Rising Stars: Meet Troy Ambroff

Today we’d like to introduce you to Troy Ambroff.

Hi Troy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story begins with the guitar and currently orbits around filmmaking.

I started playing guitar in second grade and continued that through high school. After graduation, I went to Orange County to study jazz at Fullerton College. As I found myself in my instrument, I also found that I had a knack for audio. I enrolled in the recording program there and ended up with an internship at a studio (where to this day I still engineer sessions), and I was (consensually) ripped from my path to Berklee.

From there I took two years off from my schooling to chase down a dream with my band at the time, all the while still recording at Studio 770. A professor from Cal State Dominguez Hills came in to assist with a few sessions and recommended that I try my hand at the recording program there. Two years later (2017), I graduated sigma cum loude with a degree in “Digital Media Arts: Audio Recording.”

I had been recording bands for around six years by that point for virtually no money when I realized that financial stability was key if I wanted to continue my growth as an artist and musician.

Enter: The Wiltern
I began working at The Wiltern (one of LA’s most historic venues, and in my opinion one of the best sounding ones) with little intention of that being my next level up. Boy was I wrong. On new years eve, I met the owner of Sugar Studios (Jijo Reed) and dipped my toe into the shimmering pool that is filmmaking. Today, I have over 20 feature films under my belt as a Re-Recording Mixer and many more as a dialogue / sound effects editor.

I still play in a band (Modern Eyes), and we perform at the Morrocan Lounge on Jan. 27th, 2023. If you’re reading this before then, come say hi!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The ride has been nothing short of wild. The highs equal the lows, but I think my perception of those two things has been the hardest.

What I mean by that is this; when you’re in the middle of a high point, it never feels quite as high as it looks from the outside. In fact, it often makes one feel even worse when you’re feeling the previous sentence and someone is telling you how incredible it is to be where you are. Sadly, on the flip side, the lows feel exponentially lower than the highs even when they are relatively the same distance from the baseline.

Keep pushing, take a step back, and take a deep breath. It’s ok to appreciate a moment (both good and bad). Always remember that our childhood vision of success does not always line up with what success looks like in the real world. Just appreciate how far you’ve come, and check in with your younger self to see what they would think of where you stand today.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The saying, “A jack of all trades is a master of none” is often looked at in the wrong light and unfortunately isn’t the phrase in its entirety. The full saying is, “A jack of all trades is a master of none BUT IS OFTEN BETTER THAN A MASTER OF ONE.” Now, this is not to take anything away from true masters of individual things, they have so much to offer. However, I find myself landing in the boat with Jack.

It took me trying many things before I found my calling, and I feel that there is still work to be done there. I had no idea that I would find myself in filmmaking, and now that is my world on a day-to-day basis. While I could classify myself as a guitar player, recording engineer, and filmmaker… I would also offer that I am an avid gamer.

The world of gaming has exploded over the past ten years, and it shows no signs of stopping. While my heart is in playing these games, I look forward to an experience in CREATING them. This venture is in its early stages, but check back in and you may see some surprises in store.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Don’t ever even think about… quitting. YOU can do this. What separates you, your journey, your skills / interests from being everything you ever dreamed of? Time, effort, and nothing else.

KEEP PUSHING

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.moderneyesofficial.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troyshouse/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TroyAmbroffMusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/troyshouse
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLex7zW7oAM
• Other: https://www.twitch.tv/troyshouse