Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matt Huitt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Matt, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I went to school and received a Bachelors degree in Music Business, but the vast majority of learning audio engineering and mixing/mastering music has been on the job training.

I feel I did not take advantage of opportunities given to me in the past, I was a bit too timid, too afraid of making mistakes, which we all do. Sometimes the best teacher is making a mistake while under pressure because you’ll file that in the “never make that mistake again” bank.

As an audio engineer, especially during a tracking session with five or six world class musicians looking at you, quick problem solving is the most essential skill. When there’s a phantom noise or a piece of equipment not working, you have to be able to pinpoint what the problem is, and if it can be fixed right there and then or if you need to figure out a work around to keep the session going. Along with that is just a positive attitude, I know it’s cliche. A session can go off the rails quick if you’re arguing with a musician or come into it with a bad disposition. One of the engineers that helped me when I first started always said “if you don’t even know how to plug a microphone in, that’s okay, we can teach you that, we can’t teach a good attitude.”

As far as obstacles to learning in this field I feel like you can be your own stumbling block. There’s always more to learn, ways to grow, and opportunities to do so, it’s whether or not you are taking advantage of it. I’ve been in the industry over 15 years, and not one time has an older, wiser engineer told me they wouldn’t share a bit of their knowledge. The Nashville music community really is a community.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

My name is Matt Huitt and I am a producer/audio engineer at Hilltop Studios in Nashville, TN. The very short version of how I got into the industry is I began helping my church with their audio when I was 16. I loved music and I loved tech, that was the first time I realized these two worlds could collide. After getting a bachelors in music business from a small school in Missouri I moved to Nashville to do my internship with Emerald Entertainment, at the time one of the largest entertainment companies in Nashville. After that internship I worked for two or three years at Skaggs Family Records, a small record label focusing on bluegrass/americana. It was a great experience working for a label but there was not a lot of opportunity for producing and engineering, which is where my passion is. I then landed here at Hilltop when John Nicholson, the manager and chief engineer, decided to give me a shot and I’ve been here for over a decade.

I’ve loved my time here at Hilltop. We are one of the premier studios in Nashville, along with being the longest continually running studio, there is a rich history here I’m proud to be a small part of. Legends like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Vince Gill have recorded here. From songwriter demos to master recordings, singles to full albums, the level of professionalism and attention to detail is the same for a client that has just walked into the studio for the very first time or they are an award winning, chart topping artist.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A big part of my resilience has been the support of family and friends. I don’t know how many times I called home to tell my parents I’ve had enough and I’m moving back to Missouri just to hear them say “give it a little more time.” The biggest “get back up” moment was when I was let go from the record label as part of budget cuts. I had finally realized my dream of being in the music industry and I saw it all slip away with no real plan for how to get back in. Through a mutual friend at a church here in Nashville I was invited to sit in on a session here at Hilltop, met with John and offered to sweep the floors and take out the trash in exchange for learning how to engineer and produce. At first it was just bringing in my friends to record for fun at night when the studio wasn’t booked, then John let me do simple guitar/vocal demos then up to running my own sessions with a full band of Nashville A list musicians. If you get knocked off the ladder you may need to start at the bottom rung of a different ladder.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

One of my favorite things about this job and my part in the creative process is watching a song come to life. An artist comes in with a song sung with just a guitar and a voice and they leave with a fully formed track that sounds like it could be on the radio tomorrow. Working with Nashville’s A list musicians is a joy of which I’ll never get tired.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hilltopstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilltoprecordingstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HilltopRecordingStudio/