BIOGRAPHY

25 years is along time to be involved in one business, especially the music industry. When I started doing my own recordings in 1984, it was to help flesh out my songwriting. (And done on a Tascam 4 track reel to reel tape machine.) I had just graduated with a degree in music and had been playing guitar since the age of 10. The early 1980s brought an education in what it meant to be on the road in a touring band. (Very fun and scary indeed)

The late 1980s brought 5 years experience doing live sound for local bands. At the same time I started recording friends in a cottage in back of my home, on a Tascam 688 8-track cassette recorder. (The original home studio.)

In 1992 I began an internship at The Music Annex in Menlo Park Ca, graduated to staff engineer, and left 12 years later as Chief Engineer. During my tenure at Music Annex I worked on audio in all aspects. Voiceover work for radio, games (Batman Begins), and toys (Elmo, Diva Dolls), voice activated instruction systems for BMW and Mercedes Benz. Sound design for toys, synthesized voice recording for the first true hand held communicator. That female voice (her name is Kathryn) you hear every time you use your voicemail on AT&T systems. And along the way, several film scores, full orchestra recordings, live radio broadcast (Dave Matthews Band) and music in many different styles. A wonderful and fun education.

But the one thing that is constant in this industry is change and in 2002 I did the very thing I said I would never do: build and manage/operate a professional recording facility. It took a year of my life to get it built and done right.

So far it has been a great five year run here at Blue Seven Audio and I have a large clientele with varied musical styles and needs, all of whom have come to me via word of mouth. (The best way)

Some Thoughts on Recording

In todays ever changing technological world, the recording business has changed dramatically and swiftly. Now computers have made recording an easy thing for anyone to do.

Wow, I can record my whole CD at home and release it on the internet!

Yes, you can. But will it sound professionally done like those major-label releases you know and love? Will it stand out among the tidal wave of releases and be something others will remember? MP3s are not CD quality and neither is music recorded in a bedroom with a $150 microphone and an MBox.

Having technology in hand does not a good engineer or producer make.

It takes years of experience in real studios, working with professionals who are both technically adept and artistically shrewd, to hone those skills. Having a good musical knowledge, some understanding of the psyche of people, how to work with people objectively, and a good musical sensibility, (on top of understanding your equipment and what tools one needs to get the job done well) cannot be learned, nor accomplished, at home with a Mac and a Protools M-Box. Nor learned in one of those expensive recording schools that have cropped up of late.

There is a reason pro artist record with seasoned engineers and producers in high-end studios that cost thousands a day. If you want a release worthy of your favorite recordings, you will need a pro who understands your vision, has the skills and the facility, and the know-how to get your concept well recorded and sounding big, clean and larger than life.

Call me. I am one of those engineers . . . and reasonably priced. I will do my best for you and your music . . . for this is what I love to do.
CSC