E13: Behind the Mic with Pittsburgh Producer Mike Hitt

What makes Mike Hitt with MCM Studios a good neighbor? 

The world of professional music recording often seems inaccessible to everyday people, but Mike Hitt of MCM Studios is working to change that perception. On this eye-opening episode, we dive into the colorful world (orange, specifically!) of a Pittsburgh recording studio that's been helping musicians of all levels bring their creative visions to life for sixteen years.

Mike shares his remarkable journey from bedroom producer to professional studio owner working with major names like Netflix, Amazon, Jelly Roll, and Gabby Barrett. But what truly sets his story apart is his unwavering commitment to serving what he calls "pro hobbyists" – people who quietly create music as a personal passion without necessarily sharing it with the world. These individuals sense they have talent but don't know how to develop it further, and Mike offers them not just recording services but genuine mentorship.

Perhaps most inspiring is how Mike's own life challenges shaped his business philosophy. After a devastating car accident left him learning to walk again, he found clarity about pursuing his passion without delay. "It helped me overcome the 'when the time is right' mentality," he explains. "Any day could be your last day." This perspective infuses his work with authenticity and urgency that resonates with clients seeking to express themselves through music.

Whether you're nurturing a hidden musical talent, curious about the recording industry, or simply love stories of local businesses making an impact, this conversation offers valuable insights about creativity, perseverance, and finding your voice. Connect with Mike and MCM Studios and discover how your musical dreams might be closer to reality than you think.

To learn more about MCM Studios go to: 

MikeHitt.com

412mcmstudios.com

MCM Studios

[phone]

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Lila Carter.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of aprofessional recording studio?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
mike Hitt with MCM Studios.
Mike, how's it going?

Speaker 3 (00:30):
It's going great.
I really appreciate you havingme on, and I was excited for
this format as soon as youoffered it, so I'm glad to be
here.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Awesome.
We're excited to learn allabout you and your business.
So tell us about your company.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
So MCM Studios we're in the south side of Pittsburgh,
really like Allentown southside.
We're right on the cusp of allof that.
We've been there 16 years I amthe creative mind behind it and
the lead producer engineerthat's on site and we've worked
with big name companies likeNetflix and Amazon and artists
like Jelly Roll and GabbyBarrett and rappers like Mad

(01:11):
Child and Dipset.
And then we work with a ton ofsmall clients and we do audio
books and you know it's whateveryou need.
Audio wise, we usually canhandle.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Sounds like such a fun industry to be in.
How did you get in thisbusiness?

Speaker 3 (01:35):
So my, my shtick when people ask me that is, it chose
me.
I didn't choose it because Ihave been doing this since I was
very young.
So it started DJing and thenmaking beats and then writing
songs and you know, being ingroups and doing shows, and one
thing led to another over timeand then you know, for about

(01:57):
seven years or so I wasrecording people out of my house
and every place I lived.
I had a recording studio andeveryone knew hey, you could
call Mike and he'll record you.
And that's when Pro Tools.
You know, that's before theyhad iPhone recording or anything
.
I was just one of the firstpeople with the pro software,
quote, unquote.
And you know, the most logicalnext step for me was to open a

(02:21):
recording studio 16 years ago.
And now here I am.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Very cool.
So what are some myths ormisconceptions in your industry?

Speaker 3 (02:30):
A huge myth and misconception is that you need
to be a big name artist or youneed to have art in your spirit
or a skill somehow in art to getinto a recording studio.
You know a lot of people saylike well, you can't get in a
studio unless you have theconnections or the manager or
the you know the record deal.

(02:50):
And in reality that wassomething when we first opened
that I really wanted to doubledown on was, you know, the guy
who missed his dream and hestill plays guitar and write
songs can come and record, andthe kid who never rapped a day
in his life could come andfigure out how to keep a rhythm
and stay on beat.
And so that's really the coreof my clientele is the people

(03:14):
who kind of just want theexperience more than try to get
the riches and the fame.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, so who are your target customers then, and how
do you attract them?
So?

Speaker 3 (03:28):
I call them like pro hobbyists in a way, and these
are people who have recordedthemselves.
Maybe they bought a mic, theybought some software, they're
just, it's a.
It's a quiet hobby that theydon't tell any of their friends
or family about, but they knowthat they, they feel, they feel
like they have something.
Maybe they wrote a great song,they feel like, or maybe they

(03:50):
have a great voice or maybe theycould play guitar well, and
they kind of don't know how todevelop from that point.
And so I get a lot of clientswho come to me and I'm able to
give them that vision, recordwith them in the studio, give
them direction, and now theykind of have a launch pad in
order to go from like a prohobbyist to more of you know

(04:14):
they, just they know now theyknow like oh, that's what I have
to do to get my song out, to bea better singer, to be a better
guitar player.
Because during the process it'snot like, hey, I'm going to
record, you give your song andyou leave.
Actually, the thing about me,because I had so much experience
leading into the studio and now, so many years later that hands

(04:36):
on experience with people, I'velearned that people want more
of the coaching and the guidancewhile they're in the studio
than they do, just a place thatthey're.
You know, hey, shut up andrecord me.
And like once I learned thatthat there's more people who say
teach me, rather than just dothe work for me.
Those are the people I reallydoubled down on and who I love

(04:59):
to have as clients becausethey're sponges, they love to
learn, they get me excited, Ican teach them things that I
know, and that exchange ofenergy is really why I got into
just music in general.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
So if you love the educational aspect of it, have
you ever thought about doingyour own podcast?

Speaker 3 (05:18):
So everybody asked me this has been going on since,
you know, the first three yearsthat Joe Rogan had a podcast
Like everyone's like you shoulddo the first three years that
Joe Rogan had a podcast Likeeveryone's like you should do
that.
Like you have some informationand my issue, my one of my
character flaws, is like I just,even if it's the newest,

(05:39):
biggest trend, it's hard for mesometimes to hop on it because
of everything else I have goingon, and so I hate to start a
podcast and say I wouldn't beable to commit to it or maybe it
would eat more time and itwouldn't be the production value
that I wanted it to be, becauseright now I coach one-on-one
clients, so I have the monthlycoaching, essentially, then I

(06:01):
have my studio clients, then Ihave the mixing and mastering
that I do, and so there's a lotof aspects to it.
But you're not the first personto ask me that and you know,
maybe I need to take the adviceof like a hundred people and
just start it tomorrow, even ifit's just talking on my phone.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
Right, right.
So outside of work, what elsedo you do for fun?

Speaker 3 (06:23):
Actually, I mean I'm dressed.
I know I'm not in a recordingstudio.
I'm actually dressed to goswimming when I'm not plugged in
.
I really like to disconnect.
In a world where it's AI andcomputers and we're showing
everything on our phones.
I like to just get out andtouch the grass and go swimming
and go hiking and just reconnectmy spirit to just the land,

(06:46):
because I spend so much timejust in a box by a computer just
leading people.
So when I can do that, it feedsmy spirit, it feeds my mind, it
keeps me energized.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
Other people are subscribed to Netflix.
You're subscribed to TouchingGrass Premium.

Speaker 3 (07:04):
You know what?
I'll tell you what.
I have some shows I like towatch, but if I can, the first
thing I'm gonna do is be out inthe sun excellent, so let's
switch gears here for a littlebit.

Speaker 2 (07:15):
Uh, can you describe a hardship or a life challenge
that you overcame and how itmade you stronger?
What comes to mind?

Speaker 3 (07:23):
Absolutely so.
The studio was a product ofsomething making me stronger.
Long story short, I got into acar accident and had to learn
how to walk again right the yearbefore I opened the studio and
I didn't have much.
I still recorded people at thehouse but I didn't really go all
in on an avenue.

(07:43):
I made money DJing and I hadmusic streaming and I was doing
YouTube, but it was more like acouple of steps above pro
hobbyist.
And one day I was coming home Igot in a car accident,
shattered my hip.
I had to learn how to walk tookme about six months and in that
time that I was down I had afriend who said hey, man, I know

(08:04):
you've been saying that youwould love like a public studio.
When you're walking again, I'lltake you and I would love to
just show you the space.
I think it would be good foryou.
Uh, I always shout them outevery podcast.
My buddy Evan.
I'm forever grateful.
It's like God led him to me andI went and seen the space and
it was a space that need a lotof work and a lot of help, but

(08:26):
the car accident kind of helpedme, uh, which maybe I don't want
it to happen for a podcast.
But it helped me overcome theum, it helped me overcome the
when the time is right mentalityand so I'm like.
I'm like I could have just lostmy life or not walked again.

(08:46):
So I need to do what my passionis and that was recording music
and opening that recordingstudio and that car accident
just really propelled mythinking into any day could be
your last day in anon-destructive way.
That helped me really pursue mydreams, pursue my creative

(09:07):
things and just try to get themost out of life.

Speaker 2 (09:12):
Right, and there's no better time than the present
right.

Speaker 3 (09:15):
Yes, absolutely, there you go.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
So all right, Mike, please tell our listeners one
thing that they should rememberabout MCM Studios.

Speaker 3 (09:25):
Oh, wow, the color orange, because orange is our
company color and it's funnybecause everybody who is in my
life that really knows me,always associates say we'll be
out, we'll see a car orsomething.
They'll be like, yeah, that'sMCM orange.
Or they'll see a shirt likethat's MCM orange.
And so if you can remember MCMand you can remember orange,

(09:47):
you'll be able to find me if youwant to do business.

Speaker 2 (09:51):
Awesome.
So how can our listeners learnmore about MCM studios?

Speaker 3 (09:56):
So, first off through the good neighbor podcast with
you and then also through 412MCM studioscom and then also
myfirstandlastnamecom,mikehitswith2tscom, and that
will really give you morein-depth background into my
journey.
It'll help you get theinformation you need to see if

(10:20):
this is the avenue you want totake, help you book, help you
get in contact with me and, yeah, just get you, get you started.

Speaker 2 (10:29):
Excellent.
Well, Mike, I really appreciateyou being on the show today.
Thank you.
I wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
Absolutely.
Thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (10:40):
Thank you for listening to the good neighbor
podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnppittsburghcom.
That's gnppittsburghcom, orcall 412-561-9956.