Recording Engineer

Digital-to-Analog converters (and their Analog-to-Digital counterparts) play a vital role in the modern studio. In particular, two-channel DACs allow us to properly monitor our audio output by converting a digital signal to an analog one. The signal remains pristine, and we hear our projects as intended on our monitors. There is no shortage of high-quality two-channel DACs for your studio...

This November marks the 25th anniversary of Shania Twain’s Come On Over–the multiple GRAMMY Award-winning album that broke records and catapulted Twain to global superstardom. With hits like Man! I Feel Like A Woman!, You’re Still The One, and That Don’t Impress Me Much, to name a few, the album has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and remains a fixture in pop culture even today. Continue reading →

This article was originally published in Playback Issue 002. Subscribe to Playback for free to stay up to date with our latest articles, interviews, product reviews and more. In our new column, Presets, we'll be sitting down with Vintage King Audio Consultants to talk about classic pieces of gear and how to use them for specific sound sources. For the first installment, Audio Consultant Stephen Earnest is setting you up for success with the Neve 1073 microphone preamp and equalizer. Continue reading →

As more and more audio creators make the leap to working in Dolby Atmos, many pro audio manufacturers are working to streamline the gear and set-up involved. Focusrite has been at the forefront of this movement by releasing interfaces and controllers that make it possible to have an Atmos rig in any room. Vintage King recently sat down with Focusrite Pro's North American Sales Manager Dave Rieley and Marketing Manager Tom Edwards to talk about configuring a Dolby Atmos set-up with Focusrite studio tools. Continue on for our conversation and learn how with a few simple pieces of gear, you can be ready for the Atmos revolution. Continue reading →

Gordon Bahary is a multi-platinum producer, engineer, composer and artist, best known for his work with Herbie Hancock, Raven Symone, Ramsey Lewis, Twilight 22 and the incomparable Stevie Wonder. Earlier this year, Gordon opened Electric Kingdom, a studio he built from the ground up with the help of Vintage King Audio Consultant Navon Weisberg. Recently, we had the pleasure of chatting with Gordon about his new studio, including his Rupert Neve Designs 5088 console, what outboard gear he’s been using, and what it’s like working in the studio of his dreams. Continue on below for our full conversation. Continue reading →

With over two decades of production and engineering experience, Danny Reisch has cemented himself as an institution in the Austin, Texas recording community. The engineer has spent time working on records with Wye Oak, Heartless Bastards and White Denim, in addition to running live sessions for Daytrotter with the likes of HAIM,  Mac Demarco and Gary Clark Jr. One of Danny's latest endeavors has been handling mixing duties for the score to The Green Knight. We recently sat down for a chat with the Dallas native to talk about his work on the film, his thoughts on mixing an album compared to soundtracks and the gear at his studio, Good Danny's. Continue reading →

In the realm of pro audio, continued learning of new techniques is vital to perfecting your craft. Luckily, there are many incredible resources out there for further educating yourself in the world of engineering and production. Some forms of media are great for dipping your toes in and learning a new trick, but podcasts can expand on new information in a more long-form approach. Podcasting has truly become a highly effective platform for learning in our industry. World-class engineers regularly can be found talking on podcasts about many of their integral practices, all without the hindrances of time constraints and visuals. Who better to learn from than the people making timeless sounding records and the hits of today? No one. Continue reading →

Daniel Holsinger is a Clearwater, Florida-based recording, mixing and mastering engineer. For the past ten years, he's been carving out a place in the recording industry working with a number of labels like Universal Music Group and Island Def Jam and a wide array of artists including John Legend, Fabolous, Editors, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Chick Corea. Working from the aptly named Daniel Holsinger Studios. Daniel has built a powerful rig that allows him to work fluidly, no matter what kind of project is on the docket. His set-up includes two Avid S1 control surfaces, a Universal Audio Apollo x6 interface, Yamaha NS-10M monitors, ProAc SM100 monitors and much more. To learn a little bit more about Daniel and his studio, we sat down for a Studio Spotlight interview. Read on to find out what gear is most integral to how Daniel works in the studio, what inspires him and one of his favorite records of all time. Continue reading →

When looking back at the most treasured recordings in American history, Al Schmitt's name appears in the credits of countless legendary songs and albums. His production and engineering work was truly one of a kind. It all started with an apprenticeship at Apex Recording Studios. A nineteen-year-old Al Schmitt would come face-to-face with the legendary Duke Ellington and say, "Mr. Ellington, I'm really not qualified to do this. This was a huge mistake." Mr. Ellington assured the young engineer that they would make it through the session and the rest is history. Continue reading →

Erin Tonkon broke into the world of engineering at a young age and started learning under the best at NYU's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. During her studies, the budding engineer began working with production legend Tony Visconti. Over the course of six years, Erin would work side-by-side with Tony, including handling the engineering duties for David Bowie's final record, Blackstar, in addition to releases from Esperanza Spalding and The Damned. In recent years, Erin has continued to amass an incredible discography of work, including mixing albums for Sad13, Richard Hell, Rosie Tucker, Lady Lamb and more. She is also the co-founder of a new company that is trying to revive the New York City music scene post-pandemic by bringing together musicians, producers, multiple studios and a new live venue. Continue reading →