We were lucky to catch up with John Burke recently and have shared our conversation below.
John , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
I’m John Burke, and I’m at the helm of a remote audio mixing & mastering business called Vibe Studios Mixing, as well as the driving force behind Perfect Vocals Academy, an online source for vocal mixing. My aim with both ventures is simple: to stand out from the crowd. In my mixing & mastering business, I take a hands-on approach, ensuring that every vocal track reaches its full potential through careful editing and mixing. While others might rely solely on the performer’s take, I believe in the power of post-production to elevate vocals to extraordinary heights.
While the industry often preaches the virtues of minimal processing for vocals, my approach is a bit different… my expertise in excessive vocal tuning, cleanup, mixing, and mastering goes beyond what some engineers are willing or able to do.
Perfect Vocals Academy, my other endeavor, is a departure from the traditional audio education model. Instead of urging students to either invest in costly audio colleges or do it alone with endless DIY research, I offer a middle ground. Through a wealth of weekly videos and online courses, PVA provides accessible yet comprehensive training in vocal editing, mixing, and mastering, all at budget-friendly prices. While others may stick to the basics, Perfect Vocals Academy reveals the advanced techniques used by industry professionals, giving students the edge they need to excel in today’s competitive audio landscape.
Let me share a compelling example that illustrates how Vibe Studios Mixing sets itself apart in the industry. When one of my clients, Thermb2fly, a talented rapper, entrusted me with his album for mixing, most of his tracks followed a straightforward rap style without much emphasis on melody or notes. To infuse his sound with a touch of innovation, I decided to take a different approach.
Utilizing a program called Melodyne, I delved into Thermb2fly’s verses, uncovering hidden melodies within his rap delivery. By integrating these melodies into the mix, I aimed to elevate the songs, making them more melodic and memorable for the listener. Witnessing the transformation of Thermb2fly’s verses was truly exhilarating—it breathed new life into his tracks, enhancing their overall impact.
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.
Of course, so I have been an audio engineer since 2008. After graduating from Musician’s Institute in Hollywood CA in 2008, my journey of audio engineering started with my first engineering job at a studio in Cleveland,Ohio. I started working with numerous bands and artists by recording singles, eps, and albums in a recording studio setting. Working one on one with hundreds of people from 2008 to 2018 really gave me some of the best experience you can ask for in this industry. In 2018 I shifted to a different business model. I moved to Nashville TN and started mixing & mastering remotely from my home. I also was a part time engineer at one of the best Nashville recording studios called The Record Shop. After moving back to my home state of Ohio in 2020 during the pandemic, I launched my Youtube channel for Perfect Vocals Academy. I decided I wanted to help others be great at audio engineering. Specifically great with mixing vocals. To this day I have well over 200 videos on Youtube, online courses, a coaching program, and more!
Both businesses solve major problems for my clients and PVA subscribers.
Vibe Studios Mixing aims to address people’s needs. My mixing clients understand the intricacies of vocal artistry and appreciate the extra care I provide. With my expertise and keen ear for quality vocals, they trust me to solve the uncertainty they might face with less seasoned engineers.
Perfect Vocals Academy stands out for its unparalleled focus on vocal engineering, delving deeper than most other audio courses. My approach goes beyond the standard online curriculum, thanks to my hands-on experience and daily mixing sessions, which keep me finely tuned in vocal mixing and audio mastering.
I am most proud of Perfect Vocals Academy. Helping people that comment on my Youtube videos, hearing from people that take my online courses, and those that get coaching from me, have no idea how great it feels to be helping others grow in the world of audio. Audio can be a lonely and dark road so being a driving force to learning audio for my PVA followers is something I am proud of.
I am also proud of my work as a mixing and mastering engineer. I have around 1,000 credits totaling around 100 million streams for my whole catalogue. While these numbers are no where near some engineers in the industry, I am proud to know that my work has had an impact on so many listeners.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Around 2020 I realized that my journey didn’t just stop with being a work for hire audio engineer. I wanted to build another business that can impact the lives of future audio engineers. Creating Perfect Vocals Academy is my way of giving back to the industry and helping the next generation.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
My expertise lies in vocal work, laying the foundation for my reputation. From the outset of my audio engineering journey, I discovered a natural talent for discerning vocal pitch and technicalities. My approach to vocal mixing consistently draws clients to my business. With a thriving mixing enterprise and a vocal expertise brand, my reputation as the “vocal wizard” is widely known.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vibestudiosmixing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vibestudiosmixing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerfectVocalsAcademy/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnny-burke-05503462/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/pvocalsacademy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/perfectvocalsacademy
- Other: https://www.perfectvocalsacademy.com
