Rate My Professor Frank Baird

Frank Baird serves as Associate Professor of audio production in the Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University, contributing to the Arts and Culture faculty through his expertise in sound reinforcement and live audio technologies. Originally from the Pittsburgh area, Baird nurtured a lifelong passion for music and live performances, beginning with his first concert at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in New Castle, Pennsylvania, featuring Atlanta Rhythm Section and 38 Special. He holds a B.A. in Communication from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (1987), a minor in Commercial Music from The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio, and an M.Ed. from Belmont University (2008). His professional career commenced with technical training at The Recording Workshop, followed by work at Clair, a premier sound reinforcement company, where he supported tours for Elton John and Madonna. After relocating to Nashville in 1994, he joined Soundcheck for national tours with artists including Clay Walker, Joe Diffie, and Bob Carlisle. Baird managed a theatre at Belmont University for 15 years, overseeing more than 10,000 events.

At MTSU, Baird teaches courses in audio fundamentals, audio signals, and systems sound reinforcement, supporting programs such as the Audio Production B.S., Recording Arts and Technologies M.F.A., and Interdisciplinary Media Concentration B.S. within the College of Media and Entertainment. He directs the Chris Young Cafe, facilitates hands-on student projects including collaborations at SXSW and tours of facilities like Rock Lititz, and serves as production manager and seminar instructor at Whitehall Camp in Pennsylvania. Baird also consults for churches, theatres, sound companies, and local universities. His scholarly contributions include the publication 'Crowdsourcing the creation of an audio dataset for human and machine medical diagnosis training' (2017) and a review of 'The Event Safety Guide: A Guide to Health, Safety and Welfare at Live Entertainment Events in the United States' edited by Donald C. Cooper (2014). Contact: frank.baird@mtsu.edu