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Issue #185 – Mentor News
by L. Swift and Jeff McQ
RRFC: So tell us a little of your backstory. What got you interested in music and engineering in the first place?
Victor Abreu: I’ve always been interested in music growing up…About seven years ago, I had good friends of mine that were into producing music. They were using FL Studio at the time, and I kind of dove into learning it myself…I loved music at that time, but I fell in love with it all over again when I started to learn about mixing and recording different instruments and the studio environment. From there, I realized what my goal was, to become an engineer at a studio and work on records.
RRFC: How long have you been at Clear Track now?
Vic: Two years. I started at Clear Track as an intern…I started from the very bottom, started out cleaning their toilets.
RRFC: And you worked your way up?
Vic: Yeah…Clear Track was an awesome opportunity. I remember when I was going to school, that was the name that everyone was—only a very few people could intern at Clear Track…and I was one of the students. I would say in my personal experience, I’ve learned more interning at Clear Track, as far as practical applications in the studio, I learned more as an intern than I did going to school…interning at Clear Track was a huge learning experience, because I went from interning there to becoming an Assistant Engineer, and now I’m one of the staff engineers.
RRFC: It sounds like you had a very humble, willing-to-do-anything sort of attitude.
Vic: Yes, most definitely.
RRFC: Do you think that’s essential for people who want to make it in this industry?
Vic: Yes, and personally, it’s how you make it in any kind of industry. I think it’s exactly how you described it, that kind of attitude, to just keep plugging away…What makes people successful is putting in their hours, putting in the time, the 10,000 hours that it takes, in and outside of the class environment. And that’s what I always made sure I was doing. I have a little studio in my home too where I’m doing the same thing that I’m doing at the studio, constantly, because that’s what it takes if you want to become a master at something. You have to put in those 10,000 hours.
RRFC: It must be pretty cool to be a teacher now and see the light bulbs go off when you’re teaching.
Vic: It’s actually wonderful, yeah. I love it. Without trying to sound corny or anything, I love that…It’s like falling in love with music all over again. That’s how I describe it really, because you think you know so much about music and your life is basically centered around it, and then you learn much more about it, much more than you thought you knew.
RRFC: We often hear two different opinions on how to be successful in the industry. Some say if you want to work in music today, you have to be a jack-of-all-trades in the studio; others say you just need to focus on one thing. What’s your opinion?
Vic: I think it’s more or less being a jack of all trades, because it’s become the same thing for artists as well…because certain opportunities will arise, especially in the music industry. I remember times where there was a session where someone needed something done in Ableton, and I was able to do it because I know how to use Ableton even though the whole project was being done in Pro Tools…I know how to play piano as well, so sometimes an opportunity will come up where we need a chord progression for this bridge. How do we come up with that? If someone knows how to play the piano, especially the engineer, then that works both ways.
RRFC: What are your thoughts on studio etiquette or working with artists? Like how one should handle artists, how one should vibe what the artist wants from them?
Vic: If you’re just comfortable with people, it becomes very easy. Sometimes, an artist will come in to sing, and I understand that singing isn’t a robotic thing…They have to feel comfortable at some rate when they stand in front of the microphone and sing and do it well. It takes some kind of passion, you know. To be comfortable around people, I feel like that creates that environment to where the artist is able to perform, because that moment when you hit record is a very important moment; that’s what makes a record great. When you think about David Bowie and all the times he sung, those moments when they were recording him and he was able to just sing the way he was able to sing, that’s timeless. So it’s all just based on being comfortable. They’re there to make music, you’re there to make music as well.
RRFC: Have any Recording Connection students been impressing you lately?
Vic: Reece Corarito. He was one of my first students. I’m actually waiting on him to begin his master class with me, because he would be the first one I would conduct the master class with…He just had a good grasp, he was able to get a good sound with his own style. Pretty much for me he’s a natural…He’s extremely talented, very talented producer, and very humble as well, and very, very smart…I have 3 students right now that are 22 and younger. I have one that’s 18. He’s another student that’s extremely talented…James Hernandez. Way, way ahead of his time.
RRFC: In your opinion, what can students in the program do to make the best of the opportunity while they’re going through Recording Connection?
Vic: What I always try to tell them about the whole 10,000 hours thing is to just trust the process. That’s the time you put in to become great. Create opportunities for yourself in the different places that you want to go. Continue that same attitude when you reach that point, and when you reach the next point. Just trust the process. Continue to do what you know how to do best, and everything else pretty much falls into place.
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