What separates good audio engineers and producers from great ones?
In this episode, we sit down with Kyle Hoffmann, Chief Engineer at the legendary NRG Recording Studios in Los Angeles, to talk about the iconic NRG sound and the skills that matter most. Both in the studio and throughout your career.
Kyle shares his journey from intern to Chief Engineer, what he learned at Berklee College of Music, and why mentorship, attitude and relationships have shaped his career far more than gear ever could.
We also talk about:
- Why attitude matters more than technical skill
- The difference between producing and engineering
- Building trust with artists in the studio
- Learning from mentors instead of relying on tutorials
- What aspiring engineers get wrong about professional studios
- Whether audio school is worth it
- Why legendary studios like NRG still matter
- How to build a long-term career in audio
This conversation is packed with practical lessons that go far beyond equipment and recording techniques.
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For links to everything we've mentioned in this episode, as well as full show notes go to:
theselfrecordingband.com/313
NRG / Kyle:
nrgrecording.com
instagram.com/nrgrecording
instagram.com/khoffmannmusic
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