We recently connected with Caden Kratsch and have shared our conversation below.
Caden, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?
I think ‘Corporate America’ views my field in a completely different light than it should be. The service that engineers provide in the music industry is *insanely* valuable and it is not treated as such. Music as a whole would not be as popular of an art today if it weren’t for recorded music, well-recorded music specifically. A lot of artists, labels, producers, etc. look at engineers as disposable and not as important. I’m being completely honest when I say: Besides live performance, music would not exist without engineers. Hell, even live music requires a sound team. The frequency at which I feel as though I am not valued by my clients or by the industry itself is far too high, and that needs to change. Recording engineers make music sound good raw, and make it mixable. Mixing engineers make music sound even better. Mastering engineers put that final polish on tracks. And to the everyday consumer all they see at the end of the day is the artist releasing a song, when there is SO much more happening behind the scenes. I think engineers deserve way more credit than they get coming from anyone who works in the music industry and anyone who listens to music.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve been singing and playing guitar for over a decade now, and playing drums and bass for about five years. Around the age of fifteen I got into audio, and started learning on my own at home. I kep my passion for music and engineering hrough highschool, and when COVID hit in 2020, I graduated highschool early to start taking an audio production course at my local community college, and then interning at the studio I am now employed at. Being twenty years old, I’d like to think I’m at a pretty awesome spot. I have my dream job, I get to play instruments daily, and the best part is helping artists and bands bring their vision of how their music sounds to life. I absolutely love being able to make professional sounding products for people who want to do music, whether it be for fun or for a career.
I currently work at Gremlen Recording Studios in Aurora, IL. I am practiced in a lot of different genres and styles, but I specialize in recording/mixing bands and creating/engineering anything experimental/avant-garde. Most of my client base is solo pop/rap artists and local bands from around the area. When I first pick up a client, I like to make sure we’re on the same page and vibe well. I think it’s very important for an artist to work with an engineer they can mesh well with, and not just some guy who does the job. I want to provide the best product for my clients, I will always mold to how they want their music to sound. I feel like a lot of engineers record/mix for how THEY want it to sound, and not what the artist wants. Going the extra mile for clients and making sure you are catering to their wants/needs is super important, and I make sure I’m doing that every step of the way.
Music and engineering is my passion, and I am here to help people keep that same passion going by providing quality products and great experiences!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source for new clients has been just going out to local gigs. The local scene in Aurora and the surrounding areas is pretty alive at the moment, and a lot of the bands playing have really good potential. Most of the clients I work with the most are local bands, and most of my repeat clients are local bands as well. Seeing local music getting professional and searching out for quality studio time is super awesome, and I love to support and be a part of that.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Two things. Being able to do the things I love for a living and getting to share that passion with my clients. Doing what you love for a living is a no brainer, if anyone had a chance to do that, they’d take it. And I *love* being able to work with clients who are passionate about their craft as well. Seeing someone get excited and sharing that excitement is amazing and I get to do that every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: gremlenstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cadenkratsch/