Learn Ableton Live
Electronic Music Production

Background

Axenzo had recently graduated San Diego State University with a degree in mechanical engineering when he found that having achieved a major life goal, namely getting a degree to make his parents happy, had quite an interesting effect on him. Now that he’d achieved that, what else was possible? What could he achieve if he pursued something he was downright passionate about—music.

While an engineering student, Axenzo had tried to double in music but the classes weren’t stimulating and were “very theoretical” with nothing practical or new to offer. Brewing at the back of his mind for years been the idea of learning how to produce EDM. While it wasn’t a choice his mother would consider practical, to him it was the natural conclusion. Axenzo was an active EDM explorer who attended shows regularly, a lifelong musician who played guitar and piano, and even wrote melodies on a whim. Music was just the thing going on in his mind.

After completing his college degree with high marks, Axenzo spent a number of months training with a professional EDM music mentor who taught him Pro Tools and Logic with direct, one-on-one lessons. Although he already knew how to play a couple instruments he’d never set his hands on a DAW. Nevertheless he excelled fast, and consistently challenged himself while getting hands-on training and tips from his music mentor, a longtime engineer and EDM producer himself. During his time in the program Axenzo was able to create his own EDM songs, first starting on MIDI, then composing from within a digital environment. Crossing the bridge from having to play and record, to creating digitally “opened a door” for the EDM creator and DJ.

In the two years since graduating the program, Axenzo has built a promising career in EDM as a DJ who has opened for Bob Sinclar, Robin Schulz, Steve Aoki, Marshmello, Borgeous, Nicky Romero, among others. Nevertheless, for him DJing and especially composing new material as a producer is a never ending journey. The great unifier isn’t by genre or culture for the rising talent. Regularly dipping into multiple genres and researching far and wide, Axenzo is in quest of something singularly specific: “I’m trying to create something that every time people listen to my tracks they’ll know it’s me. That’s my focus right now. I’m working on it every day.”

Now, the melodies and musical ideas Axenzo used to write on a whim are being put to use professionally as he divides his workdays between producing new material and performing at venues. He says, he’s even got a surefire way of capturing the music when it hits: “I open the recorder on my phone and just sing the melody to myself. Even if I’m in the shower, I’ll get out and record it.”

Now versed in Ableton as well as Logic and Pro Tools, Axenzo is fluent in the various DAWS and he’s confident in his capacity to continually explore and grow as an artist. And as for future goals, he’s got a few: “I definitely would like to play in big festivals. Hopefully at Ultra Miami, EDC Las Vegas, and I would like to go worldwide. I’m working on it. I know there’s lots of competition, but I think nothing is impossible.”

As for the time he spent as an extern in the program, Axenzo says, “It was an amazing journey. I am extremely thankful.”

Axenzo currently performs weeklies at The Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas, Nevada, and The Pool House and Sunset Vibes in San Diego, California.

Background

Jeramy Roberts is an EDM producer, composer, DJ and Ableton educator located in Austin, Texas. As founder of the Electronic Musician’s Guild, his approach combines the creative and the pragmatic—an ethos that’s dedicated to helping his students get their music out into the digital marketplace and distributed on major platforms.

Jeramy has sold his songs and records in dozens of countries around the world. He has broken the Top 100 spot in numerous international sales charts and even his former students have hit #2 in Amazon’s House Top 100 while training under his direction. A loyal lover of EDM and the great local EDM scene in Austin, Jeramy Roberts is serious about helping today’s most driven and committed newcomers create productive, rewarding careers in music.

Articles

#IZCONNECTED 62 | Jeramy Roberts - How To Monetize Your EDM
Recording Connection mentor Jeramy Roberts talks about the new music industry and creating your own job within it

Background

Sweetdrop Digital is a record label founded in 2013 by DJ/Producer Justin Hachat aka Justin David and partners. We are a label built by sound engineers, djs and producers for djs and producers. We have a philosophy of creating something that artists want to be a part of. For our clients we offer a broad array of services including, mixing, mastering, editing, arrangement, sfx placement, foley recording, and background music. For our artists we offer an almost unmatched payout on royalties, worldwide digital distribution, promotional efforts and booking management if chosen. For all others we offer you a selection of music and videos to entertain you. If you are new talent looking for an outlet to get your music heard or a industry professional looking for some of our services please feel free to contact us. Don’t forget to check out our other pages on facebook and soundcloud. Thank you for visiting and enjoy.

Background

a two-time GRAMMY?-nominated Producer-Remixer, Artist and Artist Relations Manager for Native Instruments, a leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer-based music production and performance.

For those of you who are not totally familiar with Carmen, he’s got one very eclectic career! From co-writing, engineering and programming material on Seal’s classic 1994 self-titled album (aka Seal II), to co-producing and co-writing Paul Oakenfold’s Bunkka album; remixing such artists as BT and Tiesto; collaborating with Tuvan Throat singers Huun Huur Tu; and co-founding the ground-breaking World Music act Niyaz, Carmen has done it all!

Articles

ecording Connection mentor Ric Web and students collaborate to change the Nashville music scene!
Interview with Nashville Recording Connection Mentor Ric Web

Background

Scarlet War is a rapper, music producer, song writer, and actor. Along with being the president of NxtUp Media, Scarlet War teamed up with business partner Jay Sangz to form Sky9 Productions and the two have been hard at work crafting sounds for some of the industries hottest talent. Scarlet War has been featured in numerous magazines & publications and his current record “Twerkin It” is being played across the country on such stations as 103.3 FM WGIV Charlotte, 99.5 FM Milwaukee, 91.3 FM KPVU Houston, K-100 Radio Atlanta, 94.3 FM & 102.5 FM KDUC High Desert, CA and also has his a video “Bet Big Win Big” being featured in Shiekh Shoe Stores Nation Wide.

Background

After working in some of the biggest studios in Los Angeles, under some of the biggest names in music, Doug Boulware partnered with visionary Jason Ries to bring you The Abstract LA. Doug’s start in music began as a child vocalist in music theater. His influences range from the big band and jazz present in the household to Motown and oldies his mother insisted on! Doug’s obsession for music took a more contemporary turn in his formidable years in the early electronic music scene in LA. Doug has been an underground house music DJ since the 90’s which led to him to his true passion, music production and songwriting. The Abstract LA represents the culmination of a lifelong dream based of a lifelong love of music!

Articles

Recording Connection Mentor Doug Boulware Opens his Own Studio
Recording Connection mentor Doug Boulware: What it Means to Hustle

Background

It has been a lifelong dream of mine to build a studio that attracted and ignited great musicians. A place that offered a Sound & Vibe that couldn’t be found anywhere else and would become responsible for exceptional music and memories.

I started DJ’ing in 1995, shortly after moving to Detroit metro from Orange County, CA. A young skateboard and snowboard punk-rocker that fell in love with hip-hop in a graffiti filled basement in Novi, MI and in the streets of Detroit, Chicago, New York and Philly.

I started making beats in the late 90’s on Pro Tools with my partner in crime, Bill. Before we understood sampling, we used to download one note of an instrument at a time from Limewire, pitch-shift it up and down and write melodies. Considering my love affair with vinyl was already deep in the sheets, getting into sampling records opened me to music I had never explored before. Until today, vinyl is my main gateway to musical education, inspiration and sensation. For the next 7+ years I made beats, collaborated with artists I admired and even managed to put out a single project, THE GREEN ALBUM.

After a few year hiatus, I was introduced to a friend with whom I started producing music with live musicians. Since then, I am more interested in working with the human element and brilliance of great musicians than anything else.

Now, after virtually a lifetime of living and loving music, I am proud to bring all my knowledge, skills, experiences, resources and relationships together in the name of a dream.

So, I cashed out my life savings and went all in. Sound & Vibe Recording Studio is the dream. The music, people and memories being made here already have been a direct reflection of the dream and I’m overwhelmed by the people and opportunities that present themselves virtually every day.

Background

Donny Baker of ES Audio in Los Angeles, CA has decades of experience in the music industry, both in studio and behind the console. He spent 13 years working as a touring engineer for some of music’s most influential and dynamic artists including: Madonna, Chick Corea, Aerosmith, Herbie Hancock, and more. Donny then moved his talents into the sphere of recording and audio engineering production at ES Audio alongside CEO and studio owner Jo Ann Bush.

As a Recording Connection mentor for more than 16 years, Donny’s passionate about helping tomorrow’s audio engineers, music producers, and music industry professionals discover the very thing that sets them on fire, and use their passion along with the insight Donny’s able to provide to create a solid game plan for building their careers.

As a result of their hard work and the expert training and experience they’ve been able to receive through our mentor-led programs, a great number of Donny’s former Recording Connection students have gone on build amazing careers for themselves:

Taylor Crommie recently recorded and mixed for DJ Paul (of Three 6 Mafia). Other artists include: Kembe X, Jay Rock, Wifi Funeral, YelaWolf, Lance Skiiwalker, Eric Hudson, Rob Vicious, and Reddish Blu.

Uriel Soto Jr. aka “Junior” got hired full-time at ES Audio (DJ Paul, Yelawolf, Yung Gravy). Now, Uriel is also a Recording Connection mentor.

Skyler Felix went on to work with Disney and VH1. Credits also include a top-10 record on the UK dance charts.

Morning Estrada has recently engineered for Aminé, Rosalía, Brandy, Trinidad James, Tech N9NE, Jessie J, and more.

Articles

Video: What to expect with Donny Baker
Helping students find their place
NUGGETS OF TRUTH: Recording Connection mentor Donny Baker on what it takes to make it in recording
JoAnn Bush, owner of ES Audio in Los Angeles

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Zack Phillips or one of our mentors in the Bay Area.

Discovering his love of music while growing up in New York City in the ‘80s, Zack Phillips’ approach to music is “part science, part mysticism.” Gaining experience as a DJ and live sound engineer, Phillips received a formal education in audio engineering.

From there, Phillips honed his craft working at several studios before finally establishing his own studio: FreqLab Recording. In addition to recording, editing, mixing, and production, Phillips also works on developing the artists he works with, exploring innovative and inventive ways of engineering audio. Phillips has worked with a wide range of artists, including Talib Kweli, The Kooks, and Blue Hawaii.

You’ll be working in a state-of-the-art facility renovated by Phillips himself. While he made sure to design the studio to get the most out of the space, he also wanted to make it as comfortable as possible for engineers and artists alike.

If you study at the San Francisco Recording Connection, you’ll be working with people as passionate about music as you are. Up and comers, established stars, and other entertainment entities such as Comedy Central or Electronic Arts. But you won’t be watching TV or playing video games – you’ll be coming to work hard every day.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Steve Catizone or one of our mentors in the greater Boston area.

Steve Catizone at Infinite Recording has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry across several genres. U2 and Justin Bieber, Billy Crystal and Bob Saget, and Disney and M-Audio. And while he knows his way around a studio, knowing your way around a client is just as important.

Every recording professional had their first gig at some point. The adrenaline gets pumping, you could be working with a star, and you might start overcompensating.

Chill.

“Don’t be too opinionated when you’re talking to the clients,” Catizone said. “Just sort of listen and absorb. See what the climate in the room is, and make sure that if you do say something, it’s tactful.”

And relax. You could be a master of your craft, but if you don’t have a good repertoire with your clients, no one will want to work with you. Learn how to read the room, develop solid relationships, and remember it’s a collaborative effort. The “hang-ability” will follow.

“If people enjoy having you in the room, it’s a big thing,” Catizone said. “A lot of that comes down to personality and basically just being a positive force in the room, and being creative, and knowing when to offer up ideas and how to tactfully do so, and knowing when to not be the guy ‘doing your job’ but just being cool to hang around with.”

This is the advantage of the Charlestown Recording Connection programs. Yes, you’ll learn the technical side of the recording industry, but you’ll also learn how to handle yourself while in the studio. We believe the one-on-one time with a professional mentor gives you a complete picture of the business.

That’s what sets us apart from the traditional method of learning. The sights, smells, and sounds of a real studio can’t be matched in a classroom.

Articles

Recording Connection mentor Steve Catizone on creating opportunities for his students
Recording Connection mentor Steve Catizone talks studio etiquette

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Bernard Johnson or one of our mentors in the greater San Diego area.

Bernard Johnson didn’t follow the usual path to becoming a Recording Connection mentor in El Cajon, Ca. He discovered a love of mass media as a 14-year-old, entering a certification program to find out how it all came together.

After finishing the program, he began co-producing a top-ten music show in Detroit and received an award for exemplary airwave checks from the Michigan Broadcast Association. Then his career took a turn: Johnson entered the military.

After a 20-year career in the military, often leading departments with 90 people, Johnson returned to what he loved as a teenager, earning a masters in audio production. While the military can be quite regimented, Johnson was attracted to the freeform method of instruction that Recording Connection offered students. As he knows better than most, the standard course isn’t always the best course.

“When I saw (Recording Connection) model, I was like, ‘Wow, this is it. I love it.’” Johnson said. “And it allows students to have the opportunity not to feel cemented to something like, ‘This is what you need to do, this is the direction and the route you need to do it.’”

The Recording Connection Program gives you access to a professional engineer, fully-functioning studio, and hands-on education, it could also earn you a career. The Noize Factory is a perfect example of that: Johnson hired one of his former students (Efrain Matias) as a staff engineer.

But you have to work for it. Recording Connection students must be willing to put in the time, effort, and focus to get the most out of it. Johnson expects nothing less.

“I do want to say commitment, passion, perseverance, and finishing until the end,” Johnson said. “They’re not just doing something for money or just doing it ‘just because.’ They’re literally passionate about it.”

Articles

Recording Connection mentor Bernard ‘IQue’ Johnson Shares His Smarts & Hires from Within!
Recording Connection grad Goes to NAMM, Gets Hired, Gets Going in Audio!

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Joey Heier or one of our mentors in the New Brunswick area.

Audio engineer and studio owner Joey Heier has been in the business of making music for decades. With a client list that includes names like Christina Aguilera, B.o.B., Jill Scott, and Dru Hill, Joey knows what it takes to work in music. Furthermore, he has a zeal for sharing his passion for audio with newcomers.

So much so, that he’s gotten the nickname “Uncle Joey” from our students. He maintains contact with literally dozens of our graduates, many of whom have gone on to build great careers in the music industry.

We recently asked Joey Heier why he loves mentoring for Recording Connection. Here’s what he said:

“It’s a tremendous passion for me. I enjoy doing this so much. I have a style that I believe in. I talk with my students about a textbook answer that they’re probably going to forget immediately, and then give them an ‘Uncle Joe’ definition that’s two or three words that they’re going to remember immediately. Then they’re going to understand what the textbook definition is by hearing it in a simpler fashion.

“I have great kids that come in and really, really want to do this… I have an outstanding job, and there’s no reason why I shouldn’t do it with a smile. And that doesn’t happen with every kid, naturally—it really depends if they want to do it. But if they want to do it, I am so honored to have the opportunity to teach, and I think that’s why it works well for me.”

Articles

NUGGETS OF TRUTH: Recording Connection mentor Joey (“Uncle Joe”) Heier talks about the importance of hands-on training and his passion for teaching

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Aaron R. Reppert or one of our mentors in the greater St. Louis area.

Originally founded in 2000 by Recording Connection mentor Aaron R. Reppert, TravSonic Sound & Media has grown a lot since its early, humble beginnings. TravSonic Mobile, established in 2009, caters to a number of high profile clients in music, technology, the arts, and the corporate world. The thriving company offers a range of remote recording technologies and services for seminar, concerts, festivals, and events.

Today, TravSonic Sound & Media is an award-winning, full-service media production company serving clients from its Nashville and Overland offices.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Rick Carson or one of our mentors in the greater Lincoln area.

Recording Connection mentor engineer/producer Rick Carson has a passion for teaching today’s rising talents in the world of audio. Designed by famous recording studio designer, Rod Gervais, his studio features three control rooms, world-class equipment, and has the distinction of having Nebraska’s only large format SSL mixing console.

Articles

A Day in the Life of Our Students
A Day in the Life of Our Students

Background

Powerhouse mentors Parker Ament and Danny Ferrare of XLNT Studios (Timbaland, Borgore, Brillz, Dan Farber, Kelly Price, Larrance Dopson of 1500 or Nothin) are the ultimate example of agile, entrepreneurial music producers who’ve got their fingers on the pulse of what’s going on in electronic music production right now. The XLNT team are host of the popular YouTube web series XLNTSOUND, a must watch for those looking to capture today’s hottest sounds via plugins and specific production techniques.

Despite their easy going vibe they expect students to be receptive to learning and to take on a
“fly on the wall” posture when artists are in session in the studio. Parker says, “The first rule is: you don’t say anything unless somebody asks you. And even when they ask you, you should keep it short and sweet. You can’t kind of go on tangents, because then that might drive the session in a certain way.” In order to absorb the information that’s coming your way, he suggests “Take notes, if that’s your thing, or sit as close as you can to the screen, out of the way of the client and engineer, while really watching. Because, with every little note or trick, you’re going to be learning something new every second. Even if you think that you know everything, there’s going to be something that you didn’t know when you’re watching us or a particular engineer.”

So what do Parker and Danny look for in the Recording Connection students they train? It usually comes down to one word—passion.

“Right when they walk through the door, we can see who is passionate about what they’re doing. Even if they’re shy, we can sense the passion. And I feel like that is the most important thing. If somebody is socially awkward or they don’t really know what to say during the interview or something like that, we don’t base any of that on what we’re looking for. We’re looking for passion, we’re looking for dedication, and we’re looking for somebody that is going to create their own path. So if somebody has the opportunity to extern with us, we want them to make their own path with the opportunities that we’re showing them.”

Background

Recording Connection mentor Jason Phelps is an audio engineer, producer, and musician who’s been involved in music all his life. He’s downright passionate about recording, producing, and teaching the next generation of music industry professionals. He expects the externs he trains to bring their A-game, and to listen and learn in a proactive manner.

Background

Learn from Recording Connection mentor Ross Vanderslice or one of our mentors in the St. Louis area.

An engineer since 2001, Ross Vanderslice has worked with some of the biggest names in the recording industry. The experience he’s gained works perfectly with what we do at Recording Connection: pairing externs with seasoned professionals for invaluable one-on-one time with a mentor.

With multiple studios and state-of-the-art equipment, Vanderslice has worked with several Recording Connection externs. Doing it right is about so much more than having the right gear, software, or equipment. Because of his experience working with internationally-known acts, Vanderslice knows how to work with artists, how to make them feel comfortable and safe within the studio environment.

Here are some of the clients with whom Vanderslice and/or the professional audio engineers at his studio have worked: