ABOUT
Classical Recording Engineer and Producer, Matt Carr, works with artists from around the world, regularly producing recordings for commercial release. His recordings have been GRAMMY nominated and he has engineered and produced records for some of the world's most revered record labels such as Deutsche Grammophon. His recordings have been 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, Timothy Higgins, Andy Akiho, Alexander String Quartet, Vivian Fung, 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. My goal is for a lush and translucent sound where the listener is enveloped and placed at the center of the action.
As a Producer, I have the privilege to work alongside my clients in capturing great works of music. While a recording is lost without great engineering, I realize the recorded sound ultimately serves only 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 that is concise and keeps the session flowing, taking the musicians' energy and mental state into consideration.
The quality of performance in a recording is effected heavily by the environment. Gauging when or how to say something, when to move on and come back later, and knowing when to break or keep pushing forward is just as important as what to say in the first place. The goal is to leave the sessions feeling there has been nothing left to chance and that we moved through the pieces efficiently.
After the sessions are done, 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 scenarios 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, the circuits in my equipment have been modified to bypass these shortcomings, improving the sound significantly.
The effect is similar to imagining there are several layers of fabric between you and an instrument or speaker. 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 be one of a kind.