3 Tips from Recording Connection mentor Jason Intille

Recording Connection mentor Jason Intille aka J-Intell is the owner/operator of the lushly appointed Omina Laboratories in Sacramento, CA where he’s worked clients like E-40, T.I., Mos Def, Chino from Deftones, Gemini, Tech N9ne, Baby Bash, Robert Brookins of Earth, Wind & Fire, and Baby Bash and a slew of other well-known artists.

When asked how he got his start in the industry, Jason recalls how he came to it through music:

“I was a bass player. This is back when I was 19 years old. I ended up being the guy in the band that went and bought the TASCAM 4-track to try and record our rehearsals and whatnot. You know, I had no intentions on being an audio engineer at all. From there, I just kind of got interested in it…My grandmother had a house that had a basement in it, so I set it up for our band, rehearsed in my grandmother’s basement, and I set up Pro Tools LE 6.0 with a Digi 001…I really just got it to record the band. When people found out that I had this studio, and I started getting random text messages and phone calls from other artist, ‘Hey can I go and record something at your studio?’…When that started happening, I was like, ‘You know, I should probably take some classes.’ Once I started school I really got interested in it…[eventually] got an audio engineering certification and really just built a clientele from there. I had my first office by the time I was 23. I’ve been open for about 16 years now and I haven’t stopped.”

Jason has been a Recording Connection mentor for awhile now. He values helping young up-and-coming engineers learn the craft. When asked if he currently has any superstar students Jason says:

I have a student named Roy [Velasco] that’s been here a lot…I know he’s considering going into the advanced program but even though he’s finished the program, he’s still around here. He’s from Alaska, so he came all the way here to just to do the program. And he ended up linking up with a few artists, and now they have a band. They came and recorded their band. And I’m actually going to start having him run a few sessions here soon.”

When asked if he has any tips for getting the most out of the program Jason doesn’t mince words:

There’s three different things you have to do. One is just doing sessions with me, sitting next to me, watching what’s going on, seeing how I work with the people. Two, I have two full HD studios here, so I encourage my apprentices to go to the other studio, work on their homework, work with a friend or make a beat. They have a full HD studio back there for them to sit in and do whatever they want. Then the third would be that I encourage all the tutoring that you guys have on top of that.”

Students like Roy Velasco are proactive. If you’re ready to take your engineering and producing chops to the next level, if your mentor gives you the opportunity to come in on your off-days, or even make your own music in their spare studio (the way Jason does) by all means, make the most of it! Even if you make something less than great, the experience will prompt certain questions and will help you master the things you encounter in the curriculum.

You’re in the right place, so make the most of the time. And yes, use the tutoring. We’re here to help!