Scholarship: Scholarship Self-Assessment
2) Scholarship Self-Assessment
During my years at Shenandoah University I have been actively involved in a wide range of scholarly activities including: successful completing several on-line and in-class training courses, keeping current with the latest software of the audio and music industry, enhancing my audio technology skills through local projects, and participating in projects on a major professional level, such as remixes of Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man” soundtrack.
Certifications
In addition to my teaching and Conservatory/University responsibilities, I have worked diligently to keep my professional certifications current and increase my knowledge as an audio instructor for Logic Pro and Pro Tools. I have also become the first in the world to be certified as an instructor in Pro Tools, Media Composer (the industry standard software for editing film in Hollywood), and Sibelius, which rivals Finale for the standard in scoring music on the computer. Avid premiered Shenandoah University as a model school at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) in 2013. As of 2016, I am also currently one of only four people in the United States, certified in Avid’s S6 console for Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) control. Thanks to these certifications I have been better positioned to teach MUPR 461 - Audio for Video and MUPR 255 - Sibelius Notation, both of which are new courses in the Music Production & Recording Technology curriculum.
Keeping up with a single major media software application like Pro Tools is a daunting task. In addition keeping up with multiple media programs with their many updates has proven to be an extreme challenge. I have chosen to focus in particular on three primary DAWs, all of which are widely used in the industry and are the standards in their own right. Avid's Pro Tools is by far the industry standard for audio engineers in music and in post-production (sound for film); Apple's Logic Pro has long been the go-to application for MIDI and software instruments with its myriad of included virtual instruments; and Steinberg's Cubase/Nuendo are focused on the middle ground providing innovative workflow options for both the audio engineers' needs and songwriters. There are several other industry recognized certifications I hold, a sample of which has been included in my ePortfolio and a complete list can be found in my CV.
Studio Work
Over the past several years, I have been contracted as an audio engineer by Sono Luminus, which is a classical recording label. Sono Luminus has received eighteen Grammy nominations and won two Grammy awards. A few of the international albums I have been fortunate enough to work on are Janice Weber’s “Seascapes," “American Aggregate” by Inscape, and Steinway artist Jenny Lin's “Get Happy.” The week of my return home from my sabbatical, I immediately went back into the studio for sessions into the wee hours of the morning recording Jean-Marie LeClair's “The Complete Sonatas for Two Violins,” which was the first complete recording in the world of these works.
In 2009, David Darling’s album "Prayer for Compassion," on which I was an assistant engineer on, won a Grammy award for best New Age album of the year. This album was produced by Mickey Houlihan and released under the label “Wind Over the Earth.”
The “Trouble Man” soundtrack was singled out verbally in the blockbuster film Captain America Winter Soldier as something Captain America should check out. Captain America had been frozen for seventy years, so he had a bit of catching up to do. The producers polled people for the top list of things to include for him to catch-up on. The Trouble Man soundtrack was written down amongst the list of I Love Lucy (Television), Moon Landing, Berlin Wall (Up & Down), Steve Jobs (Apple), Disco, Thai Food, Star Wars, Nirvana (Band), Rocky (Rocky II), and Trouble Man (Soundtrack) — quite the flattering list to be among.

In addition to these notable releases, I have also worked on dozens of independent, commercial, and Conservatory recordings, each furthering my experience and working knowledge as DAWs are updated through the years.
In January of 2013, I left for seven months to work and present on audio in Los Angeles, California, Nashville, Tennessee and various cities in Utah, as part of my sabbatical. One of the places I did several months of studio work at was Right On Cue Services (ROCS) in Provo, UT. ROCS produces three distinct applications for audio accompaniment for theaters throughout the world that perform musicals. They are the only company in the world to be endorsed by both the composers and licensing companies, which sell the rights to these musicals for production.
During my time there, I recorded top studio musicians that have worked on major films and productions. I worked in Pro Tools & Digital Performer and was involved in editing, pitch correction, programed software applications to enhance workflow, documented workflow procedures, and sequenced and scored MIDI. While in Utah, I also sat in observing sessions at Solarium Recording Studios and did editing for their sister company FattysMusic.com, which sells music beds primarily for picture and commercial projects. I was also heavily involved in writing AppleScripts that enhanced their very unique workflow, which kept the sessions moving along at top speeds. During my time in Utah and Los Angeles, I observed and was involved with dozens of recording sessions.
Live Sound
During my time at Shenandoah University, I have been fortunate to run sound for multiple events including possibly the largest Conservatory event of the year, the annual Holiday Gala. I have also assisted on multiple occasions with Shenandoah Summer Musical Theatre (SSMT) helping with console, networking, wireless routing, and other live sound issues. I have been able to use that skill-set in my studio recording through a fast-paced workflow and understanding of acoustical environments. It should be noted that live sound is not my specialty, nor what I have been hired to teach. However, though not completely foreign to studio work, it can be likened to a piano player playing the organ.
It was an honor of a lifetime and a pleasure to work with Jan Wagner, Shenandoah Conservatory's orchestra, and Wynton Marsalis in the recording of his world premiere of "Blues Symphony."
To assist with further improvements in live sound, as well as in the studio in the summer of 2015, I again certified in Sound Measurement Acoustical Analysis Real Time tool (SMAART). SMAART is the industry standard for live sound acoustical measurement and calibration of audio systems. The software is used to help time align sound from speakers, diagnose frequency boosts and cuts, get various readings of sound pressure level (SPL), and correct and analyze an array of other audio needs.
During my sabbatical, I also spent time assisting and observing several shows of the Broadway Musical Tarzan at the Scera Shell (an outdoor theater with live sound) in Orem, Utah. Sound I recorded for this production was featured throughout the show.

From Utah, I traveled to Los Angeles where I made many professional contacts in the music, game, television, and movie industries, including studio owners, engineers, managers, and producers. While in Los Angeles, I made contacts at Sony Gaming, AudioHead (where the first two Star Wars movies were mixed), Disney Toon Studios, Naughty Dog Gaming, Iron Mountain (where major movies and audio are kept for archival purposes), Deluxe, and Fox to name, honestly, but a few. I also made contact with former Music Production & Recording Technology (MPRT) students living in Los Angeles.
Presentations
In the field of audio, there is really only one main body/organization for all things audio and that is the Audio Engineering Society (AES). In 2013, my paper, "Professional Certification’s Place in Higher Education" was accepted for the AES 50th International Conference in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It was a great and rare privilege to be able to be accepted again for this peer reviewed paper and present for an international audience in Tennessee. My first AES presentation, on digital audio watermarks for AES forensic audio, was in Denver, Colorado which was just before accepting this teaching position at Shenandoah University in 2006. At the conclusion of the Tennessee conference, where all attendees were gathered for a final panel discussion, I was also one of four people to address the AES on “Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure: A Place in Audio Education?”
I have taught alongside Professor Mike Sokol, teaching about surround sound to the public and local student AES chapter. In addition, I have taught many DAW and computer-based classes which are more service and teaching oriented.
Songwriting
In the “Scholarly/Creative Evidence” section there are songs I have co-written with a talented vocalist, Travis Buhl. I also arranged, produced, and recorded the accompanying tracks. The songs have yet to be finalized, but I feel they gave a good representation of my work. This process has helped hone my songwriting skills related in particular to the DAWs Logic and Cubase. As a result, I have been asked to write for Sound on Sound magazine by one of the editorial staff members. Sound on Sound is considered a premier audio magazine, and in my opinion is the clearest and most relevant magazine for recording on the computer. I have continued to write and collaborate with others developing new skills in Ableton Live and their Push 2 controller.
In 2016, a mix of mine was featured in an online podcast for the one year anniversary. I sent them a four-minute radio edit and a seven minute version. The seven minute version was discussed and featured as the grand finale to their podcast. The podcast is a web development show meant to help and entertain those interested in further developing their web skills.
Publications
In addition to the audio work in LA, while there I also co-authored a chapter in the book “Modern MIDI” which was published in 2013. My contribution to the book and appendix was primarily focused on the detailed workings of how Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) works and what is sent a MIDI message from Status messages, channels, system exclusive, control change values, etc.
I also co-published an article on studio wiring titled “Failures in Outlet Testing Exposed” in Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) with Mike Sokol. This article received a lot of comments and forum thread posts due to the dangers it exposed in electrical testing equipment. This is a topic I taught about in MUPP 350 - Basic Electronics, and was nice to finally have published in a major magazine.
Radio & Broadcast
During my sabbatical, I apprenticed for the largest facility in the country for radio and TV broadcast helping with Radio Broadcasts (multiple productions/shows). I primarily assisted on the Brigham Young University radio show "Highway 89."
Though I consider it more service than anything else, I have also donated many hours helping get SU Radio off the ground with help in their audio set up.
Film & Television
While in Utah I also interned at LDS Motion Picture Studios and BYU TV, helping with the highly successful YouTube and comedy TV series Studio C.
While in LA I worked at Igloo Music & Post, which is a studio Walt Disney sources their audio production through after closing their in-house sound studio. Igloo records audio for a variety of Disney games, as well as sound for their theme parks and rides. I have kept in contact with those whom I worked at Igloo Music and who handle much of the audio that Disney records for their characters.
In addition, I toured and made many contacts at Disney, Disney Animation, Warner Brothers, Sony Game Audio, Iron Mountain Digital Studios and dozens of other companies. I also did all the room tone and ambiences for the release of Christmas for a Dollar with Emmy award engineer winning Carlos Sanches at Warner Brothers during my time in LA. It was an extremely productive and busy time.
Carlos Sanches took time out of his extremely demanding schedule to give multiple guest lectures at Shenandoah University in October 2015. He spoke with our students about sound for picture and the unique workflow it has.
These projects and contacts have provided much-needed insight to help students who plan on working in Los Angeles on sound for motion pictures. It is good to know how high the bar is set and the fast-paced workflow required to work in one of the largest movie and music cities in the world. These collaborations and productions have benefited our students and programs, including the new undertaking of a film collaboration with Mass Communications, Composition, and Theatre majors.
Certifications
In addition to my teaching and Conservatory/University responsibilities, I have worked diligently to keep my professional certifications current and increase my knowledge as an audio instructor for Logic Pro and Pro Tools. I have also become the first in the world to be certified as an instructor in Pro Tools, Media Composer (the industry standard software for editing film in Hollywood), and Sibelius, which rivals Finale for the standard in scoring music on the computer. Avid premiered Shenandoah University as a model school at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) in 2013. As of 2016, I am also currently one of only four people in the United States, certified in Avid’s S6 console for Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) control. Thanks to these certifications I have been better positioned to teach MUPR 461 - Audio for Video and MUPR 255 - Sibelius Notation, both of which are new courses in the Music Production & Recording Technology curriculum.
Keeping up with a single major media software application like Pro Tools is a daunting task. In addition keeping up with multiple media programs with their many updates has proven to be an extreme challenge. I have chosen to focus in particular on three primary DAWs, all of which are widely used in the industry and are the standards in their own right. Avid's Pro Tools is by far the industry standard for audio engineers in music and in post-production (sound for film); Apple's Logic Pro has long been the go-to application for MIDI and software instruments with its myriad of included virtual instruments; and Steinberg's Cubase/Nuendo are focused on the middle ground providing innovative workflow options for both the audio engineers' needs and songwriters. There are several other industry recognized certifications I hold, a sample of which has been included in my ePortfolio and a complete list can be found in my CV.
Studio Work
Over the past several years, I have been contracted as an audio engineer by Sono Luminus, which is a classical recording label. Sono Luminus has received eighteen Grammy nominations and won two Grammy awards. A few of the international albums I have been fortunate enough to work on are Janice Weber’s “Seascapes," “American Aggregate” by Inscape, and Steinway artist Jenny Lin's “Get Happy.” The week of my return home from my sabbatical, I immediately went back into the studio for sessions into the wee hours of the morning recording Jean-Marie LeClair's “The Complete Sonatas for Two Violins,” which was the first complete recording in the world of these works.
In 2009, David Darling’s album "Prayer for Compassion," on which I was an assistant engineer on, won a Grammy award for best New Age album of the year. This album was produced by Mickey Houlihan and released under the label “Wind Over the Earth.”
The “Trouble Man” soundtrack was singled out verbally in the blockbuster film Captain America Winter Soldier as something Captain America should check out. Captain America had been frozen for seventy years, so he had a bit of catching up to do. The producers polled people for the top list of things to include for him to catch-up on. The Trouble Man soundtrack was written down amongst the list of I Love Lucy (Television), Moon Landing, Berlin Wall (Up & Down), Steve Jobs (Apple), Disco, Thai Food, Star Wars, Nirvana (Band), Rocky (Rocky II), and Trouble Man (Soundtrack) — quite the flattering list to be among.

In addition to these notable releases, I have also worked on dozens of independent, commercial, and Conservatory recordings, each furthering my experience and working knowledge as DAWs are updated through the years.
In January of 2013, I left for seven months to work and present on audio in Los Angeles, California, Nashville, Tennessee and various cities in Utah, as part of my sabbatical. One of the places I did several months of studio work at was Right On Cue Services (ROCS) in Provo, UT. ROCS produces three distinct applications for audio accompaniment for theaters throughout the world that perform musicals. They are the only company in the world to be endorsed by both the composers and licensing companies, which sell the rights to these musicals for production.
During my time there, I recorded top studio musicians that have worked on major films and productions. I worked in Pro Tools & Digital Performer and was involved in editing, pitch correction, programed software applications to enhance workflow, documented workflow procedures, and sequenced and scored MIDI. While in Utah, I also sat in observing sessions at Solarium Recording Studios and did editing for their sister company FattysMusic.com, which sells music beds primarily for picture and commercial projects. I was also heavily involved in writing AppleScripts that enhanced their very unique workflow, which kept the sessions moving along at top speeds. During my time in Utah and Los Angeles, I observed and was involved with dozens of recording sessions.
Live Sound
During my time at Shenandoah University, I have been fortunate to run sound for multiple events including possibly the largest Conservatory event of the year, the annual Holiday Gala. I have also assisted on multiple occasions with Shenandoah Summer Musical Theatre (SSMT) helping with console, networking, wireless routing, and other live sound issues. I have been able to use that skill-set in my studio recording through a fast-paced workflow and understanding of acoustical environments. It should be noted that live sound is not my specialty, nor what I have been hired to teach. However, though not completely foreign to studio work, it can be likened to a piano player playing the organ.
It was an honor of a lifetime and a pleasure to work with Jan Wagner, Shenandoah Conservatory's orchestra, and Wynton Marsalis in the recording of his world premiere of "Blues Symphony."
To assist with further improvements in live sound, as well as in the studio in the summer of 2015, I again certified in Sound Measurement Acoustical Analysis Real Time tool (SMAART). SMAART is the industry standard for live sound acoustical measurement and calibration of audio systems. The software is used to help time align sound from speakers, diagnose frequency boosts and cuts, get various readings of sound pressure level (SPL), and correct and analyze an array of other audio needs.
During my sabbatical, I also spent time assisting and observing several shows of the Broadway Musical Tarzan at the Scera Shell (an outdoor theater with live sound) in Orem, Utah. Sound I recorded for this production was featured throughout the show.

From Utah, I traveled to Los Angeles where I made many professional contacts in the music, game, television, and movie industries, including studio owners, engineers, managers, and producers. While in Los Angeles, I made contacts at Sony Gaming, AudioHead (where the first two Star Wars movies were mixed), Disney Toon Studios, Naughty Dog Gaming, Iron Mountain (where major movies and audio are kept for archival purposes), Deluxe, and Fox to name, honestly, but a few. I also made contact with former Music Production & Recording Technology (MPRT) students living in Los Angeles.
Presentations
In the field of audio, there is really only one main body/organization for all things audio and that is the Audio Engineering Society (AES). In 2013, my paper, "Professional Certification’s Place in Higher Education" was accepted for the AES 50th International Conference in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It was a great and rare privilege to be able to be accepted again for this peer reviewed paper and present for an international audience in Tennessee. My first AES presentation, on digital audio watermarks for AES forensic audio, was in Denver, Colorado which was just before accepting this teaching position at Shenandoah University in 2006. At the conclusion of the Tennessee conference, where all attendees were gathered for a final panel discussion, I was also one of four people to address the AES on “Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure: A Place in Audio Education?”
I have taught alongside Professor Mike Sokol, teaching about surround sound to the public and local student AES chapter. In addition, I have taught many DAW and computer-based classes which are more service and teaching oriented.
Songwriting
In the “Scholarly/Creative Evidence” section there are songs I have co-written with a talented vocalist, Travis Buhl. I also arranged, produced, and recorded the accompanying tracks. The songs have yet to be finalized, but I feel they gave a good representation of my work. This process has helped hone my songwriting skills related in particular to the DAWs Logic and Cubase. As a result, I have been asked to write for Sound on Sound magazine by one of the editorial staff members. Sound on Sound is considered a premier audio magazine, and in my opinion is the clearest and most relevant magazine for recording on the computer. I have continued to write and collaborate with others developing new skills in Ableton Live and their Push 2 controller.
In 2016, a mix of mine was featured in an online podcast for the one year anniversary. I sent them a four-minute radio edit and a seven minute version. The seven minute version was discussed and featured as the grand finale to their podcast. The podcast is a web development show meant to help and entertain those interested in further developing their web skills.
Publications
In addition to the audio work in LA, while there I also co-authored a chapter in the book “Modern MIDI” which was published in 2013. My contribution to the book and appendix was primarily focused on the detailed workings of how Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) works and what is sent a MIDI message from Status messages, channels, system exclusive, control change values, etc.
I also co-published an article on studio wiring titled “Failures in Outlet Testing Exposed” in Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) with Mike Sokol. This article received a lot of comments and forum thread posts due to the dangers it exposed in electrical testing equipment. This is a topic I taught about in MUPP 350 - Basic Electronics, and was nice to finally have published in a major magazine.
Radio & Broadcast
During my sabbatical, I apprenticed for the largest facility in the country for radio and TV broadcast helping with Radio Broadcasts (multiple productions/shows). I primarily assisted on the Brigham Young University radio show "Highway 89."
Though I consider it more service than anything else, I have also donated many hours helping get SU Radio off the ground with help in their audio set up.
Film & Television
While in Utah I also interned at LDS Motion Picture Studios and BYU TV, helping with the highly successful YouTube and comedy TV series Studio C.
While in LA I worked at Igloo Music & Post, which is a studio Walt Disney sources their audio production through after closing their in-house sound studio. Igloo records audio for a variety of Disney games, as well as sound for their theme parks and rides. I have kept in contact with those whom I worked at Igloo Music and who handle much of the audio that Disney records for their characters.
In addition, I toured and made many contacts at Disney, Disney Animation, Warner Brothers, Sony Game Audio, Iron Mountain Digital Studios and dozens of other companies. I also did all the room tone and ambiences for the release of Christmas for a Dollar with Emmy award engineer winning Carlos Sanches at Warner Brothers during my time in LA. It was an extremely productive and busy time.
Carlos Sanches took time out of his extremely demanding schedule to give multiple guest lectures at Shenandoah University in October 2015. He spoke with our students about sound for picture and the unique workflow it has.
These projects and contacts have provided much-needed insight to help students who plan on working in Los Angeles on sound for motion pictures. It is good to know how high the bar is set and the fast-paced workflow required to work in one of the largest movie and music cities in the world. These collaborations and productions have benefited our students and programs, including the new undertaking of a film collaboration with Mass Communications, Composition, and Theatre majors.