The Recording Academy™ Producers & Engineers Wing® Spring 2019 calendar was jam-packed, partnering with local Academy Chapters for gatherings and educational events, providing a forum where all recording professionals – producers, engineers and studio personnel, retailers, manufacturers, and educators – can work together to improve and grow the industry.
Highlights from spring 2019 include the following:
Industry Insights: Women in Music in Atlanta
The Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter presented Industry Insights: Women in Music at City Winery in Atlanta on April 5. The lineup featured producer/engineer Sylvia Massy, songwriter/producer/artist (and Producer of the Year GRAMMY® nominee) Linda Perry and producer/songwriter TRAKGIRL, with the discussion moderated by mastering engineer Michelle Mancini. The panelists shifted the focus away from gender, instead speaking not only about how or why they decided to become audio professionals, but also their producing and/or engineering techniques and their challenges in maintaining quality while navigating today’s constantly evolving audio landscape.
Craft Session with Matt Ross-Spang and Chris Shaw in Detroit
The Academy’s Chicago Chapter partnered with Willis Sound on April 18 to present a Craft Session featuring GRAMMY-winning producers Chris Shaw and Matt Ross-Spang and Detroit engineer/producer/studio owner Andy Reed—who served as moderator—as they discussed their influential careers, offering tips and technical strategies while sharing stories with the music makers in attendance. Guests represented a cross section of studios in the Detroit metro area, demonstrating the musical diversity and importance of the region.
Craft Session with Matt Ross-Spang and Chris Shaw in Detroit on April 18, 2019. Pictured L-R: moderator Andy Reed, Chris Shaw and Matt Ross-Spang. Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy™. © 2019.
Craft Session with Ezra Koenig, Ariel Rechtshaid & Emily Lazar in New York City
The New York Chapter’s P&E Wing committee hosted a Craft Session with Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend in the stunning D’Angelico Guitars showroom on April 24. Joining Koenig for this conversation were GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer Ariel Rechtshaid and GRAMMY-winning mastering engineer Emily Lazar. Live performances by Koenig were a highlight, and MusiCares was also on hand to offer guests ear impressions for custom-fit hearing protection.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 24: Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend performs on stage as The Recording Academy presents a Craft Session with Vampire Weekend at DÍAngelico Guitar Showroom on April 24, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/WireImage)
Behind the Glass with Elliot Scheiner in New Orleans
The Memphis Chapter hosted Behind The Glass with Elliot Scheiner in New Orleans on May 1. The multi-GRAMMY-winning engineer and producer was interviewed at the beautiful George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center by P&E Wing Managing Director Maureen Droney. This keynote conversation with the man who has been called the "engineer's engineer" ranged from technical approaches to recording, artist relationships, and anecdotes from sessions with artists including Steely Dan, Van Morrison, Eagles, Foo Fighters, Beck and more. Following the keynote, attendees adjourned to the Jazz Center's patio for an "only in New Orleans" festive crawfish boil. Event sponsor ELS Studio 3D Premium Audio provided an Acura RDX luxury crossover SUV for attendees' listening pleasure, with Scheiner, a longtime advocate for immersive audio experiences, personally on hand to demonstrate the vehicle's ELS surround-sound audio system.
Participants and attendees from Behind the Glass with Elliot Scheiner in New Orleans on May 1. Pictured L-R: Chris Finney, Danny Jones, Maureen Droney, Elliot Scheiner, Scott Billington, Ken Shepherd, Erin Frankenheimer and Jon Hornyak; Kneeling: Reid Wick. Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy™/photo by Erika Goldring, WireImage. © 2019.
Craft Sessions: Follow the Song in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Chapter hosted Craft Sessions: Follow the Song at the legendary Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood on May 18. Members observed a demo written by Evan Bogart as it was transformed into three unique songs by producer and mixer teams Malay & Manny Marroquin, Harvey Mason Jr. & David Reitzas, and Linda Perry & Ed Cherney, with each version mastered by Michelle Mancini. An opening mixer segued into a brief conversation with Bogart and the CBE awarded industry legend Peter Asher, detailing Bogart’s songwriting process which was followed by a brief Q&A. Attendees then split into three groups to follow the various production workflows, ask questions and analyze the techniques used by each engineer. The day capped with a playback of the three versions and a closing discussion with the producer/teams, leaving attendees both appreciative and motivated to continue perfecting their craft.
Manny Marroquin pictured at Craft Sessions: Follow the Song in Los Angeles on May 18. Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy™/photo by Amanda McHugh. © 2019.
