About Neal Schmitt | Audio Engineer & Music Production Educator

Biography
I am a Music Technology Instructor in The Conservatory of Music at Capital University teaching classes in Recording Studio Production, Sound Reinforcement, Music Entrepreneurship, and Multimedia and Web Development. I freelance as a Sports A2 and bang loudly on the drums when I can.

My recording career humbly started in high school when my band convinced a church to allow us the use of their facility for an overnight recording session (to hi-fi 4 track cassette). Even in those modest surroundings, I was hooked.

However, simply logging countless late nights in a recording studio does not qualify me to teach audio recording, music technology and entrepreneurship.

Add: designing, constructing and co-owning that commercial recording studio; drumming, promoting and managing a touring indie band with numerous national releases on independent labels; an insatiable appetite for recording gear, social media and aggregating other communication tools; creating interesting, demanding, and relevant student projects; using innovative grading techniques and finally combine all that with formal degrees in audio production and marketing; and you get a lot closer.

Degree in hand, I found employment with an established recording studio in Columbus, OH. And by employment, I mean I had to hustle, network and search to find my own clients.

While I sharpened both my networking and studio skills, I also engineered live sound at numerous venues, corporate events and music festivals, provided location audio support for film and video productions and TV commercials and continued to tour with my band Pretty Mighty Mighty.

Deciding that I wanted to further immerse myself in to the growing Columbus music scene, I partnered with a longtime band member to open our own recording facility. Workbook Studio started humbly in a cramped, rental house but later expanded to a 3,200 sq. ft New York style loft space. (And my expanded I mean that we built the space from scratch.) Workbook Studio was lucky to record thousands of songs from hundreds of acts from around the U.S. Our hard work was featured in EQ, TapeOp and Mix magazines as well as regional publications. Workbook Studio was proud to host numerous benefit concerts, CD release parties and art openings. The studio was also the setting for two episodes of a 30-minute music television program called “Workbook”.

Formerly, I was a Coordinating Instructor for the Music Program at Hocking College and an Adjunct Instructor in the Interactive Media Department at Columbus State Community College.

I live in Columbus, OH with with beautiful wife Tracy and two amazing kiddos.

Most importantly, I help students communicate.

Isn't he handsome?

Industry Start 1993

Featured In TapeOp, Mix, & EQ Magazine

Current Role Instructor, Capital University

Expertise Studio Production, Web Dev, Entrepreneurship

Available for educational workshops, freelance A2 work,
and professional studio consultation.