20 Questions

Suzy Shinn has a palpable joy for music, and her enthusiasm for the craft can be heard on every project she touches as a sought-after producer, recording engineer, and songwriter.  Suzy is a GRAMMY and ARIA-nominated producer who has worked with Panic! At the Disco, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Ghost, SOPHIE, Illy & Anne Marie, and has also produced music for films like Bill & Ted Face the Music and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run.  Recently, we sat down with Suzy to ask her 20 Questions about the art of production, her favorite gear, and what it’s like juggling so many roles in the studio. Continue reading →

Some producers are known for imparting their signature sound on every project like a sonic fingerprint. Others prefer a hands-off approach, letting the artist’s identity shine through and gently guiding them toward the best version of their music. And then, there’s Sylvia Massy. Continue reading →

Adam Friedman is a songwriter, producer, and recording artist whose melodies, beats, and lyrics have reached millions of listeners. A talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with a passion for drums, Adam makes a habit of writing music every day and brings his positive attitude and ear for tasty hooks to all of his collaborations. Continue reading →

As the lead singer, guitarist, and co-founder of The Goo Goo Dolls, John Rzeznik has a long history of audio enthusiasm. Over the decades, his band has frequented studios like Abbey Road, Ocean Way, EastWest, Electric Lady, and Blackbird, making them familiar with a wide variety of equipment dating back to the 80s. With millions of records sold, they’re on their thirteenth album that was produced by John himself, in part using his own gear setup. We asked John to answer 20 Questions about his work thus far, from how his band got started, to where certain albums were made, and what his favorite consoles, amps, and stompboxes are. Continue reading →

If you’re the type of artist who struggles with starting songs, finishing songs, or just generally being creative on tap, we suggest you sit down and have a good listen to Jamie Lidell.  Whether you listen to his body of work as a singer/songwriter/producer or choose from the 100-plus episodes of his podcast Hanging Out With Audiophiles, you will come away feeling inspired by the British-born, Nashville-based artist’s love for sonic experimentation and his deep-dive approach to interacting with sound like the living, breathing thing that it is.  Continue reading →

It’s not every day that you get to sit down for a chat with someone who has worked with some of the most iconic recording artists of all time. The person we’re talking about is GRAMMY award-winning engineer/producer Ken Caillat and the artists we’re talking about are Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, and Herbie Hancock, just to name a few.  Continue reading →

In addition to being a GRAMMY award-winning guitarist and the oldest son of the legendary Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa is also a phenomenally creative songwriter, engineer, and producer. Perhaps best known for his work with Zappa On Zappa, where he pays tribute to his father's musical legacy alongside other world-class musicians, Dweezil has also worked with a number of artists...

Photo by Lissyelle Laricchia The current music industry landscape finds many artists handling every aspect of their creative output. They are the performer, engineer, mixer, and promotor all wrapped up in one package. For some, it's a system that kind of works, and for others, not so much. But then there is Sarah Tudzin, someone operating on all fronts at an elite level and having a lot of fun doing it. Continue reading →

Marc Daniel Nelson boasts an impressive 20-year music career in music, as evidenced by his Grammy nomination and an exhaustive list of music and film credits, which range from Fleetwood Mac and Jason Mraz to Blade Runner, The Vietnam War, and Mulan. The highly sought-after mixing engineer, music producer and creative director studied under Bill Schnee and Ken Caillat and is known for his innovative approach to sound-sculpting. We caught up with Nelson while he was driving around his home in Los Angeles for our 20 Questions series for an engaging interview on his gear, process, influences, and future plans.  Continue reading →

Marcella “Ms. Lago” Araica is a world-class producer and audio engineer credited for mixing more than 100 chart-topping hits. Throughout her 20-year career, she’s worked with superstars such as ​​Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Usher, Missy Elliot and many more. We recently had the pleasure of chatting with Ms. Lago for our 20 Questions series, where we discussed her journey in the music industry, from studying at Full Sail and landing her first job at The Hit Factory to opening her own studio and founding N.A.R.S. Records. Read on to learn about what gear she’s been using lately, her go-to vocal chain and her advice for up-and-coming engineers. Continue reading →