Exploring the Ins and Outs of Audio Engineering

37’ Productions is a recording studio that was founded to provide “unsigned artists with high quality, label-ready recordings.” It is owned by Sean MacLaughlin, Assistant Professor of Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music and 3x recipient of “Producer of the Year” from the New England Music Awards. I spent the summer as Sean’s recording apprentice and exploring the realm of audio engineering. ​

My responsibilities during tracking sessions included instrument setup, microphone placement, signal flow troubleshooting, and session breakdown. Additionally, I spent time getting to know the artists and making sure they were comfortable in our recording environment. The tracking sessions gave tremendous insight into the songwriting process as many songs were not actually finalized before tracking. Being present for discussions about instrumentation, arrangement techniques, and comping choices, helped me understand what the creative process resembles in a professional setting.  ​

However, many of the days this summer were spent mixing, without any artists in the studio. These sessions proved to be extremely beneficial as I could ask any kind of question about the mixing process without worrying about derailing the artist’s course. I learned lots of technical things about managing projects in Pro Tools, using outboard gear, preparing a mix for the mastering process. Although, I also witnessed a level of creativity in the mixing stage that I previously did not know was possible. My conceptions about using time-based effects were totally reinvented! More than anything, I learned that having surgical, yet creative, mixing process can provide a song with a renewed sense of depth and clarity. 

Internship funded by the Scott and Anne Perper Internship Fund.