Our guest on this episode is Matt Boudreau. Matt is an Audio Engineer, Mixer and Producer, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
His credits list includes bands and artists such as Green Day, Alanis Morrisette, Deafhaven or Death Cab For Cutie.
He's also the host of a fantastic podcast, called Working Class Audio.
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I (Benedikt) have been a guest on Matt Boudreau's show (Working Class Audio) just a couple of weeks ago and it was a dream come true for me.
I've learned an incredible amount from Matt and his guests over the years and highly recommend you check out Working Class Audio if you don't already know it.
Now we are super excited that we got to pick Matt's Brian for a bit here and can't wait for you to dive in, as well!
Some of the topics we covered on the episode:
- What's top of mind for Matt right now?
- "Identity crisis" (podcaster vs engineer)
- Thoughts on self-recording
- Dolby Atmos & Matt's Atmos studio
- Planning for the future
- Becoming a better person every day
- Lifelong learning
- The old-school approach (pre-pro, full production)
- Lessons learned from talking to so many great people - Any common threads?
- Mental health, taking care of yourself and having your shit together. Both inside and outside of the studio.
Key takeaways:
- Successful engineers often face periods of uncertainty.
- Mastering the basics is crucial for creative freedom.
- Intentional choices in mixing lead to better results.
- The audience's emotional connection is paramount in audio engineering.
- Many professionals have faced struggles despite their success.
- Diversification in skills can enhance creativity.
- Understanding signal flow and gain structure is essential.
- The tools used in mixing are secondary to the sound produced.
- Experience leads to faster and more intuitive mixing decisions.
- Many of the most successful people in music and audio prioritize mental health, personal development and being a lifelong student
- Preparing for the future and staying ahead of the curve is essential for long-term success in this industry.
- Collaboration and helping others is a key motivator for Matt.
- Pre-production is crucial to avoid costly mistakes in the studio.
- Artists should be aware of their audience when making music.
- Navigating artistic differences requires effective communication.
- Atmos mixing is becoming increasingly relevant in music production.
- Continuous learning is essential in the audio engineering field.
- The future of music production will likely include more Atmos mixes. Atmos mixes can be hit or miss, depending on the approach taken.
- Artists should consider planning their productions with Atmos in mind.
- Atmos mixing on headphones can lead to poor results if not checked on speakers.
- Persistence is key to success in the audio industry.
- Mental health and self-care are crucial for audio professionals.
- There is a growing trend towards Atmos-equipped consumer devices.
- Diversification in skills and income sources is important for audio professionals.
- Many things in audio are subjective, and there is no one right way to do things.
Enjoy!
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Matt's links:
Related Episodes:
243: Here's What Our Most Successful Students Do (Behind The Scenes Of The Self-Recording Syndicate)
239: Warren Huart Interview - How To Stay Creative In The Studio
Related Articles:
Let Them Show You The Blind Spot
The Most Important Mixing Skill
Which questionable music production myths are you still holding on to?
Recommended Free Downloads:
Standout Mixes – The DIY Musician’s Guide To Exciting Mixes That Connect
Full Courses:
TSRB Free Facebook Community:
Mentioned On the Episode:
Outback Recordings (Benedikt's Mixing Studio and personal website)
If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: podcast@theselfrecordingband.com