February 2026

Love is in the air with pre and post Grammy week celebrations. Meet the producer behind the Music's biggest Day. Discover the why behind the what with an artist who produces dreams. Visit a studio on the move in NOHO. What Uk studios want. She's in the video spotlight with her 1st Grammy. We've got news from UMG, NYU...Grab an espresso & enjoy this month's serving.

2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony®, live from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, took place on Sunday, Feb. 1. The day showcased incredible line up of musicians who came together to recognize their peers, this year's nominees and winners. "The Premiere Ceremony is one of the most exciting parts of Grammy weekend...Witnessing the ceremony, you see the wide range of genres and crafts that make up our music community, and all the people who push music forward," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. 

Grammy® and Latin-Grammy-winning producer Cheche Alara was back on the Music's Biggest Day producing and music directing the Premiere Ceremony. First-time Grammy® nominee Darren Crisswill helped kick off the ceremony, as host.

For almost a decade (since 2017), Alara has curated over hundred pieces of music and assembled for the show some of LA's top musicians to include studio session favorites Dean Parks, Leland Sklar, Luis Conte, and Giovanna Moraga Clayton. The music, performed in-between introductions, serenades the nominees, as they get on stage, give their brief (under a minute) acceptance speeches, and walk away with awards. Due to the high volume of awards presented in a short time, Alara is given the difficult task of not appearing to rush or cut off speeches, and he manages the high-wire act skillfully.

In 2025 Alara received an Emmy nomination for producing the song Still Haunted by You from Girl Haunts Boy by Justin Kawika Young, sung by Michael Cimino, and mixed by Peter Mokran.

As a Music Producer, Alara has worked with Camila Cabello, Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, Annie Lennox, David Bisbal, Claudia Brant (2019 Grammy winner -Best Latin Pop Album), and many others.

In the same year, Alara had the following Latin Grammy nominations: BEST TRADITIONAL POP ALBUM

Natalia Lafourcade “Live from Carnegie Hall” (Cheche Alara: Producer + Music Director + Arranger);

BEST ARRANGEMENT “Te Deseo Muy Felices Fiestas (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas)” (Cheche Alara: Arranger + Producer + Conductor); and BEST MUSIC VIDEO LONG FORM

“Lamento” (Written by Gaby Moreno and Cheche Alara).

Presenters for the first Grammy Awards® of the Day included Dave Koz, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edgar Barrera, Jesse Welles, Sierra Hull, Trombone Shorty, and five-time Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and former Recording Academy® Board of Trustees Chair Jimmy Jam.

The ceremony's opening number featured a performance by nominees Grace Potter, Israel Houghton, Lila Iké, Maggie Rose,and Trombone Shorty.

The show streamed live on the Recording Academy's YouTube channel and on live.GRAMMY.com.

The Premiere show is produced by Branden Chapman, Chantel Sausedo, Rex Supa, and Ruby Marchand on behalf of the Recording Academy. Greg V. Fera was the executive producer.

Congrats to all 2026 Grammy Winners and Nominees here

Above: Mooka Rennick at Prairie Sun Recording Studios, Cotati, CA. The CORN Room in Studio C is the "Live Chambers" of the three studios of PSR. Photographed in 2012. John Burgess/The Press Democrat

Prairie Sun Live (PSL) conducts its first educational seminar for DiGiCo/Fourier Training Event on Tuesday, February 24th, 11am from Windsor Castle (Portland, OR).

"PSL has been with DiGiCo since 2013, and it has become the standard of excellence in live sound. This event is for live sound engineers. We'd love to have you join us!" says the seminar's host, Mooka Rennick.

"DiGiCo/Fourier offers a software revolution for live audio that we will aim to demonstrate. It's a hardware-enabled audio software platform that helps engineers create extraordinary live audience experiences," adds Rennick.

RSVP to mookasun@gmail.com or ethan.schweiger@gmail.com

When Producer Mark Mooka Rennick was growing up near the Prairie fields in Illinois he had a dream. He would come to California, meet the Grateful Dead, start his own band and open his recording studio. Mooka did that and more. He founded his politically charged spoken-word ensemble, the Abolitionists, and Grammy Award-winning Eugene Productions (Tom Waits, Rick Derringer, Eric Gales, Larry Coryell, Shuggie Otis).

Next Rennick set up his residential studio, Prairie Sun Recording.

Mooka with Eugene Productions opened their live sound company Prairie Sun Live in 2012. 

Over the last four decades Rennick's studio, Prairie Sun Recording hosted a large number of musicians from nearby Bay Area, Sonoma, and San Francisco to include: Faith No More and Testament who did their debut records. Van Morrison, Booker T. Jones, Carlos Santana, Dick Dale, the Doobie Brothers, Gregg Allman, Johnny Otis, the Melvins, Primus and Les Claypool, Wu Tang Clan, AFI, Mickey Hart, Iggy Pop, and Nancy Wilson came to Prairie Sun to record.

Rennick guesses that Prairie Sun has done over a hundred of Shrapnel Records (Mike Varney's heavy metal label) releases over the decades featuring legendary guitarists Tony MacAlpine and Yngwie Malmsteen, to name a few.

PSR's large echo chamber, largely used to track drums, featured a mural painted by Tubes’ drummer Prairie Prince that resembles the prairie fields of Rennick's youth, where he grew up in Wyoming, Ill.

You could say Rennick became known for having the pulse on choosing the right mix of gear. His studio had the Beach Boys recording console, and a Neve console that the Who recorded their 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia on and several vintage Studer two-inch, 24-track tape machines.

As a bassist, Rennick has played with Billy C Farlow among others, and continues to write songs for The Abolitionists. "This week I'm working on a song called Not What They Told You. It's about life in rural Appalachia where people live on a low wage, navigate a toxic sociology, deal with addiction, education and opportunity, etc. The best thing about what I do is the cool people I meet. The second thing is that I call everybody Bubba," Rennick says smiling. Prairie Sun Recording closed its commercial location on June 1st, 2022. "PSR is now open and operating by invitation only, and is still available with its two satellite studios in Portland and Sonoma County," says Rennick. Visit Prairie Sun for more information.

Tom Waits put Prairie Sun on the world music map with his songs from Mule Variations Hold On, What’s He Building? Big In Japan (mixed in Studio A by Oz Fritz).

Waits began working at Prairie Sun in 1989, after relocating from Los Angeles to Sonoma County. "Waits chose the room, settled into and recorded in, most notably his critically acclaimed album Bone Machine. It became the famous Waits room. Bone Machine was all cut on a Trident TSM in Studio A tracked remotely from the Waits Room and the live chambers. It was a very aggressive sound. The rest of Mule Variations was recorded and mixed on the Neve in Studio B, all analog," adds Rennick.

Waits produced a series of significant records at Prairie Sun from the late 1980s into the early 2000s, including the remarkable contribution to Jack Kerouac Reads On the Road when the singer collaborated with Californian funk metal band Primus on the Kerouac song On the Road in 1999, a swamp blues companion to the novelist’s own stripped back version on the same landmark work.

Other key records from the Waits catalogue have also emerged from this rare and inspirational setting: Bone Machine (1992); The Black Rider (1993), an extraordinary co-project with William Burroughs; Mule Variations (1999); and much of the sparingly eclectic triple collection Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006). "One of the great stories is Jack Kerouac, who was living at his mother’s house in Florida and sang one of his poems into his mom’s cassette recorder. Then Tom Waits came in and did a recording of that mix at Prairie Sun, and now it’s in the national archives," says Rennick.

Enjoy this short interview with Mark "Mooka" Rennick.

SE: You're a musician first. When did you pick up a musical instrument?

MR: Picked up the bass age 9. Piano 4, guitar 7.

SE: Who are your musical heroes? 

MR: Well my dear of course the Beatles, The Who and incidentally, my dad listened to a lot of Blue Note jazz. Top 40 everything, of course. The Doobie Brothers, naturally. I'm an American boy by all means. 

SE: As a mixer and producer your credits include many artists that hover between Blues, Heavy metal, classical, jazz, and rock.. How did you learn to mix/produce?

MR: Thru osmosis working as an engineer first then early on and working with Larry Otis (Ike and Tina’a tour/recording artist) and Billy C Farlow (Commander Cody lead vocalist). Billy Prine (John Prices brother) Norton Buffalo, Jack Blades (Night Ranger, Damn Yankees). Working with the jazz and prog students at SSU early on. Some of whom went on to be huge in their field.

SE: Name a few producers/engineers who have inspired you? 

MR: Oz Fritz was huge. Tom Waits, Steve Fontano, Mike Varney, Steve Smith (Journey) Ali Akbar (Khan’s family), and too many to mention them all.

SE: Introduce your music/band, the recordings you've done and what's coming up?

MR: Working as a solo artist named Mark “Mooka” Rennick on Bandcamp and The Abolitionists on Bandcamp, with a remaster of our classic first session, The Road. The recordings are also on streaming services.

SE: What's your proudest moment as a studio owner?

MR: The day Tom Waits won Best Alternative Artist and our phone conversation for his achievement was very memorable. He was very humble and sweet about the process and thanked us for our service.

I then called my dad John D. Rennick Sr. back home and shared my gratitude for his support and love and he was very happy to hear that we got to make a moment in time, in history for Bone Machine. I miss my dad.

SE: Your thoughts about audio or music education?

MR: What they don't teach you in school is that musicians end up multi-tasking a lot to navigate life. Don’t give up your day job. Make your plan B job closely related to your dream job. Attend songwriter workshops. Play live. Go for walks. Read my weekly Facebook posts: Mooka’s Why Behind The What.

SE: You acquired some prized gear over the years for your studio — what has been your criteria for picking the right gear and where do you think recording industry is headed?

MR: Cheap and cheerful! Find it used and rebuild it. Work with sound technicians who are well connected and have strong opinions. Use gear that people want and don’t pay retail and trade and work the manufactures. Develop a relationship with the manufacturers and distributors.

SE: Your unique, rural studio attracted big names like Prairie Prince of the Tubes, Tom Waits.....why do you think they came to your studio Prairie Sun?

MR: The model of having a residential studio is priceless. To be in the right time and the right place is also huge. Sometimes it was referral and or it was price or they liked a country boy like me. The farm was huge for me, it brightened my day because I grew up rural and out in the hinterlands.

SE: How would you describe the transition of Prairie Sun over the years?

MR: We grew and grew and left the commercial business in a better place than when we started. Lots of challenges due to the cost of living in Northern CA. Having said that, tons of opportunities in such a cosmopolitan area, such as the Northern Californian Bay Area.

SE: What's your advice to a young musician starting today?

MR: Have a spiritual program of any choice whether it be your band or family and keeping the faith that people love, love music, they adore it, and it is the greatest gift to man. You can find it anywhere in the world. Feed that music with your heart and soul and keep learning, teaching and give back. It will pay you back in spades.



A short note from the editor, yours truly: Mark "Mooka" Rennick is a dear friend, and a true artist who remains curious and optimistic. He gave me, out of college, my first studio job at Prairie Sun. The five years that followed provided a valuable education and encouragement that helped open doors for me. Above all, Rennick remains a dear friend and advisor I trust and respect.

Thank you Mooka and continued success with your music and Prairie Sun Live!

Listen to The Killers perform Land of The Free recorded at Prairie Sun here Listen to Mark “Mooka” Rennick on Bandcamp and The Abolitionists on Bandcamp 
Read Rennick's weekly Facebook posts: Mooka’s Why Behind The What.

TransAudio Group hosted a NAMM preview of the new ATC speaker subs on January 16 at East West Studios. Guests from studios and production community attended and enjoyed the playback on the new line of speakers, using SonoruS Holographic Imaging (SHI) Tapes played on SonoruS Audio ATR10 mkII Analog Tape Player.

The longtime U.S. ATC distributor launched the new ATC SCS120 Pro, a powerful new 15-inch active subwoofer designed to deliver outstanding low-frequency performance for modern professional studios. Designed to partner with ATC’s mid-field and main monitor systems, the new model builds on the SCS70 Pro with more headroom, deeper bass, and performance suited for stereo, surround, and immersive formats including Dolby Atmos.

The SCS120 Pro uses ATC’s newly developed 15-inch carbon-paper composite driver, hand-built in the UK. The driver combines a short-coil/long-gap motor system with optimized airflow for low distortion, extended response below 20Hz, and improved cooling. The subs achieve deep, accurate bass through high-quality drive-unit engineering and a slightly larger cabinet – without relying on heavy electronic processing – resulting in better phase response and clearer integration with monitors.

The subwoofer is powered by ATC’s hand-built 300W Class AB amplifier, featuring balanced inputs and output for pass through, analogue 4th-order Linkwitz-Riley low-pass filtering (including an 80Hz option and bypass), adjustable phase and polarity, and precise level control. A footswitch-operated mute circuit allows multiple subs to be muted together.

The SCS120 Pro pairs naturally with ATC SCM100/110/150A Pro monitors, and multiple units can be used for larger rooms or with main monitors like the SCM200/300A Pro. The increased dynamic capability makes it particularly suitable for immersive audio and post-production environments with demanding LFE content. ATC recommends using the Dolby Audio Room Design Tool (DARDT) for Atmos room system design.

Noted Brad Lunde, president and founder of TransAudio Group, “Rarely do you find a company that values creativity, musicality, and performance with precision engineering."

The SCS120 Pro is available now. For more details visit here

ATC speaker subs playback with SonoruS Tapes and Analog Tape Player at East West Studios on January 16. Trans Audio Group's pre-NAMM preview for select production community and guests. Below Brad Lunde with guests, and host Candace Stewart of East West and Claris Dodge of studioexpresso. Photos: studioexpresso

Studio City Sound Moves

ATC speakers I New Location I Dolby Atmos Services

Top: Studio City Sound features ATC speakers in studio A with Rachel Goodman. 
Below: Sabrina Carpenter recording in 2015 at @studiocitysound on Telefunken U47

Studio City Sound moved to its new location near the trendy NOHO distict of North Hollywood in December 2025.

According to Rachel Goodman, the studio recently hosted Reverse Pathogen, led by Clayton Thomas and Josh Freese, and "The Queen of Country", Reba McEntire--Catch @reba every Monday night on @nbcthevoice.

"She was in Studio A for a super exciting upcoming project," says Goodman.

The studio owned by Grammy-winning mixer Tom Weir (No Doubt, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Rooney) has hosted a wide array of prominent artists and bands over its 20-plus year history.

Notable artists who have recorded or mixed at the studio include Sabrina Carpenter (left), Kelly Clarkson, No Doubt, Eric Clapton, Tim Pierce, T.I., Meghan Trainor, Weezer, and Jeff Beck.

Studio City Sound has three fully equipped studios, with a spacious tracking room, Iso Rooms, and a world class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage gear. "Our Studio C is the Dolby Atmos Room. Studio A has a 1976 Neve 8068 and ATC speakers," says Goodman, seen here singing Labor of Love for a Tiny Desk contest.

The studios' dedicated staff of engineers offer recording, mixing, mastering, Dolby Atmos Mixing, post-production, ISDN, Transfers, Mobile Recording, Live Sound and Video Production.

For more information contact Tom Weir or reach out to Rachel Goodman 818-505-9368 I booking@studiocitysound.com
Studio City Sound is now located at: 10707 magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood

East West's legendary Studio One (Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones) is booked for variety of sessions from single voice to 70-piece symphonic orchestra. Brent Fischer Orchestra recorded in one with a 56-piece ensemble.

Spanning over 61,000 cubic feet with a vibrant sound, the iconic studio comes complete with a spacious isolation booth and a beautiful Bechstein D-280 Concert Grand Piano. The control room features an 80-channel Neve 8078 Console, the largest in the world (originally commissioned for Michael Jackson's best-selling album, Thriller).

Each room at East West is equipped with a DB Technologies db4496 A/D-D/A Converter and ATC SCM25 Pro Mk2 house monitors along with NS10/ProAc speakers and are set up with Pro tools HD.

Right: Grammy-winner producers Brent Fischer and Dave Reitzas in studio one control room during a VIP event hosted by Source Connect

Below: Evergreen studios Hall of Fame. photos: by the C

Top Left: Jeff Greenberg, owner and CEO with Snoop Dogg at The Village

Housed in 1920s Medinah Temple, the historic landmark studios, for almost six decades, The Village has recorded hundreds of legendary Grammy Award-winning albums and Academy Award-winning movie soundtracks. One of the studio's Grammy-winning, staff engineers, Alex Williams, used ATC 25s on the Jon Batiste We Are sessions, as well as the award-winning Odessa sessions. He also worked with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Regina Spektor, Perry Farrell and many more. Noted Williams, “The quality of ATC’s design and construction is apparent upon opening the box. From recording to mixing, the ATCs perform flawlessly on rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, or orchestral. I know what I’m hearing is what I’m getting. I’m thrilled that The Village is outfitting three studios with the new ATC SCM25A Pro Mk2s.”

“Choosing ATC SCM25A Pro Mk2s for Village's main studios is an incredible validation of this product’s excellence,” says Brad Lunde, president and founder of TransAudio Group.

Left: Mastering engineer Natalie Bibby at Air with ATCs

In 2018 the studios started by Beatles producing genius George Martin added a full-range of speaker monitoring system with two ATC P2 PRO Dual Mono Power Amplifier additions.

Invest in Good Speaker Stands. Why? While looks can be deceiving, you must have seen concrete blocks and other DIY configurations used in some project studios. Speaker stands may not be on top of your purchasing list, but this 19-minute video by Colt Capperrune @ColtCapperrune may change your mind. $20 block stands are compared with professional stands ranging from $140 Gators to $1,200 Sound Anchor stands. Can you guess which one performs the best? check it out here Adjust-ability is also important for Speakers. For optimum sound quality the speaker’s acoustical axis should be at approximately ear level for the most consistent and best sound.

Sound Anchor adjustable monitor stands allow you to adjust the position of the monitors (height, angle and tilt) so you can place the monitors where they need to be for the highest quality sound.

Sound Anchors and Redmount products are designed and manufactured in Palm Bay, Florida U.S.A. using American parts and skilled American labor. click here for Sound Anchor dealers in USA

Starstruck Entertainment, the parent company of Starstruck Studios was founded in 1988 by Narvel Blackstock. Located on Music Row, Starstruck Studios is considered one of the top iconic Nashville recording facilities, and recently chose an ATC 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos configuration and paired it with their SSL System TS-500 console for their Dolby Atmos room.

"ATC 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos system is cited as the speaker system of choice for the growing number of multichannel immersive sound studios.

Manufactured and designed in the UK to the highest engineering standards, it was only natural ATC could develop this solid niche," says Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group.

ATC models:

SCM25As

SCM45As,

SCM50ASLs

SCM100ASLs

"ATC monitors are something you have to experience. Lets just say that you can hear details you’ve never heard before, leading you to faster, more accurate decisions in your creative process," says Brad Lunde, President of Trans Audio Group

ATC SCM 25a pro mk2 has been upgraded with ATC’s hand made proprietary SH25-76S Dual Suspension Tweeter, extending the high-frequency response with a reduction in distortion. " The best of the best rely on ATC monitoring as their main solution for tracking, mixing and mastering. Like the original SCM25A, the new upgraded Mk2 is a compact 3-way high-performance active studio monitor loudspeaker, based around the hand made proprietary ATC 3”/75mm soft mid-dome driver and 6.5”/164mm bass driver loaded in a 25-litre vented cabinet," adds Brad Lunde, President of Trans Audio Group. Models range from $5,000 to $50,000 per pair and all share a very similar sound. For larger rooms and midfield, applications check out the SEM45 with dual 6.5-inch drivers and the fantastic SEM150 with a 15-inch woofer and 350 Watts of power. More info here

2026 Recording Industry Golf & Poker Tournament

Registration Now Open!

Monday, June 29th, 2026

Santa Clarita, CA

Register today here! The Recording Industry Golf & Poker Tournament

Be a part of this awesome community!

For more events visit our calendar

Above: studioexpresso and Trans Audio Group presented "Atmos-ize Your Music" at NAMM on Thursday January 23, 2025. Below: Speakers for the session: l-r: Cam O'Bi, Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group, Ryan Ulyate, Eva Reistad, Brent Fischer, Harry Weinger of UMG, and Claris Sayadian Dodge of studioexpresso.

studioexpresso and Trans Audio Group have featured many producers, and musicians over the past ten years of TEC Track's history at NAMM

Curt Bisquera (Sarah McLachlan, Elton John), Kenny Aronoff (Smashing Pumpkins, John Mellencamp, Sting), Greg Penny (Elton John, KD Lang), Cam 'Obi (J Cole, Chance the Rapper), Niko Bolas (Neil Young, LeAnn Rimes), Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hedrix, Kiss), Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Faith No More), Cheche Alara (Christina Aguilera), Kim Bullard (Elton John, Kelly Clarkson), Cristina Abaroa (Celine Dion, Enrique Iglasias), Brady Leffler (Hot Chelle Rae, Justin Beieber), Al Schmitt (Diana Krall, Paul McCartney), Alex Acuna (LA Phil, Beck), Teddy Campbell (American idol, The Tonight Show w Leno), Ellis Hall (Ray Charles, Tower of Power), Jacob Armen (Prince), Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt), Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Melody Gardot), Manny Marroquin (Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys), Dave Schiffman (Adele, Limp Bizkit), Gregg Field (Sinatra, Pharell), Sylvia Massy (Tool, Johnny Cash), CJ Vanston (Toto, spinal Tap), Dame Gail Dorsey (David Bowie, Gwen Stefani), Jenny Mason (The Mrs), Neal Pogue (Outkast, Andre 3000), Eva Reistad (Dune 1,2, Alien, Sherlock Holmes), Leland Sklar (Phil Collins, James Taylor), Moogie Canazio (Sergio Mendes, Sarah Vaughan), Rafa Sardina (Lady Gaga, John Legend), Daniel Seeff (KJazz, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz), James Torme, Zev Feldman of Resonance Records (Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Nat King Cole), John Wooler of Mood Media (Flying Lotus, Elton John, Miles Davis), David Benoit, Harry Weinger (Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, Frank Sinatra), Matt Wong, Ryan Ulyate (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), Ian Charbonneau (Mana, Neil Young, Jake Owen), Steve Genewick (Spinal Tap, Martina McBride, Michael Buble) David Reitzas (Weeknd, Madonna, Luis Miguel), and Grammy^®-winning Brent Fischer (Usher, Elvis Costello, Symphonic Prince).

Bettermaker Mastering Limiter 2.0 Convenient, easy-to-use plug-in control and instant recall.

“From Grammy-award winners, to top international recording artists, home and free-standing recording studios, the original Mastering Limiter is that piece of go-to gear that adds that particular dynamic edge and significant touch towards the end of the recording process.

The Bettermaker Mastering Limiter 2.0 has faster release time, a lowered noise floor and the same 100% analog signal path with the ease of digital plug-in control and recall. This one is a superstar product,” adds Brad Lunde, president, and founder of TransAudio Group

Watch Vlog review by DJ, Producer, Jon Sine of the new Bettermaker Mastering 2.0 here

The Bettermaker Mastering Limiter 2.0 is priced at $3,500 in USA and is now available for shipping.

Above at 2025 NAMM Bettermaker Booth 10302 in Hall A, is the legendary Stevie Wonder checking out the game-changing accessibility of the new Bettermaker VSPE which allows for seamless control of Bettermaker hardware and plugins using voice commands, using its cutting-edge open source AI technology (created in partnership with The MIDI Association’s Music Accessibility Standard Special Interest Group MASSIG as well as real-time speech feedback for accurate parameter adjustments.

"The Daking Mic Pre 4T, nominated for a TEC Award 2023, will elevate any recording offering unique solutions to common problems," say Brad Lunde (click top left image for a video presentation by Brad Lunde). The “low-distortion” Jensen input and output transformers offer more linear low-end performance under super dynamic conditions. Daking’s own variable high-pass filter dials out the low-frequency mud that can be subsonic and will decrease available headroom. Built in the USA, Daking uses only high-end parts like Jensen input and output transformers in a high-end design using all-discrete transistor Class A circuitry. Unusually high 24dB of headroom and easy to read twenty segment meters make proper gain staging easy and forgiving under a wider array of conditions.

Auratone Celebrates its 50th anniversary, Auratone and its US distributor, TransAudio Group, introduced the first-ever Active 5C, nominated for TEC Awards at NAMM 2023.

A careful R&D process has been implemented to maintain the original characteristics of the 5C, utilizing the same amplifier design from the NAMM TEC Award winning A2-30 amplifier.

“We were happy to get boutique Polish manufacturer Bettermaker together with Alex Jacobsen, owner, and grandson of founder Jack Wilson, for the perfectly matched A2-30 amplifier. Now, the two companies have collaborated to get a mono amplifier that contains the guts and soul of the A2-30 into each chassis for the active version,” says Brad Lunde, founder, and president of TransAudio Group.

The Auratone Active 5C is now shipping • MAP: $749/pair

Like the other 5C variants, the Auratone ACTIVE 5C is made in the USA.



Trans Audio Group -- The Recording Studio Equipment Experts. Call to order from their trusted brands:

A-Designs (USA), ATC Loudspeakers (UK), Auratone, Bettermaker, Daking Audio, Drawmer, Hakan, Latch Lake, Mojave Audio, Mutec, Pete's Place Audio, Sabra-Som, Subwoofer Pros, and Tube-Tech 

Questions- pricing, availability and dealer locations please email sales@transaudiogroup.com

Inspired by the legendary ‘Motown EQ’ sound, Drawmer created two new 500 series EQs. Each unit offers 7-band proportional Q equalizers with EQ curves akin to the renowned ones used in the illustrious Detroit studios of the 1960s. These 100% analog units feature sevens bell curves, each having a variable cut/boost of ±10dB and set at the beautifully musical frequencies of the original.

The MQ-1 offers a single channel Mono 7-band EQ, with the highly regarded ‘CRUSH’ feature present on the Drawmer 1971 Dual 4-Band Parametric Equalizer rack unit. When you activate the crush circuit, get ready for some pleasing harmonic saturation and that classic analog warmth that adds a ton of character to any signal passing through the unit. CRUSH fattens up the bass, adds presence to the mids, and brings a delightful shimmer to the top end. The harder you drive the EQ the more crush you’ll get! The MQ-1 is a single-slot 500 series module. The MQ-2 offers the same EQ curves, but in full stereo, and is far more than an equalizer. It also incorporates a program-dependent, single-knob compressor that adapts its envelope to the characteristics of the signal. The order of the EQ and Compressor in the signal path can be swapped according to your requirements. The MQ-2 also has the same integrated ‘CRUSH’ feature that warms up your mix with harmonic saturation, and additionally includes comprehensive metering. The MQ-2 is a 2-slot 500 series module.

Visit Drawmer at TransAudio Group for more details.

Pricing: MQ-1 $349.00 • MQ-2 $539.00

The new Drawmer 1971 4-band parametric EQ, available in the U.S. from TransAudio Group.

Trans Audio Group introduces Drawmer 1971 4-Band Parametric EQ. This new edition to the Drawmer 70s series of FET-based gear offers two channels of fully featured 4-band parametric EQ and a new CRUSH button with the ability to deliver a myriad of unique musical applications on each bandwidth.

Noted Brad Lunde, president and founder of TransAudio Group, “Widely popular, the Drawmer 70’s series has received many industry awards, and this new EQ is sure to follow. The features embodied in the 1971, plus the amazing new CRUSH button, allow for fine-tuned tactile tone sculpting. CRUSH is a dramatic tool. Engineers and producers will love the diverse and subtle creative options. Drawmer gear is designed and handmade by Drawmer in the UK – no small feat for a pro audio manufacturer.”

Now Available. Price: $1799.00 Details here

Benjamin Wallfisch of The Mix Lab has been nominated for the 2026 ASCAP Composers' Choice Award for Television Score of the Year for his work on IT: Welcome to Derry.

The ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards gives the ASCAP community of composers a means to recognize the artistic accomplishments of their peers. The nominations panel includes both composers and film, television and video game industry leaders.

Set within the world of Stephen King’s iconic IT universe, IT: Welcome To Derry expands the mythology of Derry, Maine, drawing from King’s landmark novel and the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in IT and IT: Chapter Two.

Continuing his acclaimed collaboration with Andy and Barbara Muschietti, Wallfisch delivers a haunting and immersive score that fuses sweeping orchestral passages, ghostly thematic motifs, and visceral sound design. Welcome To Derry (Soundtrack From The HBO Original Series) is released on Waxwork Records.

ASCAP Composer Nominees were hand-picked by a nominating panel of composers and film, TV and video game industry leaders. The winners will be announced during this year's ASCAP Screen Music Awards celebration. Voting is open to eligible ASCAP writer members through March 6 at 11:59 PM ET. Here are the nominees and where you can vote.



L-R: Larry S. Miller, Executive Director, Sony Audio Institute; Alissia, Sony Audio Institute Artist-In-Residence; Jordy Freed, Senior Director & Deputy Head, Personal Entertainment Business, Sony Corporation of America] Photo Credit: Ben Ouriel

Late last year, the Sony Audio Institute at New York University had announced that GRAMMY-nominated producer Alissia (top middle) has been named as its inaugural Artist-In-Residence.

Alissia’s appointment marks the first in what will be an ongoing program to bring world-class music professionals directly into the academic environment.

Alissia made history as the 9th woman ever to receive a GRAMMY nomination for Producer of the Year. Her work spans collaborations with Anderson.Paak, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Nile Rodgers, Kaytranada, Calvin Harris, and many others, establishing her as a multifaceted talent and prolific producer in the contemporary music landscape.

"With the official launch of the Sony Audio Institute, we are providing students with a state-of-the-art experience to create, experiment, and lead. The institute represents the perfect harmony of technology and artistry, ensuring our graduates are fully equipped with the hard and soft skills to enter the industry of today -- and help invent the future of music creation and experience," said Larry S. Miller, director, Sony Audio Institute

[L-R: Jack H. Knott, Dean, NYU Steinhardt; Masaaki Oshima, Head, Personal Entertainment Business Unit, Sony Corporation; Linda G. Mills, President, New York University; Hiroshi Nakamura, Senior Vice President, Sony Corporation; Jun Makino, Vice President, Sony Corporation of America’s Personal Entertainment Business; Jordy Freed, Senior Director & Deputy Head, Personal Entertainment Business, Sony Corporation of America; Larry S. Miller, Executive Director, Sony Audio Institute]

On Feb. 3, New York University's Sony Audio Institute hosted a dedication ceremony to celebrate the official renaming of the Sony Audio Institute Studio at NYU.

The program featured welcome remarks and brief speeches, the official dedication ceremony and the unveiling of new signage and a commemorative plaque recognizing the ongoing collaboration between NYU and Sony Corporation’s Personal Entertainment Business’ U.S. operations. The event included a walkthrough of the Studio, a creative hub designed to support NYU students at the intersection of music, business, and technology. The studio is equipped with Sony’s technology including 360 Reality Audio and 360 Virtual Mixing Environment along with MDR-MV1 open-back headphones, enabling immersive listening and mixing experiences that replicate the acoustic field of a professional studio using headphones. Following the ceremony, students convened for culminating presentations tied to a semester-long student project exploring the future of music and listening creation.

"Today, we come together to celebrate the joining of global powerhouses — Sony and NYU — two world-renowned organizations that, for decades, have been at the vanguard of music, technology, and innovation," said Linda G. Mills, president, New York University.

The musicpro26.com artists’ career development conference is set for March 27-29, 2026, at Musicians Institute in Hollywood with a collection of new sessions.

Hosted by Give A Note Foundation – the 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to nurturing, growing, and strengthening music education opportunities – and with premier sponsors MusicPro Insurance and Pandora AMP, MusicPro ‘26 features panels, workshops, live interviews, keynotes and more about achieving success in today’s music industry. The conference will also provide artists with an opportunity to network with fellow musicians and industry leaders. The additional sessions include:

• Gregg Bissonette on The Business Side of Music, presented by The Sessions
• Building Your Marketing Toolbox, with TREND PR’s Hunter Scott
• The TikTok Wizardry of Kira Lise, presented by Shure
• Those Who Can, Teach, with Michael Palmisano
• The Supervisor’s Side of Synch, moderated by Silver Side’s Mike Locke
• The Work and Times of Mark Isham, with Film Director Tal Skloot
• From Kit to Classroom, A Masterclass with Rashid Williams
• The Salt Lick Incubator “Song Camp,” with Jordyn Simone
• Telling Your Story: Building Your Career Through Publicity with Geoff Mayfield

The full list of sessions can be found here.

To register to attend MusicPro ’26, go to musicpro26.com. MusicPro '26 is produced by Westchester Media. For more, contact Jake Martin at jmartin@intunepartners.com. 

A Cacapehon Recording Retreat in West Virginia

Featuring Scoring Mixer John Rodd

Sunday, May 3 to Friday, May 8, 2026

What could be more enchanting than hikes at Eagle Rock Trails, watching Sunsets and Aurora Borealis?

A recording retreat with engineer John Rodd.

Rodd has worked on film and TV projects with composers including Cliff Martinez (The Lincoln Lawyer), Frederik Wiedmann (Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox), Dave Porter (Breaking Bad) and Ryan Amon (the $100 million summer blockbuster Elysium), and on many top video games including Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Mass Effect 3, Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Assassin’s Creed II, and works extensively with Blizzard Entertainment on the World of Warcraft series.

"This spring, I have two big Hollywood film score projects with production dates that keep getting shuffled around, but if the stars align, I will be once again mentoring at Cacapehon! I have been mentoring at this recording and songwriting retreat in Capon Springs, West Virginia for many years. I have always loved the music experience, as well as the hiking, golf, shuffleboard, fishing and bingo. It'll be a small group and all-inclusive, so just show up, meet new people, eat home-cooked food, and immerse yourself in music," says Rodd.

All this plus five days of learning, listening, and relaxing in a community made up of world-class mentors and fellow music makers at Cacapehon Recording Retreat. The program kicks off at 5pm on Sunday May 3th and finishes after lunch (2pm) Friday May 8th, 2026. Cacapehon is held at the Capons Springs & Farms resort on the eastern edge of West Virginia, less than 2 hours from Washington DC. The closest airport is Washington Dulles International which is about 90 minutes away.

Retreat Registration at $1747 includes lodging in a private room with private bath, 3 meals a day (plus snacks) and all workshops. Register here

Members of the House of Lords came together to back calls for studios to receive business rate relief following soaring costs in a debate on February 10.

The Music Producers Guild (MPG) has provided alarming evidence that 50% of studios surveyed are considering closure within the next year. These businesses operate on ultra-thin margins, often requiring 85% occupancy just to break even. "Studios are public-facing cultural spaces, and it’s only right they receive the same support as venues and other leisure businesses,” says Cameron Craig (above), Director, Music Producers Guild (MPG)

The Parliamentary debate was brought forward by longstanding All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music member Lord Clement-Jones in response to the Government’s Non-Domestic Ratings regulations which have received criticism for excluding recording studios from business rate relief (40% relief currently enjoyed by film studios).

The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Committee recommending that the government look again at the issue following representations by UK Music and its members including the Music Producers Guild.

"They (studios) compete in a global market. If it becomes too expensive to record here, artists will simply move to eastern Europe or the United States. We are already seeing top UK artists recording major projects abroad. The urgency cannot be overstated. This means we risk a wave of closures before the first bills even land, simply because the Government have failed to provide certainty.....We are risking the loss of world-class cultural infrastructure. As UK Music warns, without our studios we miss out on finding the next Adele and we lose our soft power to the US or Europe. We cannot let a rigid definition of retail silence the British music industry," said Lord Clement-Jones

The Earl of Clancarty warned: “I hope that this debate will make it very clear how much our recording studios are as much critical creative infrastructure for the music industry as film studios are for the film industry.

Valentine came on the Berlin Film Fest red carpet with celebrity power couple Pop Star Dua Lipa and his bo British actor Calum Turner who were promoting world premiere of his movie Rose Bush Pruning by Brazilian Algerian director Karim Anon (sp), co-stars Pamela Anderson looking at moral deprivity of rich people and how they can be out of touch with reality.

Musician did not hesitate to let their opinions heard during the Grammy show in Los Angeles. Now political debate casts a shadow over 76th Berlin Film Festival, where film directors and actors were careful about political talk specially with regards to human rights violations in Middle East.

Pop star Charlie XCX premiere of her Mocumentary The Moments, satirizing her rise to fame and the highs and lows of working in the music industry.co-stars Alexander Skarsgård (directorial role).

In February 2026, The Puerto Rican-born, Spanish-language artist Bad Bunny solidified his status as a global cultural icon with a series of historic milestones. Following a record-breaking win at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards and winning the top prize with his all-Spanish-language album, he headlined a critically acclaimed Super Bowl LX halftime show.

Bad Bunny is expected to continue his tradition of high-fashion appearances at the 2026 Met Gala in May, following his previous acclaimed looks in Prada (2025) when the 31-year-old wore a dark brown Pava hat, which was used by agricultural workers such as cane cutters and coffee pickers. At the 2026 Grammys, he delivered a powerful, viral message while accepting the award for Best Música Urbana Album, stating:

"We are not savages, we are not animals, we are not aliens, we are humans and we are Americans. The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love".

At the end of his Super Bowl halftime show, Bad Bunny said, "God bless America!"

His upcoming tour dates begin February 21 in Brazil and move to Australia, Spain and Japan.

His last words: "The World will dance."

Until next month,

Express your truth in music. We're listening.

Tell us about your new release, upcoming event, or reach out for music production services. Until next month,


Music Lives and Moves!

Claris Sayadian-Dodge, founder/publisher

claris@studioexpresso.com

Right: With Grammy-winning producer Brent Fischer at Producers+Engineers Wing Honoring Jimmy Douglass at The Preserve LA on January 28, 2026.