Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jeff Rose. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jeff, thanks for joining 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?
There was a point in the summer of 2007 when my band of a few years had broken up and one of the members and I put all the money we had into making a record with some guys who ended up not delivering what we paid them for. After that discouraging experience, we decided to figure out how to record ourselves from scratch. Over the course of the next 4 years we made multiple albums in our living rooms, with each effort gradually getting a little more honed-in and hi-fi sounding. We began teaching ourselves the basic functions of Pro Tools with the most minimal gear at hand and ended up with results we were really proud of, given the circumstances. The drive to figure it out and stay true to our creative instincts was key to our success. It would’ve been nice to have all the resources available these days on YouTube and Reddit 15 years ago, but I literally had to figure things out the hard way. And despite the frustrations and setbacks, I’m glad I kept on learning and experimenting because that ultimately led to me running my own studio and producing other artists in the position I was in all those years ago, knowing nothing regarding recording but needing to create art. That whole experience helped me approach recording other artists in a way that avoids a sour or confusing time, but instead fosters something that’s encouraging and laid-back, and I’ve been able to do that through Gin & Sonic Studio for several artists over the last few years.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’ve been playing drums and guitar for over 25 years now. I’ve played in at least 15 bands – mostly in South Florida – and have gigged and recorded a lot over the past 2 decades. Right now I own and operate a recording studio out of my home in Meadville, PA called Gin & Sonic Studio. The goal of the studio is to be a laid-back, encouraging atmosphere for musicians – new and seasoned – to take their songs to the next level. Many of my clients either have had little to no recording experience or perhaps have had experiences in the past that turned them off to studios or producers for one reason or another. The studio offers in-person sessions as well as remote work on projects ranging from alternative rock to Americana to pop, as well as commercial work such as jingles and parody recordings. Between myself, my wife, and a few other folks I know, we can achieve almost any kind of recording.
The studio also just started offering new services including custom work re-wrapping drums in peel and stick wallpaper in an effort to decrease waste in the used instrument market that is often seen. All information is available at ginandsonicstudio.com
It hasn’t been easy, but getting great sounding results for people for a reasonable price really makes me proud to be doing the work I do.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
There is something about being in the moment when you’re a creative that gives a sense of fulfillment that almost nothing else in life can achieve. Whether it’s on stage in front of an audience or working on a mix on my computer, I’m constantly reminded that this is what I’m here to do. Many people I talk to can’t relate to being on stage and not being nervous, but for me it’s become a place where I feel most natural. You’re lucky if you have any moments in life that give you that kind of feeling, especially with some regularity. As far as studio work, it’s rewarding when anybody chooses you for a project based on your specific skill set. I love having long-lasting working relationships due in part to being dependable, but also just really clicking creatively with another artist and their sensibilities. That’s a really rad place to find yourself and have your purpose affirmed.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to really ponder this question, and this might sound naive at first, but here’s what I kept coming back to. Talent alone is not a surefire way to achieve success in the music industry. I’ve been in 2 or 3 bands over the years that felt so close to achieving big success. We had the chemistry, the music was interesting and commercially appealing, we looked the part, but it almost always comes down to connections. That was a very hard pill for me to swallow. A lot about the music industry has changed over the last couple of decades, but the cliché “it’s who you know, not what you know” still stands. To a certain extent, personality plays a part in how far you’re willing to go to achieve success – or at least to leave all the doors you possibly can open to success. I have had to reckon with that fact as well on multiple occasions. One of my bandmates and best friends went on to be a very successful producer in part because he went to extreme lengths to get in front of the right people. The talent was always there – and a bit of luck – but I’ve always wondered what my life would look like if I had dropped everything and moved to a big city and lived – yes, more open to risks – in a place where the probability of success is greater. In more recent years I’ve learned to just be grateful for the relationships I have, for projects I’ve had the honor of working on, and to not dwell so much on the “what ifs” of the past, and I believe I’m better off for that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ginandsonicstudio.com
- Instagram: @ginandsonicstudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ginandsonicstudio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GinandSonicStudioLLC
Image Credits
Ashleigh Brooke, Anthony Garcia