Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Gordon.
Austin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a longtime audio engineer and musician, having started in my teens and slowly becoming part of the DFW music scene as it stands today. If you can think of something in music, I’ve probably done it – singer, frontman, bassist, mixing engineer, producer, music publication writer, music venue booking manager, to name a few. Throughout this first part of my journey, I always enjoyed what I was doing but never really found any lane I was in to be sustainable, both from the financial side and the satisfaction side. I knew there needed to be something for me that spoke to both of those requirements and allowed me to utilize my skill set and passion where it was needed most. I ultimately stumbled upon audio mastering in the way a lot of musicians and engineers do, out of necessity, in order to complete projects, but I never really understood what it actually was until I just stopped hearing music and started truly listening. For me, it was definitely a “lightbulb” sort-of moment. I knew that this was it, and from that point forward, I dove in and combined all of my knowledge into launching what is now Commonwealth Mastering and haven’t looked back.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say that up until now; it’s been largely trial and error in figuring out who I am in this industry and who I am trying to become, so not exactly what one would call a “smooth road”! You meet people who seem to have it all figured out and know exactly what they want to do, and you just want to be like them – successful, self-possessed, and living in the moment. You never think it’ll be you unless some magical stroke of luck occurs or you’re noticed by the right people. While those things might be true, all that really matters to me now is doing good work for the sake of and doing it for the folks that have something to share with the world through their art. If I deserve it, the rest will come.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Commonwealth Mastering is a full-service audio mastering facility. What that means is that we bring peace of mind and help people finish their project, whether it be a song, an EP, a full-length record, or beyond. We’re the last step of the way after the project has been recorded, produced, and mixed. This process means we examine each body of work on its own merits, listen to it and analyze it, and then use a variety of audio sculpting and shaping tools to prepare that work for release in any form the artist desires, be it on a physical medium (CD, vinyl, cassette) or digital (streaming services, radio). Sometimes that means changing how the song sounds entirely and giving it a whole new feel; sometimes, it means doing almost nothing at all and leaving it how it is, and our expertise is in knowing which to do or not do.
There are lots of incredible, talented engineers out there who can do great work but may not really love working with people or being involved with the interpersonal side of things, and that’s where we’re different. Our approach is by starting with the artist first and understanding what they want from their work; we will always achieve what we’ve set out to do – which is to preserve the art that has been so heavily influenced by industry trends, the market, and consumer opinion. Mastering is often viewed through a strange lens due to the transactional and often indifferent nature of the service, but we’re here to do it differently by creating a trusting, consistent, and lasting partnership.
Furthermore, audio engineering has always been a boy’s club, led by men who want to gatekeep the art of sound and dismiss the ideas of those who want to change it and keep pushing it further. Inclusivity isn’t commonplace yet in this industry, and we’re here to be part of the conversation on changing that. We’re involved with civil rights organizations and will work with anyone who is willing to help make audio and music a more welcoming, supportive, and inclusive place.
Ultimately, what I want people to know about us is no matter who you are or where you come from, we believe in your art and your vision and want to help bring it to life in whatever way we can. That is our commitment to you, and you can hold us to it.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
While audio mastering isn’t exactly a “high-stakes business,” I do believe that taking risks in order to do good work that matters is necessary, regardless of your industry. Anyone with a belief will face opposition somewhere, and with opposition comes risk. We’re not willing to sit on the sidelines and watch as people who speak honestly and treat others with fairness are marginalized and abused. You can’t make everyone happy, but doing nothing is worse than doing something.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://commonwealthmastering.com/
- Instagram: @commonwealthmastering
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commonwealthmasteringdfw
Image Credits
Cortnie Dee Photography
