

Working Class Audio
Working Class Audio
The Working Class Audio Podcast pulls back the curtain on the professional recording world. Host and audio engineer Matt Boudreau talks with guests from music, film, games, restoration, and beyond—diving into their real-world journeys. No fluff, just honest conversations about the wins, losses, money, collaboration, and survival strategies that define a career in audio. It's recording life from a working class perspective.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 18, 2022 • 59min
WCA #418 with Dave Greenberg - Finding Your Value, Studio Real Estate Lessons, Specializing, Learning from Failure, and a Spite Career
My guest is Grammy-Nominated mastering engineer Dave Greenberg who has worked with Lamb, Switchfoot, Gone is Gone, Niklas Paschburg, The Soft Moon, The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, Mickey Hart, Jelen, Feed the Rhino, and many more.In this episode, we discuss
Photography and Music
Sound and Art
Spite Career
Bad Studio Experience
Assisting in Boston
Cutting Edge Audio
Steven Jarvis
BAYVC
Boomtown
Keller and Cohen
Fred Catero
ISDN
Matt Getting Fired
Moving to Florida
Buying Property
Sonopod
Bankers Hours
Mastering
Specializing
Finding a Building
Designing studio
Studio Real Estate Lessons
Learning from Failure
Finding Your Value
Matt's Rant: The Love of AudioLinks and Show Notes
Dave's Site Sonopod
Sonopod on Instagram
Northward Acoustics
Please leave us a 5 Star Review!
Credits
Guest: Dave Greenberg
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Dec 12, 2022 • 55min
WCA #417 with Pamela Parker - Hyde Street Studios, Occupying Multiple Lanes, Collaboration, Growing Up In DC, and Penny Loafers with Dimes
My guest is Producer, Engineer & Funk Rock Artist Pamela Parker, based in San Francisco. Pamela has worked with Flor De Toloache, Iman Shumpert, and Shock-G and is also a staff engineer at the famed Hyde Street Studios. In this episode, we discuss
Growing Up In DC
Oklahoma Stop
Penny Loafers with Dimes
Playing Numerous Instruments
Soul Searching
Reliving Critical Moments
Music School
Exposure to Studios
One World Studios
Electric Lady Studios
Citizen Cope
Managing Avalon Studios
Color and Music
Side Hustles
Rehearsal Studio/Studio Combo
Jam Cruise
Michael Franti
Maestro Curtis
East Coast
Hyde Street Studios
Singing and Engineering
Occupying Multiple Lanes
Vocal Coaching
Challenging Clients
Collaboration
Surviving
Matt's Rant: Speaking to the Right AudienceLinks and Show Notes
Pamela's Site
Pamela's Vocal Academy
Credits
Guest: Pamela Parker
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Dec 4, 2022 • 57min
WCA #416 with Jez riley French - Listening Below the Surface, Contact Mics and Hydrophones, Traces, Swapping Cassettes, and Music Shop Blokes
My guest is Sound Artist Jez riley French. Jez is widely regarded as having played a pivotal role in expanding the use of contact microphones, hydrophones, electromagnetic coils, ultrasonic detectors, geophones, and VLF receivers in the sound arts, sound design (for the screen, theatre, and radio), and music in a wide range of contexts. His work has included commissions and performances for
Tate Modern (UK)
The Whitworth (UK)
Paradise Air (Japan)
MoT - Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (Japan)
Spikersuppa Lydgalleri, Oslo (Norway)
Baltic (UK)
Steklenik (Slovenia)
Museo Reina Sofia (Spain)
Catalyst Arts (N. Ireland)
Artisphere (USA)
Harpa (Iceland)
Mengi (Iceland)
The Wired Lab (Australia)
Mullae Art Space (Korea)
q-02 (Belgium)
In this episode, we discuss
Open Space of Yorkshire
New Wave and Punk
Sharp Recorder
Fascination with Listening
Sexism in Music
Discovering Contact Mics and Hydrophones
Listening Below the Surface
Pre-Internet Research
Music Shop Blokes
Swapping Cassettes
Feeling Right to Press Record
Traces
Setting up a Distribution Company
Durational Listening
The Emotion of Listening
Audio Memory
Recording Mediums
Sound Art
Making a Living
Field Recording Approaches
There Are No Rules
Influences
Matt's Rant: Holiday ResetLinks and Show Notes
Jez's Website
Pheobe riley Law
Credits
Guest: Jex riley French
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Nov 28, 2022 • 1h 11min
WCA #415 with David Kalmusky - Acid Dropping Hippies, Drum Lessons with Levon Helm, Advocating For Yourself, Addiction Studios, and Swinging the Bat Everyday
My guest is Grammy Nominated producer, engineer, session guitarist, and mixer David Kalmusky who has worked with Shawn Mendes, Carrie Underwood, Mötley Crue, Keith Urban, and Journey. In this episode, we discuss
Stratford, Ontario
The Band
The Rebels/The Hawks
Acid Dropping Hippies
Drum Lessons with Levon Helm
Guitar Lessons with John Till
Family Friends
Addiction Studios
Career Growth in Canada
First Nashville Session
International Conduits
Swinging the Bat Everyday
Focus on the Body of Work
Overnetworking
Mistakes
Experimenting on Your Own Time
Underground Echo Chamber
Building a Workshop
Advocating For Yourself
Social Media Restraint
Division in the Studio
Education
Matt's Rant: Rewriting Our Code From The GroundupLinks and Show Notes
Dave's studio
Dave's Site
Dave on Instagram
Credits
Guest: David Kalmusky
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Nov 21, 2022 • 1h 1min
WCA #414 with Todd Burke - One-Stoplight Towns, Grandmaster Studios, Cocaine Trafficking, Sleeping on a Gobo, The Social Aspects of Recording, and All About Relationships
My guest is Grammy Nominated Recording Engineer Todd Burke, who has worked with Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, The Kooks, Belle and Sebastian, M83, and Fitz and the Tantrums.In this episode, we discuss
One-Stoplight Towns
Colorado
Arizona
California
Conservatory of Arts and Sciences
Grandmaster Studios
Cocaine Trafficking
Sylvia Massey
Sleeping on a Gobo
Ben Harper
The Right Questions at The Right Time
The Social Aspect of Recording
Practicing on Downtime
Figuring Out Your Rate
All About Relationships
Record Better
Tony Hoffer
Affordable Tracking Needs
Enhanced Zoom Calls
Human Interaction
Matt's Rant: Working RemotelyLinks and Show Notes
Todd's Site
Todd on Instagram
Todd on TikTok
Record Better
Record Better on Instagram
Credits
Guest: Todd Burke
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Nov 14, 2022 • 53min
WCA #413 with Katie Tavini and Stephen Kerrison - Running a Virtual Mastering Facility, Sharing Knowledge, The Right Reasons, Social Media Preferences, and Imposter Syndrome.
My guests today are mastering engineers Katie Tavini and Stephen Kerrison, 2/3rds of the virtual mastering facility/collective, Weird Jungle. In this episode, we discuss
Running a Virtual Mastering Facility
Social Media Preferences
Quitting Archiving Job
Imposter Syndrome
Handling Attended Sessions
Liverpool Music Scene
Juggling Calendars
Love of Music
Sharing Knowledge
The Right Reasons
Rates
Matt's Rant: EnvelopingLinks and Show Notes
Weird Jungle Site
Katie's Site
Stephen's Site
Katie on Instagram
Stephen on Instagram
Weird Jungle on Instagram
Matt's Biz Bank Suggestion
Credits
Guest: Katie Tavini & Stephen Kerrison
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Nov 7, 2022 • 1h 8min
WCA #412 with Nathan Ruyle - Growing Up on a Farm, The Wild West, Sound for Film, Bootstrapping and Staying Nimble
My guest today is a Sound Designer / Re-recording Mixer and founder of This Is Sound Design in Burbank, California. Nathan's credits include Joyland - Cannes Jury Prize, Academy Awards, I Love My Dad - SXSW Jury & Audience Award, The Voyeurs - Amazon Studios United Skates - HBO, Academy Awards Short List Searching - Sony, Sundance.In this episode, we discuss
Growing up on a Farm
Scouting
Theater
Singing in Bands
Technology Exposure
Sound Design for Theater
Saint Louis
Cal Arts
Survival
Walt Disney
The Wild West
Coming to California
Building Studios
Making Your Own Way
The Film Industry
Analog vs. Digital Production
Studio Consolidation
NPR and Marketplace
Mixing Efficiency
Bootstrapping
Leasing to Own Gear
Indie Film
Staying Nimble
Financial Track Record
Matt's Rant: DetoursLinks and Show Notes
Nathan's Site
Nathan on Instagram
Quickbooks Online
Small Biz Help
Credits
Guest: Nathan Ruyle
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Oct 31, 2022 • 1h 23min
WCA #411 with James "Fluff" Harley - The Origin of Fluff, Hockeytown USA, Fear of the Unknown, Operating at a Top Level, and Surviving the Prince Bootcamp
My guest today is Engineer/Mixer James "Fluff" Harley, who has worked with KoRn, Prince, and Yumi Matsutoya. In this episode, we discuss
The Origin of Fluff
Hockeytown USA
Car Accident
Recording School
Fear of the Unknown
Craving Knowledge
Crazy Synchronizing
Operating at a Top Level
Tough Skin
Being a Facilitator
Magic in The Booth
Taking a Year Off
Moving to LA
Audio Test Kitchen
Los Angeles
Surviving the Prince Bootcamp
Making a Living
The Stress of the Music Biz
Getting up at 5 AM
Figuring Out What to be Paid
Working with Korn
Matt's Rant: Making Lists!Links and Show Notes
James on Instagram
Bryan Cook Episode
Alex Oana Episode
Chuck Zwicky Episode #1
Chuck Zwicky Episode #2
Chris Collier Episode
Nick Raskulinecz Episode
Dan Korneff Plugins
Credits
Guest: James "Fluff" Harley
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Oct 24, 2022 • 53min
WCA #410 The Impact of WCA Guests - The Emotion of A Mix, Field Recording, Backing Up and Archiving, The Cup Test, and the Many Lessons Learned.
Engineer, theatrical sound designer, and editor of WCA Anne-Marie Pleau joins Matt to discuss the impact that particular WCA guests have had on each of them.In this episode, we discuss
Michael Brauer
Jessica Thompson
George Vlad
Field Recording
Backing Up and Archiving
The Emotion of A Mix
Brian Charles
Saving Masters from a Fire
Tchad Blake
Leslie Braithwaite
Staying Steps Ahead
The Cup Test
Sara Carter
Getting into audio as an adult
Bryan Matheson
Dan Johnson
Working Your Say Up The Ladder
Survival
Andrew Scheps
Steve Albini
Piper Payne
Leslie Braithwaite
Matt's Rant: Dealing with BurnoutLinks and Show Notes
Michael Brauer #319
George Vlad #289
Jessica Thompson #080
Jessica Thompson #338
Steve Albini #164
Piper Payne #045
Piper Payne #251
Brian Charles #376
Tchad Blake #200
Andrew Scheps #009
Andrew Scheps #300
Sara Carter #194
Sara Carter #382
Bryan Matheson #380
Dan Johnson #405
Credits
Guest: Anne-Marie Pleau & Matt Boudreau
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Matt Boudreau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith

Oct 17, 2022 • 56min
WCA #409 with Roy Silverstein - Golden Handcuffs, Burning Out on the Corporate Life, Building a Studio, Taking a Paycut, and No Regrets
My guest is Engineer and studio owner Roy Silverstein who has worked with Stephen El Rey, The Verigolds, The Finches, Matelotage, and Blue Largo. Roy owns Rarefied Recording in San Diego.In this episode, we discuss
Evanston, Illinois
The House Piano
Playing Guitar
University of Miami
Working for Qualcomm
Moonlighting as a Recording Engineer
Burning Out on the Corporate Life
Working with Wes Lachot
Building a Studio
Golden Handcuffs
Taking a Paycut
No Regrets
Looking Ahead
Neve Genesys
Marketing His Studio
Working with Interns
Matt's Rant: Doing It YourselfLinks and Show Notes
Roy's site
Roy on Instagram
Mckay Garner on WCA
Bryan Matheson on WCA
Microphone Parts
Redco
DIY RE
Acoustimac
ATS Acoustics
Download 15 Tips to Help you Survive as an Audio Pro
Credits
Guest: Roy Silverstein
Host: Matt Boudreau
Engineer: Matt Boudreau
Producer: Matt Boudreau
Editing: Anne-Marie Pleau
WCA Theme Music: Cliff Truesdell
Announcer: Chuck Smith