We recently connected with Philipp Raskin and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Philipp, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
Philipp, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m an audio engineer. Yes, this species of skilled professionals is probably not the first one you might think of when imagining the music or entertainment industry, but trust me, they play a very crucial part in music: They capture the artistic intent and persona of an artist and help to showcase their talent around the world. This is actually also what made me want to become an audio engineer. I was always fascinated by the technological aspects of it, but what interests me even more is how it can capture an artist’s emotions and provide a unique experience to a listener.
After moving out to Los Angeles, I had the great fortune to work on some award-winning projects ranging from podcasts for iHeart Radio, audiobooks for Audible, dubbing recording for Netflix shows to recording a choir for the Super Bowl. As an audio engineer, I record, mix, master, troubleshoot, and create immersive experiences. Immersive audio is actually something I am most passionate about as it allows me to get closer to the music and create a very special experience. Everything music-related seems to be about an experience: How does it make you feel? Do you have any memories associated with a sound? Do you feel like you need to dance right this second? Emotions and experiences often come hand in hand. I capture them, process them, and I can even be creative with them. Audio engineering is an art form.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
To me, one of the biggest resources in this field is listening. It seems kind of silly, especially when talking about audio, but it is at the very core of the craft. And by that, I mean listening to your competitors’ work, songs, and scores that the general masses like, but also the ones that are more niche and difficult to take in. The more I started to listen, the more I also started to think objectively about audio, which is very tricky because music, for example, is a subjective experience. Sometimes I wish I had started to look and hear music in a more open-minded way from the beginning of my journey, but at the same time, that’s what makes it a journey, figuring out what works for me and what doesn’t. When I started off as an audio engineer, I mainly focused on the genres that I was interested in personally, often that was Blues or Rock, maybe some classical music here and there. Soon I realized that expanding the horizon doesn’t just allow me to discover new gems, but it also trained my brain and truly helped me in my career as an audio engineer.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Absolutely! Audio engineering is very creative; I can change the course of a story through using different effects, levels, even spaces in some cases. I always try to find elements in a project that tell the artist’s story in a unique but still creative way. Sometimes it’s as simple as highlighting a saxophone solo throughout every track on an album, or maybe a string arrangement that is extremely intimate and has just enough presence to induce goosebumps when listened to. It’s almost as if you are manipulating the emotions on a very subconscious level. But then again, every project is different, and the art is truly in adapting that concept to each project. Once I get past the technical side of it, the fun really starts and my artistic soul begins to bloom. This is something that I try to do with every project and has accompanied me on every journey so far, even if it’s always in a different creative way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.philraskin.com
Image Credits
Oliver B. Jessica G.