We recently connected with Wes Martin and have shared our conversation below.

Wes, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

While I now serve as Managing Director for both Dallas and Houston campuses, I had the honor of instructing at MediaTech Institute for a decade, where I specialized in teaching Music Theory & Production, Aural Training, and Songcrafting. Witnessing students from diverse backgrounds come together and learn from each other was truly rewarding. Being part of a community like MediaTech, where individual differences are set aside and the shared passion for art prevails, was incredibly inspiring to me. That is one of many reasons I think MediaTech is so special. They are learning to do what they love, turning their passion into a paycheck and having an impact in people’s life along the way.

Wes, 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?

Growing up in the recording studio environment, I gained so much knowledge and experience spanning studio protocol, professionalism, and every facet of the recording process. My father, a seasoned producer and musician, owned and operated a local recording studio for over four decades, delving into genres ranging from country to jazz. As I got older, I fell in love with guitar and aspired to be a studio musician, and learned various genres such as jazz, classical, country, rock, and pop.

Upon earning my undergraduate degree, I took off on the road, touring and recording on sessions with diverse artists. Over the subsequent decade, I toured extensively, averaging over 250 dates annually in both the U.S. and overseas. Amidst these experiences, I collaborated with exceptional songwriters, gaining invaluable opportunities in songwriting that ultimately led to my first globally released co-written song on a major label, co-published with EMI. Notably, in 2019, one of my compositions was selected for inclusion in an HBO documentary by Alexander Pelosi, titled “Outside the Bubble.”

I was also into producing, mixing, and mastering music and still am to this day. In 2013, I joined MediaTech as an instructor and really never looked back. I LOVE teaching others what I have learned and also laughing with others at all of my failures, saving them the headaches I once endured!:).

All of this has led me to where I am now in the position to help others know about MediaTech Institute, which is just a GOLD MINE of resources and education. Everywhere you turn you see this movie poster that MediaTech was involved in or that platinum record or run into this famous engineer or that famous voice. The whole place is inspiring. If you want to learn about the craft of Film, Recording Arts or Animation, this is where you want to do it!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! The education that a place like MediaTech provides. I always heard “if you want to get better at something, surround yourself with people who are better than you at that one thing”. To have an environment that is 100% about teaching you about what you want to learn, having the facility and equipment to learn on and the INCREDIBLY experienced instructors to guide you as you go, that is amazing to me. And that is what MediaTech is! I really am MediaTech’s #1 fan b/c I have witnessed as an instructor how well MediaTech serves the student and it’s just a no brainer to me that if I had the opportunity when I was younger, I would have jumped right in.

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

Creating is the reward.

I think I can best answer this by quoting Rich Mullins (who was quoting Picasso).
“Good taste is the enemy of great art” which I think is very true. Good taste has all to do with being cultured and being refined and if art has to do with anything, it has to do with being human”.

I used to share this in my songcrafting class: I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is expressing life as it is, human and all. It is the very reason I started playing the guitar. I do it for me and the expression that comes with it. In my humble opinion, the very act of being creative is better for my mental and spiritual state than anything zoloft and the like has to offer:)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mediatech.edu.
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mediatechedu/
• Other: Check out my book I wrote (for audio engineers that want to hone their ears and give more impact to their mixes!:) www.breakroomaudio.com

Image Credits
Rose Devika