Interview

To say that Gena Johnson has had one hell of a 2021 is the understatement of the year. The Nashville-based engineer and producer garnered a nomination from the Academy of Country Music Awards for Engineer of the Year, in addition to seeing several records she worked on grab 2022 Grammy nominations. Oh, and did we mention she got married?! Prior to tying the knot, Vintage King sat down with Gena to give her the 20 Questions treatment. Read on to discover how she got started in the world of recording, learn about some of her favorite gear and find out the one artist that she's been dreaming of working with. Continue reading →

A version of this interview with Erin Tonkon was previously published in PLAYBACK Issue 002. Be sure to check out the entire issue here. 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 and the duo were at the helm for releases from David Bowie, Esperanza Spalding and The Damned. Erin has continued to amass an incredible discography of work, including mixing albums for Sad13, Richard Hell, Rosie Tucker, Lady Lamb and more. Read on to get the inside scoop on five favorites from Erin's career so far. Continue reading →

Vintage King client Brian Alston is an Arizona-based singer/songwriter who recently elevated his project studio to a whole new level. As a long-time fan of the Neve console sound, Brian wanted the benefits of the brand's storied desks, but needed to be mindful of both budget and space. Enter the Neve 8424 recording console. “I basically wanted a console that would be with me for a very, very long time and one that would continue to inspire me to work every day," Brian says. "I have found that in the 8424.” 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 →

Located just outside Orlando, Florida, Red Lion Audio has been a hot spot for recording, mixing and mastering for over a decade. Engineers Gustavo Porras and Caine Lee have over 25 years of experience between them and have recorded and mixed countless albums. While the duo will handle any genre, the studio has garnered a reputation for working with punk...

Based out of Des Moines, Iowa, Golden Bear Records is a recording studio and record label run by Bryan and Sarah Vanderpool. The duo found acclaim with their folk-pop band, The Well Pennies, before moving to the Midwest from Los Angeles to start Golden Bear. We recently sat down with Bryan to talk a bit about Golden Bear for our new Studio Spotlight series. Continue reading below to find out about the history of the studio, his experience in the industry and the gear he relies on for every session. Continue reading →

In 2020, Vintage King visited Linear Labs, the recording home of accomplished composer, arranger and producer Adrian Younge. We sat down for a conversation with Adrian and talked about how he got his start in music, why he prefers analog gear and the way he seamlessly blends so many different genres together. Watch our new Make Your Mark starring Adrian below and continue on afterward to read the cover story from Vintage King's new print magazine, PLAYBACK. Limited edition magazines are available at Vintage King Los Angeles and Vintage King Nashville while they last, but you can subscribe digitally here and get a copy of each issue sent directly to your Inbox. Enjoy! Continue reading →

In a short period of time, Julian Traverse has made a name for himself around the world with the brilliant Traverse Analogue 652 dual-channel mic preamp. Traverse Analogue's reputation is staked on boutique-level craftsmanship and the 652's tube-based circuitry, which lights up any source passing through it with plenty of rich harmonic content. We recently sat down to talk with Julian about the company, his journey into pro audio, his mentors, and more. Watch our demo of the Traverse Analogue 652 below and continue on after to read our full Behind The Gear conversation. 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 →

Whether he’s expanding minds in post-rock legends Tortoise, reimagining Sheryl Crow (yes, that Sheryl Crow!) with saxophonist Joshua Redman, or chopping up work on the spot with drummer Makaya McCraven, Jeff Parker has a natural feel for sounds that captivate. A significant force in the Chicago experimental and jazz scene, presently based out of California, his genre-defying work challenges listeners to think and feel beyond categories. Parker is a supremely prolific sideman and studio collaborator, but he also happens to have several solo records under his belt too. Today we’re digging into his latest, last year’s Suite for Max Brown, an informal companion to his previous record, The New Breed, which was honored by London's Observer as the best jazz album of 2016. Continue reading →