Music
**Working Class Audio**

Peel back the glamour of the professional recording world. Guests from the world of audio for music, film, games, restoration, and more share their insights on how they made their journey, how they survive, their advice on the real things including wins, losses, working with other people, money, and career advice.
Hosted by audio engineer Matt Boudreau.
The Working Class Audio Podcast – Navigating the World of Recording with a working class perspective.

Latest Episodes:

WCA #215 with NAMM 2019 Jan 29, 2019

Show notes

Working Class Audio #215 with NAMM 2019!!!

NAMM 2019 was fantastic as usual. Always so much to see. This episode is a little different compared to the others. Many WCA alumni come back for interviews including Vance Powell, Chris Selim and Lij Shaw and Alex Oana makes his debut explaining how his new venture Audio Test Kitchen works.

About this Interview:

I hang out with Vance Powell as he tells me about his recent projects with The Stray Cats and Trey Anastasio. Alex Oana tells me all about Audio Test Kitchen and we wrap up with a semi-drunken ambush interview with Chris Selim and Lij Shaw at our AIRBNB. Enjoy! -Matt

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Show Notes and Links

WCA Patreon Subscriptions: http://www.patreon.com/workingclassaudioVance’s Site: http://www.sputniksound.com/vance/Audio Test Kitchen: https://audiotestkitchen.squarespace.com/Recording Studio Rockstars: https://recordingstudiorockstars.com/Chris Selim’s Cubase Course: https://mixdownacademy.thinkific.com/?ref=98cf4bAudio-Technica: https://www.audio-technica.com/world_map/UA Promo: https://www.uaudio.com/uad-accelerator-promoAEA R88: https://www.aearibbonmics.com/products/r88/Audio Life on Gearslutz: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/audio-life/WCA on Youtube: https://goo.gl/g5nsWG

WCA #214 with Bart Thurber - Personality Types, Transition from Analog to Digital, People Skills and, Studio Sharing Jan 21, 2019

Show notes

For Bart Thurber, what started as a hobby, soon became an obsession that led him to start House Of Faith Studios in Palo Alto. When the graffiti covered building was torn down, his studio moved to Oakland. After 28 years, recording over 700 bands, Bart is still amazed by the musicians he works 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

Links and Show Notes

Barts site: http://www.bartthurberrecording.com/
Cubase Course: https://mixdown.online/en/the-ultimate-guide-to-cubase-new-premium-course/
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: Bart Thurber
Host: Matt Boudreau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith
Editing: Matt Boudreau
Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #213 with Ken RIley Jan 14, 2019

Show notes

Ken Riley’s career started in 1980 at 3D Studio’s in Costa Mesa with Doug Doyle. Recording such names as The Altar Boys, Crumbacher, Daniel Amos, and The Life Savors. Then creating the group Common Bond where he was the lead vocalist and the bass player. Common Bond toured and had 3 albums on Front Line Records. Then moving his career along to New York at Electric Lady Studios, where he worked with the best in the industry. Bringing it to today where he is in his own well established Rio Grande Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico recording.

In this episode, we discuss:

Ken's history.
The New Mexico sound.
Artist's knowing who they are.
Ken's partnership with Drew Newman
New Mexico and its people.

Links and Show Notes

Rio Grande Studios: http://riograndestudios.com/
WCA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working_class_audio
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: Ken Riley
Host: Matt Boudreau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith
Editing: Matt Boudreau
Additional Music: The License Lab

WCA #212 with Gentry Studer Jan 07, 2019

Show notes

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

Gentry’s Site: http://www.workingclassaudio.com

WCA #211 with Jaimeson Durr Dec 31, 2018

Show notes

Working Class Audio #211 with Jaimeson Durr!!!

Jaimeson Durr is a San Francisco Bay Area recording engineer, mixer and producer that works on a variety of music genres from local legends like, Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Chickenfoot, The Circle, The Dead, Dan the Automator as well as many other new promising artists. For the past 14 years Jaimeson has been primarily working out of his own studio Wally’s Hyde Out (formally Studio C) in the legendary Hyde Street Recording Studio complex where many well known artists recorded including Santana, Clearance Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane,The Grateful Dead, Green Day, Train, and many, many more. He has also performed on and mixed several songs for hit prime time TV shows and movie trailers 90210, The Mindy Project, Ugly Betty, Rango, Arthur, The Lorax, Tangled and many more.

About this Interview:

Jaimeson joins me for coffee at Philz Coffee in Lafayette, California to discuss his journey, his mentors, never quitting and his work with Sammy Hagar. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

Jaimeson’s Website: http://www.jaimesondurr.com/

WCA #210 with David Streit Dec 24, 2018

Show notes

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

WCA #209 with Mike Stevens Dec 17, 2018

Show notes

Mike Stevens is a Producer, Engineer, Drummer & Percussionist. A life-long lover of music, bringing more than 20 years working as a professional musician throughout the US and abroad, as well as a decade of producing, recording and mixing San Francisco Bay Area bands. Coming from New York City in 2006, his diverse experience has brought a unique perspective into his work. He has been called upon to work with many San Francisco artists and bands (including ska pioneers The Uptones and Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon frontman Mark Kozelek), as well as playing percussion for Donna Summer’s 2008 Crayons tour. He has a deep understanding of what makes a song great, both as a musician and listener, in the studio, onstage and on the air. Mike started his own Recording Studio in 2009 to establish an artist-friendly hub for creators of great music and the people who listen to it. When he isn’t touring or performing on stage, he dedicates his time to working with new and seasoned artists, helping them discover what is authentic and unique to them.

About this Interview:

Mike joins me to talk about how he combines the world of recording with the world of home schooling for his kids, helpful landlords, picking the right gigs and the authenticity of a performance. Enjoy! – Matt

WCA #208 with Manny Sanchez Dec 10, 2018

Show notes

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/

WCA #207 with Brian Gibbs Dec 03, 2018

Show notes

Brian Gibbs is Producer, Engineer and Owner at Tool Shed Studios (70+ record credits 2017). An accomplished musician and performer with a B.M. Degree from Berklee College of Music, he brings his diversified portfolio of skills and passion past the stage to his roles as a producer, studio engineer, FOH engineer, music teacher (percussion, keyboard, strings and vocal instruction) and as a mentor to the college interns at the studio.

Assistant Engineer (pre-production) 2015 Grammy winning album “Realidades”/ Los Tigres Del Norte
AES San Francisco Treasurer (3 years)
AES International Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Audio GANG Member
Berklee College of Music Alumni Committee
Recording Academy Voting Member
Recording Academy P&E Wing Advisory Committee (SF Chapter)
Recording Academy District Advocacy Captain

About this Interview:

Brian joins me for a one on one chat about immersive audio, the details of running a studio business, buying your neighbors wine and making your bed. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

Toolshed Studios (Brian Gibbs): http://www.toolshedstudio.com/index.html
Skyline EP: http://skylineep.com/
Hear 360: https://hear360.io/
Rode Ambisonics Mic: https://en.rode.com/ntsf1
Facebook Spatial Workstation: https://facebook360.fb.com/spatial-workstation/

WCA #206 with Music Expo SF Nov 26, 2018

Show notes

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 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