Audio Tech faculty members Jack Connors and Ryan Younce recently participated in a studio masterclass with six-time Grammy Award winning record producer, engineer and mixer, Vance Powell. The masterclass took place at Sweetwater Studios in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Powell’s credits include acts like Phish, Chris Stapleton, Jack White and many more.

The professional development opportunity was funded by CIE. Here’s what Jack and Ryan had to say about the experience: 

What was the name of the conference/PD opportunity you attended?

Studio Masterclass with Vance Powell — Jack Connors & Ryan Younce

When and where did the event take place?

September 27th & 28th, Sweetwater Studios, Fort Wayne, IN

Please share details from a memorable keynote speaker, conference session, or something else notable from the event:

Jack: Rare opportunity to witness how a very successful audio engineer (Vance Powell) prepares, sets up, and manages a music recording session in a professional studio. Vance also provided a few useful insights on social interaction with the producer, assistant engineer, and the band members.

Ryan: This event gave us an opportunity to see how grammy winning engineer Vance Powell approaches a recording session from start to finish. This included initial setups procedures, tracking and mixing. In addition to this Vance gave us his perspective on the state of the recording industry in the face of quickly changing technology.

How likely are you to recommend this opportunity to a colleague?

Likely

Do you have any big takeaways that you’ll be applying to your pedagogy in the near future?

Jack: The main thing for me was to be on the other side of the teacher/student relationship, and strive to apply that experience to my teaching method.

Ryan: I found it useful to be there as a student when so much of my time is spent instructing. I left with several ideas about how to improve the student experience in my studio recording courses.