jt@tydirium.net www.tydirium.net
Resume: verbose (long) version.
Click here for the concise (shorter) version.
Travel info:
I am a US citizen with a valid drivers license, up to date passport, no criminal record.Non-audio related resume items are at the bottom of this page
CURRENT STATUS:
At this time, I am working freelance as a studio recording engineer and as an audio and music technology educator, while working on new writing projects.
BACKGROUND:
Music Technology Instructor / 1997 to present
In 1997, I helped found what became the Music Industry Workshop program. As one of the two primary instructors for the program, I teach weekend classes on: beginning and advanced Digital Audio Theory, ProTools, beginning and advanced MIDI, Samplers, Synthesis, Live Sound, Mastering, Recording, Mixing, Music Theory, Signal Flow, Microphones, Effects Processing, Staging, Acoustics, more.
In January of 2008, I began teaching Studio Recording classes for Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, including beginning, intermediate, and advanced Recording and Mixing (as well as many of the subjects listed above).
Freelance Studio Engineer / 1989 to presentCompetent in the use of all DAW software, particularly ProTools, Reason, and Digital Performer. Capable of using any and all makes of mixing console, outboard gear, microphones, patchbays, software applications, and, yes, tape machines.
I have worked in many of Chicago's top studios including staff positions at Chicago Trax and Streeterville, plus freelance gigs at Chicago Recording Company (CRC), Studio Chicago, Entropy, and others, including my home studio.
Recent projects include work for: Radio personality Mancow Muller, All Terrain Productions, Blackout, Sugarpusher, Animal, Matt Kerr, Tisa and the Glowworms, Barehand Jug Band, Amanda Sena, Nicole Kestler, Sound Stylist, Paul Taneja, Dee Alexander, Vanessa Vincent, Andreas Kapsalis, Fluid Minds, Blah Blah Blah, Deuce, Belmondos, Raul Duke, I Am The Lorax, Mikey Peterson and the Trust, Flat Cats, Sam Sinclair Trio, Caroline Davis, Sam Robinson, Cathy Norden, Tony DoRosario, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, Die Schon, Erin Mosher/Echo, Digital Idiots, The Defenders, Same Planet Different World Dance Company, Faith No More, Maintenance of Order, Absolute Zero, Society Mine, Commonwealth Edison, Recliner, Icos, Vent, Creepers, Native Altar, Terminal White, Lucid, Withdrawl, Heager's Bend, JustUs, 7th Heaven, Vinyl Goods, Career Criminals, Mourning Reign, Boot Kamp, Davila Brothers, JD Walker, Monster Voodoo Machine, Chris Connelly, Revolting Cocks, Material Issue, Skrew, Loud Lucy, Lupins, Chemlab, Ministry, Armageddon Dildos, Villain, Lazy Poker Blues Band, Random Acts - Q-101 charity compilation, Hip Deep Trilogy, Pigface, Chicago Industrial League, Club Dead (video game).
Freelance Live Sound Reinforcement Engineer / 1989 to present
My experience in live sound includes about 700 shows at Chicago's Park West Theater, plus international tours with Pigface, Ministry, Royal Crown Revue, and Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band. Working for various Chicago-area venues and P.A. companies (not limited to: Lakeshore A/V, Critical Sound, Cannon Creative, Event Engineering) has added about 800 more shows to my lifetime experience.
Competent in use of all PA systems, mixing consoles, outboard gear, and microphones.
I have experience in literally every style of music imaginable, for audiences from 15 to 15,000 people.
Have worked as stage manager and crew chief on many occasions, and have a solid working knowledge of lighting and staging.
SPECIFIC CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Although my focus has been on working freelance, here are some of my more noteworthy regular/ongoing gigs:
Lt Dan Band / spring 2006 to spring 2007
Monitor Engineer
Monitor engineer for Lt. Dan Band, featuring the actor Gary Sinise. Eleven mixes on stage, some on wedges, some on in-ears. Midas (Heritage 2000/3000) and Yamaha (PM5D) consoles, Shure and AKG in-ear rigs. Shows for the public, for private events, and for the USO and US Military.
Park West Theater / mid-1997 to mid-2002
Front of House Sound EngineerResponsible for system maintenance as well Front of House mixing. A small listing of the 700-odd shows I mixed over five years would include: Jimmy Smith, Glenn Philips, Paula Poundstone, Chicago Cabaret Convention (45 acts in three days), John Mayall, Chuck Berry, Warren Zevon, Gas Giants, Aimee Mann, Alice Peacock, Millie's Orchid Show, Royal Crown Revue, Hot Tuna, Bea Arthur (40 shows), and Deepak Chopra. Also assisted touring engineers for shows including King Crimson, Nick Cave, David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, Intergalactic, Prince, Nikka Costa, Michelle Branch, Glen Tilbrook, and countless others.
Mixed for broadcast (Candid Camera, ESPN Sports Awards), Sporting Events (8-count boxing and Shidokan), a huge array of private parties, many corporate events, countless fashion shows, endless charity functions, several political fundraisers (including ex-President Clinton, and ex-Illinois governor Rod Blagojevitch), awards ceremonies (including the Jeff Awards several times), and more Bar Mitzvahs than you want to count.
Also acted as Stage Manager on many occasions.
Left Orbit Temple / Mid-1997 to present
Creative director / composer
Multimedia project that combines experimental music with the work of visual artists. Write music and lyrics, produce, record, mix, and arrange music, design cover art, conceive and program CD-ROM part of the disc, and coordinate all aspects of the project, which includes an average of fifteen musicians and twelve non-musical fine artists on each regularly released hybrid CD/CD-ROM volume.
Royal Crown Revue / May 1999 to present
Front of House Sound EngineerRCR spent much of 1999 on the road supporting their fifth Warner Brothers CD release.
I was there for about 50 of the shows mixing their FOH sound, and sometimes monitors as well.
A La Carte Entertainment / beginning mid-1997
Front of House Sound EngineerFront of House and Monitor mixing at many A La Carte-owned nightclubs, including Excalibur, Dome Room/Aura, Cadillac Ranch, Alumnus Club, Famous Freddie's, and Magnums/Faces. The array of talent I worked with includes virtually every Swing band in Chicago (Swing Shift Orchestra, Blues Swingers, Riff Rockets, Rhythm Rockets, Penthouse Playboys, Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms), dozens of blues, jazz, R+B, 1980s and 1970s cover and disco bands (such as Afrodisiacs and Generations), and virtually every country act to tour medium-sized venues in the midwest (Susie Dobbs, Cheatin Heart, Frank Paul, and many others).
Metropolis Music Complex / February 1996 to May of 1998 (studio closed)
Senior Engineer / Sonic Solutions operator / ProgrammerCompleted projects included 24-track engineering, mixing and/or Sonic Solutions mastering for: Maintenance of Order, Absolute Zero, Society Mine, Commonwealth Edison, Recliner, Icos, Vent, Creepers, Native Altar, Terminal White, Lucid, Withdrawl, Heager's Bend, JustUs, 7th Heaven, Vinyl Goods, Career Criminals, Mourning Reign, Boot Kamp, Davila Brothers, JD Walker, and many others.
Ministry/CraZed Management / March-June 1996
Keyboard Tech / Programmer on North American leg of Ministry's "Sphinctour '96" tourMaintained dual Akai S-3200 Samplers, two Roland A-30 keyboards, a Kurzweil K-2000, SCSI data storage systems and various related gear through 10 weeks of severe abuse across North America.
Spare Time Entertainment / December 1994 - mid 1997
Front of House Engineer / Monitor Engineer / Stage ManagerMixed FOH and monitors for: Cathy Richardson Band, Uncle John's Band, New Duncan Imperials, Hello Dave, Bedbugs, Brother Brother, Jake's Leg, Something For Joey, Underwater People, Wright Wallies, Jungle Dogs, Roots Rock Society, many others.
Invisible Records / Late 1993 through 1995
Engineer/Programmer
Project highlights include:*Co-wrote and engineered award-winning Club Dead soundtrack *Co-wrote and engineered An Industrial Christmas Carol (Invisible INV053CD). *Digital editing for: Sister Machine Gun, Martin Atkins, others. *Soundtrack for promo film about feature film Dead Air.
Pigface (Industrial Rock Band) / Late 1993 through 1995
Keyboard / Sampler Performer
Performed 45 shows as part of Pigface's "Team '94" tour in North America. Made various other appearances as member of Pigface before and after tour. Appear in "Son of a Glitch" DVD/VHS release.
Chicago Trax Recording / May of 1992 through July of 1994
Engineer / Assistant EngineerEngineered released recordings for: Pigface, The Drovers, Jeffrey Hardy
Assistant Engineered released recordings by: Monster Voodoo Machine, Chris Connelly, Revolting Cocks, Material Issue, Skrew, Loud Lucy, Lupins, Chemlab, Armageddon Dildos, Villain, Lazy Poker Blues Band, Random Acts - Q-101 charity compilation, Hip Deep Trilogy.
Also performed additional keyboards on Monster Voodoo Machine's "Copper Theft" remix.
Full Sail Center For The Recording Arts (School) / April 1992 to May 1993.
Received "Specialized Associate Degree" in Recording Engineering.Grade Average: 94.97%
International Visual Communications / November 1989 to April 1992
Engineer / composer / programmer
Audio engineering and sound design for several dozen computer animation and video projects, from industrial films to rock videos to animated corporate logos. Composed and performed approximately 30 original musical scores. Assisted video production and animation. Contributed photography skills.
Cleveland State University / September 1986 to January 1989.
Electronic Music, Music Theory, Photography, and English.
Evil Clowns (rock band)/ 1988 to 1991
Keyboard player / programmer / co-songwriter
Participated in all recordings, songwriting, and concerts during this band's history.
Highlights included a live radio broadcast on WUJC radio in 1991, several dozen live performances, and several recording sessions.
Flat Earth Society (experimental band) / 1984 to 1992
Producer/songwriter/programmer/keyboard player
Participated in all recordings and concerts. Recorded close to 50 songs and did many gigs and appearances, culminating in an opening slot for Front 242 in 1991. Designed FES T-shirts, stickers, and other graphics.
Home Project Studio / Steadily growing from 1984 to 2004; steadily shrinking from 2004 to present...Partial current equipment list:
Apple Macintosh running: Digital Performer 5, Reason 3, Peak, Ethno Instrument, others.
Microphones: (1) AKG 414, (6) Shure SM-57, (4) Shure SM-58, (1) AKG D-3800, (1) AKG D125, (1) Shure Beta 57a, (1) Shure VP-88, (3) Shure SM98, (1) Shure SM-91, (1) Sennheiser e604, (1) Shure Beta 87, (1) Shure KSM44, (1) Shure KSM-27.
ADAT XT, MOTU MIDI Time Piece A/V, signal processors by DBX, BBE, others.
Synthesizers and Samplers: E-Mu Emax II, Roland D-50, Oberheim Matrix-6, Korg Poly-800, Proteus1XR, Arp Axxe, Sequential Circuits TOM, Sequential Circuits Pro One, various software synthesizers.
Misc Instruments: Tibetan Singing Bowls (4), small glockenspiel, (2) Harmonicas, Tibetan wood flute, kazoo, Yamaha acoustic guitar, Hawaiian coconut drum, Chinese bell.
Additional Information
Non-audio resume (writing / graphics / photography / web development):Extremely Macintosh OS literate.
Author of the books Tiki Road Trip, (Santa Monica Press, 2003; 2nd Ed., 2007), Big Stone Head: Easter Island and Pop Culture (2009), 10x5x1, The Spaces Between. Have also been commissioned to write for: Playboy, Re-vue, AAA World, RoadTripAmerica, Film Threat, Tiki Magazine, Forces of Good, Alternative Press, Beverage World, American Heritage, many others.
Have traveled both personally and via work through all US states except Alaska, and to Cuba, Japan, France, Spain, England, Chile, Easter Island, Holland, Belgium. Have written about these travels extensively.
Interested in photography, and am competent both technically and creatively in the use of 35mm and digital cameras, and in photo editing software such as Photoshop. Experienced in using web development tools and graphics programs.
Created and maintain Tydirium Multimedia web site, which is subdivided into sections dealing with various personal and professional interests.
Site was first posted in late 1994 and has existed for twelve years. Have also designed and/or maintained web sites for Erin Mosher, Rembrandt Chamber Players, and Night Spies.
I have a basic knowledge of film and video production and editing procedures.
Other personal interests include: art history, astronomy, independent cinema, 1930s-1950s pop culture, travel.