Insights In Sound

Benny Rietveld has worn multiple hats over the course of his career. The Utrect-born, Hawaii-raised bassist has played with the likes of Miles Davis, Shiela E, and has been Santana's bassist and musical director for close to 25 years. He caught up at the Hideout Studios in Las Vegas.

John Ellis' long and winding road led through performing, recording, engineering, teaching, and then some. Currently one of two main techs at the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, we caught up with him in the midst of customizing a new console for Bob Clearmountain.

She's part of the DNA of the legendary Capitol Records studios, as well as a legend in her own right. A rare pleasure to dig deep with the inimitable Paula Salvatore.

It takes a special kind of person to keep the tech behind the creativity running. Joe Vezzetti has been the guy behind the scenes for decades. We met up at Cherokee Studios, home of one of the few remaining legendary Trident A Range consoles.

He's got an old school production ethos planted firmly in the 21st century, a stellar multi-room studio, and awards for his work with artists ranging from Ozzy and Disturbed to Shania Twain. We got into some deep conversation with The Hideout Studio's Kevin Churko.

Though the influence of his famous father helped to shape his musical development, Thaddeus Corea is a true original in his own right. We get into it and talk about his early influences, his artistic path, and his production ethos. 

Part two of our conversation with Chris Cox. He's been the force behind hundreds of club remixes, including 64 number one tracks in the Billboard Dance Music charts, and has revved up the crowds on multiple continents. We sat down for a deep dive in his Las Vegas studio. THIS IS PART TWO OF TWO PARTS.

He's been the force behind hundreds of club remixes, including 64 number one tracks in the Billboard Dance Music charts, and has revved up the crowds on multiple continents. We sat down for a deep dive in his Las Vegas studio. THIS IS PART ONE OF TWO PARTS.

He's been behind the faders for everyone from McCartney and AC/DC to Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, and so many more. We caught up with Pab during rehearsals for Macca's South America tour in the fall of 2024.

Part Two of our in-depth conversation with the legendary Tom Oberheim.

He's one of the founding fathers of electronic instruments, a legendary name in synthesizer history, and a most humble and unassuming genius. We sat down with Tom Oberheim to learn about his personal history, and that of the company that bears his name. Part One of our two-part interview.

He cut his teeth doing landmark recordings for artists including Dead Kennedys and Joe Satriani, designed multiple Bay Area recording studios, created the art of reamping, and has captured multiple artists with his One Mic series. We finally got to sit down for a chat with the mad genius himself.

Part two of our conversation with Blackbird Studio and Blackbird Academy founder/director John McBride.

From live sound to studio recording, John McBride has probably done every job in pro audio at least twice. He's a non-stop bundle of energy with an unwavering love for every aspect of music and the creative process. In this two-part interview, we cover everything from his roots in music and production to his dedication to helping shape the next generation of music and recording.

With a legacy of more than 30 years of timeless recordings, Cherokee Studios is among a handful of legendary studios that built the L.A. recording scene. We caught up with Bruce Robb to talk about the past, present, and future of professional recording.

From the Automatt to Capitol to Skywalker Sound, Leslie Ann Jones has engineered some of the most epic recordings while blazing a trail for women in the audio industry. We take a dive into her illustrious career.

His resume is as stellar as he is humble and pragmatic: Toto, Don Henley, Neil Young, The Mavericks, Miles Davis, and so many more. He's also one of the funniest guys in the biz. We got together at his Surf Shack studio to talk about pretty much whatever came up.