August Ogren
August Ogren American record producer, mixer, and engineer living in Dublin, Ireland
"Being a new son of the island, How do you approach building relationships with Irish session musicians?"
I don’t think it’s all that different from working with players in the US. I always start off by giving them the “When, Where, and How much”. I knew a few people before moving here, so I’ve just grown my network from there.
"What's your approach to creating a comfortable environment for session musicians?"
It’s the same as working with the client. It’s a balance between making sure the vibes are right, keeping the mood light and fun, while also making sure we get the work finished.
"How do you handle cultural differences in communication styles?"
People love to use WhatsApp voice messaging here. Took me a long time to get use to that, and still I don’t like to use it very often. I prefer emails or texts so that I can look back and reference things later, without listing to a voice message again…but that’s just me
"What's your philosophy on allowing interns or assistants to learn while maintaining professionalism?"
I think my philosophy is yes…I’m all for it. I’m not entirely sure how they are related, but having an assistant that knows the studio or an intern that can set up for a big session is very helpful. One fault of my own is sometimes I have trouble allocating work to interns/assistants.
"How do you approach learning about Irish music history and context?"
To be honest, I should probably learn more about it…
"Have you seen the Irish recording industry evolving post-pandemic with a fresh perspective?"
I’ve only been in Ireland for a couple years, so my only frame of reference is post-pandemic.
"What's your approach to incorporating mobile recording techniques into professional productions?"
I use my mobile rig less and less honestly. For smaller overdubs it’s usually okay - a vocal or electric guitar or something. But getting a good drum sound can be hard if you’re just setting up in someone's living room.
"What's your strategy for staying current in a rapidly evolving technological landscape?"
I’m not too worried about staying current. My workflow works for me and gets me good results. I only want to work with people that value my process anyway.
"How do you maintain work-life balance in an industry known for long hours?"
The older I get the more I’ve been trying to have shorter days. I’ve been trying to work 8-10 hours on most sessions. I think people are catching on to the idea that there is a point of diminishing returns when doing a 12+ hour day.
www.augustogren.com
"Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you were just starting out?"
Don’t take rejection personally. Still have to remind myself of that one sometimes.
"What's the one bit of gear that you felt yourself taking that next jump up in your production work be it a mic or outboard or a deadly coffee machine"
It’s hard to pinpoint an exact piece of gear, but when I opened my first commercial studio in Minneapolis back in 2014 the size of the live room was about 1000 square feet. That room had a dramatic effect on the sound of my recordings.