We were lucky to catch up with Jun Guo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jun, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I learned primarily through listening. Music is the art of sound, and what matters most is how people perceive my work when they hear it. Therefore, as musicians, developing critical listening skills is essential. This includes not only the ability to identify notes, chords, and harmonies to analyze the musical aspects but also the ability to discern timbre, frequency, and dynamics to understand the acoustics. This is the core distinction between the audience, who listen to music for enjoyment, and professionals, who listen to music not only to enjoy it but also to learn from it.

I would love to expose myself to more high-quality music! I tend to stick to what I love instead of exploring new options, but whenever I do decide to explore, I almost always find something exciting. I should definitely do that more often!

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

Hi! I’m Jun Guo, a guitarist, composer, music producer, and audio engineer based in New York City.

My journey with the guitar began in primary school, but I never considered music as a serious career option until college. Starting a band and writing our music ignited my passion for music production. Without the funds for a recording studio, I took it upon myself to learn music production. This passion led me to pursue a Master’s in music technology at New York University. Now, I work as a live sound engineer, mixing engineer, and composer.

I’ve had the opportunity to compose and produce music for prominent projects, including Arknights, a game with 20 million monthly active players. The soundtrack I composed for Arknights has accumulated over 1 million streams on various streaming platforms.

In addition to my individual work, I co-founded Silkpunk Productions with my bandmates from P.H.0. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Silkpunk Productions is a recording and production studio that brings a unique 21st-century Silk Road sound and genre-blending production style to talented artists across the city.

Our approach at Silkpunk Productions mirrors the innovative mindset we employ with P.H.0—praised by critics and local radio stations for “challenging our preconceived notions of how to categorize music” and “breaking down boundaries and blurring assumed cultural divisions.” We tailor our techniques to each artist’s unique style, ensuring the best possible outcome and helping them achieve their creative vision.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The biggest turning point in my journey so far has been the decision to move from China to New York City to pursue my master’s degree and a music career. At the time, I knew little about NYC beyond its reputation as a global hub for artists. It turned out to be exactly that. I truly enjoy my life here.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

As a musician, the most satisfying part of composing and producing music is getting into the flow and creating something that genuinely moves people. There’s nothing quite like sitting in the room, listening to the final mix, and feeling the emotional turbulence the music evokes. It’s an unreal experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://play.reelcrafter.com/8PJJa-c0STO90BK7iMErpw
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jun_guo6487?igsh=MW0wZHY3eDFmcjBwMg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits

Yuan Long