A Deep Dive into the Tales Series – A Format Dedicated to Sound Professionals
In music, we often tend to shine a light on the end result. The faces, the voices, the stages lit by overly hot spotlights. And this comes at the expense of the process. We almost forget that behind every memorable riff, every beat on repeat, there is a constellation of craftspeople. People who shape sound, make invisible decisions, work late, sometimes have doubts, but keep moving forward because they know that one detail can change everything.
That’s who we created Tales for.
A format that celebrates the people who make music happen: the sound engineers who save a take at the last minute, the managers who spot a spark before anyone else, the artistic directors who provide direction when a project is still finding its shape, the technicians who set up a stage in record time, the musicians who support, reassure, and elevate.
Tuomo Tolonen – in a Few Words
For this third episode, we handed the mic to Tuomo Tolonen, Director of Strategic Development at Shure, where he has worked for nearly twenty years. From his earliest backstage memories with his singer father to coordinating wireless systems for the London Olympic Games and soundchecks for the Rolling Stones, he looks back with us on the people, developments, and sounds that have shaped his journey. A timely interview: Shure turns 100 in 2025.
The Tales Interview
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
One of my earliest memories is being backstage at one of my father’s concerts. He is a professional musician — he started out on bass, but over time, he discovered that he had an incredible voice and became a singer. That’s mainly what he did afterward.
So, among my very first memories, I see myself at two years old, sitting on a flight case. There was always music at home: The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, classical music… everything you can imagine. I don’t have one specific moment in mind: music has always been there.
When did you realize music could become a career, not just a passion?
Not right away. In college, I studied something completely different. But I spent all my time with musicians, sound engineers, people in live production, promoters… and it happened that way, gradually.
I quickly realized that this was what I was supposed to do. The right mindset, the right people — that’s where I feel I belong. I must have been 18, maybe a little older, when I realized I was really going to make a career out of it.
Is there a song that particularly stayed with you?
Everlong by Foo Fighters. I never get tired of it. Whenever I hear it, I pick up my guitar and play it. It gets to me every time.
Can you tell us about the key stages in your journey?
In the early 2000s, I was in Seattle, working in studios and doing all kinds of things in music. It gave me a good sense of what a career in the industry could be like.
I got my first “real” job in the industry at Genelec — the speaker manufacturer. That was a turning point. I realized that you don’t need to be a musician or sound engineer to work in music — there’s a whole ecosystem behind it.
How did you end up joining Shure?
I moved to the UK for personal reasons and started looking for a company that aligned with my values. That’s very important to me: I can’t work somewhere if I don’t believe in the brand or the product.
Shure came up, and I joined the team as a technical support engineer in 2005.
I’m very selective in my choices, but if someone had told me as a kid — when I was going onstage with my dad to set up what must have been SM57s or SM58s — that I would one day work for that company? I never could have imagined it.
Was there one project in particular that changed the course of your career at Shure?
Yes, absolutely. A real turning point in my career was the arrival of wireless technology.
Shortly after I joined, Shure launched the UHF-R, one of the first high-end digital systems. At the time, wireless was still poorly understood — people talked about “black magic.” With a cable, you plug it in and it works. But wireless felt invisible, unstable.
Then I started getting calls from major production companies and artists in the UK who wanted to install complex wireless systems but needed help.
That changed everything for me. I found myself involved in major events in the UK, coordinating highly technical installations. It redefined my role at Shure.
Have you had mentors along the way?
One hundred percent. Just thinking about it gives me chills. It’s a very close friend, Will Eggleston, at Genelec.
He was the first person who truly saw something in me and took me under his wing. One day, he told me: “You shouldn’t be doing what you’re doing today — you should be doing this.”
He pushed me to go and meet clients, to walk into studios — things I would never have dared to do on my own. I owe him a lot. Without him, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.
Now that you’re more senior, do you mentor others in turn?
Absolutely. I love talking with students and young people who want to work in music technology.
When I started out, there wasn’t much visibility or guidance. I go to schools and events, and I try to make this profession easier to understand. And sometimes, you can immediately sense when someone has that spark, the right mindset. It’s instant.
What’s the most surreal live moment you’ve experienced?
Two moments come to mind. The first is the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympic Games. The scale, the energy, the pressure — and yet, everything worked. It was huge and very inspiring.
And then there are the Rolling Stones. Shure has worked with them for a very long time — we’ve always seen photos of Mick Jagger singing into our microphones.
About 7 or 8 years ago, they were switching to our new digital wireless systems. A colleague asked me to check their setup during a rehearsal. Usually, the artists aren’t there — we just take care of the gear.
But that day, I asked how much time I had. Someone told me: “Not long — they’re arriving.” Then the entire band walked in.
I found myself behind Keith Richards’ amp, watching them rehearse for three hours. A real “what am I doing here?” moment.
A guiding principle for stressful moments?
Don’t panic. Breathe. Be honest. Don’t pretend you know if you don’t — ask the question. And above all: be yourself. That’s what keeps you going.
Studio or live: what excites you the most?
Definitely live. I started out in the studio, but nothing compares to that moment when the lights go down, you feel the kick drum in your chest, and the artist walks onstage. That moment is magical. Every time.
100 Years of Shure – A Living Legacy
2025 is an important year for Shure. What does it mean to you and to the company?
Yes, 2025 is a huge year in Shure’s history. We’re celebrating 100 years, and that alone is an achievement. But in our industry—the music and live events industry—it’s even more remarkable.
What makes it even more impressive is that Shure is still a family-owned company. It was founded in 1925 by S.N. Shure, a radio enthusiast. Originally, he sold parts for AM radios. He did everything himself.
It wasn’t until 1932 that we released our first microphone. That’s when Shure started becoming known for what it is today. But our roots are in radio and broadcasting.
Over 100 years, Shure has been involved in so many aspects of the music industry. We’ve grown alongside the evolution of music. Rock is a great example: when it exploded, so did we.
Today, almost every artist uses a Shure microphone at some point. That’s an incredible legacy. And personally, I’ve worked here for 19 years—almost one-fifth of the company’s history. I’m very proud of that.
How do you explain the longevity of certain Shure products, like the SM58? It almost seems like magic.
Absolutely. The SM58, for example, was launched in 1966. But the current version isn’t exactly the same. The materials, components, and manufacturing processes have evolved.
It’s a better product today, but it retains the sound and shape that made it iconic. Ask a kid to draw a microphone, and they’ll draw a silver grille—that’s the legacy of the 58. Every sound engineer in the world knows how it sounds and how to use it. It’s indestructible.
And for our wireless systems and in-ear monitors, it’s the same approach: they’re professional tools built to handle world tours, survive truck rides and drops. We don’t make gear that lasts two years. We design products to last for decades.
Shure is exploring AI—what opportunities or risks do you see ahead?
We’re not just exploring it: some of our products already use AI. It’s moving very quickly. We all saw the wave coming a few years ago, but at Shure, we’re already applying it—especially to remove unwanted noise or isolate what we want to keep. In real time or in post-production.
But the biggest opportunity, in my view, is troubleshooting. In live sound, when there’s an issue, you need an immediate answer. AI is faster than the human brain at detecting a problem.
I can see tools coming that can analyze a system’s expected state and instantly point out what’s wrong. That’s where there’s real added value.
The Quick-Fire Questionnaire
Have you recently discovered an artist who blew you away?
Yes—Gregory Alan Isakov. He’s a folk musician originally from South Africa who is based in Colorado. His music is soothing, really beautiful. I’ve been listening to him a lot lately.
If you could have done sound for a legendary band?
Nirvana. That would have been a dream.
If you could test a microphone in a legendary venue?
The Royal Albert Hall. No question.
And if you could set up a research lab anywhere in the world?
Somewhere peaceful and inspiring… Iceland. That would be perfect.
What do you wish for Shure over the next 100 years?
To stay true to what has brought us this far: staying close to our users, designing reliable, useful products, and continuing to be driven by people who truly love music and sound.
