A Little Talk With a Fellow Engineer

When my school issued an assignment to interview an industry professional for our blogs, I began thinking of the best audio engineer I know. While this would’ve been the typical response for anyone given such an assignment, I realized I wanted to talk with someone who works under the radar. I knew that such a person would understand their clientele on a different level, and give me the info I desire while I am kick-starting my career. I spoke with local (Madison, WI) freelance audio engineer, Josh Ayers.

Josh Ayers has been in the Madison area for two years. His work is dedicated to those who cannot afford the few reputable studios in the area, and those who like the feeling of basement recording. He isn’t making much money, but knows that the harder he works, the better clientele he’ll acquire. Josh had this to say when asked about his current status, “Nobody wants to work on bottom, but we’re all either here or have been here. The industry is screwy right now, so we just gotta do our best job and keep networking.”

I wanted to know about his relationships with his clients, especially those who become emotionally argumentative. Speaking of a recent issue with a musical client, Josh said, “…sometimes they get so attached to their music, they feel they need complete control of a session. When things don’t turn out the way they want, they get mad.” He said the best way to handle this situation is to remain professional and not allow yourself to get emotional involved with the disagreement.

Ayers states that word of mouth is the only means of advertising for his services. So far he has worked with a large amount of local artists to record and mix individual projects, and a few filmmakers working on small projects. While his name is not printed in the forefront of minds in the Madison area, he feels his relationship skills with clients and product will give his name more pull. “It’s not easy trying to make it in this industry. So always remember to produce your best work always, and don’t take crap from no one.”