Carlos Castro - Behind the Soundboard & the Art of Sound

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Carlos Castro is an award-winning music mixing and recording engineer/producer based in Los Angeles, California, with a remarkable 30-year career in the music industry. His expertise has earned him 13 Latin Grammy nominations, two BASF awards, and numerous platinum and gold records, cementing his reputation as a leading force in sound engineering. With a passion for high-fidelity sound recording, Carlos is the owner and operator of Watersound Studios in Studio City, California, where he continues to create groundbreaking music projects.

Carlos’s journey in music began at a young age. Born in Mexico City into a family of writers and opera singers, he became fascinated with sound recording at the age of nine, when a portable cassette recorder ignited his curiosity. That curiosity led to a brief but memorable incident in which he recorded the sound of a microwave oven, sparking a lifelong love for music and audio. As a teenager, Carlos worked as a DJ in Mexico, later becoming a finalist in a national DJ competition. His passion for sound grew as he studied piano and began exploring music production.

Carlos’s professional career took flight after he worked at B&K Studios in Mexico City, where he honed his engineering skills. Inspired by albums like Michael Jackson’s Thriller and George Benson’s Give Me the Night, both of which were engineered by the legendary Bruce Swedien, Carlos sought out opportunities to work with the best in the business. At the age of 19, he attended Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts in Florida, and soon after, he impressed Swedien with his innovative spirit and was invited to work at West Viking Recorders in California.

During his three years with Swedien, Carlos contributed to major projects such as the Free Willy soundtrack and Michael Jackson’s Super Bowl halftime show. After the Northridge earthquake, he continued to develop his career by working at several major Los Angeles studios before moving on to engineer for iconic Latin music artists like Luis Miguel, Shaila Dúrcal, and Alicia Villarreal. His first major project, Amarte Es Un Placer by Luis Miguel, was a turning point in his career.

Carlos’s journey culminated in the creation of Watersound Studios, which took three years to build from the ground up. The studio reflects Carlos’s engineering soul, with state-of-the-art equipment and a commitment to producing exceptional sound. His career has seen him collaborate with some of the biggest names in music, including Shawn Colvin, Selena Gómez, Demi Lovato, Luis Miguel, Molotov, and many more. His work has been featured in numerous film and television projects, including Desperate Housewives, Hellcats, and the films High Chicago, Perfect Wave, and Alleged.

Fluent in both English and Spanish, Carlos has worked on projects across cultures and continents, bringing his versatile expertise to both analog tape and digital workstation recording. Whether collaborating with major artists or working on a film score, Carlos continues to push the boundaries of sound, leaving his mark on the global music industry.

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Music Credits

Intro
Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG

Stinger
Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library

Outro
Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG

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