A Talk with Audio Engineer, and Songwriter Julia Sarocco
- Michael Tringale
- Dec 29, 2023
- 3 min read
On October 11th, 2023, I and my fellow Audio Engineers Society(AES) members had the great opportunity to speak to Songwriter, and Audio Engineer Julia Sarocco. At the Audio Engineers Society Organization at Salem State University, we hold weekly mixing sessions and invite occasional guest speakers to speak to students and provide an opportunity to learn about the intricacies of Engineering, Music Production, and the Music Industry. Julia is an Audio Engineer for Phenoix Down Recording Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts. She is most known for her work at the studio, her writing, and the promotion of her music and the studio. Our meeting began with a few questions for Julia about what she does, how she would describe an Audio Engineer, and how she got to where she is in the Music Industry today. Julia talked about her work at the Somerville studio and explained that she loves her job, the work, the environment, and the staff. Julia works in sessions and sits in on others when she is not running her own. A piece of advice Julia gave AES students was to treat every time you're in the studio like the first. Julia then explained how she sits in on others' sessions when she is not running her own and is taking notes, trying to improve, and further develop her craft. Julia also writes, produces, and engineers her music and consistently promotes her work on her social media platforms. This promotion from Julia allows people to see her hard work and book her for a future recording session. Julia stressed to AES the importance of finding fulfilling work and why Pheonix Down Studios is fulfilling for her. It is apparent that Julia loves music, but upon talking to her, it's transparent she casually and creatively enjoys the art. Her work is fulfilling, and she enjoys supporting artists in achieving a finished song they are happy with and feel vision-wise is sonically how they imagined.
Julia describes an engineer as someone who can manipulate a song, sound, or component of a song to match the desired sound of the artist. Julia expressed her passion for being on this side of the creative process as well as being a producer, and writer and how the two offer some differences and opinionated views on how much artistic creation and molding of the song is at play. Julia then explained that she got to where she was in the industry now by having a drive to learn and never giving up. Julia began as a runner doing the small things, then sitting in on sessions, and then running her own. Even now that she runs her sessions she still sits in on others and treats every day in the studio like her first. This work ethic and drive to learn and succeed is what has offered Julia her success thus far and will continue to offer her promising opportunities in the Music Industry.
Julia is a hard worker and inquisitive to learn something new from everyone She gave great advice on how to start working as an engineer and told AES students to work with everyone they have the opportunity to and to charge hourly and not by the project. Julia then proceeded to answer questions from AES members. Julia answered all questions thoroughly and in detail and provided Audio Engineer Society members with a lot of insight into what working as an Audio Engineer in the industry is like. Thank you, Julia Sarocco, for speaking for the Audio Engineers Society at Salem State University. If you would like to learn more about Julia Sarocco, click the hyperlinks to visit her Instagram and linktree.
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