We recently connected with Matthew Corey and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Matthew thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights 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.

Being in audio production where I was both recording bands (including my own bands) and making beats for rappers, skills come from research or experience. Like learning other crafts, diving into both is absolutely a must. This is because you might acquire knowledge by researching how others are doing things online, you might be lucky enough to have someone showing you how to do things or answering questions, but all of that knowledge lacks context to the project you’re working on and personal taste. It’s only through your own experience that you can apply that knowledge and determine whether it’s working or not. Here’s what I mean:

You might hear that a music engineer uses a particular tool (like an EQ or compressor), and uses it a certain way to process a drum, vocal, or guitar track. However, in the context of your own mix, the performer, and the quality of the audio, that technique will most certainly need changing to make it work for you and it’s only your own experience that will help you understand what works best. I had to learn by researching online, making friends with other producers, and then experimenting a ton.

So, you have to learn to trust your own ears or eyes if the techniques you’re using work. Explore what professionals are doing, dabble in those techniques, but realize that it’s almost never going to perfectly translate to your own music or art. Develop your ears, put in the hours, and make comparisons to what professionals are doing but realize, that you’ll have to develop your own identity.

Additionally, get out of your comfort zone. Explore techniques that you’re not familiar with, music or art that you’re not familiar with. I remember a guitarist in my old band telling me, “You’re only as good as what you listen to.” If you’re only listening to punk (or any single genre) and playing those songs, you’ll have a very narrow set of playing and writing abilities.

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

My history creating and producing started with a bass guitar at 13. I actually got it to make rap beats, but immediately joined a “band” (we made silly songs in a basement) with my high school friends. Right out of high school, I finally joined a serious pop punk band that recorded with the guitarist, Ken Susi of Unearth, a bigger metal band that’s been around now for a long time. That was 2004. I fell in love with the recording and wanted to record my own band, put out a record, then all the local bands wanted to record with me.

Shortly after, I started recording rappers and also experimenting with synthesizers and samples to make beats. I developed the name “Matty C Beats” and started working with Aaron Lamb, a rapper out of Utica, NY. He and I ended up getting into some shenanigans over several years: opening for Gym Class Heroes, DMC (of Run DMC), playing Warped Tour, the list goes on. Shortly after, I started producing for Jamie Drastik and created the music for a song called “Chasing Shadows” that featured Pitbull and Havana Brown. I also put out some solo records under my Matty C Beats name that featured Sammy Adams, comedian David Liebe Hart, ClockworC, and more.

I kept playing in bands, making the music for rappers, but started getting a lot of work that was simply audio work: mixing and mastering for clients. I genuinely love it. I especially loved working with artists that are small because I’m obsessed with giving their music the best final touch it can get. In my experience, a lot of “big shots” don’t take smaller musicians seriously or give them the attention their (maybe less than perfect) music needs. Well, here I am to obsess about their music and it works for everyone involved!

I’m also still involved in some creative projects – including a synthy metal band called Barkeaters and a alt rock band called Backyard Wrestling. I’m incredibly lucky to still have creative outlets with friends I love and respect.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes, I make some money doing what I do. However, the projects I take on now all have a personal, intrinsic reward to them. This is because it’s important to prioritize the art. This doesn’t mean that I or you should sell yourself short by providing services you’re not fairly compensated for. But, it means so much to me personally to be a part of someone else’s dream, and make them feel taken care of. It’s art and it’s important to not make it feel too much like a business, which might leave a bad taste in you or your client’s art.

Admittedly, this might not be the best business advice. However, when your clients feel like you went the extra mile, that just puts out tons of positive vibes and can be helpful gaining customers in the long run.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

If you’re a small or mid-level creative or artist, you probably remember a time or are currently living this: releasing your art and it not getting the attention it deserves, not selling any music, merch, art, trying and making and feeling like you’re not getting traction. Unfortunately, our stores and social media feeds are flooded with so many corporate distractions. Those distractions often don’t deserve the attention that small creatives and artists do, especially when their art comes from a much more genuine, humble, and organic place.

Place yourself in their shoes. When it comes to social media, a like, share, shout out, means a ton. When it comes to merch or buying art, divert your dollars to the small people that it’ll mean more to. Of course, this can’t just be a community of artists supporting artists, but moving your friends to also be more mindful of “supporting small businesses – including artists” is a movement that’s so important.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @MattyCBeats