This is your Real San Jose In-Studio Education

Background

Tiki Recording Studios was established in 1967 when the name was drawn out of a hat. CEO Gradie O’Neal has been a legendary engineer in the Bay Area and well respected. Many name groups have come through the doors and have recorded here. Jeannine O’Neal joined the company in the 80’s and has been an experienced music producer for the company. Both have recorded gold albums.

Two complete professional recording studios. Studio A-large recording room for bands with isolated drummers booth and singers booth. 91/2′ concert grand piano, excellent selection of microphones. Studio B- Production & Mixing facility. If you are a singer/songwriter/musician and need music behind you, let Jeannine create the arrangement of your dreams.

LP & cassette transfers to CD, Add your voice to Karaoke tracks for your family and friends, Career & internet music marketing consultation available. Call for prices and hours Many creative people have come through the doors of Tiki Studios-O’Neal Productions.

A bit of history, Tiki Studios was created by Gradie O’Neal and several partners back in 1967. We have survived many recessions, economy downturns, booms, you name it we’ve seen it and still survived by the grace of God. Tiki originally was on the corner of 17th and Julian St. in San Jose, Ca. and was in that location until 1985 where we moved into a much larger facility. The name Tiki came from Gradie and his partners at that time were trying to come up with a name for the new studio.

Everyone threw names in a hat and out popped Tiki. So for all these years, we have held on to the name and now added O’Neal Productions to the mix. The new facility offered two studios instead of one. One studio Studio A is the large room for bands to record. Studio B is the smaller music production and mixing room. Tiki in their beginning careers has recorded people such as Santana, Bill Withers, Lydia Pence of Cold Blood, Grupo Vennus, Los Aquario. We have also done many Gospel recording artists such as Lillie Knauls, Danni Bell and more. Many others (too many to name them all) have recorded throughout the years.

Both studios record many styles from Rock to world music heard throughout the world. Jeannine produces a wide variety of styles from African, South American, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Persian, India, Mexican you name it we’ve done it. That’s the beauty of music, it’s all the language we understand. More to come.

Background

Bruce Tambling is an award winning musician, producer, audio engineer, composer, video editor, entrepreneur, web developer and teacher with many years of professional experience in the content creation industry. He has performed internationally on drums, percussion and keyboards in many genres including jazz, classical, rock, funk, electronic and world music. Audio engineering and production credits include hundreds of albums for major record labels featuring: Motown, Windham Hill, Sony, BMG, Atlantic, Tommy Boy, Warner Brothers. Dialog editor credits include: Quincy Jones, Sally Fields, Jack Welsh, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and President Jimmy Carter. Bruce has composed original music soundtracks for many feature films, documentaries, video games, commercials and TV shows including: 20th Century Fox, New World Pictures, PBS, CNN, NBC, HBO, NASA, Apple Computer, Nissan, and BMW. Currently Co-Director of Music Technology at Foothill College, Bruce continues to actively engineer/produce music and owns/operates one of the top recording studio facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is one of the few Avid Certified Expert Level Pro Tools Instructors in the world.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Steve Catizone or one of our mentors in the greater Boston area.

Steve Catizone at Infinite Recording has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry across several genres. U2 and Justin Bieber, Billy Crystal and Bob Saget, and Disney and M-Audio. And while he knows his way around a studio, knowing your way around a client is just as important.

Every recording professional had their first gig at some point. The adrenaline gets pumping, you could be working with a star, and you might start overcompensating.

Chill.

“Don’t be too opinionated when you’re talking to the clients,” Catizone said. “Just sort of listen and absorb. See what the climate in the room is, and make sure that if you do say something, it’s tactful.”

And relax. You could be a master of your craft, but if you don’t have a good repertoire with your clients, no one will want to work with you. Learn how to read the room, develop solid relationships, and remember it’s a collaborative effort. The “hang-ability” will follow.

“If people enjoy having you in the room, it’s a big thing,” Catizone said. “A lot of that comes down to personality and basically just being a positive force in the room, and being creative, and knowing when to offer up ideas and how to tactfully do so, and knowing when to not be the guy ‘doing your job’ but just being cool to hang around with.”

This is the advantage of the Charlestown Recording Connection programs. Yes, you’ll learn the technical side of the recording industry, but you’ll also learn how to handle yourself while in the studio. We believe the one-on-one time with a professional mentor gives you a complete picture of the business.

That’s what sets us apart from the traditional method of learning. The sights, smells, and sounds of a real studio can’t be matched in a classroom.

Articles

Recording Connection mentor Steve Catizone on creating opportunities for his students
Recording Connection mentor Steve Catizone talks studio etiquette

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

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

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

Learn from Recording Connection mentors Parker Ament and Danny Howard or one of our mentors in the greater LA area.

Recording Connection mentors Parker Ament and Danny Howard are up to the minute music producers, audio engineers, and entrepreneurs who know how to navigate the music industry in the 21st Century. Besides working with artists like Omarion, Todrick Hall, and Lauren Chase, they create great sound design tutorials on their popular YouTube channel.

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

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