About

25+ Years of Experience. All Invested in Your Project.

Craig Gatlin is on staff at Oakwood Recording Studios here in Lexington, KY.

Meet Craig Gatlin

 I have been producing bands and musicians for more than 25 years and have worked on so many projects that I lost count of how many, but I've never forgotten an artist.


The Early Years

I was part of a metal band in my teenage years. We started developing a following and had a large enough fan base that we wanted to start recording our music.


The only problem was that we couldn't afford to go to a studio and none of us knew how but someone had to try. I took the challange and I've been hooked ever since.


So, that's when I began my music production career. When producing our band album, I loved the process of helping people find that professional sound they've always heard on countless records so I kept going.


More than twenty years later, I still love producing music and helping others to create their own sound. Music production is my passion.

Producing music is really about telling a story. Words aren't always enough. The dynamics in a song can create emotions in a person and this is what really moves them when they're listening to music.


After our band's music got out, I started producing projects for other bands in our music circle. of course, I was doing it all for free from the beginning because I had no idea of what I was doing but I was learning for sure.


Present Day & Moments with Clients

Now, I get the honor of working with musicians across the country. I really never  imagined that I would get to meet so mant talented people. All of which I call friends. That is why I love my job.


One of my favorite moments when working with a client is sitting in the studio and them hearing their completed song for the first time. I love watching their face -- time and time again -- the smile says it all.


 I would love to hear what you have in mind for your next project. Please reach out to me to get started with the button below.


SCHEDULE A CALL

Frequently Asked Questions About Craig

Certain questions consistently come up from musicians I work with. Here are answers to just a few of them:

  • What was the first instrument you learned how to play?

    That would be the drums. I play guitar, piano and a handful of other instruments, but when I played the drums right after high school, I took to them like a duck to water. 

  • What kind of music do you like to produce the most?

    I will produce anything you throw at me! Country, singer/songwriter, pop, metal, gospel, you name it. But if I had to pick, I like producing metal and classic or hard rock the most. 

  • What instruments can you play?

    Drums was my first instrument, and it will always be my main instrument. I also play guitar, bass, piano and some other band instruments. If you want to add a specific instrument to your mix, we have a wide variety of musicians that we can call on to fill out your exact song.

  • What role do you play in production? Do you just mix and master?

    I like to help clients flesh their project out. They'll normally come to me with just a basic structure because they're not a piano player -- they're not a guitar player or a drummer. And that’s where we can help. we know how everything should sit in the mix. we undeerstand how guitar parts should lay out and what a difference intentionally structuring a song makes. 

  • What is one habit you have that helps you produce better music?

    I'm learning new things every day. It's kind of a must in this industry.  I constantly research new techniques or look for the latest gear or plug-ins and learn as much as I can to stay up-to-date. Listening to the latest and greatest music helps the ears stay trained as to what the industry standard considers a good master.

  • What is the best thing you bring to a new project that you're producing.

    I care about the music that I am working on. 

      

    A lot of studios aren’t listening with attention to detail. They'll run it through their mastering plugins, for instance, and they will send it back to you without even listening. In stark contrast, I'm going to listen to what you are sending me. If I hear an issue, I’ll let you know before I get started. Maybe it’s a compressor on your track that is hitting pretty hard. I’ll have you fix it and shoot it back to me. Things like this often get over looked.


Studio Equipment

 You can reach a point in your recording project when you need a professional to step in. We use some of the highest quality gear in the industry. 

Software

  • Steinberg Nuendo
  • Steinberg Cubase
  • Avid Pro Tools
  • Sony SoundForge
  • Sony CD Architect
  • iZotope RX Advanced audio restoration software

Plug-Ins

  • iZotope RX Advanced & Ozone
  • Waves
  • Soundtoys
  • Audioease Altiverb
  • Celemony Melodyne Studio
  • IK Multimedia Amplitube 3 & 4
  • Neural DSP
  • PSP Audioware Vintage Warmer
  • Antares Filter, Tube, and AutoTune
  • Blue Cat Audio bundle
  • DrMS Mid-Side Processor
  • Apogee UV-22HR dithering
  • Plugin Alliance Bundle (all)
  • Slate Digital
  • Sonarworks
  • TC Electronic VSS3 & Clarity M
  • Fab Filter
  • Voxengo
  • Many Others

Universal Audio

UAD-2 12-core DSP Hardware/Plugin

  • Compressors:
  • Tube-Tech CL1B, Fairchild 670, Teletronix LA-2A, Teletronix LA-3A, Universal Audio 1176LN, Dbx 160, Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor, API 2500, Chandler Limited Zener Limiter, Empirical Labs EL7 Fatso
  • Equalizers:
  • Pultec, Pultec Pro, Manley Massive Passive, Millennia Media NSEQ-2, API 550, API 560, Neve 1073, Cambridge, Chandler Limited Curve Bender, Tube Tech Collection
  • Console Channels:
  • Neve 88RS, API collection, SSL collection, Neve 1073, Full Neve collection
  • Other Outboard Gear:
  • Studer A800 Tape Recorder, Ampex ATR-102, SPL Transient Designer, SPL TwinTube, Little Labs Voice of God Bass Processor, LA 610
  • Effects:
  • Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb, EMT 140 Plate Reverb, RealVerb Pro, DreamVerb, Roland Dimension D Chorus, Boss CE-1 Chorus pedal, Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808


Outboard Analog Hardware

  • API 527 Compressor (2)
  • API 550b EQ (2)
  • API 512 Preamp
  • Heritage Audio 73 JR II Preamp (2)
  • Neve 511 Preamp
  • Neve 542 Tape Emulator (2)
  • Empirical Labs Distressor EL8 Compressor (2)
  • Arturia Preamp (4)
  • TC Electronic Clarity M Monitoring
  • Focusrite Preamp (2)
  • BBE Signal Processing (2)
  • Eventide H949
  • LIN 76
  • Alesis Reverb

Additional Outboard Gear

  • Apogee Rosetta 800 A/D Converter (3)
  • Samson S-Patch 48 Point Patchbay (2)
  • Mogami cabling with Neutrik and Switchcraft connectors throughout
  • ART power conditioners
  • Arturia Monitor Control
  • RME 72-ch PCI-e Interface
  • API 500V

MIDI & Virtual Instruments

  • Toontrack EZkeys Upright Piano
  • Toontrack EZdrummer and Superior Drummer (20+ drum kits)
  • Toontrack EZBass
  • Steinberg Groove Agent
  • Heavyocity Damage
  • Native Instruments
  • MusicLab
  • XLN Audio
  • VR-08
  • Real LPC
  • Addictive Keys
  • Waves Grand Rhapsody
  • Reaktor 6
  • Sample Tank
  • HALion
  • Audio Lion
  • Mystic
  • Prologue
  • Knif Audio
  • Loop Mash
  • Pad Shop
  • Retrologue
  • Spector
  • Many others

Audio & Video Monitors

  • Audio
  • Focal 6.5 Alpha Series For Reference
  • Adam Sub 8
  • Shure SRH 1840 Mastering Headphones
  • Neumann NDH20 Studio Mixing Headphones
  • Audio Technica ATH- M50X Reference Headphones
  • Cars, boombox, etc. (We always listen on a variety of systems when creating a final master to make sure your mix sounds great in the real world too!)
  • Video
  • 27” HP Video Monitoring (2)
  • 25” Element Monitor
  • Ipad (controller)
  • TC Electronic (Waveform)