Working Class Audio

WCA #294 with McKay Garner – Remote Production, Curveballs and Lemonade, Production Mindset, Community, and Burritos

McKay Garner is a producer, engineer, mixer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer, he has worked on records for artists such as J Dilla, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mike Shinoda/Linkin Park, Michael Buble, Dead & Company/Mickey Hart, made music in films such as the Transformers movie, in video games, and for television shows such as Total Recall, America’s Next Top Model, Grey’s Anatomy, and many more. He has been fortunate to work as an engineer on projects with amazing producers and engineers such as Rick Rubin, Ariel Rechtshaid, Dana Nielsen, and Ryan Hewitt, among others.

After studying music at the University of N.C. School of the Arts, McKay Garner’s career has spanned decades performing in front of countless audiences and creating music in recording studios. McKay is an active member of the Bay Area music scene. As an elected leader volunteer, he served two terms as co-chair of the Producers and Engineers Wing and is an active Board member of the Recording Academy SF Chapter (the Grammys and more), McKay now strives to bring attention to experimental, innovative, and traditional music voices within the industry.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Remote Production
• Residential Rental Recording Spaces
• Supportive Spouses
• Curveballs and Lemonade
• Drummers as Producers/Engineers
• LA to SF
• Life In LA
• Music and Technology
• Burritos
• Production Mindset
• Production Financials
• Licensing
• Community

Links and Show Notes

• McKay’s Site: http://mckaygarner.com
• McKay on Instagram: @mckayallday
• WCA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: McKay Garner
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #292 with Jessica Paz – Manhattan Special, Soda Stream, Theater Sound, Women in Audio, Sound Design, Advocacy, and Last Minute Christmas Gifts

Jessica Paz is a Tony Award-winning Sound Designer for theater, film and music. Most recently, she collaborated with Nevin Steinberg on the sound design for Anaïs Mitchell’s acclaimed production of Hadestown, which earned the duo a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle nomination.

On Broadway, Jessica was an Associate Sound Designer on projects including Dear Evan Hansen, Bandstand, Disaster! The Musical; The Assembled Parties (MCC); and Fela!.

Other design credits include Little Shop of Horrors (Westside Theater); Kiss My Aztec (Berkeley Rep); Twelfth Night, Othello, Miss You Like Hell, Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and As You Like It (The Public Theater); Burn All Night (A.R.T Oberon Stage); Ugly Lies the Bone (Roundabout); A Sucker EmCee, and The Muscles in Our Toes (LAByrinth); The Kings Whore (Starcatcher Productions); Becoming Dr. Ruth (Westside Theater); Looking for the Pony (Vital Theater Co.); Women Beware Women (Red Bull Theater); STRETCH – A Fantasia (New Georges); Welcome to Fear City (KC Rep); Scott & Hem in the Garden of Allah, and See How They Run (Barrington Stage); Legally Blonde, and 9 to 5 The Musical (North Shore Music Theater); Romeo & Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, and Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare on the Sound’s Productions); SCKBSTD (Virginia Stage Co) ; Volcanoes Birthright (Organic Magnetics); TempOdyssey, And Her Hair Went With Her, Bookends, and Minstrel Show (NJ Rep).

Jessica has been a Front of House Engineer for musicians including The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Antibalas, Julia Haltigan, Femi Kuti, Lady Antebellum, Candy Shop Boys, People vs. Larson, Michael Arenetta, Bugaboo, Carte Blanche, King Holiday, The Woes, Stone Cold Fox, The African Children’s Choir and many others. She has also been a Lecturer of Sound Design in addition to student advisor for Princeton Universities production of Next To Normal, and was the Sound Designer of the Actor’s Studio Drama School’s yearly Master’s Thesis productions from 2009 – 2014.

Jessica is fascinated by music studio and live concert techniques. She is constantly learning and researching innovative approaches from the traditional music recording world, and bringing them into her theater work. A proud member of IATSE Local 829; Soundgirls.org; Woman’s Audio Mission; USITT; and Co-Chair of the board of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association. She currently resides in New York. Pizza is her favorite food group. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Manhattan Special
• Theater Sound
• Broadway/Off Broadway
• Theater Sound Design
• System Design
• Audio Teams
• Audio Roles
• Mentors
• Large Budgets
• Network Audio
• Rain vs. Audio
• Women in Audio
• Theater vs. Club Sound
• Union Rules
• Money
• Passion for Audio
• Past Jobs
• Trying to Leave Audio
• Advocacy

Links and Show Notes:

• Jessica’s site: http://www.jessicapazdesigns.com/
• TSDCA.: https://tsdca.org/
• USITT: https://www.usitt.org/
• Soundgirls: https://soundgirls.org/
• Women’s Audio Mission: https://womensaudiomission.org/
• Monologue Link to Velcro Strips: https://amzn.to/2BcrMG6
• WCA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: Jessica Paz
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #290 with Joe Chiccarelli – Frank Zappa, Producing, Psychology, Budgets, Learning From Others, Sharing Knowledge, and The Tonelux Mic Collaboration

Joe Chiccarelli is a ten-time Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer/mixer whose credits include such artists as Tori Amos, Beck, U2, The Strokes, The Killers, Elton John, The Shins, The White Stripes, Morrissey, Alanis Morrisette, Jason Mraz, Juanes, Julieta Venegas, The Raconteurs, Cafe Tacuba, and My Morning Jacket. Other projects through his twenty-year career have included music supervision of films such as Suicide Kings and Men with Guns, the TV series Cracker and Robert Altman’s The Gun. Joe is the studio designer for the state-of-the-art Royaltone Recording Studios (now Sphere) in Burbank, CA, and has served as an A&R consultant for several major and independent labels.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Matt & Joe’s Connection
• Frank Zappa
• Roy Thomas Baker
• Joe’s Approach to Producing
• Inexperienced Managers
• Psychology
• Handling Disagreements
• Fresh Perspectives
• Working in Multiple Genres
• Mix with the Masters
• Getting the Most Out Of a Budget
• Learning From Others
• Sharing Knowledge
• The Tonelux Mic Collaboration
• Planning the Year

Links and Show Notes:

• Joe’s website: https://www.joechiccarelli.com/
• The Tonelux JC37: https://bit.ly/2VMuhGe
• WCA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: Joe Chiccarelli
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #288 with Jens Bogren – Chaos Theory, Working in Metal, Psychology, Banks, Sports Fishing and, Motion Sickness

Jens Bogren is a Swedish record producer, mixer and recording engineer who has worked Opeth, Sepultura, Katatonia and a long list of many other bands.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Working in Metal
• Banks
• Studio Naming
• Building A New Studio
• Sports Fishing
• Motion Sickness
• Chaos Theory
• Bogren Digital
• Trail of Luck
• Determining What to Charge
• Managers
• Psychology of Showreels
• Psychology of Production Work
• Leadership
• Surround Sound Work

Links and Show Notes:

• Atomic Habits: https://amzn.to/37ZCHPv
• Bogren Digital: https://bogrendigital.com/
• Fascination Street Studios: https://www.fascinationstreet.se/
• Jens on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jensbogren/?hl=en
• Jens on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jbogren?lang=en
• WCA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: Jens Bogren
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #284 with Dallas Taylor – Twenty Thousand Hertz Podcast, Crafting stories with Sound, Positioning, Ben Burtt, Challenging Convention, and Burnout Prevention

Dallas Taylor is the host and creator of Twenty Thousand Hertz, a lovingly crafted podcast revealing the stories behind the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds. Dallas is also the Creative Director of Defacto Sound, where he has led thousands of high-profile projects ranging from blockbuster trailers and advertising campaigns to Sundance award-winning films and major television series. Dallas is a sought-after speaker at conferences, a regular contributor to major publications, and a respected thought leader on the narrative power of sound.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The five senses
• 250-hour podcasts
• Twenty Thousand Hertz Podcast
• Thinking about sound
• Growing up in Arkansas
• Conducting
• Pushing the status quo
• Echo Chambers
• Sound Design
• Crafting stories with sound
• Running a sound business
• Positioning
• Ben Burtt and Star Wars
• Pushing through obstacles
• Recharging
• Burnout prevention
• Challenging convention

Links and Show Notes:

• The 20K Podcast: https://www.20k.org/
• Defacto Sound: https://www.defactosound.com/
• RevThink: https://revthink.com/
• Sinister Movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1922777/
• Suction Cup Phone Tape: https://amzn.to/2ZAfpxE
• WCA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: Dallas Taylor
• Photographer: Stephen Voss
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #282 with Björgvin Benediktsson – Alternative Studio Income Strategies, Book Recommendations, Creating Online Content, and Audio Issues

Björgvin Benediktsson is audio engineer, musician author, and entrepreneur. Björgvin helps home studio musicians learn how to make a bigger impact with their music by teaching them how to produce themselves.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Audio Schools
• Audio Issues
• 4 hour Work Week
• Helping
• Teaching
• Learning
• Alternative Studio Income Strategies
• Creating online content
• Book Recommendations
• Content Creation Audio Hub

Links and Show Notes:

• Audio Issues: https://www.audio-issues.com/
• Step By Step Mixing: How to Create Great Mixes Using Only 5 Plug-ins: https://amzn.to/2yB7NzS
• The 4-Hour Workweek: https://amzn.to/2WJ0RZj
• Your Move: The Underdog’s Guide to Building Your Business: https://amzn.to/2YOeMA1
• Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You: https://amzn.to/2WQ63ea
• Customer Canvas: https://customercanvas.net/
• WCA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: Björgvin Benediktsson
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #280 with Brad Wood – Virus Talk, Blacksmiths, New Habits, Pandemic Albums, Instagram and the return of Andy Kaufman

Brad Wood is a producer, engineer and mixer located in Los Angeles, California. Brad is known for his work with Liz Phair, Veruca Salt, Skating Poly and many others. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Wood) Brad joins me for a Instagram Live session where we take questions and discuss all things music/recording and Coronavirus. This is Brad’s second appearance on WCA please listen to WCA #095 to get his full story. https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-095-with-brad-wood/

In this episode, we discuss:

• Virus Talk
• Blacksmiths
• New Habits
• Pandemic Albums
• The Return of Andy Kaufman
• The Breaking of Audio Pros.
• Instagram
• Band Podcasts

Links and Show Notes:

• Brad’s first WCA interview: https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-095-with-brad-wood/
• Brad’s site: http://www.bradwoodmusic.com/
• Brad on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradwood_producifer/
• Brad’s Favorite Beer: http://www.macleodale.com/
• WCA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: Brad Wood
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #278 with the Work From Home Panel – Sara Carter, Jaimeson Durr, and Fela Davis join me to talk about all things audio, business and survival in the time of Coronavirus.

Former WCA guests Sara Carter, Jaimeson Durr and Fela Davis join me to talk about all things audio, business and survival in the time of Coronavirus. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Grants
• Change in business practice
• Resources
• Loss of Income
• Virtual engineering
• Working from home
• Podcast production
• Technology
• Working with family at home
• Alternative income streams
• Internet Speed
• Post virus predictions

Links and Show Notes:

• Jaimeson Durr http://www.jaimesondurr.com/
• Sara Carter https://www.musicmixpro.co.uk/
• Fela Davis https://www.oneofoneproductions.com/
• Resource Guide for Music Professionals: https://bit.ly/2Xw5N5O
• Filepass: https://filepass.com/
• Zoom: https://zoom.us/
• Bounce Boss: https://bounceboss.co.uk/
• Audio Movers: https://audiomovers.com/
• Connection Open: https://www.connectionopen.com/
• Fela’s WCA interview: https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-198-with-fela-davis/
• Sara’s WCA interview: https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-194-with-sara-carter/
• Jaimeson’s WCA interview: https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-211-with-jaimeson-durr/
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guests: Sara Carter, Jaimeson Durr and Fela Davis
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #276 with Matthew Boudreau – Soul-Sucking Jobs, Audio Drama, Field Recording, Spiderman vs Draco The Dragon, and the Language of Audio

No, I’m not interviewing myself! As it turns out, there are two Boudreau’s in the world of audio named Matt (Me) and Matthew (my guest). 

Matthew Boudreau is a field recordist, podcast producer, consultant and editor, and sound designer living in Buffalo, NY. 

Matthew has been working in podcasting since 2008 and has over 20 years of experience as an audio professional, working in computer multimedia, theatre sound, studio recording, film, and sound effects field recording. He is the founder of the 11th Hour Audio Challenge, an annual podcast event that challenges audio drama producers to collaborate in creating works of horror in the month of October.

Matthew’s audio post-production company, Uberduo, sells immersive sound effect bundles dedicated to the exploration and reproduction of locations and props for film and audio fiction. His sound effect bundles can be found on http://www.asoundeffect.com and individual sound effects can be found at soundsnap.com.

Matthew was the dialogue editor for the Audible productions, Locke and Key and X-Files: Cold Cases. He has spoken at CONvergence in Bloomington, Minnesota, and SXSW in Austin Texas on topics including voice acting, sound design, and making the jump from film to podcast fiction. His audio fiction pieces 1918, Intensive Care and A Prophets Guide have won Mark Time and Ogle Awards. In addition to the annual 11th Hour Challenge, his current podcast projects include sound design for The Once and Future Nerd and editing for The Activist Files for the Center for Constitutional Rights. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Language of Audio
• Spiderman vs Draco The Dragon
• Joining the military
• Soul-Sucking Jobs
• Audio Drama
• Field Recording
• Podcasts
• Stealth Recording
• The Buffalo Border Patrol

Links and Show Notes:

• Matthew’s Company: https://www.uberduo.com/
• Matthew’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-boudreau-a60a4b7/
• Podcast Host: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/
• Field Recording by Paul: Virostek: https://amzn.to/2WVMuCO
• Rick Viers Location Sound: https://amzn.to/3bA82J8
• Rick Viers Sound Effects Bible: https://amzn.to/39uRCR1
• Get work!: https://www.mandy.com/
• Support WCA – Go Ad-Free! https://glow.fm/workingclassaudio/
• Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattboudreau/
• Current sponsors & promos: https://bit.ly/2WmKbFw
• Working Class Audio Journal: https://amzn.to/2GN67TP

Credits:

• Guest: Matthew Boudreau
• Host: Matt Boudreau 
• WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell 
• Announcer: Chuck Smith
• Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
• Additional Music: The License Lab