Getting to Know Your Recording Engineer

The recording engineer is an integral part of the recording process, but many musicians don’t know what this professional does or how to choose the right one for their project. Through this article, you can get to know your recording engineer.

The Role of a Recording Engineer

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Brendan Muldowney at the helm of our SSL 4000E

A recording engineer can be thought of as an extra member of a musical act. We use our technical knowledge and intuitive ear for music to craft a song, taking it from your rough cut to a quality piece of music. We set up a band or solo musician’s equipment, inspire the performance, and tune the faders on a mixing board to deliver just the right sound. We take a hands-on role in all aspects of recording to ensure the finished product sounds as good as it can.

While we typically have more experience in a studio than the artists we work with, it’s not our job to impose their will on a musical project. Instead, we must communicate with the acts we work with to understand their vision and develop it. This is a collaborative process that can take a musical act’s sound to the next level. 

Research Recording Engineers

While an understanding of the role of a recording engineer is useful, more in depth research is required to really get to know your recording engineer. Many studio websites have profiles detailing the achievements of their recording engineers, so you can make a more informed choice about who you want to work with.

For example, visit the team page on our website to read more about the skills and achievements of our recording engineers. Through this page, you’ll discover Brendan Muldowney is a Grammy Award winning engineer who’s worked with musical luminaries like Violent Femmes, Elvis Costello, and Dave Brubeck. You’ll also learn that Phil Magnotti has won multiple Grammy Awards and has more than 200 major label credits. Understanding the credentials and types of artists engineers have worked with can help you find the right engineer for your project.

The Importance of Choosing a Professional Recording Engineer

The importance of choosing a professional recording engineer cannot be understated. We will give you the clean sound and quality recording you want. If issues arise with the sound quality or recording equipment, we have the problem solving skills to fix it. This ability is vital when you’re working in a studio as time is money. We can also provide the objective perspective that’s impossible to achieve if you try to DIY.

While a studio’s equipment matters, music blog Audio Issues states “you are better off with a great producer/engineer and OK equipment than great equipment and an OK producer/engineer.” The blog continues that it’s important for musicians to trust in the judgment and guidance of their recording engineer. Choosing a professional who’s been proven to make smart recording choices can help you feel this trust from the start of the recording process when your relationship is new. 

While your material matters, choosing the right recording engineer can help make your next musical project a success.

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Posted on November 25, 2015 in recording studio

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