PODCAST · music
Working Class Audio
by Working Class Audio
Peel back the glamour of the professional recording world. Guests from the world of audio for music, film, games, restoration, and more share their insights on how they made their journey, how they survive, their advice on the real things including wins, losses, working with other people, money, and career advice. Hosted by audio engineer Matt Boudreau.The Working Class Audio Podcast - Navigating the World of Recording with a working class perspective.
Episodes
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WCA #616 with Sylvia Massy: Microphone History, the Bob Paquette Collection, and The Great Book of Vintage Microphones
Sylvia Massy returns to Working Class Audio for the first time since Episode 14 back in 2015. She joins Matt from her studio in Ashland, Oregon to talk about her new book, The Great Book of Vintage Microphones, co-authored with Chris Johnson. To write it, Sylvia and Chris acquired the entire…
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WCA #615 with Michael Frondelli, Part 2: Los Angeles, Capitol Records, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and the Long View on Audio
For episode 615, Matt concludes his two-part conversation with Michael Frondelli, picking up in Los Angeles where Keith Forsey and Richie Zito brought him west. Michael landed at Giorgio Moroder’s Oasis Studios, where he worked on the Breakfast Club soundtrack, Beverly Hills Cop, and the world...
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WCA #614 with Michael Frondelli, Part 1 – Astoria, R&B Days, Salsa Nights, and Electric Lady
For episode 614, Matt talks with Michael Frondelli, producer, engineer, and former Vice President of Capitol Records Studios, where he ran the facility for eleven years before going independent in 2001. Michael grew up in Astoria, Queens. Tony Bennett took vocal lessons with his Uncle Sal. The...
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WCA #613 with Ben Mellott – Northern Virginia, Church Sound, Farm Festivals, and Profit First
For episode 613, Matt talks with Ben Mellott — recording engineer, mixer, and owner of Nothing but Noise studio in Northern Virginia. Ben has been freelance since 2014, balances studio work with live production at churches, farms, and local venues, and runs every dollar through the Profit First...
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WCA #612 with Brian Starley – Utah, Cartage, Building a Studio in LA, and Relationships Before Gear
For episode 612, Matt talks with Brian Starley recording and mixing engineer based in North Hollywood, California, and owner of Bergatron Music Studio. Brian grew up in Salt Lake City with a dad who transferred vinyl to cassette for the car, chased a hockey career to Ontario, came home to Utah...
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WCA #611 with Scott McDowell – Berklee, California vs New York, Getting Fired, Becoming a Studio Partner, and Getting Hit by a Car
Scott McDowell is a producer, engineer, and co-owner of Wally's Hydeout at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. In episode 611 they talk about getting fired from his first SF internship, becoming a studio partner at Wally’s Hydeout, surviving COVID, getting hit by a car in March 2026, recovering...
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WCA #610 with Stephen Shirk – Bloomington, New York, Chicago, and Twenty Years of SHIRK Studios
For episode 610, Matt talks with Stephen Shirk — engineer, producer, guitarist, and owner of SHIRK Studios in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Stephen grew up in Bloomington, Illinois, studied business at Miami University, moved to New York in 1998 with a friend's couch as his launch pad, and...
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WCA #609 with Eric M Lichter – Martha's Vineyard, New York, Connecticut, and the Beauty Marks That Make a Record
For episode 609, Matt talks with Eric M Lichter — multi-instrumentalist, producer, and owner of Dirt Floor Recording in Connecticut, where he’s been in business for twenty years. Eric came up singing in chorus, spent time on Martha’s Vineyard playing the Hot Tin Roof and landing in Carly Simon’s...
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WCA #608 with Julian Kindred – Canada, America, England, and Thirty-Five Years of Making Records
For episode 608, Matt talks with Julian Kindred — Canadian producer, engineer, and songwriter based in London, where he runs Nonsuch Park Studio in Epsom, Surrey. Julian grew up in St. John, New Brunswick — a working-class port city he describes as a place where people punched in all week and...
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WCA #607 with Dana Nielsen – Jazz School, System of a Down, SZA, and the Money Side of a Long Career
For episode 607, Matt talks with Dana Nielsen — Grammy-nominated producer, mixer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder of Mix Protégé in Los Angeles. Dana came up as a jazz saxophonist at Loyola University in New Orleans, where a Brian Blade album and a set of studio keys changed his...
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WCA #606 with Neil Rogers – Eighteen Years of Half-ton Studios, Bootstrapping in Cambridge, and Writing for Sound on Sound
For episode 606, Matt talks with Neil Rogers — recording engineer, owner of Half-ton Studios in Cambridge, and longtime reviewer for Sound on Sound. After a decade of gigging as a drummer with no payoff, Neil found a music tech degree at 26 that rebuilt his confidence, then answered a group email...
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WCA #605 with Chris Mara – Building Welcome to 1979, Restoring Tape Machines, and Saying Yes to Everything
Chris Mara owns Welcome to 1979, one of the larger recording studios in Nashville, along with his wife Yoli. He joins Matt for episode 605 to talk about moving to Nashville at 20, building Mara Machines and a vinyl mastering department alongside the studio, and running it for 18 years with no...
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WCA #604 with Alec Ness – Mastering in Minneapolis, Resisting Homogenization, and Putting the Art First
For episode 604, Matt talks with Alec Ness, a mastering engineer in Minneapolis and the owner of Ness Mastering. Alec joins to tell an unusual origin story: born with partially amputated fingers, he was steered from guitar to drums, caught the recording bug on Cakewalk in a Dakotas high school…
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WCA #603 with Lorenzo Wolff – Building a Brooklyn Studio, Session Bass to Taylor Swift, and Working for Ms. Lauryn Hill
For episode 603, Matt talks with Lorenzo Wolff — a Grammy-winning engineer, producer, musician, and owner of Restoration Sound in Brooklyn. Lorenzo joins on a Saturday from New York to trace a path from a hip-hop-obsessed kid in Nyack, chasing the basslines on Fugees and Wyclef records, to a...
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WCA #602 with Luke Burgoyne – Seven Years Assisting a Top UK Mixer, Mix Prep, and Going Solo in London
For episode 602, Matt talks with London mix engineer Luke Burgoyne, who joins from his room at Pony Studios in East London. Luke grew up in Winchester with two violinist parents, fell for the studio side of music at sixteen, and studied performance and recording at the University of West London...
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WCA #601 with Gert Keunen – Immersive Audio, "Stereo Was a Nice Try," a Dozen Careers, and Brewing His Own Beer
For episode 601, Matt sits down with Belgian musician, mastering engineer, and sociologist of music Gert Keunen — recommended to the show by past guest John Greenham. Gert has spent 35 years saying yes to nearly everything music: seven albums of his own, the nu-jazz project Briskey, a PhD in the...
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WCA #600 with Andrew Scheps – Atmos, Imposter Syndrome, Coding Plugins with AI, Climbing Walls, and 600 Episodes
Matt celebrates episode 600 of Working Class Audio with a guest who's been there since the beginning — mixer and producer Andrew Scheps, who first appeared back on episodes 009 300 & 477. Andrew joins from his home in rural England to talk about winning MPG Atmos Mixer of the Year for his work on...
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WCA #599 with Alex Newport – Three Decades of Production, a Studio in the Desert, Engineering at Tiny Telephone, and Why Unique Always Beats Good
Matt welcomes producer, engineer, and mixer Alex Newport for his first appearance on Working Class Audio. Alex grew up in the UK Midlands with few music resources, and found his way into production after his band got signed to a UK label with an upstream deal to Columbia, and ended up recording…
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WCA #598 with Dante Fumo – Harmonic Content, Independent Film Sound, DIY Publishing, and Making a Living on Your Own Terms
In this return visit to Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Dante Fumo — freelance sound designer, writer, and the creator behind Harmonic Content, a screen-printed audio zine now in its seventh issue. Dante talks about building a sustainable freelance life that spans independent film...
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WCA #597 with Tchad Blake, Dr. Will Sedley, Jack Rubinacci & Hazel Goedhart – Tinnitus Quest: Breaking the Silence on the Music Industry's Most Common Occupational Condition
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes a panel of four guests united by a common cause: Tinnitus Quest, a patient-driven nonprofit pushing to fund and accelerate tinnitus research. Tchad Blake — 7-time Grammy Award-winning producer, mixer, and engineer with credits including Paul...
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WCA #596 with Will Kennedy – Dolby Atmos Focus, Selling Recording Gear, Hidden Coffee Shops, and Mixing Rock in Surround
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer, mixer, and engineer Will Kennedy. Will shares an update on his journey since his last appearance, focusing on his partnership with Matt Wallace and their deep dive into immersive and Dolby Atmos mixing from their Los Angeles...
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WCA #595 with Steve Kitch – Classical Roots, Sound On Sound, Supermarket Shifts, and Online Mastering Success
In this episode, Matt welcomes mastering engineer Steve Kitch. Steve shares his journey from early music programming on home keyboards and classical piano training to building a worldwide mastering practice from his studio in Devon, UK. They discuss the transition from transferring DAT tapes to...
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WCA #594 with Amar Lal – Experimental Roots, Corporate Transitions, Mastering Room Acoustics, and Macro Sound
In this episode, Matt welcomes mastering engineer and artist Amar Lal of Oakland’s Macro Sound. Amar shares his journey from the New York DIY scene and touring with Big Ups to a corporate role at Sennheiser and his eventual return to independent studio ownership. They discuss the benefits of an...
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WCA #593 with Katie Marie Richards – Self-taught Foundations, Four-track Experiments, Blue Rock, and The Human Experience
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Katie Marie for a deep dive into her 30-year career journey, moving from a rural UK trailer to world-class studios. They discuss the transition from solo artistry to a supportive production role…
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WCA #592 with Ronan Chris Murphy – Falling Trees, World Travel, Anchor Points, and Being a Respectful Human
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer, engineer, mixer Ronan Chris Murphy (King Crimson, Steve Morse, Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin) to talk about being a pro audio nomad, falling trees, and and anchor points. In This Episode, We Discuss: World Travel Falling Trees…
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WCA #591 with Tyrone "Cross Bone T" Harris – Curiosity and Learning, Building a Client Base, Health Challenges, Overcoming Obstacles, and The Importance of Small Wins
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mixing and mastering engineer Tyrone "Cross Bone T" Harris who shares his journey from a young music enthusiast in London to a professional mixing and mastering engineer. In This Episode, We Discuss: Musical Roots and Early Influences The...
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WCA #590 with Phillip Broussard –Gulf Coast, Kingsway, Teatro, Rick Rubin, and Prioritizing Vibe
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes producer/engineer/mixer and archivist, Phillip Broussard who has worked with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slipknot, System of a Down, and many more In This Episode, We Discuss: Texas upbringing Jobs in Gulf Coast refineries First studio...
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WCA #589 with Mitch Easter – R.E.M., Drive-In Studio, Don Dixon, North Carolina, and Fidelatorium Recordings
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcome musician/songwriter/producer/engineer Mitch Easter known for his work on the early R.E.M. records as well as his work with the db's, Game Theory, and Marshal Crenshaw as well as his own band Let's Active. In This Episode, We Discuss: Background...
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WCA #588 with Joe Costa– Ordering Lunch with William Shatner, Berklee School of Music, Mixing from Home, and Reading the Room
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes engineer/mixer Joe Costa who has worked with Ben Folds. Sara Bareilles, William Shatner and many more. In This Episode, We Discuss: Ordering Lunch with William (Bill) Shatner Working with Ben Folds Mixing from Home Moving to Nashville Berklee...
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WCA #587 with Willie Green – The Green House, Physical Media, Business Strategy, Daily Patterns, and Innovation
Producer, engineer, artist, and professor Willie Green returns to WCA to chat with Matt about about his new studio adventure and much more! Willie has worked with renowned artists such as Armand Hammer, The Roots, The Alchemist, and Wiz Khalifa. In This Episode, We Discuss: The Green House…
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WCA #586 with Richard Chycki Part 2– Management, Networking, Cultural Transition, Future Plans, and The Rush Connection
This is part 2 of a discussion Matt had with multi-platinum mixer and engineer Richard Chycki whose clients include such rock royalty as Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater, Skillet, Mick Jagger, Alice Cooper, Pink and many more. In This Episode, We Discuss: Management Networking: Building…
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WCA #585 with Jade Alysse Berry – Passion for Music, Overcoming a Health Crisis, Navigating Industry Politics and Client Communication
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mixing engineer, producer and composerJade Alysse Berry, whose path to mixing was sparked by a life‑changing health event and a deep love for music. Jade shares practical insights on creativity, collaboration, and setting clear boundaries with...
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WCA #584 with Tom Camuso – Preserving Les Paul's Legacy, Education, Los Angeles vs. New York, Cracking the Preservation Code, and Weather
Matt is joined by grammy winning engineer Tom Camuso who has worked with Lenny Kravitz, Blondie, Steve Earl as well as a number of commercial, television and film projects. Tom is also the Chief Engineer at The Les Paul Recording Studio in Holly wood. In This Episode, We Discuss: Preserving Les...
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WCA #583 with Richard Chycki Part 1– Networking, Finances, ATMOS, Learning from Major Artists, and Adapting to Technological Changes in Audio
Matt is joined by multi-platinum mixer and engineer Richard Chycki whose clients include such rock royalty as Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater, Skillet, Mick Jagger, Alice Cooper, Pink and many more. In This Episode, We Discuss: NAMM Experience Current State of Immersive Audio Moving to Nashville:...
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WCA #582 with Joel Weldon Willis – Church to indie music, Freelancing, Grammy Nominations, Remote Mixing, and The Importance of Collaboration Over Competition
Matt welcomes Grammy Nominated producer /engineer/mixer Joel Weldon Willis. In This Episode, We Discuss: Building a Home Studio Early Experiences in Music Production Transitioning to Freelance and Indie Music Scene Creative Approaches to Music Production Navigating Financial Challenges in the...
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WCA #581 with Sanford Parker – Chicago Music Scene, Independent Artists, Managing Overhead, and Getting out of Florida.
Matt welcomes Producer /engineer/mixer and film composer Sanford Parker. As an artist he’s performed and released albums with extreme heavy and industrial bands like Black Cross Hotel, Corrections House, Mirrors for Psychic Warfare and Minsk. Throughout the years he’s collaborated with members of...
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WCA #580 with Steve Chadie – LIVE FROM NAMM 2026
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back GRAMMY-winning recording engineer and producer Steve Chadie live from the AudioScape booth at NAMM 2026 to talk about recording bands. Steve has worked with WIllie Nelson, Los Lonely Boys, Wilco, and the Supersuckers. In This Episode, We...
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WCA #579 with Fran Cathcart – Studio Ownership, Herbie Hancock, Stress, and Moving to the Bay Area
Matt welcomes producer/engineer/composer Fran Cathcart. Fran having just moved to the Bay Area from New York recounts his journey in studio ownership, working with Herbie Hancock, and facing down serious challenges that would make most throw in the towel, yet he still keeps going. In This…
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WCA #578 with Joe Caithness – Pro Audio Minimalism, Finding Balance, Decluttering, Embracing Whimsy, and The Bell Curve
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Mastering Engineering Joe Caithness. Joe has worked on mastering the soundtrack music for games such as Borderlands, and Tekken, the soundtracks for the Netflix movie Close, bands such as Don Martin 3 and Palooka 5. In this episode we...
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WCA #577 with Justin Gray – Immersive, Balancing Family Support, Belief In Your Work, Early Surround, & Being Engineer and Artist
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Producer, Mixer & Mastering Engineer Justin Gray. Based in Toronto, Canada, Justin has worked on projects for Snoop Dogg, Brandy, Nicky Youre, Mother Mother, Arkells, Jamie Fine, Lola Brooke, Upsahl, and The Sheepdogs. In this…
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WCA #576 with Alan Evans – Health, Creativity, Reflections, Client Interactions, and 2026
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer, engineer, mixer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and, songwriter, Alan Evans. Alan is of course well known as a member of his band Soulive. He's also been a past guest on WCA #133 and 328. Matt Boudreau and Alan Evans reflect on…
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WCA #575 with Michael Beinhorn – Remote Production, Artist Development, Risk Taking, High-End Listening, and Unique Voices
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer Michael Beinhorn who has worked with The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Herbie Hancock, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Weezer, Ozzy Osbourne, Hole, Cuco, Aerosmith & Violent Femmes. Michael originally appeared on WCA #029 back in…
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WCA #574 with Stephen DeAcutis –Owning Your Time, Getting It Right At The Source, Solving Audio Problems, and Performing Live
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mixer, producer, engineer, writer, and performer Stephen DeAcutis. Stephen has worked with Vanilla Fudge, Gladys Knight, Travers and Appice, Corey Glover, and Cyndi Lauper. In This Episode, We Discuss: Owning Your Time Embracing Old and New...
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WCA #573 with Natalie Bibby – AIR Studios, Direct to Disc, Attended Sessions, MPG, and Connecting with Others
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes mastering and lathe cutting engineer Natalie Bibby who works at AIR Studios in the U.K.. Natalie has worked with Kraftwerk, Bring Me The Horizon, Lola Young, Jimmy Eat World, The Vaccines, Lewis Capaldi, GIRLI, and CATTYShe's also led a...
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WCA #572 with Alex Crescioni - Extreme Metal, Techniques, Clients, Survival, and Letting Go.
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back guitarist, producer, and mixing/mastering engineer Alex Crescioni to talk about Extreme Metal production. Alex is known for his work with Burton C. Bell, Deverauxx, and Siglos. In This Episode, We Discuss: Extreme Metal Techniques Sounds...
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WCA #571 with Don Setaro –DEEP DIVE - Gary Young Hospital For The Chemically Insane
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer/engineer/mixer and record label owner Don Setaro. Matt and Don get into a deep dive discussion of the re-issue process for former Pavement drummer, Gary Young's album "Hospital For The Chemically Insane". Former WCA guests Dan...
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WCA #570 with Ken Sluiter – A deep dive into stereo rebuilds for Atmos mixing.
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back producer/engineer and mixer Ken Sluiter to delve into the intricate process of stereo rebuilds for Atmos mixing. They discuss the challenges of finding and organizing original material, the importance of matching to comparison masters…
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WCA #569 with Dan Johnson & Catherine Vericolli – Audio Restoration/Archive Deep Dive
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Dan Johnson of Audio Archiving Services and Catherine Vericolli of Central Audio Archiving to do a deep dive into the world of audio archiving, preservation, and restoration. In This Episode, We Discuss: Analog Tapes Analog Machines…
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WCA #568 with John Cuniberti – OneMIc, Dynamics, Acoustics, Placement, and 2 Tracks
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back John Cuniberti who produces, engineers, mixes and masters records for many artists including most notably Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, The Dead Kennedys, and Chicken Foot. John originally appeared WCA #005 back in 2014 and returns to do a...
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WCA #567 with Gena Johnson – Listening to Artists, Keeping Overhead Low, Career Champions, and Glitter Walls
In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes Grammy Winning producer/engineer/mixer Gena Johnson who has worked with Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, and John Prine. Enjoy. In This Episode, We Discuss: Leave your ego at the door Make people feel comfortable Listen to the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Peel back the glamour of the professional recording world. Guests from the world of audio for music, film, games, restoration, and more share their insights on how they made their journey, how they survive, their advice on the real things including wins, losses, working with other people, money, and career advice. Hosted by audio engineer Matt Boudreau.The Working Class Audio Podcast - Navigating the World of Recording with a working class perspective.
HOSTED BY
Working Class Audio
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Working Class Audio have?
Working Class Audio currently has 614 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Working Class Audio about?
Peel back the glamour of the professional recording world. Guests from the world of audio for music, film, games, restoration, and more share their insights on how they made their journey, how they survive, their advice on the real things including wins, losses, working with other people, money,...
How often does Working Class Audio release new episodes?
Working Class Audio releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 614 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Working Class Audio?
You can listen to Working Class Audio on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Working Class Audio?
Working Class Audio is created and hosted by Working Class Audio.
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