Show Notes
Stu Watts chats with George Carpenter, who is a record producer, songwriter, arranger, recording engineer and mixer. An avid music nerd since a young age, he was classically trained in drums, percussion, piano and composition/arrangement at school before going on to complete a Bachelor of Popular Music at the Queensland Conservatorium in 2009. Having previously been a member of several notable groups such as The Delta Riggs, Mourning Tide and Jimmy the Saint & the Sinners, George then went on to open a recording studio called ‘Little Pink’ on the Gold Coast in 2012 which he operated until relocating to Melbourne in 2014. Working freelance from Sing Sing South, Woodstock and Sound Park he then managed to secure his own production suite at the iconic Aviary Studios in Abbotsford where he predominately worked between 2016 and 2021 producing for many artists and bands including APRA, QMA and Darebin Song Contest winners Ash Grunwald, Karl S. Williams and Paige Barnard. Since returning to the SE QLD in 2021 George has continued to work with a diverse group of artists such as Emily Grace Taylor, Heavy Wax, Mr Rascal, Eils & the Drip, Willie J & The Bad Books, Okmattcollins, Eimhin and Alexander William from his private studio in the Gold Coast hinterland. As a drummer and keyboard player, George currently tours with Karl S. Williams and Little Georgia. He is proudly endorsed by Ludwig Drums and Los Cabos Drumsticks.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro 00:02:06 About George Carpenter 00:03:51 The early days of his life 00:08:56 Playing in bands 00:14:24 Learning about engineering and production 00:18:48 Being a mentee 00:23:17 Professional development 00:25:20 The effect of COVID and social media 00:30:36 Donate to the podcast! 00:31:01 What George's process looks like 00:35:20 Working from scratch or from a demo? 00:36:57 Being a guide rather than telling the artist what to do 00:42:45 The business side of being a producer 00:44:31 Helping the music community 00:49:33 Opportunities 00:53:43 Challenges of being a producer/engineer 00:56:04 Working on things divergent from your direct passion 00:58:47 What's coming up in the near future 01:02:05 George's best bits of advice 01:06:21 Conclusion/Outro
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