We recently connected with David López and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, David thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

So many things have contributed to my education and taught me to do the things I do.

On the musical side, studying theory and playing throughout early childhood established a strong connection to music and gave me a solid foundation to build upon. Having the support of my parents in that was instrumental. Playing in bands and working as a drum tech in high school gave me some really eye-opening industry exposure and learning experience at an early age.

On the technical side, my formal education certainly played a major role in learning my craft. I chose to attend a technical college to study Audio Technology & Production versus a traditional school. I knew there were risks with taking that route and trying to get into music and audio production in general. But that’s truly where I got my foundation and luckily it paid off. Technically, it all started there. If I could change one thing I would have studied music theory and gotten a traditional degree as well. I know it would have sped some things up and made some things easier while opening more doors along the way. With all the ups and downs though, I’m happy with my journey so far and look forward to what’s next.

As far as what skills are most essential in my field, it’s really hard to say as it encompasses so many different areas. Critical listening would certainly have to be towards the very top of the list for obvious reasons. It takes years of practice to hone those skills. So, like with most other aspects of learning audio production, its all about experience. Once you have that initial knowledge base you’ve got to do the stuff over and over and over. Experience in the real world is the only way you’re going to encounter every possible scenario and develop a comfort level through repetition.

Overall, I’m a firm believer that, in my field, proper understanding of theory provides a solid foundation for developing practical skills. That balance has been key for me in continually developing my craft. And my education is definitely ongoing. As audio production professionals, as educators, and as humans for that matter, we can never stop learning. And self-education is a must. I’m often checking out articles or tutorials and trying new techniques to always keep pushing my skills forward. And working in education has had a major impact on my own learning. When teaching others you can, and often will, learn so much yourself.

I’ve also learned a lot by staying flexible and working in different areas within my greater field. My work is all audio production related but I earn a living doing multiple things. Studio & live engineering, teaching, consulting, producing and performing as a percussionist & DJ are all part of it. Not only does it allow me to do all the things I love and give me different potential revenue streams, each of those areas has helped me learn and grow in the others.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by music and began playing at fairly young age. By about 16, I had my first real experience in the industry as a drummer down in Puerto Rico. Shortly after I began working as a drum technician for a major Latin Rock band. After that I started getting more into electronic music and jumped into DJing. In my early twenties I shifted my focus to engineering and production. The blend of technical and creative aspects grabbed me and I decided to study in Miami. From there I started interning at a major studio and worked my way up to staff engineer. My next step was freelancing. After about four years of building my skills in the professional realm I began working in education for an international creative media school. I started as a lab supervisor and then managed the department for a few years. Over time I began doing seminars and guest lectures on campus, which led to working as an adjunct instructor. In 2011 I became an Ableton Certified Trainer. Ultimately I found another passion and taught full-time for about four years. After almost eight years in higher education I went back out on my own. I started freelancing again and eventually found I wanted to step things up and create a new company and brand. That was the beginning of David Lopez Audio. I brought all of my experiences from over the years together for this company.

DLA is a professional audio services company offering consulting, education, engineering and production services, Our clients include artists, musicians, producers, bands, production companies, record labels, venues, houses of worship, colleges and schools, marketing companies and individuals. We specialize in consulting, education and Ableton Certified Training providing customized pro audio training for recording, live sound, music production and performance applications.

What really sets us apart is our length and variety of professional experience. I’ve been working in different areas of music, audio and entertainment for over 25 years. I’ve also worked in education for almost 15 years now. And continually working in the field keeps me sharp when it comes to training and education. I’m also very fortunate to be one of only about 300 Ableton Certified trainers worldwide. One thing I pride myself on is integrity. When people consider DLA for audio production and training services they can be sure I’ll always prioritize them and they’re satisfaction. It’s extremely important to me that, when it’s all said and done, I’ve exceeded their expectations.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

For me it’s all about doing good in this world. It’s about my legacy. I strive to have a positive impact on my surroundings… on my community, the arts and the music and audio production industries. I truly love what I do and helping others achieve their goals. I want to push boundaries and inspire creativity, positivity, awareness and change through my work. That’s what drives me creatively and as a business owner.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

It’s really rewarding for me to be my own boss and make a living doing all of the things I love. And, having a positive impact on others while doing it, even more so. Be it through teaching or an original composition, helping others is, and will always be, the most rewarding aspect of my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.davidlopezaudio.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/davidlopezaudio
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/davidlopezaudio
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidlopezaudio
• Other: https://solo.to/davidlopezaudio – (here you’ll find links to all social, music, web and more)