Like most people in the audio production industry, Bathurst's Tim Roebuck was first exposed to the art of recording as a musician, where he bought a four-track recorder to put his own songs to tape.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But when he was called upon by friends of his after university to produce a demo that hit local radio stations and hit the Top 40, "the phone never stopped" in Roebuck's own words.
Since 1993, Roebuck has been producing and engineering music for local, national and international artists, and splits his time with live audio and backstage work at Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre [BMEC].
Roebuck said he first got going locally with a dedicated studio space underneath a friend's house in South Bathurst.
"For the first five or six years, most of my clients came from Orange, as I did a lot of promotional work for a local radio station there," he said.
"Its been close to 30 years now, and it's still very much a business that relies on contacts, but I've been lucky to have had a regular network of musicians and performers to support my habit."
One of Roebuck's early audio production credits was a demo with Sara Storer, who has gone on to become one of Australia's prolific country musicians.
"She only did a short demo with me, but it was one of those situations where you go 'whatever 'it' is, this person has it'," he said.
"Another musician who fit that description was Riley Lee, a shakuhachi [bamboo flute] grand master who recorded half a dozen tunes with me. He was unforgettable."
Roebuck said one of his most enjoyable production credits was with Brother, a group who started in Bathurst and went on to achieve independent success in the United States.
"The group consisted of Hamish, Angus and Fergus Richardson, and I did three projects with them while they hopped between Australia and the US," he said.
"One of the projects saw us set up at a farmhouse in Mudgee for a weekend, and we sent what was recorded back to their producer in Los Angeles.
"That album became 2008's One Day, and it incorporated a lot of the natural sounds you find in the bush. It was very reflective of the time and place."
Other notable artists who have worked with Roebuck include Gabbi Bolt, who recorded her debut EP at his home studio in Seymour Street before eventually pursuing a career in musical comedy, and Arabesk, a 'gypsy soul' group that once featured Bathurst's Rob Shannon.
Outside the studio, Roebuck has also done a bunch of noteworthy live audio jobs, including stints at Canberra's National Folk Festival.
With experienced audio engineers often sought after by musicians and venues wanting to put on an effective show, Roebuck said you can never learn too much when trying to find a perfect sound.
"There are courses you can do to hone your craft as an audio engineer, but it's also helpful to show interest in music as well as existing engineers with plenty of experience under their belt," he said.
"I worked with Alan Brown in Orange, who was very good to me when I was learning and making mistakes, but there's that much information out there now that's it's hard to determine what's good advice or not.
"Basic sound and electronics knowledge goes a long way, but it really depends on the room you're working with."
Much like pursuing music, Roebuck said audio engineering requires a great deal of time and personal investment to make it worthwhile.
"There's no such thing as a wrong sound. A "wrong sound" can sound perfect in a song with an attractive hook and tight musicianship," he said.
"With audio engineering, there's rules, but there aren't any rules."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.westernadvocate.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News