Real Musicians, Real Engineers, Real Answers
- 8000+ combined training hours
- 200+ brands certified
- 97% customer satisfaction
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Meet Chris
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Meet Cody
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Meet Paul
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Meet Derrick
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Meet Aj
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Meet Jhozua
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Meet Tim
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Meet Ruger
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Meet Lucas
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Meet Mason
Connect with a Recording Gear Advisor
Whether you’re piecing together your first bedroom studio or fine-tuning a world-class control room, our Recording Gear Advisors bring thousands of hours of hands-on training and real-world engineering experience to the conversation. Think of them as your personal audio consultants—free of charge.
Get answers to questions like:
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What gear do I need to make beats in my home studio?
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How should I treat my specific room (dimensions/materials) to reduce flutter echo and tame bass?
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Which DAW suits my workflow and what plugins do I need?
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How should I treat my specific room (dimensions/materials) to reduce flutter echo and tame bass?
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Open-back vs. closed-back headphones — do I need both?
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How do I avoid clipping, noise, and ground loops in my setup?
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Are there bundle deals (interface + mic + monitors) that fit my goals?
And More!
Start Shopping — and Reach Out If You Need Any Advice
Chris Hall
I'm a drummer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist specializing in rock, alternative, hardcore/punk, and metal—focused on capturing the energy of live instruments, especially drums.
Specialties
Drums, bass, percussion; recording & production; helping clients dial in live-instrument setups.
Experience
Active in the local scene—studio work, live sound & setup, and filling in on drums on short notice.
Notable
Filled in on drums for multiple bands around KC; supports local shows and events.
Fun Fact
Started on trombone—was asked “Have you ever played drums?” and never looked back.
Cody Coffman
Platinum Recording Advisor, Platinum Stringed Instrument Advisor, and Gibson Electric Specialist—here to match you with the right guitar and recording tools.
Specialties
Recording equipment, guitars, pro audio, home-studio and live-rig setup.
Experience
Guides artists of all levels to gear that fits their style and goals—stress-free and fun.
Notable
Tech for many festivals over the years.
Fun Fact
“Your ears never stop growing… so you'll always need more gear.”
Paul Valenti
Guitarist since age 4 with a lifelong passion for learning and teaching—here to help you find the next great piece of gear or knowledge.
Specialties
Live performance/audio, recording, mixing, and mastering.
Experience
Opened for national acts; FOH for the 80's Invasion Tour; A1 for Knuckleheads Saloon (multi-stage venue).
Notable
Recorded/mixed/mastered 3,000+ tracks for local & regional artists.
Fun Fact
Early multitrack recording dates to 1947 with Les Paul's overdubbing.
Derrick Schwarz
Guitarist (18+ yrs), bassist/keys/recording (12+ yrs). I love experimenting with new tools and helping you shape your sound.
Specialties
Electric guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals, e-drums, recording/production.
Experience
Writes originals, building first album; into 80s rock, early-2000s alt/synth rock, and house/EDM.
Notable
Creates originals & covers on YouTube; previously in an 80s hair band.
Fun Fact
Qualified for world tournaments in two trading card games.
Aj RuizDechavez
Studio & live-sound specialist with CRAS training and Los Angeles major-label studio experience. También hablo español.
Specialties
Studio recording, live sound, hardware/software integration, drums.
Experience
Interned at a major-label LA studio; drummer for Tidal.wav; producer/collaborator.
Notable
Worked on major sessions (Universal & Interscope artists); recorded/mixed 12+ professional projects.
Fun Fact
Runs his own home studio.
Jhozua (Josh) Gomez
Multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer with live-sound chops—passionate about producing, recording, and writing.
Specialties
Guitar, bass, drums, live sound, production.
Experience
Ran sound for corporate events, live music, weddings, and auctions.
Notable
Years of producing, recording, writing, and performing in multiple bands.
Fun Fact
Cat nose pads are as unique as fingerprints.
Tim Hargrow (Mr. Beachweather)
Platinum Recording Advisor and former producer—bridging creative vision with technical expertise across Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz, and Electronic.
Specialties
Guitars, pro audio, DAWs—translating goals into the perfect setup.
Experience
Helps artists bring their sound to life with dialed-in rigs that "feel like Christmas."
Notable
Flown to Houston to produce projects after artist referrals.
Fun Fact
“The Chiefs won the 2025 Super Bowl—you just misread the score.”
Ruger Allen
Live-sound, studio-build, and Ableton Live veteran—released on labels, played main-stage festival slots, and worked across load-ins to A&R.
Specialties
Cutting through the noise to balance expectations and budget for stage or studio.
Experience
From mixing front-of-house to releasing music and A&R work—wide perspective on gear and grind.
Notable
Main-stage festival performances; label releases.
Fun Fact
Has been on both sides of the stage—knows when your monitor mix isn't lying.
Lucas Viana Da Costa
Guitarist since 2005, later drums; collaborator and creator—now on Guitar Center's Platinum Recording Engineer Team.
Specialties
Helping all levels find the right tools to shape their sound—synthwave & analog-synth friendly.
Experience
Toured 2008-2011 in venues large and small; studio collaboration & production.
Notable
DAWs: Logic, Ableton, FL, Cubase, Pro Tools.
Fun Fact
Loves analog synths; currently learning Italian.
Mason Hamilton
Platinum Recording Advisor with university-level training—from tracking and synthesis to theory and deep DAW work.
Specialties
Home-studio builds, mix help, gear education—unlocking creative potential.
Experience
Helps artists connect with recording solutions that bring unique sound to life.
Notable
Decade of shows/festivals; 1M+ streams across platforms.
Fun Fact
“Juice boxes can be bass traps”… sort of.
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