Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Asvanonda.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Austin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Music has always had a special place in my heart. I played the guitar ever since I was 12 with various bands in my area but never really thought I would be able to make music my career. I actually wanted to become a cop in my early college years and last-minute revoked my enrollment for a Police Schooling Program. Deciding to take life a little slower, I signed up for a community college in my area to study Criminal Justice/Law.
Within that year, a good friend of mine (Sean Williamson) asked me to help him record some songs for a Christmas album. Thats where I was introduced to the art of recording/mixing. I had no idea the things he was doing was even possible until then and to see the technicalities behind making a record for the first time was overwhelmingly satisfying and daunting.
Thats when I decided to focus on the art of recording and mixing.
I went to SAE Institute in Hollywood that following year to study their Music Production and Audio Engineering Course. It was a nine months Program that teaches you the fundamentals on console operation and the art of mixing. Over the nine months, I became obsessed with the fine details that go into making records. Spending countless hours at the studio trying to get that “polished” record sound, but never quite getting there. Researching various types of gear and why each one is special in its own way. It became my life.
I got my first studio job at Sonora Recorders. A studio located in Los Feliz. Thats where I met Adam from ‘The War On Dugs’. Sonora is where I learned the ropes for what would set my path for the next five years. Being able to help/assist in the process of making their fourth record (A Deeper Understanding) showed me how much work and dedication goes into it. That record then went on to win a Grammy for ‘Best Rock Album of The Year’ in 2018. In the following year, a record that I worked on as a Mastering Engineer was awarded two Global Music Awards. From then to now, I’ve gotten the chance to work with some great artists/engineers like: The Rolling Stones, Christopher Walla, Shawn Everett, Ben Sparaco, Aaron Burch, Carter Jahn, and Sir Please. Each person along the way has taught me so many valuable lessons that will last a lifetime.
I now mainly work just outside of LA in a town called Ventura, either from my home studio or at my good friend’s place (Burch Studios). Occasionally traveling to the Los Angeles region, I’ve been successfully working on records remotely for the last three years.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely was not easy.
Any artist can agree the difficulty of separating your work from yourself. It took a very long time not to reflect my projects into my social life. There were many nights where I would get lost in my own head.
When something is your passion, you always want it to be improving. It’s difficult to know when to stop and when to let it go.
For me, when I’m working on a song thats when my brain truly stops running 100 mph. So much goes into recording/mixing that you want everything to be perfect. Accepting that nothing ever will and the moments of imperfection is often what makes a recording unique.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a freelance Audio Engineer. I focus on the art of Mixing and Recording music.
I am proud of the level of attention I give each project. Experimentation in the studio is something I love to do.
As a Recording Engineer, you can get away with the basics and stick to the fundamentals and still get great results. I’ve never been a fan of that as I think you can get something really awesome/unique using the fundamentals in an unorthodox way.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Has to be working with The Rolling Stones and hearing back very positive feedback.
Working with such an established band, who revolutionized music, gives you the feeling that you must be doing something right.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 805 982 0946
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: austinasvanonda
Image Credit:
Photographers: Jonathan Demorest, Max Tepper, Brandin Stringer; Studio Locations: Jon Joseph’s Studio, SAE Institute, Sonora Recorders, Speedwagon, Studio America
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