ABOUT
Classical Recording Engineer and Producer, Matt Carr, works with artists from around the world, regularly producing recordings for commercial release. His recordings have garnered acclaim, characterized as having "purity that verges on miraculous" (Fanfare) and a "first rate sound" (Gramophone).
Matt has engineered and produced recordings for notable artists including the San Francisco Symphony, Daniel Hope, New Century Chamber Orchestra, Alexander String Quartet, Andy Akiho, Amit Peled and Sarah Cahill.
During the summer, Matt works as the Assistant Recording Engineer for the Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival alongside 6-time GRAMMY winning classical engineer Da-Hong Seetoo.
As a performer, Matt was the recipient of first prize in both the ITA International Trombone Quartet Competition and the Big 12 Yamaha National Solo Competitions. Matt's core philosophies have been developed around a life-long devotion to chamber music and it is the collaborative principles developed in this environment that drive his motivations to produce world class recordings. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (B.M.) and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (M.M.).
PHILOSOPHY
When engineering a recording, my goal is to capture the purest sound possible. I want to hear beyond the pitches being produced and capture the unique quality of a given instrument or voice. I strive for a sort of hyper realism where a listener can imagine themselves in the center of the action and where the music can be felt as much as it is heard.
An equally rewarding part of my job is as a Producer, where I have the opportunity to work through great works of music with my clients. While a recording is lost without great engineering, the recorded sound ultimately serves as a vehicle for the music. The musical content of a recording and how it moves the listener is where the greatest level of importance lies and the decisions I make in my work are directly reflected by this philosophy.
During the recording sessions, I strive to provide feedback in a manner that keeps the session flowing, taking the musicians' mood and energy into consideration. It is important to be sensitive of this dynamic because as a performer myself, I know peak level performance can be effected heavily by comfort and mental state. A detailed back and forth exchange continues in the editing process until my clients and I are thrilled with the final product.
In the end, I want my recordings to say something in a real and meaningful way, serving as a representation of both the incredible talent of my clients and our collaboration on the project together.
MY RECORDING SOUND
An oxymoron in itself, my goal is not to impose a sound upon the recording, but rather capture the most rich and realistic representation of a performance.
I have spent years studying the art of electronics to gain an understanding of the tools I use and how I might manipulate them to achieve the best sound possible.
In large scale audio equipment manufacturing, considerations have to be made based on a broad scope of situations engineers might encounter. Due to this, sacrifices are made in the electronic design that can cause the sound to become muffled or constrained. Since I understand how exactly my equipment will be used, I am able to avoid these shortcomings thus opening the sound significantly.
The effect is similar to removing layers of film between you and a sound source. Every time a layer is removed you experience a heightened level of detail and realism.
Because the electronics of my equipment are completely custom, the sound of your recording will truly be one of a kind.