Pro Audio

Karyadi Sutedja has a passion for playing music that began when he was eight years old, but he found greater satisfaction playing a behind-the-scenes role in music. He studied music production at Berklee College of Music and interned at a local studio. Karyadi joined the team at the Bopnique Musique studio in Boston in 1997 where he grew into the position of Recording Engineer. In 2000, Karyadi played a vital role in the studio’s overhaul of switching to 100% digital recording medium.

Bruce Swedien was working with Quincy Jones when Michael Jackson asked the two if they would work on his upcoming album, entitled “Thriller.” It became the biggest selling album on the planet and in some ways has overshadowed Bruce’s amazing career before and after “Thriller.” As a recording engineer, he set the standard for many methods in audio engineering that continue to this day. He is known in audio engineering circles for pioneering the Acusonic Recording Process, which involves pairing up microphones together on vocals and instruments, and many engineers list Bruce as thei

Logan Swords has always been passionate about music and about promoting music makers. As a young child, he began playing drums and found out first-hand the benefits of music making. When he opened his own music retail shop in Fort Worth, Texas, he found himself in the position of bringing those benefits into the lives of those who walked in his doors. Over the years Logan has been a strong supporter of NAMM and the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music, which currently has on display the 1940s cash register that was custom-made for Ault's Music in Fort Worth, Texas.

Martin Szpiro's mother was the office manger and one of the first employees of JAM Industries, a Canadian wholesaler started by Marty Golden and Eddy Shenker in the early 70's. As the company grew to include growing segments of the industry such as pro audio, they needed a "go to" man. Martin (Marty) was hired to develop and implement some of JAM's leading divisions including electronics and digital sound. Jam expanded its activities into the US  through acquisition (AM&S, USM, Ashly etc). Marty eventually became a partner and finally President and CEO.

Bill Szymczyk built a small crystal radio set as a kid and soon discovered a world of music and sound that would forever change his life. As a recording engineer and producer, Bill developed a style and approach to recordings that put the artist in the driver’s seat to play a supportive role in the creative process. 

Shawn Tallard became enthralled with the guitar as a preteen and soon developed a passion for instruments. Shawn was introduced to the world of pro audio gear when his father purchased a small four-track cassette recorder. As a sales rep for Sound Productions, Shawn is doing what he loves every day: talking and selling the latest in technology to assist fellow musicians. Over the years he has witnessed first-hand the development of DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), Pro Tools, and what he calls a real game changer, Dante software/hardware, which creates Internet Protocol (IP) pack

Julie Tan recalls seeing few women during her first NAMM show in 1989. As her fascinating career developed within the industry, so too has the number of women in high-level roles. Her love of music began in the second grade playing violin and grew to include her engineering skills learned at USC and her hands-on experiences with companies such as Line 6 and Alesis. When she had the opportunity to become CEO of AEA Ribbon Mics she jumped at the position, which has been a meaningful experience for her and yet another example of the growth of women in the music products industry. Jul

Keith Taylor strongly believes that every recording engineer should have a foundation in music. Understanding the elements and structure of music has proven to be key to his success as an engineer and studio owner. It does not hurt that Keith also has been formally trained as an electrical engineer. Yet, it’s his background in music that he feels attributes to his understanding of his clients and in being able to help them achieve their goals in the studio. For Keith, it was taking classical piano lessons at the age of five that he feels put him on his current trajectory.

Ivor Taylor took part in one of the great developments of the music industry when he established a pro audio retail store in London. Turnkey was just that, an easy solution for its customers who were seeking to take advantage of developing technologies to make, record, and produce music. It was among the first mail order businesses in the United Kingdom to offer pro audio gear. Ivor’s background includes repairing mixers, other backline gear, and working in the live sound industry. He knew firsthand the importance of quality gear and the understanding of how to use it. Ivor is als

Mark Terry always dreamed of being a recording engineer, even as a kid when he first discovered his love of music and technology. In time he would become just that, but along the way he discovered a deeper passion for rep work and in providing studios and performers with the gear they wanted and needed. He worked with Trident – a mixing console company from the UK – and New England Digital before working for Sidney Harman and Harman Industries. 

Larry The O has been at the forefront of electronic music and audio technology for decades, shaping the landscape of sound innovation. From studying with Joel Chadabe on the iconic Moog modular at State University of New York at Albany to joining Lexicon during the launch of groundbreaking products like the PrimeTime delay and 224 reverb, Larry's career has been marked by pivotal moments in audio history. As a writer, he chronicled the emergence of digital technology in the field, conducting interviews with visionaries and groundbreakers.

Gary Thielman is President of Harrison Audio, the Nashville, Tennessee-based company that has been an innovator in the audio industry since 1975. He joined Harrison right out of college in 1984 and worked alongside Dave Harrison to transition some of Harrison’s early consoles from engineering to production. Having worked for Harrison for many years wearing various hats including engineering, support, and sales, Thielman eventually became an owner of Harrison in 2005, and was appointed President.

Johnny Thompson had the distinction of being the very first music student of a young steel guitar player named Ernie ball. Back in the early 1950s, before he established a string company, Ernie was a well-known country player in and around the Los Angeles area and taught a few students for extra money. Studying under Ernie was key to Johnny’s career, as he became a close friend and mentor. In fact, he inspired Johnny to teach lessons on his own starting in 1959. The following year he established Johnny Thompson music in Monterey Park, California. Five years later he constructed hi

Titus Tost studied computer programming in the mid-1980s in East Germany. He enrolled in a newly established study program called the Studio for Electronic Sound Generation (SEKD) in Dresden. Titus found the perfect outlet for his programming genius and passion for music. The Commodore 64 (later an Amiga computer and a Yamaha DX7), a rarity in East Germany at the time, were literally used around the clock to create programs and to manipulate sound. In 1989, after the fall of the Berlin wall, Titus and two other students were made assistants at the SEKD.

Csaba Toth was working in the hotel management business when, by pure chance, he had the opportunity to work in the music products industry. As a keyboard player in a local band, Csaba was a big fan of the Roland line of products. One day he noticed a hotel visitor was from Roland in Japan and found the chance to introduce himself. Over time he asked many questions about the products, which led to a job offer at the newly established East European Roland division. The rest is history.  

George Travis has been to nearly every Bruce Springsteen concert since 1978!  As a noted concert producer, George has been a key element in the innovative concert experiences fans have come to expect when they go to a Springsteen performance.  George has worked with some of the giants in concert performances during his career including Queen, Kiss, Elvis Presley, Madonna and Elton John.  Several policies and procedures used in most concert productions in recent years can be attributed to George and his ground breaking events such as the 1975 Rolling Stones tour as well as his work

Herb Trawick and Dave Pensado became lifelong friends after meeting in the lobby of a recording studio in Los Angeles. Both were searching for opportunities in the music industry and exchanged contact information, beginning a partnership that would span decades. Over the years, the pair established the weekly online program Pensado’s Place, dedicated to recording engineering techniques and industry insight. The show became widely respected for featuring guest mixers and engineers who shared their knowledge and experiences with audiences around the world. Herb’s career as a music i

Sam Tritico spent over five decades as a respected and well-loved music retailer, dedicated to helping musicians find their perfect sound. His love for music began as a child when his sister introduced him to Elvis records, but it was The Beatles’ legendary 1964 performance on The Ed Sullivan Show that changed everything for young Sam. He was gifted a Telecaster in eighth grade, attended Stamps Music School summer camps, and by 11th grade, he had also picked up the bass. Like many musicians, Sam balanced working in music stores by day and gigging at night, gaining invaluable exper

Drago Trojkovic and his brother, Luke, formed a band in Melbourne that soon employed their brother Peter to run the sound. As more sound gear was needed, Peter established a Live Sound rental company. When Luke and Drago decided to get off the road they joined Peter in business. Luke opened a series of music retail stores and Drago focused on wholesaling to supply both Luke's stores and Peter's rental business. The formula worked and soon all three divisions were growing. When Luke retired, Peter and Drago focused their attention of the wholesale business, which continues to this

Peter Trojkovic was the sound engineer for the band his two brothers, Luke and Drago, formed in the 1970s. Peter soon expanded his duties to managing and securing the audio gear needed for live performances. Those tasks soon led to renting gear to other musicians and thus a Live Sound rental company was formed. Meanwhile, Luke was creating a retail side to their business and Drago was developing the wholesale division. Soon the three brothers had three companies, all of which were growing. When Luke announced his retirement, Peter and Drago sold the concert rental company to focus

Gerry Tschetter found his passion for music and technology when he was young. He began his career at the rock-n-roll music shop, Steam Music, in Topeka, Kansas. Later, Tschetter worked with Yamaha for 18 years as Project Manager for their Pro Audio and Consumer Electronics departments. When he worked with JBL, Tschetter’s work consisted of speaker development and configuration. He also served as President of JBL Pro for many years. Currently, he is with QSC, and has been for the past 11 years. 

Jason Turner was surrounded by music growing up and by the fourth grade he was imitating Floyd Cramer’s style of piano playing. He remembers the day in the sixth grade when Mississippi Music came to his school to demonstrate instruments, and it inspired him to join the school band program. In 1996, he was hired by that same music store in their Audio Services Division to place sound systems in churches and other venues, a task Jason has always found rewarding. He and his team take great pride in the completion of each audio system they install as they know it will enhance audience

Bob Ulius began working in the music industry when San Francisco retailer, Stu Goldberg, hired Bob at Marina Music in 1969. It was the beginning of a long career that included gigs at Leo’s Pro Audio in Oakland, California, and with Sound Genesis. Bruce Hatch formed Sound Genesis, which was located on Bryant Street and sold such as brands as Soundcraft and TASCAM. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Bob talked about the folk music boom in San Francisco during the 1960s and how meaningful it was for him to be working at Stu’s store, which he called a hub for musical expression

Salvador Urbina is proud of his family’s history and legacy in the music industry of Guatemala. His grandfather was an audio technician and saw the need for quality gear as well as repairs. He opened a small audio equipment store in 1957 and soon carried Shure and Audio Techinca. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, Salvador has focused on expanding the products they carry along with providing state of the art repairs and extensive hands-on training for all of their customers.

Mark Ureda was a young engineering student when he dreamed of working for JBL.  He had that chance in 1976 for one day (that is a good story), but when that did not work out he joined the aerospace industry for over 25 years.  Then, as if to finally make his dream a reality, Mark was hired by JBL.  Since that time Mark has become the President of JBL Pro and at one point worked with Sidney Harman as part of his strategic team.  Among the products Mark worked on for JBL, the company's successful Line Array and the Tangerine Phasing Horn. 

This audio only interview was conducted by Bruce Duffie and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Vladimir Ussachevsky was a classically trained composer who worked in the field of electronic music. In fact, with the use of electronic musical instruments, such as the Moog, Vladimir was the pioneer who introduced such instruments into classical compositions. His early works were based on music concrete, the splicing of audio tape to create different sounds. He was eager to use electronic instruments, such as those created by Robert Moog and Don Buchla.

Mike van der Logt is the manager of possibilities with 4M4YOU, with the four M’s standing for Management, Marketing, Media, and Music. Mike worked in a small music store in his hometown as a teenager, which shaped his passion for musical and audio products. He later served on the Behringer team, selling and marketing the company’s audio equipment worldwide, living on three different continents. Along the way, Mike formed his own company, 4M4YOU. His consulting work led him to a variety of young companies that have product and technology differentials, which could be assisted to be

Lucas Van Der Mee, Principal Design Engineer for Apogee Electronics, has a fascinating background in Live Sound and studio engineering. He spent ten years on the road as an audio engineer before focusing on studio work and designing mastering studios. While Rob Halford, former lead singer for the band Fight was working on his solo album, Lucas served as mastering engineer, which took place in the early days of digital recordings. During the 1990s he served as a recording engineer for the famous Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles.

Jeff Van Duyn often expresses deep gratitude for the mentors who shaped his career in Live Sound, notably Dan Kasting and Mark Hogue. In 1963, Jeff’s musical journey took root when his parents took him to see Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars in his hometown of Muncie, Indiana. That electrifying experience, combined with the concerts he attended as a teenager, ignited his curiosity about the behind-the-scenes magic of live performances. Jeff became the first to arrive and the last to leave, persistently seeking insights from sound engineers and crew members.

CJ Vanston was thrilled to have the opportunity to produce for Toto, one of his all-time favorite bands.  The project was a symbolic full circle experience having been a studio musician, first in Chicago and later Los Angeles.  CJ became known for creating sounds and becoming an expert on programming the latest and greatest electronic keyboard and synthesizer during the 1970s and 80s.  To produce for such a high level band, with all of his friends as members, called upon many skill sets that have become second nature to him.  And he loves every minute!

Tim Vear was interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program in the months leading up to the 75th anniversary of the famous Shure microphone. Tim covered much of the history of this iconic product, as well as some of the reasons why it was such an important cornerstone for the company. He has been a musician since high school and for years used a Shure microphone, making his career with the company especially meaningful to him.

Marcello Vercelli was trained as a mechanical engineer and landed his first job in the music industry at RCF.  RCF is an Italian based professional loudspeaker manufacturer, and a big OEM supplier for transducers and other projects.  It was a wonderful introduction in the world of audio that he loves.  In 1996, he formed Fusion Audio in Costa Mesa, California and designed amps inside speaker cabinets, such as those created by John Meyer with the idea of a plug-and-play design for smaller settings vs.