Studio Confidential

Seven-time Grammy winner, Frank Filipetti, is a music producer, engineer
and mixer who was born in Bristol, Connecticut. He was one of the first
engineers to embrace digital mixing and immersive audio. Early credits
include his first number one single, Foreigner’s, “I Want to Know What
Love Is”, The Bangle’s “Eternal Flame”, and Kiss’ “Lick It Up”. Filipetti
has also produced and/or recorded and mixed albums for KoRn, Barbra
Streisand, George Michael, David Sanborn, Luciano Pavarotti, 10,000
Maniacs, Ted Nugent, Al Dimeola, Dolly Parton, Frank Zappa, Ray Charles,
Billy Joel, Dave Grusin, Andrea Bocelli, Carly Simon, and James Taylor. He
has also produced, recorded and mixed over twenty Broadway Cast albums
including “Wicked”, “Spamalot”, “The Book of Mormon”, and “The Color
Purple”. In 2015 he produced and recorded the 10th Anniversary
performance of the LA Philharmonica at Disney Hall performing Frank
Zappa’s 200 Motels Suite. In short, from rock to pop to jazz to film to
classical, he has established himself as one of a handful of
engineer/producers with expertise in almost all forms and styles of music.

When you think of truly legendary pop engineers who are simply the absolute best at what they do, the list is a very short one.

The inhabitants who populate that list not only take great pride in their work; they define what magnificent recordings should sound like.  You can hear their craft embedded in digital code, or if you're lucky, 180 gram vinyl, on such seminal works as Van Morrison's Moondance, Steely Dan's Aja, Gaucho and The Royal Scam, Chaka Khan's I Feel For You, Fleetwood Mac’s The Dance, Bruce Hornsby's The Way It Is, and The Eagles' Hell Freezes Over.  And don't tell them the general population doesn't actually pay attention to what their songs sound like.  These artisans' work actually defines what great sound is all about.

When Elliot Scheiner first took a job working for Phil Ramone many years ago, he probably never imagined that decades later he would be one of the most successful producer/engineers in history.  Elliot actually began as a musician playing percussion in various bands including Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band, but his heart was always in the studio.  From the early days at 48th Street, Elliot has gone on to produce and engineer an eclectic selection of talented artists such as Foo Fighters, Beck, Nine Inch Nails, Faith Hill, Steely Dan, Van Morrison, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Sting,  Eagles, Eric Clapton, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Toto, B.B. King, Aerosmith, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, Dan Fogelberg and many others.  On the film side, Elliot's worked on such films as “The Godfather” and “The Godfather II”.

Elliot is honored to receive 27 Grammy nominations with eight wins, three Emmy nominations with two wins, and six TEC Award nominations with three wins as well as induction into the TEC Hall of Fame alongside George Lucas!  Elliot won Grammys for Best Surround Album for Morph the Cat by Donald Fagen , Layla and other assorted Love Songs by Eric Clapton and  Beyonce. Album of the Year/Best Pop Vocal Album/Best Engineered Album all for Steely Dan's Two Against Nature as well as two Engineer of the Year Grammys for two of the most recognized Pop albums in rock history:  Aja and Gaucho by Steely Dan.

Elliot's also considered one of the best surround mixers in the entertainment business handling studio and 'live' mixes for such varied artists as Foo Fighters, Beck, O.A.R., Flaming Lips, Phish, Queen, Elvis Costello, The Eagles, Faith Hill, Steely Dan, R.E.M., Donald Fagen, Fleetwood Mac, ELO, Roy Orbison, Dream Theater, Jimmy Buffett and countless others.  In fact, Roy Orbison's star-studded Black and White Night and Eagles' Farewell 1 Tour - Live from Melbourne are recognized as two of the best live concert DVDs ever released!

Elliot continues to be one of the most sought-after producers and engineers in the industry and his love for his craft hasn't diminished one db.

Four time Grammy Producer/Engineer Chuck Ainlay has over thirty five hundred credits to his name, including work with legendary and defining country music artists such as; George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill, Lady A, Steve Earle, Lee Ann Womack, Emmylou Harris and The Chicks.

Chuck has also placed his distinctive production and engineering stamp on projects with more mainstream and diverse artists such as Dire Straits and nearly the entire solo career of Mark Knopfler as well as Peter Frampton, Taylor Swift, Lionel Richie, Ann Wilson of Heart, James Taylor, Lyle Lovett, Jewel, Bob Seger, Pentatonix and Sheryl Crow. With Ten ACM, Two CMA Awards & Two TEC Awards, his extensive work in Immersive mixing has resulted in ground-breaking projects such as; the 25th anniversary remix of Peter Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive and the Grammy award winning 20th anniversary remix of the Dire Straits album Brothers In Arms. Recent immersive mixes include George Strait’s Ocean Front Property, Pure Country, Blue Clear Sky, Troubadour, It Just Comes Natural and Cowboys and Dreamers albums as well as Lyle Lovett, Vince Gill, Jake Worthington, Charlie Peacock and a brand new Atmos immersive release of Peter Frampton’s Comes Alive and his forth coming album Carry The Light.

Chuck would like to thank his wife Jo for all per patience and inspiration.

George Massenburg, Educator, Inventor, Designer, Producer, Engineer. George Massenburg has participated (individually and collaboratively) in some 500 records over the past 45 years. His work includes noted recordings by Earth, Wind & Fire, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, Lyle Lovett, James Taylor, Aaron Neville, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Herbie Hancock, Arlo Guthrie, Billy Joel, and Weather Report, amongst many others. His studio work has gained him international recognition and six Grammys (including the Grammy for Technical Achievement in 1998, at the time making him one of only seventeen individuals to receive that honor) as well as numerous nominations and awards. In 1988 he also won the Academy of Country Music Record of the Year Award for “Trio” by Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton & Linda Ronstadt. George has designed, built and managed several recording studios, and has contributed to the acoustical and architectural design of many other studios, including George Lucas’ Skywalker Sound, The Complex in Los Angeles and the acclaimed Blackbird Studio C in Berry Hill, Tennessee. In 1968 he began development of the “parametric equalizer”, and in 1972 he delivered the seminal paper on “Parametric Equalization” at the Spring AES in Los Angeles. In 1982, he founded George Massenburg Labs, a pioneering audio electronics company that has released an extensive range of innovative recording technologies, all based on his original designs and now continues software product development for MDW, LLC.. George was awarded an honorary DMus by Boston’s Berklee College of Music. Regularly published in professional journals and trade magazines worldwide, and a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society, George Massenburg received the Gold Medal from the AES in 2008. In 2013 he was awarded US patent # 8,510,361 for a variable exponent averaging detector and dynamic range controller. He is a founding member of the National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress and a board member of the National Recording Preservation Foundation. George serves as the Chief Technical Officer of META (the Music Engineering Technical Alliance), a strategic union of music producers and engineers dedicated to the highest standards of audio and music production delivery. George is Professor Emeritus at McGill University, where he taught from 2020 until 2013 as a Professor of Sound Recording, Director of Video Production, producing and directing scores of Ensembles, Operas, and Symphony livewebcasts, and co-creator of two popular classes in Video Production. Currently he teaches, does independent research, and supervises advanced degree students as requested. He and his wife, Cookie Rankin-Masenburg live in Leipers Fork, Tennessee.

Jimmy Douglass is an acclaimed American record producer, mixing engineer, and sound innovator whose career has spanned more than five decades. Known in the industry as “The Senator,” Douglass began his career in the late 1960s at Atlantic Records in New York City, where he worked under the guidance of legendary producers like Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin. His early credits include engineering sessions for iconic artists such as Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, and Roberta Flack, helping shape the soulful, analog sound of the era.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Douglass became a central figure in the evolution of modern R&B and hip-hop. Teaming up with Timbaland and Missy Elliott, he engineered and mixed groundbreaking records for Aaliyah, Ginuwine, and Justin Timberlake, including Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds. His ability to blend warmth, rhythm, and experimental textures helped define the futuristic, groove-driven sound that dominated pop and urban music for over two decades.

Beyond his technical mastery, Douglass is admired for his versatility and collaborative spirit—effortlessly bridging generations and genres from classic soul to cutting-edge electronic music. His discography reflects both his precision as an engineer and his instinctive feel for musical emotion.

Today, Jimmy Douglass remains one of the most respected figures in audio production, inspiring new engineers and artists with his philosophy that great sound comes not only from technology, but from deep listening and human connection.

Producer Sylvia Massy is best known for her work with Tool, System of a Down, Skunk Anansie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Taylor Hawkins, Johnny Cash, Prince, Jason Isbell and more. She’s received over 25 gold and platinum record awards throughout her career. Sylvia is a vintage audio equipment expert and owns the world's largest vintage microphone collection. Sylvia's book "Recording Unhinged" is an Amazon best-seller. She's an accomplished Fine Artist and Illustrator, Author, Educator and relentless Entrepreneur. But to her many friends, she’s just Sylvia, the Radiant Being.

Niko Bolas is an accomplished Audio Engineer and Record Producer based in Los Angeles, CA. He first discovered his passion for recording at the AME church in Los Angeles, where he captured choir and organ performances during sermons. His professional career began in the late 1970s as an apprentice at Silverlake Recording, and by the early 80s, he was house engineer at Record One in Sherman Oaks.

Niko delivers concise and soulful productions. He is best known for working on and off alongside Neil Young and has been his trusted producer and engineer for over 40 years. His producer, engineer, and mixer credits can also be found on records from Steve Perry, Kiss, The Mavericks, David Crosby, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Fiona Apple, Carole King, Willie Nelson, Boz Scaggs, Johnny Cash, Sting, Prince, and Toto. Niko was a good friend of the legendary drummer Jeff Porcaro, and he appears on the cover of Toto’s fifth studio album, Fahrenheit.

His body of work continues to develop with his lifelong collaborators and a range of Contemporary artists, including LP, Chris Pierce, and Jeremiah Grey. In 2021, he co-founded CMG (Cinema Music Group) with producer David Resnik. In 2025, the collective released Heart of Gold: Volume 1, a collection of Neil Young covers. It features inspired performances from Eddie Vedder, Mumford and Sons, Fiona Apple, Brandi Carlile, and The Doobie Brothers. All of the proceeds are donated to the Bridge School, a non-profit organization with which Niko has worked for over 25 years. Niko is committed to passing on the knowledge from his lifetime of experience and is a member of the MET Alliance, an organization of veteran recording engineers educating a new generation.

In addition to his work in the studio, Niko is a developer and pioneer in the field of Virtual Reality. He co-founded the companies Fakespace and DayDream VR with his brother Mark Bolas. They won several Emerging Technology Awards from SIGGRAPH. These days, he can be found enjoying a burrito at his studio, the Surf Shack, in Ventura, where he mixes in Dolby Atmos and continues to live by his tried-and-true recording philosophies, which are reflected in every project.