We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Matt Patrick. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Matt below.
Alright, Matt thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?
I have been at the Library Recording Studio for 16 years. When I first moved into this space, I had no idea what I was going to call it. I had a library ladder at my previous studio that I simply liked the aesthetic of. While I was installing it in the new studio, I thought to myself, “It would really enhance the space if there were books on the wall behind it… and then I could call the studio The Library.” Two weeks later, I got ahold of 2000 remnant books left unsold from a fundraiser book fair for a local, Catholic church. After that it seemed the floodgates were opened and I was finding, purchasing and receiving donations of all kinds of library-related items; globes, maps, card catalogs, more and more books… It all just slid into place.
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 am not just a recording studio owner, I am also, and I believe more importantly, a record producer. I have been producing records since 1996 and over that time I have had four home studios, which led way to my first commercial studio, and now here at the Library, my second (and hopefully last) commercial studio. What many have told me sets me apart from other studios is that I am a record producer first and foremost. I’m not looking to simply fill my studio schedule with bands coming in and out of here daily, but rather invest in the artist and in the music itself, taking a deep dive into every aspect of the artist, the performances, the overall production, the songs, the lyrics, the melody, etc. and make each song the best it can possibly be.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Honestly, the best way to reach new clients is to treat each and every project you work on, like it is the best thing you will ever put out there. The moment you stop putting your all into it is the moment your career is on the line. Good work begets more work. This happens in every line of work out there. The auto mechanics who charge too much and do too little get poor reviews and it puts them out of business. The ice cream shop that makes their own unique flavors from scratch will always fair better than the ones who just scoop out of the store-bought bucket. Because they care about the craft and their consumers know it and tell everybody about it.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
I have been playing instruments and singing since elementary school. When I got into high school I bought my first 4-track, cassette recorder. After high school, I kept upping my equipment to the next best thing, but never with the notion of recording others. It was always to record my own music. I got better and better at it and others started to take notice and ask if I would record them. It got to the point where I was recording other people much more than I was recording myself and I enjoyed it so much I was able to transition seamlessly into doing it full-time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thelibraryrecordingstudio.com
- Instagram: @librarystudio
- Facebook: The Library Recording Studio
- Youtube: @TheLibraryRecording
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thelibrary
