Meet Your Faculty

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Bernard Johnson or one of our mentors in the greater San Diego area.

Bernard Johnson didn’t follow the usual path to becoming a Recording Connection mentor in El Cajon, Ca. He discovered a love of mass media as a 14-year-old, entering a certification program to find out how it all came together.

After finishing the program, he began co-producing a top-ten music show in Detroit and received an award for exemplary airwave checks from the Michigan Broadcast Association. Then his career took a turn: Johnson entered the military.

After a 20-year career in the military, often leading departments with 90 people, Johnson returned to what he loved as a teenager, earning a masters in audio production. While the military can be quite regimented, Johnson was attracted to the freeform method of instruction that Recording Connection offered students. As he knows better than most, the standard course isn’t always the best course.

“When I saw (Recording Connection) model, I was like, ‘Wow, this is it. I love it.’” Johnson said. “And it allows students to have the opportunity not to feel cemented to something like, ‘This is what you need to do, this is the direction and the route you need to do it.’”

The Recording Connection Program gives you access to a professional engineer, fully-functioning studio, and hands-on education, it could also earn you a career. The Noize Factory is a perfect example of that: Johnson hired one of his former students (Efrain Matias) as a staff engineer.

But you have to work for it. Recording Connection students must be willing to put in the time, effort, and focus to get the most out of it. Johnson expects nothing less.

“I do want to say commitment, passion, perseverance, and finishing until the end,” Johnson said. “They’re not just doing something for money or just doing it ‘just because.’ They’re literally passionate about it.”

Articles

Recording Connection mentor Bernard ‘IQue’ Johnson Shares His Smarts & Hires from Within!
Recording Connection grad Goes to NAMM, Gets Hired, Gets Going in Audio!

Background

For Wyatt Oates, it doesn’t matter if you already know a digital audio workstation inside and out, or if you’ve worked with multiple bands, or even cut a few demo tracks before. As a mentor, the technical side of making music, building a brand, and working on a portfolio will all come in time.

It’s the little things that show Oates everything he needs to know about a new Recording Connection intern. How an extern holds themself in the studio, how they interact with others, just their overall demeanor.

“The very first thing would be being on time,” Oates said. “The next thing I’m going to notice is attitude. And then it’s just walking through what they’re trying to do, try to get a feel for them.”

And when it’s time to get to work, how do the externs act? Even a technical genius on the gear needs more than being a technical genius on the gear. Local, regional, or national acts don’t want to work with a robot, they want to work with someone who makes them sound better. Who can feel the music and make the needed adjustments.

When an artist is in the studio, this is the time for the extern to take a step back and watch the professionals at work. Learn when (and why!) they push, pull, or just sit back when the artist gets in a groove. Although this is a fully immersive, hands-on learning experience, there are times when it’s best to observe.

“A good, safe starting point is being a fly on the wall, and don’t interject your opinions into what the producer is doing, for example,” Oates said. “It’s just bad form. Don’t solicit people right off the bat if you have your own music, your own productions. Treat them like normal people.

“Obviously, introduce yourself,” Oates continued. “And if they seem like a hand-shakable person, shake their hand or whatever the proper greeting is in that culture, and don’t overdo it. You should sit either at the console or back of the room, you know, leaving the sweet spot, so to speak, for the producer, engineer, artists. And just hanging out and paying attention.”

But Oates also believes you need to make yourself useful. Once you’ve learned the DAW and other technical aspects, you’ll begin to sit in on some sessions. Until then, learn to follow the cues your clients give you.

“Trying to be as proactive and predict the needs of the artist, producer, and engineer as much as possible,” Oates said. “So if you hear that somebody is coughing and is obviously thirsty, then offer to run and get them a water, and go do it.”

Take advantage of the opportunities

Stay alert during the process – the entire process. You never know when the chance to sit down and get to work will present itself. Getting the opportunity to put into practice what you’ve been learning is one of the most important parts of any Recording Connection program.

“I’ve seen a few people fall into the trap of putting their headphones on and just rocking out to some music while they’re in session,” Oates said. “You lose a lot of opportunities to be proactive and to really help the session along. I guess how I’d sum it up is, help the session along. During a recording session, do everything within your power to help the session along.”

Hands down, it’s Hands-On For The Win

“I’ve always loved the (mentor) model,” Oates said. “I came up through it myself. That’s how I learned engineering, producing, songwriting, all of that. So anytime I got a chance to help an intern or an assistant engineer up under me along the way, I always did.

“So when I found out about the Recording Connection and one of the guys called me from there to see if I would be interested in mentoring, I jumped on it,” Oates continued. “One of the things that I thought was really cool about the Recording Connection was the fact that they focus on that model. I’m just a fan of it because it works. The real-world experience is always better than classroom experience for these kinds of careers.”

Are you ready to start your real-world experience? Amplify Your Life and Apply Today.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Joey Heier or one of our mentors in the New Brunswick area.

Audio engineer and studio owner Joey Heier has been in the business of making music for decades. With a client list that includes names like Christina Aguilera, B.o.B., Jill Scott, and Dru Hill, Joey knows what it takes to work in music. Furthermore, he has a zeal for sharing his passion for audio with newcomers.

So much so, that he’s gotten the nickname “Uncle Joey” from our students. He maintains contact with literally dozens of our graduates, many of whom have gone on to build great careers in the music industry.

We recently asked Joey Heier why he loves mentoring for Recording Connection. Here’s what he said:

“It’s a tremendous passion for me. I enjoy doing this so much. I have a style that I believe in. I talk with my students about a textbook answer that they’re probably going to forget immediately, and then give them an ‘Uncle Joe’ definition that’s two or three words that they’re going to remember immediately. Then they’re going to understand what the textbook definition is by hearing it in a simpler fashion.

“I have great kids that come in and really, really want to do this… I have an outstanding job, and there’s no reason why I shouldn’t do it with a smile. And that doesn’t happen with every kid, naturally—it really depends if they want to do it. But if they want to do it, I am so honored to have the opportunity to teach, and I think that’s why it works well for me.”

Articles

NUGGETS OF TRUTH: Recording Connection mentor Joey (“Uncle Joe”) Heier talks about the importance of hands-on training and his passion for teaching

Background

RENEGADE EL REY, an audio engineer/producer with Stankonia Studios, the legendary studio started by Outkast, has been a Recording Connection mentor for a few years now. He has hired past externs and regularly keeps in touch with other students who are busy making a name for themselves in the business.

Like many of our mentors, he is more interested in working with externs that have the drive and determination to succeed rather than any particular technical skill. Digital Audio Workstations can be taught – having the right attitude can’t.

Making yourself necessary during the Audio Engineering and Music Production Program is a great way to get in the good graces of your mentor. Yes, you’re there to learn, and your mentors are there to teach. But they’re also there to work.

By taking cues from the mentor, and the artists they work with, you’ll learn more about the industry than you will from almost any book. When RENEGADE EL REY was coming up, he made himself necessary in the studio. Engineers, producers, and studio chiefs remember that.

“As far as the actual, physical work that was done, I made myself valuable,” RENEGADE EL REY SAID. “And that was one thing that my professors always told us was to always make yourselves valuable, make people want to need you for whatever the case may be, and that’s exactly what I did.”

The Recording Connection offers one thing most traditional universities or trade schools just can’t: Opportunity. By making yourself available, your mentor, other staff, and their clients will remember you as the one they can rely on for anything.

“I learned how to do several things, and that was just something that I always did,” RENEGADE EL REY said. “I don’t write my rhymes, my lyrics, but I keep pens and pencils, just different things that people need. So whenever they need something, they think to call you. I just made myself that guy, and it just took off from there.”

Make Your Own Name

That’s how he made his connections and earned his shot at Stankonia. But it’s more than just making sure everybody else has what they need. The Recording Connection program wants to help you get what you need: a job making music in the industry.

We can give you the tools, but you have to put in the work. Both in the studio with your mentor and on your own. If you wait for things to happen for you, you’ll be waiting a long time.

“Oh yeah, definitely,” RENEGADE EL REY said. “I’ve always been the type to look ahead and try to say, ‘Okay, what’s going on next and where do I need to be?’ Because things don’t happen overnight. I’m always trying to reach out to the type of people that I need to reach out to ahead of time. You’ve got to get the ball rolling one way or the other.”

The Recording Connection will place you in a one-on-one situation with music producers like RENEGADE EL REY, but what you do during that time will determine how far you go in the industry. Our most successful graduates go on to find work in the studios where they externed, other studios, and even starting their own studios.

Will you make yourself available, invaluable, and teachable? That’s what our mentors are looking for. If you’re ready to Amplify Your Life, apply today.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Aaron R. Reppert or one of our mentors in the greater St. Louis area.

Originally founded in 2000 by Recording Connection mentor Aaron R. Reppert, TravSonic Sound & Media has grown a lot since its early, humble beginnings. TravSonic Mobile, established in 2009, caters to a number of high profile clients in music, technology, the arts, and the corporate world. The thriving company offers a range of remote recording technologies and services for seminar, concerts, festivals, and events.

Today, TravSonic Sound & Media is an award-winning, full-service media production company serving clients from its Nashville and Overland offices.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Rick Carson or one of our mentors in the greater Lincoln area.

Recording Connection mentor engineer/producer Rick Carson has a passion for teaching today’s rising talents in the world of audio. Designed by famous recording studio designer, Rod Gervais, his studio features three control rooms, world-class equipment, and has the distinction of having Nebraska’s only large format SSL mixing console.

Articles

A Day in the Life of Our Students
A Day in the Life of Our Students

Background

Powerhouse mentors Parker Ament and Danny Ferrare of XLNT Studios (Timbaland, Borgore, Brillz, Dan Farber, Kelly Price, Larrance Dopson of 1500 or Nothin) are the ultimate example of agile, entrepreneurial music producers who’ve got their fingers on the pulse of what’s going on in electronic music production right now. The XLNT team are host of the popular YouTube web series XLNTSOUND, a must watch for those looking to capture today’s hottest sounds via plugins and specific production techniques.

Despite their easy going vibe they expect students to be receptive to learning and to take on a
“fly on the wall” posture when artists are in session in the studio. Parker says, “The first rule is: you don’t say anything unless somebody asks you. And even when they ask you, you should keep it short and sweet. You can’t kind of go on tangents, because then that might drive the session in a certain way.” In order to absorb the information that’s coming your way, he suggests “Take notes, if that’s your thing, or sit as close as you can to the screen, out of the way of the client and engineer, while really watching. Because, with every little note or trick, you’re going to be learning something new every second. Even if you think that you know everything, there’s going to be something that you didn’t know when you’re watching us or a particular engineer.”

So what do Parker and Danny look for in the Recording Connection students they train? It usually comes down to one word—passion.

“Right when they walk through the door, we can see who is passionate about what they’re doing. Even if they’re shy, we can sense the passion. And I feel like that is the most important thing. If somebody is socially awkward or they don’t really know what to say during the interview or something like that, we don’t base any of that on what we’re looking for. We’re looking for passion, we’re looking for dedication, and we’re looking for somebody that is going to create their own path. So if somebody has the opportunity to extern with us, we want them to make their own path with the opportunities that we’re showing them.”

Background

Recording Connection mentor Jason Phelps is an audio engineer, producer, and musician who’s been involved in music all his life. He’s downright passionate about recording, producing, and teaching the next generation of music industry professionals. He expects the externs he trains to bring their A-game, and to listen and learn in a proactive manner.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Ross Vanderslice or one of our mentors in the St. Louis area.

An engineer since 2001, Ross Vanderslice has worked with some of the biggest names in the recording industry. The experience he’s gained works perfectly with what we do at Recording Connection: pairing externs with seasoned professionals for invaluable one-on-one time with a mentor.

With multiple studios and state-of-the-art equipment, Vanderslice has worked with several Recording Connection externs. Doing it right is about so much more than having the right gear, software, or equipment. Because of his experience working with internationally-known acts, Vanderslice knows how to work with artists, how to make them feel comfortable and safe within the studio environment.

Here are some of the clients with whom Vanderslice and/or the professional audio engineers at his studio have worked:

Background

As a music producer, studio co-founder, DJ and mentor, Lucas Abend of Studio 369 (Snoop Dogg, Krewella, Sony Music) is the consummate example of the artist producer who’s constantly pushing the boundaries, breaking outdated rules and modalities and bringing the future into the now. That being said, Lucas doesn’t sustain himself on hype. Rather, he believes deeply in the importance and value of art, music making, and creative expression.

As a believer in creative expression, Lucas focuses on putting Recording Connection students’ own music and creativity at the center of the training every chance he gets. Their desire to make their own music unique helps keep them charged up for the challenges they can encounter while they learn the DAW (Pro Tools, Ableton).

“Part of it is having the challenge inspire you to keep working…That’s probably my most direct way that I’m mentoring, is helping the students find a creative workflow that works for them so that they have that motivation to spend 15 hours a week [learning]. That’s not easy. It takes some effort to spend that kind of time but once they’re spending [it], you see them get so much better. They improve so drastically that that’s kind of what makes it all worth it, is to see them improve and start to feel like, ‘Hey, actually at first when we first started I didn’t know what 4/4 meant!’”

Background

Although there are many differences between four-year universities and The Recording Connection – such as cost, length of a program, and availability, it’s the one-on-one relationship between you and your mentor that could be the most important distinction.

Sitting in a traditional school setting, students all tend to learn the same thing, usually by listening to the teacher or professor lecture from the head of the class. With Recording Connection, you’re training with a professional music producer and/or audio engineer, a mentor  who shapes the education around you.

For David Hughes, of Shine On Studio in San Francisco, developing the strengths of his externs and helping them develop in accordance with their interests and talents is what matters most.

Helping audiophiles grow into audio engineers, music producers, beatmakers, and artists isn’t something that can be done with a cookie cutter approach. Furthermore, the music business has something for everyone—many just need to find out what that something really is.

“The students I mentor at the studio are all extremely talented and gifted in many different ways,” Hughes says. “I’m seeing them mature and develop to a point where I help them focus on their strengths. I’m trying to push them in those directions, ‘That’s what you should be doing; that’s your strength.’ It’s never going to be cut and dry what you should do. It’s good to try a few different things to see where your strengths rise up.”

“Some students are good at composing. Some are good at mixing. Others are actually just good at networking. So, not everybody is cut out to sit behind the board and push buttons. A few of the students are really good at socializing and making a personal connection to people. They know how to go out and get people energized and excited about music and concerts. So I try to encourage them to focus on being out at shows and to network as they go to events.”

Understanding your strengths is what makes Hughes and other Recording Connection mentors such an important resource when working towards a career in the music industry. The technical aspects, such as learning digital audio workstations or how to properly set mics, will come in time. It’s your innate talents that can’t be taught—but we can teach you how to use them.

Opportunities in San Francisco

No matter how talented you are, success in the music business is driven as much by who you know as it is with what you know. Hughes keeps in touch regularly with his music connections and past student externs, many who have opened their own studios and launched successful music careers. He can trace much of that success back to the networking events he holds every month.

“We try to promote an audio engineer meeting once a month…That’s a big thing, to have something available for the students that are trying to come up in the industry. You can’t really succeed in this industry on your own. You do need to rely a little bit on other engineers to help you develop in the industry.

“In some situations, they might be your competitors,” Hughes continues, “But I don’t really think of them that way because everybody has their strengths and weaknesses in audio production. I have made it possible for some of the students to come and join us at these meetings and network with other engineers or music professionals in the area. This is a big door that has opened for them and I think that they are definitely taking advantage of the opportunity.”

Opportunity. That’s how Recording Connection Audio Engineering and Music Production program differs greatly from traditional schools. By working in professional, real-world studios, you could be working with an up-and-coming local band one week, international stars the next. How you take advantage of those opportunities can help determine how far you go in the music business.

Are you ready to Amplify Your Life? Apply today.

Background

Recording Connection programs are designed to put you in the middle of the action so you can soak up as much experience and information as possible. With Conrad Osipowicz, you’ll be paired with a mentor that has been in the industry for years, both in the recording studio and out.

As an audio engineer, he’s worked with The Dave Matthews Band, Dropkick Murphys, Regina Spektor, and the Pixies. He also has experience working with live audio for a large Boston radio station and helping companies test new products for music production.

“I guess I’ve always been more on the technical side of the music industry,” Osipowicz says. “I was always interested in computers and technology. I produce, too. It’s not that I exclusively engineer. I’ll produce with full bands and indie rock bands and up and coming artists here in the DC area, but I was definitely more inclined on the technical side of operations.”

Starting from the Ground Up

Although many of our externs have some experience before coming to the Recording Connection Audio Engineering & Music Production Program, it certainly isn’t a requirement. Our mentors utilize our industry-oriented curriculum to help students build a solid foundation around what the industry is looking for now, not 10 years ago. Osipowicz knows a little something about building from the ground up.

“It started as an empty room, and I slowly added equipment and software…A vocal booth from eBay, at one point the whisper room booth, a piece at a time. Just kind of recording a couple of sessions for two or three weeks and then buying a new mic on eBay. And then recording another week or two and buying a new plug-in online. Just kind of piecing together whatever I could.

The studio is honestly one of the top studios in the area…I’ve got at this point some of the best mics, best preamps, best vintage compressors. Some really unique items that you might not find at any other studio on the East Coast.”

Hands-on Experience

The most important thing is getting your hands dirty. Even with just a laptop and the right digital audio workstation, externs can start putting what they learn into practice. That’s why Osipoicz feels learning in a professional studio—not a classroom—gives people the best chance to really learn the craft.

“I am a firm believer that practicing and learning in the studio in a hands-on manner will always yield a more informed and experienced studio engineer than someone who simply learns via lectures, YouTube tutorials, discussion forums, etc…. For that reason, I often encourage my students during their lessons to record a friend’s band, or an individual singer-songwriter who might play acoustic guitar and sing, or play piano and sing.

That way, the artist can act as a guinea pig for the students, but also walk away with a professional well-mixed recording. The student gets to practice on a real recording artist in a real recording studio. Everybody wins.”

That’s what Recording Connection has to offer: Working with an industry insider on the best gear, building a portfolio, and learning how to build a studio the right way. If you’re looking to Amplify Your Life, apply to The Recording Connection today.

Background

In almost any profession, if you want to be the best, you work with the best. That’s why Recording Connection has secured some of the best audio engineers and music producers from the United States. In Washington, D.C., Mark Moreau is a two-time Grammy winner and has been working in the industry for decades.

Moreau has worked with Madonna, Rage Against The Machine, Roger Waters, and Ziggy Marley, just to name a few. As a mentor with Recording Connection, he passes that experience on to you, both on the technical side and the personal side. But, he’s careful to point out, it’s up to the student to make the most of their time with him:

“The thing that I like to see the most is that they’re just hungry for getting to the next step, and learning more, and absorbing all of that. And I think that’s a great quality and attitude that will help take them far in the long run…

The attitude of somebody who’s really open, ready to learn, eager to absorb the information and to put it into practice in their own work…. Curiosity is a big thing. When I see the students coming in, I love it when they’re full of questions like, ‘What’s that?’ and ‘Why is that going like this?’ and ‘What’s going on there?’…. You see these lightbulbs go off and the next time they come in the following week, their song that they were working on has just taken this huge leap forward.”

We’re Rooting for You

Being a mentor isn’t just a side job at Recording Connection. We are just as interested in your success as you are. Our mentors are chosen because they want to make sure the next generation of audio engineers and music producers come up with learning what the music industry needs.

“That’s neat to see and that’s a great part of being a mentor, too,” Moreau says. “Being able to help them discover those things and take it from the academic part of like, ‘This is what this thing does’ to ‘Here’s how you could actually use it for the type of music that you’re doing’ and ‘Here’s where you could get creative with it.’ That not only makes their productions better, it makes them feel better. Then they learn it on a deeper level than just like, ‘Oh, that’s what that knob does.’”

Fully Immersed from Day One

The Recording Connection Audio Engineering and Music Production Program will place you with a mentor in a professional studio from the start. The recording studio is your classroom, and the curriculum is created by mentors who understand the industry from the inside. However, as we said before, the most successful externs are those that give it both heart and soul.

“One of my (externs) Nick Leupen, is a great example of that,” Moreau says. “He’s a composer/producer in the Recording Connection Ableton Electronic Music Production Program and has an insatiable appetite for learning. He’s not only on it when it comes to the course work and being a great student, but constantly curious about tips I can give him for working with other artists, etiquette with clients, and is always looking at the bigger picture of what he needs to know for his career. That’s a great sign of future success.”

Moreau is here to help Amplify Your Life. Are you ready? Apply today.

Background

If you look up the phrase “Renaissance Man,” you’ll probably end up with millions of results for Leonardo da Vinci. Painter of the Mona Lisa, an expert in anatomy and physiology, and noted engineer and inventor, da Vinci would investigate an idea or notion until he became the foremost expert in the field.

But he died more than 450 years before the first digital audio workstations were even conceptualized. So instead, we’ll turn our gaze to our resident Ableton Live expert and one of the most accomplished Recording Connection mentors: G.W. Childs. He literally wrote the book i.e. co-authored our curriculum on the software, as well as the Reason and Creator curricula.  From how to get music from your imagination into your DAW, to making music for video games, to building your own electronic instruments, G.W. Childs knows and has done all of it.

He was a sound designer on Reason as well as a sound designer, composer, and voice editor for video games such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: The Sith Lords; Star Wars: Battlefront; and LucasArts’ The Force Unleashed. He was also enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he co-founded the band Soil & Eclipse. He was a songwriter, keyboardist, and producer for the electro-industrial group that found extensive airplay throughout North America and Europe in the late 90s.

He even led a recent talk about working and learning during the time of a pandemic, leading a Q&A session with noted audio engineers. The session brought in people from around the country hoping to find out how Covid-19 changed the way we look at remote learning.

If you’re looking for one of the most direct ways of starting a career in the music business, Recording Connection will place you in a one-on-one situation with Childs or other industry insiders. You’ll learn how to work with a DAW, how to run a studio, how to work with artists, and even the business side of being an audio engineer or music producer.

“Really take advantage of the lessons,” Childs says. “The more time you put into the course, the more content it’s possible for you to create. That really is building your own brand. So that’s the first thing: the more you put into it, the more that you’ll get back from it.

“I’m not just talking about the education you get,” Childs added. “Literally, what you walk away with is part of your discography now. That’s huge. It’s something that goes on the resume now. So if you have the opportunity to make five song sketches that week that you could use for the entirety of the course, do the five sketches.”

And it will take time, drive, and determination. However, when you enroll in the Recording Connection Audio Engineering and Music Production Program, you’ll have the guidance of experienced mentors like Childs.

“There are certain things that you have to have within a song,” Childs says. “Just the same way there’s certain things you have to have in a haiku, or in a poem, or even in a paragraph, or even in an essay. You got to have an intro, you got to have the meat of it, and you have to have the ending. And that’s just the basic form of it. And everybody wants those parts of it, but how do you do it well?”

Want to find out? Amplify Your Life by applying today.

Background

Shane Anderson is a seasoned music industry veteran. With over 20+ years in the music industry Shane has vast experience in production, recording, mixing and mastering as well as the ins and outs of the music business. Shane began his musical career in his early teens as a demo vocalist for labels and also as a sound engineer for the MUZAK corporation. At age 18 he opened his first studio location in Honolulu, HI called “Unique Studios” and oversaw the daily operations of the recording studio as well as landing several indie label deals and distribution agreements while in Hawaii working with local talent. In 2009 Shane released a solo album titled “Dangerous”. This album took off online primarily on MYSPACE and gained much success with over 2.5 Million plays worldwide landing him on BILLBOARD NEWSWIRE and ultimately landing him several placements on TV shows to include “The Kardashians” “MTV” “E- Networks” and Oxygen to name a few.

Shane moved down to Los Angeles 2010 where he formed with his long-time high school friend a production company called “The Go Gettas” where he continued to build on his credits and catalog working with artist who have been on American Idol, X Factor, Dancing with The Stars and Disney to name a few. After landing multiple placements in Film/TV Shane relocated to the Sacramento area in 2016 to build on Unique Recording Studios and help bridge the gap between artist and the industry.

Shane runs Unique Recording Studios as a production label, distribution company and recording studio for artist to create and focus on their art. Unique Recording Studios has also newly launched an exciting new venture at URS called “The Collective” which will allow producers, engineers, songwriters and artist to collaborate in house at Unique Recording Studios to work together to create music and promote building a large collaborative catalog of music to submit to labels, publishers, music supervisors and overall decision makers in the music industry. This will provide a great opportunity for students who complete their coursework at the recording connection.

Articles

Unique Recording Studios

Background

The manager and chief engineer at Miller Street Studios, Joe “Dante” Delfino has established himself as one of the top audio engineers in Chicago. Working with established mega-groups like Wu-Tang Clan as well as up-and-comers like Ta’Rhonda Jones, Delfino sees the benefits of the Recording Connection mentor programs.

“Out here in Chicago, we have Columbia College which is a big music school,” Delfino said. “I’ve had interns that have gone four years there, and they came in here and didn’t even know how to basically run a Pro Tools session.

“It’s a big difference when you’re learning with somebody who is actually doing this for a living and in the industry right now versus in a classroom where it may be somebody that doesn’t have that much real-world experience or has been out of it for a number of years. Definitely more beneficial that you’re learning with somebody that’s actually doing it.”

Learn More Than The Gear

While some classes may teach you how to work with Ableton Live or Logic Pro, how to place your monitors for optimal performance, or even the differences in mics, the Recording Connection Audio Engineering and Music Production Program give you something no book can: Opportunities.

You won’t be working with every act that comes into the Miller Street Studios. But when your chance to sit in on a session finally arrives, this is the time to shine. An impressive performance by you may make a connection with the artists, who may pass your name on to other artists. In the music industry, if you don’t get your name out there, no one will.

“One of the most important things I try and teach (is) you can’t rely on anybody to give you clients,” Delfino says. “There are tons of engineers graduating from all sorts of programs all the time. There are thousands of guys that are not going to be doing this full time for that simple fact.”

Impress your mentor during your time with Recording Connection and you could get more opportunities to work with clients. The more people that know your name—and your talent— the easier it will be to bring people into the studio. That will really impress the studio chiefs.

“You got to get out there, hit the pavement and shake hands, hand out business cards, and get people talking about you,” Delfino said. “That’s one of the things I really kind of push these guys on is, don’t just rely on me to give you sessions; do some of the footwork yourself too. That’ll speed up the process. That is how I really was able to start my own business because I had gone out, done the footwork, promoted myself, and gotten clients that wanted to work with me.”

Learn from The Inside

Recording Connection programs are designed to give you access to the industry and learn it from the inside. In fact, many mentors hire externs after they finish the program – or even during the program! Delfino likes having potential hires under his tutelage because he knows they’ll be taught the right way.

“I think having the ability to be able to teach these guys exactly the way you run your business and the tools that you’re using in the studio is really key,” Delfino says. “Because that’s not really something you can teach in a classroom. I’ve already hired a couple of people, students that have gone through the Recording Connection.”

We can’t guarantee you’ll be hired right off the bat. But what we can guarantee is you’ll learn how to work in a studio, how to interact with acts, and learn the gear used in the music production business. What you do with that knowledge is up to you. Ready to Amplify your life? Apply today.

Background

Donny Baker of ES Audio in Los Angeles, CA has decades of experience in the music industry, both in studio and behind the console. He spent 13 years working as a touring engineer for some of music’s most influential and dynamic artists including: Madonna, Chick Corea, Aerosmith, Herbie Hancock, and more. Donny then moved his talents into the sphere of recording and audio engineering production at ES Audio alongside CEO and studio owner Jo Ann Bush.

As a Recording Connection mentor for more than 16 years, Donny’s passionate about helping tomorrow’s audio engineers, music producers, and music industry professionals discover the very thing that sets them on fire, and use their passion along with the insight Donny’s able to provide to create a solid game plan for building their careers.

As a result of their hard work and the expert training and experience they’ve been able to receive through our mentor-led programs, a great number of Donny’s former Recording Connection students have gone on build amazing careers for themselves:

Taylor Crommie recently recorded and mixed for DJ Paul (of Three 6 Mafia). Other artists include: Kembe X, Jay Rock, Wifi Funeral, YelaWolf, Lance Skiiwalker, Eric Hudson, Rob Vicious, and Reddish Blu.

Uriel Soto Jr. aka “Junior” got hired full-time at ES Audio (DJ Paul, Yelawolf, Yung Gravy). Now, Uriel is also a Recording Connection mentor.

Skyler Felix went on to work with Disney and VH1. Credits also include a top-10 record on the UK dance charts.

Morning Estrada has recently engineered for Aminé, Rosalía, Brandy, Trinidad James, Tech N9NE, Jessie J, and more.

Articles

Video: What to expect with Donny Baker
Helping students find their place
NUGGETS OF TRUTH: Recording Connection mentor Donny Baker on what it takes to make it in recording
JoAnn Bush, owner of ES Audio in Los Angeles

Background

Everything from the blues to certain genres of electronic house music call Chicago home. And the 35th Street Studios has seen an equally eclectic group of musicians come through their doors. The Who and Crunchy Black, The Rolling Stones and Yolanda Adams, Cheap Trick and Kanye West.

Their ability to work with a wide variety of acts over the years, and housing several studios, a live sound stage, and more. It is the premier rehearsal venue in Chicago because of its size and has all of the gear to record podcasts, film, and video work. And, as one of Recording Connections mentoring studios, it’s grooming the next generation of audio engineers and music producers.

“One of the things I appreciate every day is that I am surrounded by like-minded people,” former extern Robert Avila said. “Those who have the expertise and patience to listen to a mix repetitively, and for as long as it takes, to accomplish what needs to be done. The qualities I see in my peers at the studio are great. Everyone at 35th Street Studios has their unique background, style, and personality type; nevertheless, they work together seamlessly- true teamwork- and I’m more than happy to be involved.”

Work with Professionals

With our ability to place externs inside real-world studios, we feel our programs have a little something more to offer those looking to make it in the music marketplace. Using the latest hardware and software, our mentors will show you how to set up a studio, get the most out of an act’s material, and how to use the most up to date recording software.

But it goes beyond knowing how to operate a digital audio workstation or knowing which mic to use. The Recording Connection gives you something very few universities or trade schools can: connections. Other schools may bring in guest speakers for an hour or two. The Recording Connection will give you the opportunity to work alongside those already in the industry.

With these opportunities, you can start to build your brand from within the business. Many of our externs find work immediately after completion of the program, often at the very recording studios they learned in. How many schools can say that? Not many. After all, they aren’t looking for beat-makers, audio engineers, or music producers.

Many Recording Connection mentors are, however. We have helped hundreds of externs find work after completing their program. Some stay with their mentors, others are referred to other studios, and a few have even opened their own studios. They create music, beats, or samples that are used in video games, television, and film.

The one thing they all had in common when they walked through the 35th Street Studio doors, or any of our more than 250 locations in the United State, was pure passion. Learning how to engineer music isn’t a hobby at Recording Connection, it’s a way of life. Are you ready to Amplify Your Life? Apply today.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Zack Phillips or one of our mentors in the Bay Area.

Discovering his love of music while growing up in New York City in the ‘80s, Zack Phillips’ approach to music is “part science, part mysticism.” Gaining experience as a DJ and live sound engineer, Phillips received a formal education in audio engineering.

From there, Phillips honed his craft working at several studios before finally establishing his own studio: FreqLab Recording. In addition to recording, editing, mixing, and production, Phillips also works on developing the artists he works with, exploring innovative and inventive ways of engineering audio. Phillips has worked with a wide range of artists, including Talib Kweli, The Kooks, and Blue Hawaii.

You’ll be working in a state-of-the-art facility renovated by Phillips himself. While he made sure to design the studio to get the most out of the space, he also wanted to make it as comfortable as possible for engineers and artists alike.

If you study at the San Francisco Recording Connection, you’ll be working with people as passionate about music as you are. Up and comers, established stars, and other entertainment entities such as Comedy Central or Electronic Arts. But you won’t be watching TV or playing video games – you’ll be coming to work hard every day.