We were lucky to catch up with Dylan Hanwright recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Dylan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
I’ve been freelancing (mostly) full time as an audio engineer and producer for about five years. In that time I’ve gotten to tour the country performing music and live in a recording studio for two weeks. I get to make my own schedule, work when I want, and do a lot of it from home. The biggest tradeoff of flexibility, however, is a severe lack of security–it can be truly feast or famine as a freelancer, and when work dries up unpredictably, it can be hard not to imagine working a “regular” job. Recently my partner and I got a place of our own without any roommates, and the increase in expenses along with a really slow couple of months drove me to accept a full-time customer service position at a guitar manufacturer. I quit after a month. I had become so incompatible with the typical nine-to-five that I became miserable, delegating music work to nights and weekends, often being too mentally exhausted to get much done outside my job. It was quite liberating accepting that about myself–the place I’m happiest is in freelance, and I’ll have to do whatever it takes to make it sustainable, despite the financial challenges. Now, I don’t have to ask myself that question anymore.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a recording engineer, mixing engineer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and live performer. Around my freshman year of high school I decided I wanted a career in music–my main passion was writing songs with my friends, and I had an insatiable desire to learn how to do it better. After going to music school and spending years building a network through playing in bands, I found myself wanting to use my experience to help others record their songs. My clients started out as my friends and slowly grew to the point where I was just sustainable enough to commit to it as a career. I feel I took an odd path in this industry–many others start part-time at a studio and work their way up, then taking years of experience into the freelance world, whereas I went straight into freelance. I like to think this gives me a unique perspective; I consider myself a musician first, and engineer second. My main goal with my clients is to put them in a comfortable, unfiltered state of creativity. When I work with an artist, I prefer it to be as collaborators–working together to serve the song. Going into a recording studio can be terrifying and uncomfortable; two states that actively work against creativity. I try to give my clients experiences that show recording sessions can and should be fun, inspiring, and fulfilling, and often that’s how the best recordings are produced.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I think often about the intangible value of art and creative endeavors. Many countries offer government support for musicians, funding recording sessions, music videos, and touring expenses. There is not often a monetary return on those kinds of investments, but they’re given because it’s an inherent truth that art makes people happy. The mere presence of new art and music raises the quality of life of those around it, and breathes life into the local culture. At the same time, many talented creatives struggle to sustain their careers, getting priced out of cities that they depend on for work. Cities in the US desperately need more funding that allows artists to sustain themselves while improving their craft.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Sometimes recording and producing a band feels like you joined that band for a few months. You become part of their creative process, and are working towards the same goal. At the same time, everyone’s contributions to the songs are put under a microscope, and are scrutinized, and tweaked, and sometimes removed–it’s an extremely vulnerable place. Some musicians have a hard time entering that space. But when everyone’s able to reach that place of vulnerability, and shut their ego up, and truly respect one another, it’s a great place for creativity to flourish. The goal becomes a group effort to bring the best out of the song, by trying every idea that comes up, and by trusting one another’s ideas. Being in that environment for days, even weeks, at a time, is a pretty amazing thing. I’m always chasing those kind of zen sessions.
Contact Info:
- Website: dylanhanwright.com
- Instagram: @slothfella
- Twitter: @slothfella
Image Credits
Jake Hanson, Ben Rea