to what’s in front of you. Take everything you’ve learned but trust your instincts to handle each situation in the moment.

Growing up in a restaurant with live music reinforced how music and food bring people together. Even today, family gatherings in my home turn into jam sessions, with my wife—who’s an incredible singer-songwriter—playing guitar, and friends jumping in. Music isn’t just a career for me; it’s a way of life, deeply connected to culture, community, and creativity.

Focused journey

Eddie Caipo’s career is a testament to his versatility, dedication, and relentless pursuit of audio excellence. Whether working front-of-house, in the studio, or behind the monitor board, his deep understanding of sound and technology ensures that every performance—whether on tour, in a stadium, or on live TV—sounds flawless.

Learn more about studio-quality sound for live performance with Avid VENUE | S6L and Pro Tools.