Three time Grammy winning mastering engineer Joe Palmaccio has mastered major and independent projects of all musical styles for 25 years. His expertise allows him to skillfully master anything from the latest digital single to timeless catalogs of the past. Joe is currently President and Chief Engineer of The Place…For Mastering, Nashville, TN. Mastering credits include: AC/DC, Alicia Keys, Michael Jackson, Donald Fagen, Jeff Buckley, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Hank Williams Sr, KISS, Heart, James Brown, Willie Nelson, Edwin McCain and Godsmack.
Joe will be moderating the Music Consumption’s Relationship with Mastering panel at South by Southwest on Friday, March 15 from 2:00PM to 3:00PM in the Austin Convention Center, Room 11A/B. We asked him a few questions about the panel:
What was your interest in creating this panel and how does it relate to your background?
I am frequently contacted by musicians (who are producing their own recordings) that have many questions about mastering. In the past there has been this perception that a wall exists between an artist and the mastering engineer. My intent with the panel is to illustrate that building one’s musical brand has many commonalities with how mastering engineers build their careers. By developing a good working relationship with a mastering engineer, an artist can really take their project to a higher level.
Who else is on the panel and what do they bring to the subject?
There are three other highly respected mastering engineers on the panel: Gavin Lurssen, Andrew Mendelson and Michael Romanowski. They each work in different markets, have unique mastering styles and will bring insightful perspectives to the discussion.
Why is this panel important to musicians?
Mastering is still a very important process. Because musicians are working in a DIY world, good information is critical to making good decisions. By opening a dialogue between musicians and mastering engineers, the mastering process becomes demystified. With a better understanding of the process, a musician ultimately knows how their project can be maximized musically and sonically by mastering with a professional.
What do you hope people will walk away with after attending this panel?
My hope is that musicians who attend the panel will leave with a much better sense of what to expect from professional mastering and why building a working relationship with their mastering engineer is as important as any other person on their creative team.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I’m really looking forward to a great SXSW. See you in Austin!
Best way for people to contact you?
website: www.theplaceformastering.com
twitter: @TPFMnashville
email: alex@theplaceformastering.com
phone: 615.686.1725
