TEC Tracks Studio Summit

On Wednesday, January 22, the day before exhibits open for the 2025 NAMM Show, TEC Tracks will host an all-day educational event focused on the changes taking place inside the recording studio—from the variety of new production workflows to the day-today operations and business decisions of running a studio today.

All sessions will take place in the Hilton Avila ballroom, located on the fourth floor.

10:00 AM – 11:10 AM • The Future of Recording Studios— Opportunity or Crisis?

Join music industry CPA Alan Friedman as he moderates a vibrant discussion among an esteemed panel of the most renowned and experienced recording studio operators of the past 50 years. You’ll learn the do’s and don’ts of running a successful recording studio, and you’ll get a glimpse into what the future holds for most recording studios, large and small.

Panelists: Zoe Thrall (The Hideout Recording Studios, Las Vegas), Fab Dupont (Flux Studios NYC), Lee Bench (SteakHouse Studios, Los Angeles), David Bendeth (formerly owned and ran House of Loud, N.J., and head of A&R for RCA Records), Paula Salvatore (former vice president of Capitol Studios and Sound City studio manager), and uber-popular YouTube music educator Rick Beato (Rick’s Music Production Ltd., Atlanta).

11:20 AM – 12:30 PM • Innovations in Music Production: Tools and Techniques for Modern Studios

The music production landscape is undergoing a transformative shift in recent years, driven by rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer expectations. This panel will explore cutting-edge tools and techniques reshaping modern studios and empowering artists and producers to create and distribute music like never before. Key discussion points will include: AI-driven tools, immersive audio technologies, cloud-based and collaborative production, and personalization and fan engagement.

Presenter: Deston Bennett, Gibson

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM • Pro Tools 2025: Updates, Tips and Techniques

Have you kept up with the evolution of Pro Tools? Are there functions and features that you may have missed along the way? Jose “Chilitos” Valenzuela, CEO of Audiograph, and Thomas Guardino, Audio Content Developer for Avid Technology will discuss and demonstrate the latest Pro Tools updates and modifications.

Presenters: Chilitos Valenzuela, Audiograph International LLC; Thomas Guardino, Avid Technology, Audio Content Developer

2:40 PM – 3:10 PM • Best Practices: Session Checklist

Paula Salvatore, former studio manager of Sound City and Capitol Records Studios, will break down the steps and information that provide the basis for a successful, organized and (ideally) stress-free recording session. From the first phone call (or email) from the prospective client to the delivery of the final master, this mini-workshop will reveal how top studios make the recording session a seamless experience.

Presenter: Paula Salvatore, Music Consultant, former vice president of Capitol Studios and Sound City Studio Manager

3:20 PM – 3:50 PM • The Future of Recording: Changing Roles and Relationships

Craig Anderton will discuss his vision of the future of the roles in recording. It used to be pretty cut and dried—this was the producer, this was the artist, this was the mastering engineer and so forth. There was also a traditional differentiation between composers and players. With today’s tools and music recording options, those roles have become blurred, and many people just say they’re “producers.” In this session, Anderton will look at how people’s skill sets will evolve to accommodate the changes brought on by new tools and the implications that will have for both solo artists and collaborations—and ultimately the studios.

Presenter: Craig Anderton, President, Craig D. Anderton, Inc.

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM • Wendy Parr’s Studio Branding Toolkit and Industry Circle

Part 1: Take control of your studio’s journey. Identify with all the weird, wonderful layers that make your operation unique, and see how to bring them to life in your professional community. Part 2: In a world of “create, succeed, drive growth,” it can be challenging to slow down and connect on a deeper level with colleagues and friends. The Industry Circle is a guided conversation to give studio owners a valuable opportunity to gain information and make genuine connections.

Presenter: Wendy Parr, Holistic Artist Coach, Founder, The Parr Method