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Working Class Audio

Working Class Audio

A Music Interviews , Music and Business podcast Explicit

#19 in Music Interviews · 🇳🇿 #39 in Music Interviews · 🇺🇸
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About the show

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.

Newest episodes

WCA #620 with Zach Bloomstein: Leaving the Family Business, Moving West, and Running Jackpot!

58 min

For episode 620, Matt talks with Zach Bloomstein, a producer, mixer, and engineer, and the house engineer and manager at Jackpot! Recording Studio in Portland, Oregon. Zach grew up working in his family’s restaurant outside Boston, a business his grandfather started as a donut shop, and turned down every offer to take it over. After interning for Sean McLaughlin at 37ft and assisting at Peerless Mastering, he used the pandemic to move to Portland in 2021, freelanced at Jackpot! until a converter repair led to meeting Larry Crane, and now runs the place. They talk about what the restaurant taught him about working a room, when he finally felt comfortable calling himself a producer, engineering for Portugal. The Man, signing with management, and keeping six months of expenses in the bank. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in Framingham and Working in the Family RestaurantA Danelectro From His Aunt’s Boyfriend and Raiding Dad’s CD CollectionSpending Tip Money at Newbury Comics on Records With Cool CoversTurning Down the Family BusinessA Father Who Restores Vintage Pinball Machines and Arcade GamesProducing the High School Morning TV ShowThe New England Institute of Art and Joining the School Record Label for More Studio TimeInterning for Sean McLaughlin at 37ftWhat You Can’t Learn on YouTube: How Someone Presents in a RoomSmall Wins First: Getting the Best Performance From ArtistsEngineering for Producer Barry MarshallLearning to Call Himself a ProducerAssisting at Peerless Mastering With Jeff LiptonMoving to Portland During the PandemicAn East Coast Work Ethic on the West CoastEngineering Portugal. The Man’s ShishSigning With Linear ManagementFreelancing at Jackpot!, Fixing Converters, and Meeting Larry CraneWhat Being a Staff Engineer Really MeansTaking Over as Studio Manager at Jackpot!Living Modestly and Keeping Six Months of SavingsDaily Routine: Peloton, Weights, and Phone on Do Not Disturb Matt’s RANT!: The Follow Up Links and Show Notes: Zach BloomsteinZa...

WCA #619 with Marc Urselli: Italy to NYC, Unpaid Intern to Chief Engineer, and the MU-1 Mic

1 hr 4 min

For episode 619, Matt talks with Marc Urselli, a producer, engineer, live sound mixer, and sound designer based in New York City. Born in Switzerland and raised in Italy, Marc built a studio in his parents’ basement at 17 and recorded punk and hardcore bands through the late ’90s. At 20 he took his first plane ride, landed in New York, and started as an unpaid intern at EastSide Sound, paying for a flooding $250 basement apartment by designing websites. Nearly 30 years later he’s EastSide’s chief engineer, and in 2025 he opened his own studio, Audio Confidential, in Chelsea. They talk about working both studio and live sound, managing a nonstop travel schedule, Jojo Mayer’s three M’s rule for taking a gig, and the MU-1, the ribbon and condenser hybrid mic Marc designed with JZ Microphones. In This Episode, We Discuss: Born in Switzerland, Raised in ItalyFirst CDs: Appetite for Destruction and Dark Side of the MoonRecording Demos at Pure Rock Studios in Brindisi and Buying the ConsoleBuilding a Room-Within-a-Room Studio in His Parents’ Basement at 17Recording Punk and Hardcore Bands From 1995 to 1999Running a Music Magazine Since 1994Pen Friends, a First Plane Ride, and Landing at JFKTwo Years as an Unpaid Intern at EastSide SoundA $250 Basement Apartment, a $15 Inflatable Mattress, and Web Design to Pay the BillsWhy Engineering Beat Being a Rock Star: Variety Across GenresRising to Chief Engineer at EastSide SoundOpening Audio Confidential in Chelsea and Bringing the Neve Genesis Out of StorageOffering Artists Two Studio Options at Two Price PointsHow Live Sound Started as a Byproduct of IgnorancePlaying Tetris With a Confetti Explosion CalendarSelf-Management, Fast Replies, and Filtering the NoiseStaying on Top of Invoices While Always on the RoadJojo Mayer’s Rule of the Three M’s: Music, Money, and MatesOver 300 Microphones and Asking Whether You Need One MoreLong Distance Relationships and a Life of TravelTravel Tips: One Carry-On, Airport Lounges, and MelatoninT...

WCA #618 with Chris Dacoron: From Boy Band Singer to R&B Mix Engineer, the Artist Vision Form, and DMing Artists the Right Way

50 min

For episode 618, Matt talks with Chris Dacoron, a Bay Area mixing engineer working mainly in R&B, pop, and hip hop. Chris runs his mix business, Skye Heart Sound, out of his home studio in Martinez, California, and has been at it for over 20 years. The two met at a Bay Area Audio Nerds gathering. Chris started out as a singer in an R&B boy band that moved to Los Angeles in 2004, became an accidental studio assistant along the way, and switched to engineering full time when the group broke up in 2006. They talk about learning by level-matching his mixes against finished records, the Auto-Tune idea he shot down years before T-Pain, the artist vision form that cut his revisions to one or two, going hybrid after one hardware EQ changed his mind, saving rough iPhone vocals, why networking in person still matters, and how to DM artists without sounding like a car salesman. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in the Bay Area Singing Along to Boyz II MenForming an R&B Boy Band and Moving to Los Angeles in 2004Winning a Talent Competition and Becoming a Studio Assistant Nobody Was Looking ForThe Group Breaks Up in 2006 and the Clean Cut to EngineeringComing Home to the Bay Area and Building a Freelance Career Through Word of MouthSetting Rates in the Middle Based on What Outside Engineers ChargedLearning From Claudio Cueni, Tony Shepperd, and Ken LewisLevel-Matching Mixes Against Finished Records to Learn What a Final Sound IsAlways a Student: R&B Sounds Change Every Five YearsThe Auto-Tune Idea Chris Shot Down Before T-Pain Made It a HitThe Artist Vision Form: Understanding the Artist Before Moving a FaderHandling Revisions as a Collaboration Instead of a CritiqueGoing Hybrid After One Hardware EQ Changed EverythingMaking iPhone Vocals Sound Like a Real Studio: Silver Bullet, Saturation, and ExpansionMatt’s Tip: Cleaning Up Rough Vocals With Adobe PodcastMoney: Balancing Gear Spending With Marketing YourselfTry Everything: Networking Events, SoundBetter, Websites, and D...

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The newest 50 of 619 episodes

WCA #620 with Zach Bloomstein: Leaving the Family Business, Moving West, and Running Jackpot!

58 min

For episode 620, Matt talks with Zach Bloomstein, a producer, mixer, and engineer, and the house engineer and manager at Jackpot! Recording Studio in Portland, Oregon. Zach grew up working in his family’s restaurant outside Boston, a business his grandfather started as a donut shop, and turned down every offer to take it over. After interning for Sean McLaughlin at 37ft and assisting at Peerless Mastering, he used the pandemic to move to Portland in 2021, freelanced at Jackpot! until a converter repair led to meeting Larry Crane, and now runs the place. They talk about what the restaurant taught him about working a room, when he finally felt comfortable calling himself a producer, engineering for Portugal. The Man, signing with management, and keeping six months of expenses in the bank. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in Framingham and Working in the Family RestaurantA Danelectro From His Aunt’s Boyfriend and Raiding Dad’s CD CollectionSpending Tip Money at Newbury Comics on Records With Cool CoversTurning Down the Family BusinessA Father Who Restores Vintage Pinball Machines and Arcade GamesProducing the High School Morning TV ShowThe New England Institute of Art and Joining the School Record Label for More Studio TimeInterning for Sean McLaughlin at 37ftWhat You Can’t Learn on YouTube: How Someone Presents in a RoomSmall Wins First: Getting the Best Performance From ArtistsEngineering for Producer Barry MarshallLearning to Call Himself a ProducerAssisting at Peerless Mastering With Jeff LiptonMoving to Portland During the PandemicAn East Coast Work Ethic on the West CoastEngineering Portugal. The Man’s ShishSigning With Linear ManagementFreelancing at Jackpot!, Fixing Converters, and Meeting Larry CraneWhat Being a Staff Engineer Really MeansTaking Over as Studio Manager at Jackpot!Living Modestly and Keeping Six Months of SavingsDaily Routine: Peloton, Weights, and Phone on Do Not Disturb Matt’s RANT!: The Follow Up Links and Show Notes: Zach BloomsteinZa...

WCA #619 with Marc Urselli: Italy to NYC, Unpaid Intern to Chief Engineer, and the MU-1 Mic

1 hr 4 min

For episode 619, Matt talks with Marc Urselli, a producer, engineer, live sound mixer, and sound designer based in New York City. Born in Switzerland and raised in Italy, Marc built a studio in his parents’ basement at 17 and recorded punk and hardcore bands through the late ’90s. At 20 he took his first plane ride, landed in New York, and started as an unpaid intern at EastSide Sound, paying for a flooding $250 basement apartment by designing websites. Nearly 30 years later he’s EastSide’s chief engineer, and in 2025 he opened his own studio, Audio Confidential, in Chelsea. They talk about working both studio and live sound, managing a nonstop travel schedule, Jojo Mayer’s three M’s rule for taking a gig, and the MU-1, the ribbon and condenser hybrid mic Marc designed with JZ Microphones. In This Episode, We Discuss: Born in Switzerland, Raised in ItalyFirst CDs: Appetite for Destruction and Dark Side of the MoonRecording Demos at Pure Rock Studios in Brindisi and Buying the ConsoleBuilding a Room-Within-a-Room Studio in His Parents’ Basement at 17Recording Punk and Hardcore Bands From 1995 to 1999Running a Music Magazine Since 1994Pen Friends, a First Plane Ride, and Landing at JFKTwo Years as an Unpaid Intern at EastSide SoundA $250 Basement Apartment, a $15 Inflatable Mattress, and Web Design to Pay the BillsWhy Engineering Beat Being a Rock Star: Variety Across GenresRising to Chief Engineer at EastSide SoundOpening Audio Confidential in Chelsea and Bringing the Neve Genesis Out of StorageOffering Artists Two Studio Options at Two Price PointsHow Live Sound Started as a Byproduct of IgnorancePlaying Tetris With a Confetti Explosion CalendarSelf-Management, Fast Replies, and Filtering the NoiseStaying on Top of Invoices While Always on the RoadJojo Mayer’s Rule of the Three M’s: Music, Money, and MatesOver 300 Microphones and Asking Whether You Need One MoreLong Distance Relationships and a Life of TravelTravel Tips: One Carry-On, Airport Lounges, and MelatoninT...

WCA #618 with Chris Dacoron: From Boy Band Singer to R&B Mix Engineer, the Artist Vision Form, and DMing Artists the Right Way

50 min

For episode 618, Matt talks with Chris Dacoron, a Bay Area mixing engineer working mainly in R&B, pop, and hip hop. Chris runs his mix business, Skye Heart Sound, out of his home studio in Martinez, California, and has been at it for over 20 years. The two met at a Bay Area Audio Nerds gathering. Chris started out as a singer in an R&B boy band that moved to Los Angeles in 2004, became an accidental studio assistant along the way, and switched to engineering full time when the group broke up in 2006. They talk about learning by level-matching his mixes against finished records, the Auto-Tune idea he shot down years before T-Pain, the artist vision form that cut his revisions to one or two, going hybrid after one hardware EQ changed his mind, saving rough iPhone vocals, why networking in person still matters, and how to DM artists without sounding like a car salesman. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in the Bay Area Singing Along to Boyz II MenForming an R&B Boy Band and Moving to Los Angeles in 2004Winning a Talent Competition and Becoming a Studio Assistant Nobody Was Looking ForThe Group Breaks Up in 2006 and the Clean Cut to EngineeringComing Home to the Bay Area and Building a Freelance Career Through Word of MouthSetting Rates in the Middle Based on What Outside Engineers ChargedLearning From Claudio Cueni, Tony Shepperd, and Ken LewisLevel-Matching Mixes Against Finished Records to Learn What a Final Sound IsAlways a Student: R&B Sounds Change Every Five YearsThe Auto-Tune Idea Chris Shot Down Before T-Pain Made It a HitThe Artist Vision Form: Understanding the Artist Before Moving a FaderHandling Revisions as a Collaboration Instead of a CritiqueGoing Hybrid After One Hardware EQ Changed EverythingMaking iPhone Vocals Sound Like a Real Studio: Silver Bullet, Saturation, and ExpansionMatt’s Tip: Cleaning Up Rough Vocals With Adobe PodcastMoney: Balancing Gear Spending With Marketing YourselfTry Everything: Networking Events, SoundBetter, Websites, and D...

WCA #617 with Anthony Gravino: Leaving Chicago, High Cross Sound, and Building the Studio You Want to Work In

1 hr 2 min

For episode 617, Matt welcomes back Anthony Gravino, musician and recording, mixing, and mastering engineer, nearly a decade after his first appearance on WCA 137. In 2020, Anthony sold The Drake, his Chicago studio of 14 years, bought a converted 1940s horse barn just outside Urbana, Illinois, and turned it into High Cross Sound, a 2,100 square foot studio and home. They talk about why he left Chicago, what drew him to the barn, tracking 14 straight days with Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter three months after moving in, the Champaign-Urbana music scene, and the business side of owning, living in, and working out of the same building. In This Episode, We Discuss: 14 Years in Chicago: The Drake Studio on Drake AvenueWhy Anthony Left: Gentrification, Property Taxes, the Pandemic, and Seeing the Right Property at the Right TimeThe Old Horse Barn: 25-Foot Peak Ceilings, Curved Wooden Walls, and Listening to Drums Before SigningBuilding High Cross Sound: Control Room, Isolation Booth, and Wiring a Former Home Into a StudioKurt Elling and Charlie Hunter: 14 Straight Days, Three Months After Moving InThe Psychology of Vertical Space and Natural Light on MusiciansChampaign-Urbana: REO Speedwagon, the Rose Bowl Tavern, and a Music Scene Bigger Than Its Studio SupplyMoving During the Pandemic: Every Session Canceled in March, Perfect Time to Be Out of CommissionSelling the Chicago Building After Buying in 2006, Financing at 2.5% InterestDropping the API Console, Going to a Small Mixer and Outboard PreampsKeeping the Rate, Then Raising It When He Saw What Others Were ChargingIsolated Ground, a Private Transformer Shared With Three Houses, and a Quieter Noise FloorLiving and Working in the Same Building: Tax Advantages When 80% Is Studio SpaceMusic Videos, University Work, and the Snowball Rolling Down the HillThe Pool: More Romanticized by Clients Than Actually Used Matt’s RANT!: Your Mindset Links and Show Notes: Anthony Gravino on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyg...

WCA #616 with Sylvia Massy: Microphone History, the Bob Paquette Collection, and The Great Book of Vintage Microphones

44 min

Sylvia Massy returns to Working Class Audio for the first time since Episode 14 back in 2015. She joins Matt from her studio in Ashland, Oregon to talk about her new book, The Great Book of Vintage Microphones, co-authored with Chris Johnson. To write it, Sylvia and Chris acquired the entire estate collection of Milwaukee radio legend Bob Paquette: 3,500 microphones kept together rather than cherry-picked apart. The book covers 100 years of microphone history, from David Edward Hughes's 1877 burnt-stick carbon transducer to the ribbons and condensers most engineers grew up with. In This Episode, We Discuss:The Studio in Ashland: Converted Radiator Shop, Five-Bay Garage, Concrete ConstructionChris Joshnson: Co-Author, Life Partner, and the Man Who Negotiated a Microphone MuseumBob Paquette's Collection: 3,500 Mics, Milwaukee Radio History, and Keeping It TogetherThe First Microphone: David Edward Hughes, 1877, a Burnt Carbon StickCrystal Mics, Carbon Telephone Elements, and Technology That Lasted Into the 1990sCondenser Development: From a Wooden Box Power Supply Down to the Pencil Condensers We Use TodayThe First Directional MicrophoneA Condenser That Went to the South Pole With Admiral ByrdThe Glow Discharge Mic: Plasma Between Two Electrodes, Banned After 1928Art Deco Mics That Looked Like Spaceships and Sounded Worse Because of Their CasesWestern Electric Birdcage, Tadpole Mics, Bakelite, and the 1947 Astatic 600SThe ChicLet: Color OptionsPearl Mics From Sweden and the 6102 RFPSylvia's Favorite Mic for Female VocalMicrophone Seeds: Ribbons, Dynamics, and Condensers Matt’s RANT!: Client Mix Approval ServerLinks and Show Notes:Sylvia MassyPreorder The Great Book of Vintage MicrophonesWCA Episode 14 with Sylvia Massy (2015) Credits:Guest: Sylvia MassyHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #615 with Michael Frondelli, Part 2: Los Angeles, Capitol Records, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and the Long View on Audio

1 hr 6 min

For episode 615, Matt concludes his two-part conversation with Michael Frondelli, picking up in Los Angeles where Keith Forsey and Richie Zito brought him west. Michael landed at Giorgio Moroder’s Oasis Studios, where he worked on the Breakfast Club soundtrack, Beverly Hills Cop, and the world premiere digital playback of Moroder’s restored Metropolis. He went on to eleven years as Vice President of Capitol Records Studios, where his first artist was Frank Sinatra and he quietly produced Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on a $100,000 investment that grossed $7 million. They also talk about AI and copyright, the importance of pre-production, apprenticeships in audio, network as the real currency of a career, and what Phil Ramone told him about what recording engineers actually do. In This Episode, We Discuss:Moving to Los Angeles via Keith Forsey and Richie ZitoGiorgio Moroder’s Oasis Studios: Breakfast Club, Beverly Hills Cop, and Three Films at OnceThe World Premiere Digital Playback of Moroder’s Restored MetropolisEast Coast vs West Coast Recording CultureKeeping an Apartment in Brooklyn and One in LAVP of Capitol Records Studios: How He Got the JobLearning to Run a $5 Million BusinessThe First Business Plan Ever Written for Capitol StudiosFrank Sinatra as the First Artist: Phil Ramone, Al Schmitt, and Building a Custom Vocal BoothUnion Negotiations, Health Benefits, and Taking Care of the StaffBeing Told He Was Too Old to Start a Label at 44Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: $100,000 In, $7 Million Gross, 500,000 Records by MayCrowded House, Gary Stamper, and Don’t Dream It’s OverAI, Copyright, and Why You Must Register Before You Use the PlatformApprenticeships, the Music Producers Guild, and Passing It OnNetwork as the Real Currency of a CareerStill Working: James Gadson, Autism Speaks, and Making Records Matt’s RANT!: Matt’s DadLinks and Show Notes:Michael FrondelliWCA #614 with Michael Frondelli, Part 1Vincent Boudreau — Obituary Credits:Guest: Michael FrondelliHost/Engineer/Producer...

WCA #614 with Michael Frondelli, Part 1 – Astoria, R&B Days, Salsa Nights, and Electric Lady

54 min

For episode 614, Matt talks with Michael Frondelli, producer, engineer, and former Vice President of Capitol Records Studios, where he ran the facility for eleven years before going independent in 2001. Michael grew up in Astoria, Queens. Tony Bennett took vocal lessons with his Uncle Sal. The Walken family ran the bakery on Steinway Street. He came up playing guitar in soul bands and rock bands in the 60s, studied business in college, landed a maintenance tech job at Broadway Recording on 1697 Broadway, and from there made his way to Electric Lady in November 1975, where he spent nine years. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in Astoria, QueensMusic in the Family and Learning GuitarSoul Bands, Rock Bands, and the 60sCollege, the Draft Lottery, and Moving to ManhattanCarpentry, Soundproofing, and Finding a Way Into RecordingBroadway Recording at 1697 BroadwayLearning to Listen, Watch, and Visualize Signal PathLanding at Electric Lady in 1975Nine Years in the Room: Zeppelin, Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, Joni MitchellWorking With Eddie Kramer on Song Remains the SameRebel Yell: Finding Billy Idol a DrummerKeith Forsey, Charlie Sexton, and Don't You Forget About MeGetting Management and Learning the BusinessGoing From $5 an Hour to $2,500 a Mix Matt's RANT!: Revisiting Backing Up and Archiving Links and Show Notes: Michael's site Credits: Guest: Michael FrondelliHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #613 with Ben Mellott – Northern Virginia, Church Sound, Farm Festivals, and Profit First

1 hr 6 min

For episode 613, Matt talks with Ben Mellott — recording engineer, mixer, and owner of Nothing but Noise studio in Northern Virginia. Ben has been freelance since 2014, balances studio work with live production at churches, farms, and local venues, and runs every dollar through the Profit First system. They talk about building a career on curiosity, the alternative path through cassette manufacturing and church sound, and why the business side of audio doesn't sound like fun until it absolutely is. In This Episode, We Discuss: Northern Virginia, Born and RaisedA Dad at Toys R Us and a Mom in the Church ChoirRecording Bands on a Tascam Four-Track at Ten Dollars a SongThe Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio — Audio Boot CampLearning Signal Flow Before HardwareManufacturing Cassettes and CDs at Lion RecordingMoving Into Graphics — Quark Express, InDesign, and Terrible Early WebsitesRoadie and Merch for a Month-Long US Tour With FrodusGetting the Farm Festival GigTen Years of Sunday Church Sound — and What He Learned About TemperamentThe Drummer in the Crowd Who Got Him the Venue GigReal-Life Social Proof — Likable Enough (For a Live Sound Guy)Curiosity as a Career StrategyNothing But Noise — The Studio and the Freelance Life Since 2014Debt, an Inheritance That Didn't Change the Slope, and the PandemicImplementing the Profit First SystemOf Every Thousand Dollars, Only $150 Is Spendable — and Why That's the PointSelf-Financing Gear and Paying Yourself Back on a Payment PlanThe Sweetwater Rep Who Said You've Got a Lot of GearThe Business Side Doesn't Sound Like Fun Until It Is Matt's RANT!: Doing Things the Alternative Way Links and Show Notes: Nothing but NoiseProfit First — Mike Michalowicz (book)Profit First — Audiobook on Libro.fmWCA #133 with Alan EvansWCA #328 with Alan EvansWCA #576 with Alan Evans Credits: Guest: Ben Mellott Host/Engineer/Producer: Matt Boudreau WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell The Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #612 with Brian Starley – Utah, Cartage, Building a Studio in LA, and Relationships Before Gear

1 hr 10 min

For episode 612, Matt talks with Brian Starley recording and mixing engineer based in North Hollywood, California, and owner of Bergatron Music Studio. Brian grew up in Salt Lake City with a dad who transferred vinyl to cassette for the car, chased a hockey career to Ontario, came home to Utah without a plan, and found recording through a coworker who'd interned at the Blasting Room. After learning Pro Tools at twenty bucks an hour and getting out of Utah in 2005, he landed at Musicians Institute in LA and then at Lon Cohen Studio Rentals a cartage company where he spent six years moving Tim Pierce's guitars and Mike Elizondo's Logic rig around the city. After going freelance in 2013, he built a YouTube live session channel, had his busiest mixing years during COVID, and then spent the better part of two years fighting LA permits, tariffs, and a construction crew to build his dream studio — refinancing the house to do it. They talk about what cartage taught him about gear and sessions, the mobile recording revelation that shaped his whole approach, building a studio in 2025 LA, the stress that put him in the hospital with diverticulitis, and why you should focus on relationships before gear. In This Episode, We Discuss: - Growing Up in Salt Lake City, Utah — The Zion Curtain - A Dad Who Transferred Vinyl to Cassette and Filled the Car With Music - Hockey, Rage Against the Machine, and a Dream of the NHL - Moving to Shelburne, Ontario to Play Junior Hockey - Coming Home to Utah and Finding Construction Work for His Dad - A Coworker From the Blasting Room Who Changed Everything - Learning Pro Tools at Twenty Bucks an Hour on a Digi 001 - Getting Into Trouble and Getting Out of Utah — Moving to LA in 2005 - Musicians Institute and Finding the Path Into Recording - Landing at Lawn — a Cartage Company for LA's Top Session Musicians - Tim Pierce, Joe Chiccarelli, Abe Laboriel Sr., and What Cartage Taught Him - Mike Elizondo's Logic Rig and the Mobile Recording Revelation...

WCA #611 with Scott McDowell – Berklee, California vs New York, Getting Fired, Becoming a Studio Partner, and Getting Hit by a Car

1 hr 8 min

Scott McDowell is a producer, engineer, and co-owner of Wally's Hydeout at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. In episode 611 they talk about getting fired from his first SF internship, becoming a studio partner at Wally’s Hydeout, surviving COVID, getting hit by a car in March 2026, recovering from a TBI, and why every freelancer in California needs to sign up for state disability insurance before something happens. In This Episode, We Discuss: Co-owning a Studio, Making Records, and Working in Game AudioGrowing Up in Novato — North Marin CountyA Broadcast Engineer DadWorking Niners Games on the SidelineHeading to Berklee for TrumpetA Hernia That Ended the Trumpet Career and Started the Recording OneCity College SF, SF Soundworks, and Getting FiredJohn Vanderslice, Tiny Telephone, and the Referral to Justin PhelpsInterning at Hyde Street Studios With Justin Phelps and Jaimeson DurrFilling the Calendar for Six Months to Avoid Being Replaced — Then Getting Made a PartnerThe CDR Run That He Thought Was a FiringEight Years of Game AudioCOVID SurvivalGetting Hit by a Car in NorthridgeThe TBI, the Wheelchair, and Coming BackCalifornia Disability Insurance Elective Coverage — Why Every Freelancer Should Sign Up Matt's RANT!: Accumulation Links and Show Notes: Fader Solo: https://fadersolo.com/California Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (EDD): https://edd.ca.gov/en/payroll_taxes/Disability_Insurance_Elective_Coverage/WCA #082 with Justin Phelps: https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-082-justin-phelps/WCA #211 with Jaimeson Durr: https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-211-with-jaimeson-durr/WCA #047 with John Vanderslice: https://www.workingclassaudio.com/wca-047-with-john-vanderslice/ Credits: Guest: Scott McDowellHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #610 with Stephen Shirk – Bloomington, New York, Chicago, and Twenty Years of SHIRK Studios

58 min

For episode 610, Matt talks with Stephen Shirk — engineer, producer, guitarist, and owner of SHIRK Studios in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Stephen grew up in Bloomington, Illinois, studied business at Miami University, moved to New York in 1998 with a friend's couch as his launch pad, and worked his way through the Hit Factory and a jingle house where he built Pro Tools systems, got his SAG card, and learned from Jay Messina. In 2004 he moved to Chicago, rented studio spaces for a decade, and in 2013 bought the building he now runs as a semi-commercial studio with a Sphere console, instruments on every wall, and a deliberately un-sterile feel. They talk about the HearYa live sessions that built his early reputation, word-of-mouth marketing and what comes next, Steve Albini and Electrical Audio, owning vs. renting in Chicago's studio ecosystem, and getting back out to shows. In This Episode, We Discuss: - Growing Up in Bloomington, Illinois - Church Choir, Guitar at Fourth Grade, and Early Bands - A Business Degree at Miami University and Playing in Bands - Moving to New York in 1998 With a Friend's Couch as a Launch Pad - Learning Pro Tools Version 4 on the Fly - Starting at the Hit Factory as a General Assistant - The Culture Shock of New York Speed — and Learning to Shut Up - Moving to a Jingle House: More Engineering, More Money, a Synclavier - Building Pro Tools Systems and Getting a Pager From the Boss - Learning From Jay Messina (Early Aerosmith, Jack Douglas) - Getting His SAG Card and Discovering Mailbox Money - Moving to Chicago in 2004 and Renting Studio Spaces - Buying the Building in 2013 and the History Behind It - SHIRK Studios: Semi-Commercial, Instruments on Every Wall - Avoiding the Sterile Studio — Guilford of Maine Walls and Why He Hates Them - Word of Mouth Marketing and Wondering What's Next - Chicago's Studio Scene: Narwhal, Brian Deck, and the DIY Wave - Steve Albini and Electrical Audio - Owning the Building vs. Renting — Lessons From C...

WCA #609 with Eric M Lichter – Martha's Vineyard, New York, Connecticut, and the Beauty Marks That Make a Record

1 hr 13 min

For episode 609, Matt talks with Eric M Lichter — multi-instrumentalist, producer, and owner of Dirt Floor Recording in Connecticut, where he’s been in business for twenty years. Eric came up singing in chorus, spent time on Martha’s Vineyard playing the Hot Tin Roof and landing in Carly Simon’s living room with Danny Kortchmar and Jerry Marotta in the liner notes, then moved to New York, recorded at Sear Sound on a Polygram AR’s dime, and eventually landed back in Connecticut to open a studio on a wing and a prayer in 2006. They talk about the Ed Wood approach to recording — get the vibe before the moment is gone — why he leaves the beauty marks in, pitching a studio to 90-year-old landlords, keeping a tight ship with bankers hours, vetting clients for energy, a proposal-based pricing model, and the Caribou Ranch mentality that has everyone leaving with fresh eggs from the chickens out back. In This Episode, We Discuss: Twenty Years of Dirt Floor Recording in ConnecticutGrowing Up in a Sports-First Town and Finding His Voice in ChorusThe Soccer Coach Who Changed His LifeJohn Mayer, Keith Richards, and Goose — Connecticut’s Quiet Music SceneThe Hot Tin Roof on Martha’s Vineyard — and Carly Simon’s Living RoomDanny Kortchmar, Jerry Marotta, and Reading the Credits as a KidNew York City, Polygram, and Recording at Sear SoundFailing Guitar 101 in College and Trusting the Natural ThingThe Troubadour Years — Singer-Songwriter on the RoadWatching His Brother Make a Record With Jerry Marotta at JarysvilleDiscovering Tape Op and Saying Out Loud “I’m Going to Be in That Magazine”Starting Dirt Floor in Chester, Connecticut in 2006The Ed Wood Approach: Getting the Vibe Before the Moment Is GoneBeauty Marks — Why He Leaves the Imperfections InWhy Real Music Is Winning Against AIKids Discovering Van Halen and AC/DC on Their OwnEthan Johns, Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner — Who Inspired HimThe Rented House That Became Dirt Floor’s Current HomePitching a Studio to 90-Year-Old Landlor...

WCA #608 with Julian Kindred – Canada, America, England, and Thirty-Five Years of Making Records

1 hr 19 min

For episode 608, Matt talks with Julian Kindred — Canadian producer, engineer, and songwriter based in London, where he runs Nonsuch Park Studio in Epsom, Surrey. Julian grew up in St. John, New Brunswick — a working-class port city he describes as a place where people punched in all week and played blues in bars on the weekend — and found his way into recording through a part-time job at a music shop and access to synthesizers. Too broke for Berklee, he took a corporate function band gig that got him to Nashville, where he cold-called Music Row for a year and a half before landing a spot at Studio Nineteen. Ten years on Music Row followed, and then a move to London in 2003. They talk about what Nashville taught him about song craft and on-the-floor tracking, learning persistence in two different cultures, surviving a lull before the Ellie Goulding record turned things around, managing money as a freelancer, and why longevity attracts a different kind of client than talent alone ever did. Enjoy! In This Episode, We Discuss: - Growing Up in St. John, New Brunswick - "Sultans of Swing" as a Portrait of His Hometown - A Musical Family and a Father Who Taught Guitar - Keyboards at Eleven and a Part-Time Job at a Music Shop - Access to Synthesizers and the Recording Bug - Too Broke for Berklee — and the Corporate Function Band That Got Him to Nashville - Cold-Calling Music Row for a Year and a Half - Studio Nineteen: A Five-Week Course, a Trident Desk, and Patsy Cline's Living Room - Learning the Craft in Nashville's Legendary Rooms - What Ten Years on Music Row Taught Him About Song Craft - On-the-Floor Tracking: Finishing a Record in One Session - Nashville vs. London: Tracking Rooms, Production Rooms, and Culture - Moving to London in 2003 for a Woman — and Building a Career From Scratch - Learning Persistence in Two Different Cultures - The Lull, the Ellie Goulding Record, and the Comeback - Universal, Polydor, and Building a Repeat Client Base in the UK - Nonsuch P...

WCA #607 with Dana Nielsen – Jazz School, System of a Down, SZA, and the Money Side of a Long Career

1 hr 31 min

For episode 607, Matt talks with Dana Nielsen — Grammy-nominated producer, mixer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder of Mix Protégé in Los Angeles. Dana came up as a jazz saxophonist at Loyola University in New Orleans, where a Brian Blade album and a set of studio keys changed his direction. After chasing Daniel Lanois all the way to a phone call with Teatro and eventually moving to LA with no plan, he found his footing at Guitar Center on Sunset, caught a break on a System of a Down session with Dave Schiffman, and built a career in Rick Rubin's camp alongside Andrew Scheps, Greg Fidelman, and Philip Broussard. Now with 450+ credits and 30B+ streams, they talk about the unspoken rules of the studio hierarchy, keeping cool when everything goes wrong, running six albums at once, and the financial discipline (—SEP IRAs, 529s, and a high-yield savings habit—) that keeps a freelance life sustainable. In This Episode, We Discuss: - Musician First: Jazz Saxophone at Loyola University - The Brian Blade Fellowship Album That Changed Everything - Keys to the Studio: His First Real Recording Access - Growing Up Outside Chicago and Reading the Credits - Chasing Daniel Lanois: The Phone Call to Teatro - How That Call Became the First Chapter of a Friendship With Philip Broussard - Moving to LA With No Job and Landing at Guitar Center on Sunset - The Film Lot Engineer Who Told Him to Say What He Wanted - Learning to Read the Room and Raise His Hand - Breaking In: System of a Down With Dave Schiffman - Meeting Andrew Scheps - How Rick Rubin's Camp Became His World - The Unspoken Rules: Hierarchy, Knowing Your Role, and Keeping Notes - Passing Gems Up the Chain Without Stealing the Credit - How One Alliance Becomes the Next - Recording Justin Timberlake's Vocals With a Green Screen and No Metering - Keeping Cool When Everything Goes South in the Studio - Six Albums at Once: Managing Multiple Projects With ClickUp - Client Management With Dubsado and Automating the Pape...

WCA #606 with Neil Rogers – Eighteen Years of Half-ton Studios, Bootstrapping in Cambridge, and Writing for Sound on Sound

1 hr 7 min

For episode 606, Matt talks with Neil Rogers — recording engineer, owner of Half-ton Studios in Cambridge, and longtime reviewer for Sound on Sound. After a decade of gigging as a drummer with no payoff, Neil found a music tech degree at 26 that rebuilt his confidence, then answered a group email about a ramshackle unit next to a brewery and built a studio there on about £7,000 and favors. Eighteen years on, they talk about the accidental great-sounding drum room, rebuilding bigger during COVID, pricing, being honest with young people about studio careers, and the joy of recording bands live on the floor. In This Episode, We Discuss: Meeting Matt Over a Pint in CambridgeEighteen Years of Half-ton StudiosWriting for Sound on SoundLearning Drums When School Friends Started a BandWhy So Many Engineers Are DrummersA Decade of Gigging Without a PayoffA Music Tech Degree at 26Discovering He Could WriteThe Group Email and the Unit Next to a BreweryStarting With £7,000 and FavorsThe Accidental Great-Sounding Drum RoomFirst Gear: a £700 Soundtracs DeskMySpace, Flyers, and Rehearsal IncomeRebuilding Bigger During COVIDWorking With an AcousticianHow the New Room Draws Bands From LondonPricing and the Independent Band RateHonest Advice for Young EngineersWorkshops and Taster SessionsWhy He Limits Mixing WorkRecording Bands Live on the Floor Matt’s RANT!: CLUTTER! Links and Show Notes: Half-ton StudiosNeil Rogers at Sound on SoundHalf-ton recording & mixing workshops Credits: Guest: Neil RogersHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #605 with Chris Mara – Building Welcome to 1979, Restoring Tape Machines, and Saying Yes to Everything

1 hr 3 min

Chris Mara owns Welcome to 1979, one of the larger recording studios in Nashville, along with his wife Yoli. He joins Matt for episode 605 to talk about moving to Nashville at 20, building Mara Machines and a vinyl mastering department alongside the studio, and running it for 18 years with no partners and almost no borrowed money. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in an 800-Person Wisconsin Town With No Internet and No RoadmapCommunity College Recording and Moving to Nashville at 20"I Am Working Class": No Safety Net, No Umbilical CordThe Unpaid Internship and the Downtown Bellman Job That Funded ItTrading Every Favor to Pull Studio ShiftsKeys and Alarm Codes to Ten StudiosSeeing the Same Gear Used a Million Different WaysWorking Across Every Format: 2-Inch, RADAR, DAT, and Early Pro ToolsThe Nashville Number System and Country-Session EfficiencyBringing in Rock Bands and Running Them Like Pro Country DatesJustifying Your Existence When the Guitarist Has Pro Tools at HomeComing Up With Welcome to 1979 (and the Runner-Up: "Simulated Wood Grain")Pitching a Studio to His Pregnant Wife for $1,100 a Month"You Can Break Even As Long As You Want"Yoli Quitting Her Job to Run the Business SideHow Mara Machines Was Born From a Side HustleMultiple Income Streams and Why They Carry the WeightWatching Your Overhead Before It Sinks YouIs That Gear Going to Make You Money, or Just Sit There?Renting Rooms Instead of Buying ThemSaying Yes to Everything and Learning on Someone Else's Dime18 Years, No Partners, Almost No Borrowed Money, Still MarriedThe Recording Summit, Tape Camps, and Vinyl Camps Matt's RANT!: A Brain Dump Links and Show Notes: Welcome to 1979: https://www.welcometo1979.com/Mara Machines: https://www.maramachines.com/Recording Summit: https://welcometo1979.com/events/#recordingsummitTape Camp: https://welcometo1979.com/events/#tapecampVinyl Camp: https://welcometo1979.com/events/#vinylcampLij Shaw / Recording Studio Rockstars: https://recordingstudiorockstars....

WCA #604 with Alec Ness – Mastering in Minneapolis, Resisting Homogenization, and Putting the Art First

1 hr 4 min

For episode 604, Matt talks with Alec Ness, a mastering engineer in Minneapolis and the owner of Ness Mastering. Alec joins to tell an unusual origin story: born with partially amputated fingers, he was steered from guitar to drums, caught the recording bug on Cakewalk in a Dakotas high school, and chased music through a now-defunct college (McNally Smith), the San Francisco and LA beat scenes as an Ableton Certified Trainer, and years touring as a producer and artist — before pivoting fully into mastering as the pandemic hit. He learned the craft by badgering his way into Greg Reierson's Rare Form Mastering and trading questions with Mandy Parnell, then sold his entire modular synth rig to buy the speakers for his own room. They get into the "Should everything sound the same?" note on his desk, resisting the loudness game, controlling your space, putting the art before the money, and the health toll of going too hard. In This Episode, We Discuss: - Growing Up in the Dakotas and “Flyover” Music Culture - A Coffee Shop, a Venue, and Touring Bands Passing Through - Born With Half His Fingers: From Guitar to Drums - Catching the Recording Bug on Cakewalk in High School - The Guitar Shop That Introduced Him to Ableton - McNally Smith, Composition, and Dropping Out - San Francisco, the LA Beat Scene, and Becoming an Ableton Certified Trainer - From Producer and Artist to Mixing and Mastering - A Studio in the Back of a South Dakota Guitar Shop - Old Tools, Limitations, and Learning Phase and Mics the Hard Way - The Dua Saleh Remix Album That Tipped Him Into Mastering - Backing Off Touring Right as the Pandemic Hit - Learning From Greg Reierson at Rare Form Mastering - Badgering Mandy Parnell for Lessons - "Should Everything Sound the Same?" Resisting Homogenization - Why He Won’t Master to the Loudness of a Reference - Controlling Your Space and Reducing Variables - Selling His Modular Synths to Buy His Speakers - Empathy, the Artist’s Vision, and Serving the Music - Ar...

WCA #603 with Lorenzo Wolff – Building a Brooklyn Studio, Session Bass to Taylor Swift, and Working for Ms. Lauryn Hill

1 hr 1 min

For episode 603, Matt talks with Lorenzo Wolff — a Grammy-winning engineer, producer, musician, and owner of Restoration Sound in Brooklyn. Lorenzo joins on a Saturday from New York to trace a path from a hip-hop-obsessed kid in Nyack, chasing the basslines on Fugees and Wyclef records, to a session bassist, to interning under engineer Scott Lehrer at Second Story Sound, to building one of Brooklyn's most community-minded studios over eleven years. Along the way his string session with violinist Bobby Hawk turned out to be a Taylor Swift record, which led to Ye's Donda, which led to his ongoing work with Ms. Lauryn Hill. They get into the two tiers of gigs (community vs. famous), funding a studio build with a patron's retainer, why he treats generosity and conflict de-escalation as business strategy, and the honesty it takes to work with visionary artists. Enjoy! In This Episode, We Discuss:- Growing Up in Nyack, New York, in an Integrated Music Town - From Hip-Hop and Turntables to Hunting Down the Bass - The Fugees, Wyclef, Jerry Wonda, and Outkast as a Way In - Becoming a Session Bass Player to Live in Studios - Interning at Second Story Sound Under Scott Lehrer - Being Sent to the Library to Read the Dry Theory First - Why He Left to Start His Own Shops and Chase Creativity - Building a Brooklyn Studio Over Eleven Years - Winning Over Landlords: "Your Success Is Our Success" (and Cookies) - The Patron Who Funded a Studio by Commissioning a Musical - Survival Economics: Production Suites That Pay the Rent - Community as a Business Model - The Two Tiers of Gigs: Community vs. Famous - The Bobby Hawk String Session That Became a Taylor Swift Record - One Credit Leading to the Next: Folklore to Donda - Working for Ms. Lauryn Hill - Telling the Truth in the Room With Visionary Artists - What "He's Gonna Be Okay" Really Means at That Level - Why High-Profile Credits Do (and Don’t) Create More Work - Generosity and De-escalation as Studio Strategy - Why He Struggles W...

WCA #602 with Luke Burgoyne – Seven Years Assisting a Top UK Mixer, Mix Prep, and Going Solo in London

1 hr 4 min

For episode 602, Matt talks with London mix engineer Luke Burgoyne, who joins from his room at Pony Studios in East London. Luke grew up in Winchester with two violinist parents, fell for the studio side of music at sixteen, and studied performance and recording at the University of West London before spending the last seven years assisting one of the UK's busiest mixers, Dan Grech-Marguerat (Lana Del Rey, The Killers, Liam Gallagher, George Ezra). Now he's transitioning into his own career as a mixer and producer. They get into the realities of high-level mix prep, what seven years of assisting actually teaches you, why UK managers tend to bring in work in a way American managers often don't, sharing expensive London rooms, his skeptical take on Atmos, and the differences between the UK and US recording ecosystems. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in Winchester With Two Violinist ParentsFrom the Beatles and Guitar to the Pull of the StudioWhy It Was Always About the Music, Not the TechnologyStudying Performance and Recording at the University of West LondonRealizing He'd Rather Record Great Players Than Compete With ThemCold-Emailing Abbey Road, RAK, and Getting No RepliesLanding the Assistant Job With Dan Grech-Marguerat (on the Second Try)Seven Years Assisting One of the UK's Busiest MixersThe Soft Skills: Managing Clients, Files, and Spinning PlatesMixing in the Box: Pro Tools, Recall, and Multiple MachinesDeep Mix Prep: Rebuilding Logic and Ableton Sessions in Pro ToolsLearning a Mixer's Quirks So They Never Leave the Creative SpaceTransitioning From Assistant to Mixer and ProducerGetting Management and Why UK Managers Bring in WorkHow UK and US Managers DifferBuilding a Network While Assisting Five or Six Days a WeekStudio Identity: Staff Engineer vs. Independent FreelancerThe London Studio Ecosystem: Abbey Road, AIR, RAK, and MetropolisRenting a Room at Pony Studios and Sharing Space in Expensive LondonNeumanns, Genelec 1031s, and Working on Headphones...

WCA #601 with Gert Keunen – Immersive Audio, "Stereo Was a Nice Try," a Dozen Careers, and Brewing His Own Beer

1 hr 18 min

For episode 601, Matt sits down with Belgian musician, mastering engineer, and sociologist of music Gert Keunen — recommended to the show by past guest John Greenham. Gert has spent 35 years saying yes to nearly everything music: seven albums of his own, the nu-jazz project Briskey, a PhD in the sociology of music, four books on pop history, stints as a record-label staffer and newspaper critic, teaching at conservatories in Ghent, and most recently a deep dive into immersive audio that produced his book STEREO – Was a Nice Try. He joins from the Flemish countryside — where he also runs a 200-liter brewery and grows his own hops — to talk about how he manages time across all of it, why he learns best by teaching, how ADHD and dyslexia shaped an offline, notebook-driven discipline, and why he believes the future of immersive music is composing in 3D from the very first note rather than up mixing stereo. In This Episode, We Discuss: Living a Passion-Driven Life Across Music, Academia, and BeerManaging Time When You Do a Dozen Things (and Cycling to Clear the Mind)Growing Up in Flanders: Flute, Pink Floyd, and a Cracked Cubase on an AtariWhy He'd Rather Create Music Than Perform ItA PhD in the Sociology of Music and Four Books on Pop HistoryTeaching Music History, Sociology, and Production in GhentGoing All-In on Mastering for a Year with Friedemann Tischmeyer and Ian ShepherdHow ADHD and Dyslexia Shaped His Offline, Notebook-Driven LearningWhy Teaching Is How He Actually LearnsDiscovering Immersive Audio Through Apple Spatial Audio on EarbudsWhy a Good Immersive Mix Makes the Headphone Experience BetterWriting STEREO – Was a Nice Try Because No Good Handbook Existed"13 Reasons Why Dolby Atmos Sucks" — and His RebuttalsCreating Immersive From the Ground Up vs. Upmixing StereoA Format-Agnostic Workflow: Object, Channel, and Scene-Based, Then Choose Atmos or Auro-3D LaterTeaching Immersive at a Conservatory With a Dolby Atmos RoomTranslating Student Tracks to a Live Imme...

WCA #600 with Andrew Scheps – Atmos, Imposter Syndrome, Coding Plugins with AI, Climbing Walls, and 600 Episodes

1 hr 19 min

Matt celebrates episode 600 of Working Class Audio with a guest who's been there since the beginning — mixer and producer Andrew Scheps, who first appeared back on episodes 009 300 & 477. Andrew joins from his home in rural England to talk about winning MPG Atmos Mixer of the Year for his work on Low Roar, how he approaches Dolby Atmos delivery and client approval, why he switched from Sony headphones to the Audeze LCD-MX4, and what he's learned about training your brain to externalize binaural audio. The conversation also covers writing his own plugins with Claude and the JUCE framework, why he quit drinking four years ago and found rock climbing instead, breaking his foot, the realities of working with a manager, what "retirement" even means when no one tells you you're done, and why — 600 episodes in — Working Class Audio still matters in a way that's different from everything else. In This Episode, We Discuss: 600 Episodes In — Andrew's Long History with the ShowWinning MPG Atmos Mixer of the Year for the Low Roar CatalogThe MPG vs. a US Equivalent: Advocacy, VAT, and Saving StudiosBeing an American Honored Inside a UK OrganizationWhy the Low Roar "House in the Woods" Atmos Mix May Be His Best WorkThe Pressure of Paid Work vs. Unpaid Passion ProjectsStill Battling Imposter Syndrome After Decades at the TopWhy He Hates Sending Mixes OutAtmos Delivery Workflow: Binaural, MP4, ADM, and the Two-Page PDFTraining Your Brain to Externalize Binaural AudioWhy He Starts Atmos Mixes in Headphones, Not SpeakersSwitching from Sony Headphones to the Audeze LCD-MX4Steven Wilson and Staying True to the Music in AtmosDiscovering Rock Climbing as Moving MeditationBreaking His Foot — and Five Weeks on the SidelinesAlex Honnold, Free Solo, and the Idea of Minimizing RiskQuitting Drinking Four Years Ago and Stepping Away from Pub CultureIs There a Calculation Behind a Career? Building Extra Income StreamsThe Retirement Question: "They'll Just Stop Hiring Us"Writing Plugins with Cla...

WCA #599 with Alex Newport – Three Decades of Production, a Studio in the Desert, Engineering at Tiny Telephone, and Why Unique Always Beats Good

1 hr 31 min

Matt welcomes producer, engineer, and mixer Alex Newport for his first appearance on Working Class Audio. Alex grew up in the UK Midlands with few music resources, and found his way into production after his band got signed to a UK label with an upstream deal to Columbia, and ended up recording at Sawmills, a legendary residential studio on a tidal island at the tip of Cornwall. Working there with producer Colin Richardson changed everything. From there Alex spent decades moving between LA, San Francisco, and New York — engineering at Tiny Telephone, producing records for At the Drive-In, City and Colour, and many more — before eventually building his own residential studio in Joshua Tree, designed from the ground up to let bands show up and make records without distraction. The conversation covers production philosophy, surviving as a freelancer across three decades, why he intentionally avoids getting pigeonholed, and what really matters when designing a studio space. In This Episode, We Discuss: Growing Up in the UK Midlands With Few Music ResourcesThe Band That Got Signed: Upstream Deal to Columbia RecordsRecording at Sawmills — The Tidal Island Studio in CornwallColin Richardson as a Life-Changing ProducerThe Difference Between a Producer Who Listens and One Who Doesn'tWhy Alex Was Initially Resistant to Having a ProducerWhat Colin Taught Him That He Still Uses Today — and What He HatedThe Shift From Being a Musician to Wanting to Be in the StudioMoving to the US: From Arizona to LA to San Francisco to New YorkFirst Impressions of LA — Where's the City Centre?The Culture Shock of Going From the UK to CaliforniaWhy Alex Prefers San Francisco Over LATiny Telephone and John Vanderslice — Engineering as EducationLearning to Mic Instruments He'd Never Encountered BeforeThe Moment Budgets Started Collapsing Around 2004Building a Studio in LA, Then New York, Then Realising It Was MadnessNew York vs LA: Brutally Honest vs Relaxed and OpenSurviving as a Freelance Produc...

WCA #598 with Dante Fumo – Harmonic Content, Independent Film Sound, DIY Publishing, and Making a Living on Your Own Terms

1 hr 5 min

In this return visit to Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Dante Fumo — freelance sound designer, writer, and the creator behind Harmonic Content, a screen-printed audio zine now in its seventh issue. Dante talks about building a sustainable freelance life that spans independent film post-production, writing for Vintage King and Pro Sound Effects, and self-publishing a physical zine inspired by the Tape Op compilations he read as a college writing tutor. The conversation covers the realities of DIY publishing — screen printing, saddle-stitching zines at home, and the economics of Patreon — alongside the craft of mixing short films in Dolby Atmos, delivery specs for the festival circuit, building a sound library, and why low cost of living might be the most underrated career decision a freelancer can make. In This Episode, We Discuss: The Origin of Harmonic Content ZineHow Tape Op Inspired the Whole ThingThe Economics of Self-Publishing a Physical ZineScreen Printing and DIY Production WorkflowWhy Ink Cartridges Are a Scam (and What Dante Uses Instead)Building a Sustainable Patreon as a Small Independent CreatorBalancing Freelance Writing, Sound Design, and PublishingWriting for Vintage King and Pro Sound EffectsHow Dante Gets Independent Film Clients — All Word of MouthThe Life Cycle of an Indie Short Film: Festivals to YouTubeMixing Everything in Atmos Even for Non-Atmos DeliverablesNetflix Home Entertainment Spec as a Loudness BaselineLoudness for Short Films vs. Feature Films vs. MusicCalibrating Your Monitors With Pink NoiseOverhead Fold-Down Settings When Bouncing Atmos to StereoSound Design vs. Mixing: What Dante Loves MostField Recording for Ambiences vs. Buying LibrariesSoundCue — A Free Sound Effects Organizing Tool from Pro Sound EffectsGDC Free Sound Library and Other Ways to Build a Collection for FreeGeorge Vlad and Watson Wu — Field Recording HeroesTonebenders Podcast as the WCA of Post-Production SoundWhy Dante Stepped Back From Recording Everyth...

WCA #597 with Tchad Blake, Dr. Will Sedley, Jack Rubinacci & Hazel Goedhart – Tinnitus Quest: Breaking the Silence on the Music Industry's Most Common Occupational Condition

1 hr 48 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes a panel of four guests united by a common cause: Tinnitus Quest, a patient-driven nonprofit pushing to fund and accelerate tinnitus research. Tchad Blake — 7-time Grammy Award-winning producer, mixer, and engineer with credits including Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, and Pearl Jam — opens up about living with tinnitus since age eight or nine, the result of childhood exposure to rifle fire, and how he has mixed some of the most acclaimed records of the past four decades with significant hearing loss in one ear. Neuroscientist and consultant neurologist Dr. Will Sedley of Newcastle University breaks down what the brain is actually doing when tinnitus occurs, from central gain theory to predictive coding, gating mechanisms, and why the brain's compensation strategies can misfire. Hazel Goedhart, co-founder and Executive Board Member at Tinnitus Quest, shares her own tinnitus journey and how it led her to leave a career in financial services and fundraise her own salary to work for the cause full-time. And Jack Rubinacci, musician, songwriter, and Head of PR at Tinnitus Quest, explains how the organization is working to change the narrative around tinnitus the same way the mental health conversation shifted over the past generation — because that narrative shift is what unlocks funding, and funding is what drives research. In This Episode, We Discuss: What Tinnitus Quest Is and Why It Was FoundedThe Scale of the Problem: 750 Million People, Almost No Research FundingTchad's Tinnitus Since Age Eight or Nine: Childhood Rifle FireMixing Iconic Records With Significant Hearing LossTinnitus as a Potential Creative SuperpowerHow the Brain Compensates for Hearing Loss and Generates Phantom SoundCentral Gain Theory and Neural Noise AmplificationSynchrony: How Neurons Fire Together and Make Tinnitus LouderGating Mechanisms and Why Some People's Brains Filter Tinnitus OutThe Predictive Coding Model: Why Tinnitus Em...

WCA #596 with Will Kennedy – Dolby Atmos Focus, Selling Recording Gear, Hidden Coffee Shops, and Mixing Rock in Surround

1 hr 14 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer, mixer, and engineer Will Kennedy. Will shares an update on his journey since his last appearance, focusing on his partnership with Matt Wallace and their deep dive into immersive and Dolby Atmos mixing from their Los Angeles studio. They discuss the strategic decision to sell off their traditional recording gear, the evolution of the immersive audio market, and the amusing discovery of a hidden Starbucks inside a Jaguar dealership. The conversation also explores the unique, ongoing challenges of adapting rock and roll production techniques for the Atmos format. In This Episode, We Discuss:Biking With Brad WoodHuman Powered VehiclesPartnership With Matt WallaceDolby Atmos Mixing FocusLos Angeles Studio LocationHorseless Carriage DinerJaguar Dealership StarbucksSelling Traditional Recording GearKeeping Essential Overdub SetupOffloading Full Band TrackingEarly Adopter Atmos StrategyBecoming Premium Immersive MixersDolby Atmos Market CorrectionNavigating Cheap Atmos MixesAtmos In Modern CarsMixing Rock In SurroundStereo Versus Immersive TechniquesDeveloping New Tracking Methods Matt's RANT!: Think BiggerLinks and Show Notes:WCA #388 with Will KennedyMatt Wallace on WCABrad Wood on WCA Credits:Guest: Will KennedyHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith Video Interview

WCA #595 with Steve Kitch – Classical Roots, Sound On Sound, Supermarket Shifts, and Online Mastering Success

58 min

In this episode, Matt welcomes mastering engineer Steve Kitch. Steve shares his journey from early music programming on home keyboards and classical piano training to building a worldwide mastering practice from his studio in Devon, UK. They discuss the transition from transferring DAT tapes to CDs, being an early adopter of online file delivery, and the evolution of a professional audio career through self-taught exploration and technical curiosity. In This Episode, We Discuss:Full Time MasteringDevon Studio LocationClassical Piano TrainingEarly Keyboard SequencersHiFi Technical UpbringingSound On SoundSelf Taught EducationDAT Tape TransfersOnline Mastering PioneerGoogle AdWords StrategiesSupermarket Shift WorkWebsite Design SoftwareGlobal Client ReachDigital Audio Evolution Matt's RANT!: The Small ThingsLinks and Show Notes:Steve Kitch’s Site: AudiomasterRelated Episode: WCA #593 with Katie Marie Richards Credits:Guest: Steve KitchHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #594 with Amar Lal – Experimental Roots, Corporate Transitions, Mastering Room Acoustics, and Macro Sound

1 hr 13 min

In this episode, Matt welcomes mastering engineer and artist Amar Lal of Oakland’s Macro Sound. Amar shares his journey from the New York DIY scene and touring with Big Ups to a corporate role at Sennheiser and his eventual return to independent studio ownership. They discuss the benefits of an all-digital mastering workflow, the "Active Listening Club" philosophy, and how Amar maintains career longevity through work-life balance and photography. In This Episode, We Discuss:Mastering Engineer RolesOakland Studio LocationShared Building BenefitsEarly Childhood CanadaChildhood Piano LessonsExperimental Music SceneCircuit Bending GearHigh School RecordingNew York EducationTouring Big UpsFacing Career BurnoutCorporate Sennheiser ExperienceLaunching Macro SoundHome Studio LogisticsOakland Artistic CommunityAll Digital MasteringActive Listening ClubBalancing Personal LifePassion For PhotographyArtistic Practice PhilosophyMastering Room AcousticsLocal Community TiesRemote Working ModelsStudio Business LogisticsAuditory Sensitivity Issues Links and Show Notes:Amar Lal’s Site: Macro SoundBand Reference: Big UpsSennheiserActive Listening Club Matt's RANT: Doing Try OutsCredits:Guest: Amar LalHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #593 with Katie Marie Richards – Self-taught Foundations, Four-track Experiments, Blue Rock, and The Human Experience

1 hr 15 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Katie Marie for a deep dive into her 30-year career journey, moving from a rural UK trailer to world-class studios. They discuss the transition from solo artistry to a supportive production role, the philosophy of professional growth, and maintaining a healthy mindset around the business of music. In This Episode, We Discuss:Producer And Multi-instrumentalist BackgroundLeaving School At FifteenSelf-taught Musical FoundationsEarly Four-track Recording ExperimentsTransitioning From Solo ArtistManaging Performance AnxietyRelocating From Devon To AustinMentorship At Blue Rock StudioSharing Process Via Live StreamsTransitioning To North CarolinaMorning And Afternoon Life StagesGrowing Wider Rather Than TallerCollaborating With Christie LenéeOvercoming A Poverty MindsetCharging Based On ValueSelling The Human ExperiencePrioritizing Songs Over GearAdapting To New Environments Links and Show Notes:Katie Marie’s SiteBlue Rock StudioBook Reference: You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero Matt's Rant: What IS possibleCredits:Guest: Katie Marie RichardsHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #592 with Ronan Chris Murphy – Falling Trees, World Travel, Anchor Points, and Being a Respectful Human

1 hr 13 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer, engineer, mixer Ronan Chris Murphy (King Crimson, Steve Morse, Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin) to talk about being a pro audio nomad, falling trees, and and anchor points. In This Episode, We Discuss:World TravelFalling TreesLanguageBeing a Respectful HumanAnchor POintsDebt Links and Show Notes:Ronan's Site Matt's Rant: Passion for AudioCredits:Guest: Ronan Chris MurphyHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #591 with Tyrone "Cross Bone T" Harris – Curiosity and Learning, Building a Client Base, Health Challenges, Overcoming Obstacles, and The Importance of Small Wins

1 hr 2 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mixing and mastering engineer Tyrone "Cross Bone T" Harris who shares his journey from a young music enthusiast in London to a professional mixing and mastering engineer. In This Episode, We Discuss:Musical Roots and Early InfluencesThe Journey into Music ProductionCuriosity and Learning in MusicEarly Experiences with TechnologyFirst Steps in Radio and EducationNavigating Challenges in Music EducationTransitioning to Professional EnvironmentsLive Sound Experiences and GrowthThe Art of Live Sound EngineeringNavigating the Music Industry as a Young ProfessionalHealth Challenges and Career AdaptationTransitioning to Home Studio WorkBuilding a Client Base in a Niche MarketPhilosophy on Life and Overcoming ObstaclesThe Importance of Small Wins and Motivation Links and Show Notes: CBT's Site Matt's Rant: Sonic CitizensCredits:Guest: Tyrone "Cross Bone T" HarrisHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #590 with Phillip Broussard –Gulf Coast, Kingsway, Teatro, Rick Rubin, and Prioritizing Vibe

1 hr 18 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes producer/engineer/mixer and archivist, Phillip Broussard who has worked with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slipknot, System of a Down, and many more In This Episode, We Discuss:Texas upbringingJobs in Gulf Coast refineriesFirst studio internships in AustinHouston and AustinKingsway Studio in New OrleansPrioritizing vibe over gearRelocating to Los AngelesManaging Teatro in OxnardCollaboration with Rick RubinHandling limited recording budgetsSkills in reading the roomBalancing career and family lifeNegotiating rates and invoicingAudio archiving and session restorationNetworking to find new music Links and Show Notes:Phillip's SiteTrina Shoemaker on WCADave Schiffman on WCA Matt's Rant: Inspiration and ImaginationCredits:Guest: Phillip BroussardHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #589 with Mitch Easter – R.E.M., Drive-In Studio, Don Dixon, North Carolina, and Fidelatorium Recordings

1 hr 22 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcome musician/songwriter/producer/engineer Mitch Easter known for his work on the early R.E.M. records as well as his work with the db's, Game Theory, and Marshal Crenshaw as well as his own band Let's Active. In This Episode, We Discuss:Background and UpbringingEarly Interest in RecordingDrive-In StudioFidelatorium RecordingsBalancing Multiple RolesCollaboration with Don DixonThe Music Industry and the Indie EcosystemInfluences and InspirationsViews on Retirement Links and Show Notes:YouTube versionMitch's Site Matt's Rant: Creating OpportunityCredits:Guest: Mitch EasterHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #588 with Joe Costa– Ordering Lunch with William Shatner, Berklee School of Music, Mixing from Home, and Reading the Room

1 hr 3 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes engineer/mixer Joe Costa who has worked with Ben Folds. Sara Bareilles, William Shatner and many more. In This Episode, We Discuss:Ordering Lunch with William (Bill) ShatnerWorking with Ben FoldsMixing from HomeMoving to NashvilleBerklee School of MusicReading the Room Links and Show Notes:Joe On Instagram @costa71Watch the Interview on YouTube Matt's Rant: Know Your ValueCredits:Guest: Joe CostaHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #587 with Willie Green – The Green House, Physical Media, Business Strategy, Daily Patterns, and Innovation

1 hr 17 min

Producer, engineer, artist, and professor Willie Green returns to WCA to chat with Matt about about his new studio adventure and much more! Willie has worked with renowned artists such as Armand Hammer, The Roots, The Alchemist, and Wiz Khalifa. In This Episode, We Discuss: The Green House Expands! Physical Media Marketing Strategies for Creative Spaces Daily Patterns and Balancing Responsibilities Adapting to Client Needs and Studio Management Business Strategy Innovation Links and Show Notes:Willie Green’s Website Matt's Rant: Which music industry do you work in?Credits:Guest: Willie GreenHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #586 with Richard Chycki Part 2– Management, Networking, Cultural Transition, Future Plans, and The Rush Connection

1 hr 3 min

This is part 2 of a discussion Matt had with multi-platinum mixer and engineer Richard Chycki whose clients include such rock royalty as Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater, Skillet, Mick Jagger, Alice Cooper, Pink and many more. In This Episode, We Discuss:ManagementNetworking: Building Relationships for SuccessCultural Transition: From Canada to the U.S. Music SceneThe Rush Connection: Networking and OpportunitiesNavigating the World of Immersive Audio TechnologiesFuture Plans and Networking in Nashville Links and Show Notes:Part 1 InterviewRich's Site Matt's Rant: Auto PilotCredits:Guest: Richard ChyckiHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #585 with Jade Alysse Berry – Passion for Music, Overcoming a Health Crisis, Navigating Industry Politics and Client Communication

55 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mixing engineer, producer and composerJade Alysse Berry, whose path to mixing was sparked by a life‑changing health event and a deep love for music. Jade shares practical insights on creativity, collaboration, and setting clear boundaries with clients. In This Episode, We Discuss:How a health crisis redirected Jade’s career toward audio engineeringChallenges and politics of the music industryCollaborative dynamics with partner Bob Horn The creative process of mixingSetting boundariesUnderstanding client expectationsEffective communication Links and Show Notes:Jade on Instagram Matt's Rant: The Home StudioCredits:Guest: Jade Alysse BerryHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #584 with Tom Camuso – Preserving Les Paul's Legacy, Education, Los Angeles vs. New York, Cracking the Preservation Code, and Weather

1 hr 4 min

Matt is joined by grammy winning engineer Tom Camuso who has worked with Lenny Kravitz, Blondie, Steve Earl as well as a number of commercial, television and film projects. Tom is also the Chief Engineer at The Les Paul Recording Studio in Holly wood. In This Episode, We Discuss:Preserving Les Paul's LegacyLos Angeles vs. New YorkCracking the Preservation CodeWeatherEducationLibrary of Congress Links and Show Notes:Tom's SiteLes Paul Studio Matt's Rant: Economic ReevaluationCredits:Guest: Tom CamusoHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #583 with Richard Chycki Part 1– Networking, Finances, ATMOS, Learning from Major Artists, and Adapting to Technological Changes in Audio

1 hr 14 min

Matt is joined by multi-platinum mixer and engineer Richard Chycki whose clients include such rock royalty as Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater, Skillet, Mick Jagger, Alice Cooper, Pink and many more. In This Episode, We Discuss:NAMM Experience Current State of Immersive AudioMoving to Nashville: Reasons and PlansEarly Musical Journey and Transition to EngineeringThe Shift from Musician to EngineerAdapting to Technological Changes in AudioThe Future of Atmos and Immersive AudioArtist Reactions to Immersive MixingThe Evolution of Atmos TechnologyLearning from Major ArtistsNavigating the Music IndustryFinancial Strategies in Music ProductionThe Importance of NetworkingMixing Classic Records in Atmos Links and Show Notes:Rich's Site Matt's Rant: The ExpensesCredits:Guest: Richard ChyckiHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #582 with Joel Weldon Willis – Church to indie music, Freelancing, Grammy Nominations, Remote Mixing, and The Importance of Collaboration Over Competition

1 hr 5 min

Matt welcomes Grammy Nominated producer /engineer/mixer Joel Weldon Willis. In This Episode, We Discuss:Building a Home StudioEarly Experiences in Music ProductionTransitioning to Freelance and Indie Music SceneCreative Approaches to Music ProductionNavigating Financial Challenges in the StudioRecording Techniques and Live SessionsLessons Learned in the StudioFreelancing and Renting Studio SpacesCommunity and Collaboration in Music ProductionBalancing Promotion and AuthenticityThe Impact of Grammy NominationsAdapting to Client Needs and CommunicationRemote MixingHandling Criticism and Professional GrowthThe Importance of Collaboration Over Competition Links and Show Notes:Joel's Site Matt's Rant: InspirationCredits:Guest: Joel Weldon WIllisHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #581 with Sanford Parker – Chicago Music Scene, Independent Artists, Managing Overhead, and Getting out of Florida.

58 min

Matt welcomes Producer /engineer/mixer and film composer Sanford Parker. As an artist he’s performed and released albums with extreme heavy and industrial bands like Black Cross Hotel, Corrections House, Mirrors for Psychic Warfare and Minsk. Throughout the years he’s collaborated with members of Sonic Youth, Ministry, Napalm Death and Neurosis as well as producing and mixing albums for Darkthrone, Voivod, Brutal Truth, Pelican, YOB, Hide, Youth Code, Wovenhand, Rwake, Local H and many others. Takeaways Sanford opened his studio in March 2020, just before the pandemic.He prefers working with independent artists and punk music.Chicago's music scene is affordable compared to other major cities.Managing overhead is crucial for running a successful studio.Sanford transitioned to mixing in the box for efficiency.He values genuine relationships with artists over bureaucracy.The pandemic shifted his work focus back to mixing.The flexibility of working remotely with clients.Learning to navigate financial discussions with bands.Independent music often allows for quicker decision-making. Links and Show Notes:Sanford's Site Matt's Rant: Your JourneyCredits:Guest: Sanford ParkerHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #580 with Steve Chadie – LIVE FROM NAMM 2026

1 hr 0 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back GRAMMY-winning recording engineer and producer Steve Chadie live from the AudioScape booth at NAMM 2026 to talk about recording bands. Steve has worked with WIllie Nelson, Los Lonely Boys, Wilco, and the Supersuckers. In This Episode, We Discuss:Mic placement and monitoring.The bleedBand dynamicsFood and energy levelsExpectationsCreative ruts.Being invisibleHeadphone mixesLess substance abuse Links and Show Notes:Steve on WCA #245Steve on WCA #487Steve's Site Matt's Rant: The PeopleCredits:Guest: Steve ChadieHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauEditing: Anne-Marie PleauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #579 with Fran Cathcart – Studio Ownership, Herbie Hancock, Stress, and Moving to the Bay Area

1 hr 22 min

Matt welcomes producer/engineer/composer Fran Cathcart. Fran having just moved to the Bay Area from New York recounts his journey in studio ownership, working with Herbie Hancock, and facing down serious challenges that would make most throw in the towel, yet he still keeps going. In This Episode, We Discuss:Studio OwnershipHerbie HancockEarly Digital RecordingDivorceCovidGetting SuedStressMoving to the Bay Area Links and Show Notes:Fran's Site Matt's Rant: Client CommunicationCredits:Guest: Fran CathcartHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #578 with Joe Caithness – Pro Audio Minimalism, Finding Balance, Decluttering, Embracing Whimsy, and The Bell Curve

1 hr 37 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Mastering Engineering Joe Caithness. Joe has worked on mastering the soundtrack music for games such as Borderlands, and Tekken, the soundtracks for the Netflix movie Close, bands such as Don Martin 3 and Palooka 5. In this episode we discuss Pro Audio Minimalism. In This Episode, We Discuss:Pro audio minimalism focuses on efficiency and workflow.Post-pandemic, many have adapted to home studios.Stripping down gear can lead to better productivity.Quality of work is not determined by the amount of gear.The bell curve illustrates the journey of audio engineers.Social media can exacerbate gear obsession.It's important to focus on skills rather than equipment.Minimalism can reduce stress in the creative process.Finding balance in audio engineering is crucial.Personal interests outside of audio can influence spending. Being debt-free allows for better control over finances.Intentional communication can streamline workflows and reduce confusion.Minimalism in workflow can lead to increased efficiency.Decluttering can help identify unnecessary subscriptions and expenses.Applying minimalism to business practices can enhance focus and productivity.The thrill of the hunt can lead to unnecessary clutter if not managed.Intentional equipment purchases can prevent buyer's remorse.Every purchase has a domino effect on workflow and finances.Embracing whimsy can make minimalism enjoyable and fulfilling.Sharing resources can benefit others and reduce personal clutter. Links and Show Notes:Joe's SiteJoe on WCA #329 Matt's Rant: Credits:Guest: Joe CaithnessHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #577 with Justin Gray – Immersive, Balancing Family Support, Belief In Your Work, Early Surround, & Being Engineer and Artist

1 hr 15 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Producer, Mixer & Mastering Engineer Justin Gray. Based in Toronto, Canada, Justin has worked on projects for Snoop Dogg, Brandy, Nicky Youre, Mother Mother, Arkells, Jamie Fine, Lola Brooke, Upsahl, and The Sheepdogs. In this conversation, Justin Gray discusses his album 'Immersed', exploring the creative process, technical aspects of immersive audio, and the importance of community and collaboration in music production. He shares insights on funding, marketing strategies, and the role of social media in promoting his work. The discussion also touches on the challenges of balancing family life with artistic pursuits and the significance of believing in oneself as an artist. In This Episode, We Discuss:Innovative immersive audioEarly surround experimentsCommunity-driven collaborationCanadian arts fundingValue of physical mediaSocial media promotionImpact of recognitionBalancing family supportBelief in the workEngineer and artist Links and Show Notes:Justin's Site Links to all streaming PlatformsBand CampImmersive Audio AlbumJustin on WCA #451 Matt's Rant: Forming Your Own BubbleCredits:Guest: Justin GrayHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #576 with Alan Evans – Health, Creativity, Reflections, Client Interactions, and 2026

1 hr 17 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer, engineer, mixer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and, songwriter, Alan Evans. Alan is of course well known as a member of his band Soulive. He's also been a past guest on WCA #133 and 328. Matt Boudreau and Alan Evans reflect on the past year and share insights on creativity, health, and the music industry. They discuss the importance of recharging creatively, embracing technology, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to ensure longevity in their careers. The duo also emphasizes the significance of simplicity in music production, the role of album artwork, and the power of community and connection in fostering creativity. As they look ahead to 2026, they express excitement for new projects and the journey of self-discovery in their artistic endeavors. In This Episode, We Discuss:Reflections on the past yearCreativity and staying inspiredRecharging creativelyHealth, wellness, and career longevitySimplicity in music productionThe role and value of album artworkCommunity and connection as creative fuelLooking ahead to 2026New projects on the horizonSelf-discovery through artistic work Links and Show Notes:Al's SiteOrb AudioMicrocosm AudioAl on WCA #133Al on WCA #328 Matt's Rant: What's Inspiring MeCredits:Guest: Alan EvansHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #575 with Michael Beinhorn – Remote Production, Artist Development, Risk Taking, High-End Listening, and Unique Voices

1 hr 39 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer Michael Beinhorn who has worked with The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Herbie Hancock, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Weezer, Ozzy Osbourne, Hole, Cuco, Aerosmith & Violent Femmes. Michael originally appeared on WCA #029 back in 2015. In This Episode, We Discuss:Music productionRemote productionPre-productionMusic critiqueMainstream musicAI in musicUnique voicesMusic industryCreativity in musicMusic technologyArtist developmentRisk-taking in musicMusic analysisRecording industryListening setupCollaboration Links and Show Notes:Michael's SiteMichael on WCA #029 Matt's Rant: Auto PilotCredits:Guest: Michael BeinhornHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #574 with Stephen DeAcutis –Owning Your Time, Getting It Right At The Source, Solving Audio Problems, and Performing Live

1 hr 5 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mixer, producer, engineer, writer, and performer Stephen DeAcutis. Stephen has worked with Vanilla Fudge, Gladys Knight, Travers and Appice, Corey Glover, and Cyndi Lauper. In This Episode, We Discuss:Owning Your TimeEmbracing Old and NewCelebrating the New GenerationSolving Audio ProblemsWorking From HomeCommunicating with MusiciansGetting It Right At The SourcePerforming Live Links and Show Notes:Stephen's SiteStephen on Instagram Matt's Rant: Staying PositiveCredits:Guest: Stephen DeAcutisHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #573 with Natalie Bibby – AIR Studios, Direct to Disc, Attended Sessions, MPG, and Connecting with Others

1 hr 11 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mastering and lathe cutting engineer Natalie Bibby who works at AIR Studios in the U.K.. Natalie has worked with Kraftwerk, Bring Me The Horizon, Lola Young, Jimmy Eat World, The Vaccines, Lewis Capaldi, GIRLI, and CATTYShe's also led a world-class mastering workshop at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, UK. In This Episode, We Discuss: Early musical influencesStarting in recording & mixingUniversity training & goalsMetropolis internship lessonsMoving into masteringLive cuts & direct-to-discHalf-speed mastering overviewLearning & mentorship insightsAIR StudiosValue of attended sessionsManaging client expectationsHybrid mastering workflowsHow mastering engineers listenCommon mixing problemsMusic Producers GuildChallenges for studiosAIR’s cutting reputationVinyl cutting processMastering vs. cuttingAmerican mastering mystique Links and Show Notes:AIR StudiosMusic Producers Guild Matt's Rant: How we present ourselvesCredits:Guest: Natalie BibbyHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #572 with Alex Crescioni - Extreme Metal, Techniques, Clients, Survival, and Letting Go.

1 hr 14 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back guitarist, producer, and mixing/mastering engineer Alex Crescioni to talk about Extreme Metal production. Alex is known for his work with Burton C. Bell, Deverauxx, and Siglos. In This Episode, We Discuss:Extreme MetalTechniquesSoundsRoom ToneBusinessSurvivalLetting Go Links and Show Notes:Alex’s SiteAlex on LinkedinAlex on InstagramAlex on WCA #333 Matt's Rant: Spread the WorkCredits:Guest: Alex CrescioniHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

WCA #571 with Don Setaro –DEEP DIVE - Gary Young Hospital For The Chemically Insane

1 hr 1 min

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer/engineer/mixer and record label owner Don Setaro. Matt and Don get into a deep dive discussion of the re-issue process for former Pavement drummer, Gary Young's album "Hospital For The Chemically Insane". Former WCA guests Dan Johnson and Justin Perkins chime in to talk about their role in the process. Enjoy. In This Episode, We Discuss:PavementGary YoungDetective WorkRestorationTape RescueMastering from CDRe- IssueKeeping the Vibe Links and Show Notes:Gary on BandcampIAC Records Matt's Rant: StructureCredits:Guest: Don Setaro /Dan Johnson/Justin PerkinsHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

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