We recently connected with Landon Alley and have shared our conversation below.

Landon, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

My family has made this career path possible for me. First and foremost, my wife supports my dream of being self-employed. She has sacrificed so much over the last 8 years to allow clients to come into our home, allow me to work unusual and long hours, and has always trusted that our family will be provided for. If she wasn’t on board with my dream, it simply wouldn’t be possible. My parents have also supported and encouraged me from the very beginning, and have even invested financially into the studio to allow me to get up and running. I’m standing on the shoulders of many loving and supportive family members, and they’re encouragement is the kindest thing anyone has done for me.

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 running Sound Bridge Studio for 8 years now. I specialize in recording, producing, and mixing music for acoustic singer-songwriters.

I studied audio engineering and music production at Brigham Young University and it was during my time there as an undergraduate student that I started taking my first paid jobs in audio. I interned for 4 years at a professional studio in West Provo, UT and learned a great deal from the owner, Dave Zimmerman. He hired me on after I graduated college, and my own clientele was growing simultaneously. Eventually I leaned into my own studio full time and now work out of my home studio in Lehi, UT.

There are dozens of recording studios within 50 miles of me, but we all cater to different musical tastes. The music that I’m most passionate about is acoustic singer-songwriter genres such as folk, indie pop, country, jazz, etc. So I’ve designed my studio and services to match that clientele, and find it incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Rather than producing music electronically, I focus on collaborating with live musicians. I work primarily with solo artists who haven’t had the chance to hear their music played by a band rather than just themselves and a guitar/piano, so I love the excitement of connecting them with local pros who help bring their music to life.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

In college, a lot of the lessons were focused on having a very diverse skill set. We were told that we would need to be able to wear a lot of hats to make a living in the music industry – for example, being able to write, produce, record, mix, master, and market a song.

I’ve found that specialization is much better suited to my personality, and allows me to focus on what I love and bring the most value to the artists that I work with. Because I only work on projects that I’m passionate about, and because I spend my time honing a specific skill set, I’m incredibly commercially competitive and am able to stay booked with artists that are looking for my specific sound. I do know many people who choose a more generalized approach, simply because they enjoy the variety of work. That’s a wonderful thing, and they build successful studio businesses. I’ve learned though that that’s not the only way to be successful in the industry.

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

One of my favorite aspects of working in the recording studio is seeing artists grow through their careers. Many of the artists that I work with are recording their music for the first time, and there can be quite a learning curve. There’s no one approach that works for everybody. So over time, artists develop a workflow that fits their personality and music goals and it’s incredibly rewarding to witness them become comfortable and confident in the recording studio. I love what I do, and I love seeing the artists that I work with become great.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.soundbridgestudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sound_bridge_studio/

Image Credits

Max Hardman, Alyssa Alley