Neal Schmitt
Neal Schmitt's Biography of Achievement and Initiative
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; 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.
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; 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 nightclubs and music festivals, provided location audio support for corporate productions and TV commercials and continued to drum and 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 a 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 hundreds of acts from around the U.S. and was featured in EQ, TapeOp and Mix magazines, Workbook Studio was also 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 I produced and hosted called “Workbook”.
Currently, I am a Coordinating Instructor in the Music Program at Hocking College overseeing two recording studios and a 18 seat Mac Lab. I teach recording technology, music production, live sound, entrepreneurship, booking and new media. I also am an Adjunct Instructor in the Interactive Media Department at Columbus State Community College.
Most importantly, I teach students to communicate.
While I sharpened both my networking and studio skills, I also engineered live sound at numerous nightclubs and music festivals, provided location audio support for corporate productions and TV commercials and continued to drum and 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 a 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 hundreds of acts from around the U.S. and was featured in EQ, TapeOp and Mix magazines, Workbook Studio was also 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 I produced and hosted called “Workbook”.
Currently, I am a Coordinating Instructor in the Music Program at Hocking College overseeing two recording studios and a 18 seat Mac Lab. I teach recording technology, music production, live sound, entrepreneurship, booking and new media. I also am an Adjunct Instructor in the Interactive Media Department at Columbus State Community College.
Most importantly, I teach students to communicate.
