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WCA #218 with Nick Luca

Nick Luca is a multi-instrumentalist musician, singer/songwriter/composer, music producer and audio engineer. He has toured throughout Europe, USA, Mexico, Canada and Australia with Iron and Wine, Calexico, John Doe (X) and his own band, Luca. As a session musician and audio engineer, Nick has credits on over 100 albums with artists such as Neko Case, DeVotchka, Robyn Hitchcock, Margaret Cho, M Ward, Darren Hanlon and many others. 

About this Interview:

Nick joins me to talk about scenes, spirit animals, Calexico, Los Angeles, Kelsey Grammer, recording Hip Hop and diversification. Enjoy!-Matt

Show Notes and Links

• Nick’s Site: http://www.nickluca.com/
• WCA Patreon Subscriptions: https://goo.gl/iSPLTS
• OneMic Series: http://www.johncuniberti.com/onemic/
• Audio-Technica: https://www.audio-technica.com/
• UA Promo: https://www.uaudio.com/uad-accelerator-promo
• AEA Ribbon Mics: https://www.aearibbonmics.com/
• Audio Life on Gearslutz: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/audio-life/
• WCA on Youtube: https://goo.gl/g5nsWG

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Working Class Audio #216 with Adam Gonsalves!!!

Adam Gonsalves has mastered over a thousand releases from artists around the world. He is equally at home mastering for digital formats and cutting lacquers for vinyl. Prior to mastering Adam worked for 7 years as a tracking and mixing engineer at Anchorhold Recording. From 2010-2013 Adam also produced the Square Cad Mastering Podcast. In 2017 he was featured in the book Why Vinyl Matters. Adam received a master’s degree in Music Technology from New York University. Adam is  approved to provide Mastered for iTunes masters. Clients include: Willie Nelson, Peter Buck, Elliott Smith, Sleep, Blitzen Trapper, The Last Artful Dodgr, Sufjan Stevens, Pure Bathing Culture, Tender Loving Empire, Southern Lord, TKO, Living Music, Crane City Music, Typhoon, My Brightest Diamond, Dead Moon, Emma Ruth Rundle, Steve Aoki, Poison Idea, Rogue Wave, Ty Segall, Pelican, John Craigie, Earth, Horse Feathers, Blackwater Holylight, Calvin Johnson, Haley Heynderickx, Widowmaker, and many more. Additional credits available at Sound Credit.

About this Interview:

Adam joins me to talk about the Square Cad Mastering podcast, interrogating your own workflow, his journey into lacquer cutting and his work/life balance. -Enjoy

Show Notes and Links

• WCA Patreon Subscriptions: http://www.patreon.com/workingclassaudio
• Telegraph Mastering: http://telegraphmastering.com/
• Square Cad Mastering Podcast: http://squarecad.net/
• Audio-Technica: https://www.audio-technica.com/world_map/
• UA Promo: https://www.uaudio.com/uad-accelerator-promo
• AEA Ribbon Mics: https://www.aearibbonmics.com/
• Audio Life on Gearslutz: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/audio-life/
• WCA on Youtube: https://goo.gl/g5nsWG

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Working Class Audio #214 with Bart Thurber!!!

What started as a hobby,  soon became an obsession that led me to start House Of Faith Studios in Palo Alto. When the graffiti covered building was torn down, my studio moved to Oakland. After 28 years, recording over 700 bands, I’m still amazed by the musicians I work with. Every band I’ve recorded has something unique and remarkable about them. I truly enjoy helping people achieve the recordings that they hear inside. As I tell my bands : ” I want this recording to sound like you, only more so. “

About this Interview:

 I head over to House of Faith in Oakland for a chat with Bart about the most common musician personality types, people skills, studio sharing and his recent (2014) transition from analog to digital. Enjoy! -Matt

Show Notes and Links

 WCA Patreon Subscriptions: http://www.patreon.com/workingclassaudio
 Barts site: http://www.bartthurberrecording.com/
 Chris Selim’s Cubase Course: https://mixdownacademy.thinkific.com/?ref=98cf4b
 Audio-Technica: https://www.audio-technica.com/world_map/
 UA Promo: https://www.uaudio.com/uad-accelerator-promo
 AEA R88: https://www.aearibbonmics.com/products/r88/
One Mic Series: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGQDixBKOy2ZqIXABrAD__g
 Audio Life on Gearslutz: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/audio-life/
 WCA on Youtube: https://goo.gl/g5nsWG

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Working Class Audio #212 with Gentry Studer!!!

Gentry Studer grew up with a definitive love of music. He played various instruments from an early age, later joining rock bands in high school. But with a name like “Studer”, although no actual relation to the famous tape machine, he was bound for the engineering world. Gentry graduated from the prestigious Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences program in 2013. He moved to Los Angeles and worked under one of the most iconic mastering engineers.  In 2015 Gentry started his own company, Epicenter Mastering. In 2016 the operation moved into Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. In 2018 Epicenter Mastering relocated down south to Nashville, Tennessee in the historic RCA Studio A building.

His combined creative and technical backgrounds have informed Gentry’s approach to the art of mastering– not only to preserve and enhance the sonic qualities of an artist’s vision in the mix but also to bring across its feel and emotional intentions.  As he puts it, “it’s amazing the advances on the technical side and what it allows us to do but you can also fall into its trap. My musical background and extensive ear training allow me to go off feel, not just a spectrum analyzer.” “The idea is to preserve the recordings life, passion and blood sweat and tears the artist has poured into their work.” 

Gentry loves to stay busy in the studio – equating mastering projects with “having the privilege of meeting new interesting people everyday.”  When he’s not working he spends time seeing live music, enjoying the outdoors, trying craft beers and whiskeys, and eating endless amounts of hot chicken and BBQ.

About this Interview:

Gentry joins me to talk about interning with Howie Weinberg, moving around the US, his new studio located in the RCA building in Nashville and communication with remote mastering clients. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

• WCA Patreon Subscriptions: http://www.patreon.com/workingclassaudio
• Gentry’s Site: https://www.workingclassaudio.com
• Audio-Technica AE3000- https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/7f62abd816a70bf3/index.html
• AEA KU5A-https://www.aearibbonmics.com/products/ku5a/
• Audio Life on Gearslutz: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/audio-life/
• UA Promo:  https://www.uaudio.com/uad-accelerator-promo
• WCA on Youtube: https://goo.gl/g5nsWG

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Working Class Audio #210 with David Streit!!!

David Streit is a producer, mixer, recording engineer, and live sound engineer based in Portland, Oregon. He has been working with sound for over 30 years.
David began his audio career working in clubs and venues in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. He loved seeing bands play live, and became an avid concertgoer. These experiences proved to be very useful when he decided to move to Nashville, Tennessee and become a recording engineer. David developed his recording skills assisting and learning from the engineers who came before him as he rose up through the studio system in Nashville. Eventually, he became an engineer and producer himself and has been a freelance audio engineer in Connecticut and Santa Cruz, California.
Now, David is happy to call the Pacific Northwest his home, and is excited to be a part of the amazing vibrant music scene in Portland. David has a bachelor’s degree in recording from Middle Tennessee State University, and learned about mic’ing classical ensembles as an intern at The Aspen Music Festival. He was a staff assistant at Quad Studios in Nashville, has taught a college course in multi-track recording and mixing, and has done location sound for video shoots. He has a passion for music and sound, and feels lucky to have been in the room for so many magic moments.

About this Interview:

David joins me to talk about Portland vs. Nashville, why musicians choose to hire engineers, prepping for live recordings, security, mortality and legacy. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

• David Streit’s Website: www.davidstreit.com

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WCA #208 with Manny Sanchez

Manny Sanchez began his professional career in audio in 1999 as an unpaid intern at Chicago Recording Company. He had no formal training but a hunger to learn and quickly began assisting on high profile sessions. In 2000 he was the third assistant on the last Smashing Pumpkins sessions before they had their first hiatus. He befriended Billy Corgan and Billy insisted he be placed on any further sessions at CRC. In 2001 Billy formed Zwan and asked producer Bjorn Thorsrud to inform Manny that Billy would like him to engineer the demos for the band. This was a daunting task for Manny and he had to request that the demos be recorded to analog tape because he hadn’t learned Pro Tools yet. Billy agreed and eventually Manny was asked to record their album “Mary Star of the Sea” alongside producers Alan Moulder and Bjorn Thorsrud. The recording of this record would have a profound effect on Manny and would shape his entire career.

After finishing up a long and arduous stint working solely for Billy, Manny decided he needed to branch out on his own. He built IV Lab Studios in 2004 in a 100 year old vault inside a family friend’s building in Wrigleyville. This decision to build inside a building that he did not own would play a significant roll in the life of the studio, but as a hungry young twenty-something he didn’t question the opportunity when it came to him. The studio was a great success considering the changing landscape of the music business and played host to the best of local talent as well as national acts. It was within the walls of IV Lab that he solidified his relationship with jam/prog favorites Umphrey’s McGee, as well as pop-punk icons Fall Out Boy, both of whom he still works with today,

In 2012 the building that housed the studio was lost to foreclosure and the new owners wanted nothing to do with the studio. This crossroads put things into perspective for Manny and he began to seek out new homes for the business as well as other potential work that was in line with his experience. Luckily for the studio, it found a new home in Lincoln Park with some new partners that owned the space so the hope was it would be its forever home. Manny was happy the studio would survive but also unsettled by his own career trajectory and ready to make a change.

 In late 2012 he was contacted by former Fall Out Boy tour manager Dan Suh and asked if he could come to LA and engineer for PSY at the height of his “Gangnam Style” popularity. This wasn’t the most ideal creative outlet for Manny but it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. The gig was open-ended and he remained in LA after it was over and planted his roots.

About this Interview:

Manny joins me to chat about his early experience in Chicago working with Billy Corgan, studio ownership, the cost of real estate, working with Psy in smoky control rooms and his ever-expanding world of post working on film trailers in LA. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

• Manny’s site: http://ivlabstudios.com/manny-sanchez/
• Manny on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manny-sanchez-0518537/

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WCA #206 with Music Expo SF

Hosted in association with Sound On Sound Magazine, Music Expo is a series of annual events full of workshops, lectures, studio sessions, discussions, and product demos bringing 3,000 musicians, engineers, technophiles, and tastemakers together. The event was the idea of Loïc Maestracci who does an amazing job bringing people together. WCA #206 is just one of many panels that takes place at Music Expo as well as many lectures and workshops. 

About this Interview:

I was headed out the door to appear on a panel for Music Expo SF when I saw a notification on Twitter from Matt Carnes of Colorado Recording. Matt asked if I would be recording the panel. To be honest it never occurred to me until I read Matt’s tweet. As a result I was able to capture my conversation with Karrie Keys, Piper Payne, Brian Gibbs and Frank Socorro for a panel called “Survival of the Fittest – How to Really Make A Living In Audio”. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

• Music Expo: https://musicexpo.co/
• Sound Girls (Karrie Keys): https://soundgirls.org
• EQL Directory: https://makeiteql.com/
• Neato Mastering (Piper Payne): http://neatomastering.com/
• Toolshed Studios (Brian Gibbs): http://www.toolshedstudio.com/index.html
• Colorado Recording (Matt Carnes): https://www.coloradorecording.com/

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WCA #204 with Streaky

Streaky’s mastering journey began in 1996 when he landed his first job at Zomba’s Battery Studio in London, learning the art of compact disc mastering alongside Chris Parmenidis. The first record he mastered was ‘Return of the Mac’ by Mark Morrison, following that early Groove Armada and other 90’s club classics!

Moving on to The Soundmasters in 2000 learning how to master for vinyl under the veteran mastering engineer Kevin Metcalfe. Here working with some legendary artists including Kasabian, Snow Patrol, Usher, The Prodigy to name a few. In 2003 whilst at Soundmasters Streaky set up the world’s first online mastering studio ‘eMasters’ this method has now become the norm for mastering as the internet has developed.

2013 saw Streaky base himself at Metropolis Mastering in London, taking the opportunity of working alongside mastering legends John Davis, Stuart Hawkes & Tim Young where he continued to help artists big and small to achieve their dream sound.

2017 Streaky opened his own mastering studio within Pinewood Studios, the story continues…

About this Interview:

Streaky joins me to chat about his journey to mastering starting out as a 12-year-old DJ, his perspective on mastering, networking, minimalism, cracked plugins, and mentoring the next generation. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

• UA Promo: https://www.uaudio.com/classic-apollo-promo
• Audio-Technica ATM230PK –  https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/e5c7d2ca9189679b/index.html
• AEA  KU5A: https://goo.gl/km8139
• Audio Life on Gearslutz: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/audio-life/
• Matt Carnes Colorado Recording: http://coloradorecording.com/
• Streaky’s Site: https://streaky.com/
• Streaky’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvxjA3B1UURjGrdAJX_Yjg

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WCA #202 with Mixerman

Mixerman, professionally known as Eric Sarafin, is a producer, mixer, and recordist with multiple gold and platinum sales awards to his name. After 25 years of operating out of Los Angeles, Eric currently resides in Asheville, NC, where he produces and mixes acts from around the world. Eric has worked with numerous National and International acts including The Pharcyde, Tone Loc, Spearhead, The Brand New Heavies, Ben Harper, Amy Grant, Lifehouse, Barenaked Ladies, Hillary Duff, Foreigner, and Australian phenom Pete Murray, just to name a few.

Mixerman gained notoriety as an author from his first work, The Daily Adventures of Mixerman, a satire of a Major Label recording session from the early aughts that delighted and surprised well over 150,000 unique visitors. In 2008, Hal Leonard picked up his Adventures, and since 2010, Mixerman has written 5 books including Zen and the Art of Mixing, Zen and the Art of Producing, Zen and the Art of Recording, followed by another music business satire #Mixerman and the Billionheir Apparent.

His latest book Musician’s Survival Guide to a Killer Record (the only gear you’ll need) is written specifically to help today’s musicians get the engineering out of the way so that they can focus on what’s important–the music itself.

About this Interview:

Mixerman joins me to discuss his journey in recording from New Jersey to  California to North Carolina.  We discuss his time at Capitol Studios, advocating for yourself, early internet forums, the creation of Mixerman, trolling, book writing, and empowering musicians. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

• All things Mixerman

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WCA #200 with Tchad Blake – Shooting Armadillos, Motorcycles, Buying ribs for Keith Richards, Surviving Cancer and yes…… the Sans Amp.