“Lift each other up as a community” - interview with Andy Meyer

Thank you for taking the time, Andy! Working in such an institute must be a very exciting experience! What is behind the role of 'Technical Services Manager' at The Los Angeles Recording School?

I oversee the maintenance, repair, design, and upgrades for 15 studios on our campus.

Additionally, I manage the Equipment Room staff and operations. The ER assists students with their lab sessions and handles equipment rentals. The Los Angeles Recording School is part of The Los Angeles Film School.

 

This sounds amazing! How long has the L.A.R.S. been around? What is the brief history of the institute?

LARS goes back all the way to 1985 when it was called The Los Angeles Recording Workshop. Since then, it was folded into The Los Angeles Film School. The Los Angeles Film School shares the same ownership group as Full Sail University.

 

What about you? How long have you been working there, and how did you land the job?

I have been with LARS for about 2.5 years. I simply applied and luckily they hired me! This job is so uniquely tailored to my skill set. I deeply enjoy problem-solving, managing teams, studio design, educating, and continual improvement.

 

 

Tell us about your musical roots and upbringing. What brought you to the audio field?

My father worked in the radio business, so seeing the cool equipment along with being exposed to lots of music set me up to become an audio engineer at a very early age. I began playing guitar at 10 and was in bands shortly after. By 13, I had my first cassette 4-track and I was off to the races!

 

So I can imagine you got a lot of support and tutoring from your father?

I certainly received amazing support from my family. From getting exposed to popular music early on and letting me take over our home’s basement to use for band practice. I will always remember the time my dad showed me how to clean the heads on a cassette deck. A cherished memory, for sure.

 

What were the musical styles that got you hooked first?

As a young kid, it was all pop music of the 80’s. Michael Jackson was everything to me. When Nirvana’s Nevermind came out, my life changed. What an amazing time to be a young person and to begin learning guitar.

I was very much into 90’s alternative which eventually expanded into all sorts of other genres. It’s important to me that I continue to stay musically curious. While I will always have my old standbys, it’s important to seek out new music as well.

 

And what styles do you prefer working on in the studio?

As a music fan, my favorites are in the electronic/synth-pop/industrial genres. Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kraftwerk, Portishead, The Smiths, Boy Harsher, NIN, Slowdive, MBV...

As an engineer, I love recording jazz and classical due to the level of musicianship involved and I find that clients tend to not rely on me to modify performances. As a Producer, I love to work with artists who are confident in what they want and are able to work towards those goals in positive ways.

 

 

For an artist to be like this in the studio requires a lot of experience, confidence, and professionalism. Do the students in the school also work and practice with professional musicians, or are there students on both sides of the glass window?

Many students these days are also the artists themselves, especially in our Music Production program. Students are able to bring in musicians to record during their lab sessions. We encourage students to take full advantage of their lab times during their time at LARS.

 

What does a student’s life look like at LARS?

We have both Associates and Bachelor’s programs for Audio Production and Music Production. Classes run for one month each, so students get immersed in a particular discipline or topic each month.

It’s a very focused program in that way. Students have classes until about 4pm on select days of the week. They are able to book a recording studio when they are not in class to use for their labs. Students have 4 x 3-hour sessions available to them each week. Our studios are open 7 days per week.

 

What are the projects you're most proud of?

Ghost’s I’ve Met – From A Spark, John Dillon – The Lost Estate, Wayne Horvitz & The Royal Room Ensemble – At the Reception, Scrape – Approaching Vyones

 

 

 

Which type of Buso desks is the institute using, and what brought you to that decision?

We have six Producer XL desks here at the school. The desks are modern in design, flexible, and priced competitively.

The rooms with these desks have been a big hit on campus. Students and faculty absolutely love being in them, and the Buso desks are at the heart of the experience.

 

 

Which bands and performers influenced you as an engineer?

Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kraftwerk, Portishead, The Smiths, Boy Harsher, NIN, Slowdive, MBV, Brian Eno, David Bowie, Radiohead, The Beatles, Velvet Underground, Joy Division/New Order, Smashing Pumpkins, Prince, Aphex Twin, The Chromatics

 

From an audio engineer point of view, what’s your takeaway of these artists and the work they’ve done?

I think all of these artists have been sonically adventurous and cultivated sounds that are uniquely their own. Some real geniuses in that list!

 

And who are your main influences from the professional audio world?

Alan Moulder, Bob Clearmountain, Shawn Everett, Nigel Godrich, Eric Valentine, Brian Eno, Flood, Conny Plank.

 

I can imagine their approach and views are being taught at the school as well...

I hope so! The great part is that students have access to a wide range of instructors, all with their own tastes and working methods. The most important thing students should learn is to find their own voice and discover the working methods that support that vision.

 

Around how many students do you have there regularly?

We don’t publicly disclose our numbers, but we have a good amount of students on campus and a robust online cohort.

 

Are they mostly from the States or do you have a number of foreign students as well?

The majority of on-campus students are from the US, but we do have a handful of international students at all times. It’s great! We also have a robust online student body that is national/international.

 

Being in Hollywood as a division of the LA Film School, how are students tutored and getting their field practice in the film industry?

At LARS, we do have more emphasis on music, but in the Audio Production programs, students do learn Sound Design & Foley, Post-Production mixing, Dolby Atmos, Boom Operating... We also encourage collaboration with Los Angeles Film School students on film projects.

 

Do many of them end up in the film industry? Or do most of them start their own businesses?

Due to how the industry has evolved, I would say that the majority of our graduates will be self-employed or independent contractors. As always, it is a highly competitive field, with more people seeking jobs than there are jobs available. That's why we encourage students to really utilize their lab times and make connections while they are here. If they can put in the effort and passion, I have no doubt that any of our students can make a fulfilling life in music and audio.

 

 

After taking a look at your ’alumni success’ page...it must be so fulfilling to see your alumni being this great at what they do!

It’s always a joy to see others succeed! While this is a competitive industry, I am of the philosophy that we should celebrate our peers' successes and lift each other up as a community.

 

In regards to your own work, what is the gear of choice?

I still love analog hardware. Tracking on a nice Neve or API through outboard and committing sounds is still my preference. I prefer to mix without a console these days simply for the recallability that is often required. I recently purchased a Rupert Neve Designs Master Bus Transformer that I absolutely love.

What is the workflow you try to pass on to the students?

Our Music Production suites at the school are centered around the Buso desks, with the design goal of being as plug-and-play as possible. These studio redesigns also had a major emphasis on aesthetics as vibes are important. The Buso desks look really great and have been a hit with students and staff.

 

Where do you stand on the analogue vs. digital debate? How do you see the future of analogue equipment?

To me, there is no debate. All of the tools are useful and it’s up to the user to find the process that works best for them. There is more great sounding gear out there than ever before, at an accessible price, so we are very spoiled as audio professionals. Having said that, I still use as much analog hardware and tape as I can for recording/mixing/mastering.

 

 

Am I right in assuming that the teaching philosophy at LARS is the same? For the students to be fluent in both the digital and the analogue world?

Yes, students learn analog and digital technologies. We have two SSL Dualitys, two Avid S-6s, an API 1608 and a Neve Genesys for students to learn traditional analog signal flow and working methods. Additionally, we have our Music Production rooms that are designed for more modern plug-and-play workflows. Students can simply plug in their laptops to one Thunderbolt cable and have access to the entire system. We have a great range of facilities here. Unfortunately, we no longer use tape...

 

Andy thank you so much for sitting down and telling us about this fantastic institute! Now, it’s my honor to ask you to contribute a song to our Buso Audio playlist! 

I'll go with John Dillon – Death Mask!