My mission is to work with artists to turn their creative vision into something they can hold in their hands. Music, storytelling, and auditory self-expression in any form occurs in the present and is built in the mind. I consider that my job as a record producer is to capture these expressions and deliver them in a way that the artist wants them to be heard again and again.
Recording is often perceived as being mechanical and sometimes intimidating, which can then show in the performance of the artist and lose the personality or organic feel of a project. By focusing on the wants and needs of the artist or project, my approach is to facilitate a creative, comfortable, and positive recording experience while also working with the artist to get the best take possible. It is also my priority in any session to get the sound the artist is looking for. Whether an artist comes to me and says “I want my record to sound like this other record” or they say “I want this song to sound like Disneyland on acid”, my goal is to work creatively and use whatever recording techniques necessary to make that happen. This is where the artistry is for me as the engineer.
I personally enjoy the challenge of working in different studios/rooms as well as in recording spaces that are not studios at all (venues, outdoors, basements, front porches, etc.). All studios, like artists, are unique in their own ways so I strive to seek out the best facility possible for both the needs and budget of the project.
Engineering, for me, is about the love of music, art, and creation. With any project, from the self funded DIY to the "Big Leagues" and everything in between, my goal is to collaborate with the artist and be involved in the production process to the extent that the artist needs or wants to make the best sounding recording possible.
Recording is often perceived as being mechanical and sometimes intimidating, which can then show in the performance of the artist and lose the personality or organic feel of a project. By focusing on the wants and needs of the artist or project, my approach is to facilitate a creative, comfortable, and positive recording experience while also working with the artist to get the best take possible. It is also my priority in any session to get the sound the artist is looking for. Whether an artist comes to me and says “I want my record to sound like this other record” or they say “I want this song to sound like Disneyland on acid”, my goal is to work creatively and use whatever recording techniques necessary to make that happen. This is where the artistry is for me as the engineer.
I personally enjoy the challenge of working in different studios/rooms as well as in recording spaces that are not studios at all (venues, outdoors, basements, front porches, etc.). All studios, like artists, are unique in their own ways so I strive to seek out the best facility possible for both the needs and budget of the project.
Engineering, for me, is about the love of music, art, and creation. With any project, from the self funded DIY to the "Big Leagues" and everything in between, my goal is to collaborate with the artist and be involved in the production process to the extent that the artist needs or wants to make the best sounding recording possible.
Josh's Bio:
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Josh Garcia’s interest in music and recording began at an early age, with a 4-track cassette machine and picking up the drums. But it was his first studio session, recording his first band’s first (and only) demo in a studio, that mesmerized him and began his fascination with the world of audio engineering. It was then that he knew he had found his calling.
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In the summer of 1997, Josh began as an intern at Time Bomb Records in Laguna Beach, CA. A few years later he moved up the California coast to Sausalito, where he interned at The Plant for about 6 months. Making his way to San Francisco where he began working nights in rock clubs mixing front of house after spending the days working in the famous Hyde Street Studios. It was here that he took in anything and everything thrown his way by the studio’s staff of highly talented and experienced engineers and producers, absorbing a wealth of knowledge and gaining much valuable experience.
Garcia is highly passionate for all things audio, including creative advances in audio production. While his audio upbringing and work ethic are deeply rooted in old school production techniques, such as analog tape recording, as well as capturing live “off the floor” takes which stem from his experiences with engineers and producers such as Joel Jaffe (Ray Manzerek, Santana, Huey Lewis & The News) and the late, great Don Smith (Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, U2). However, having learned from his time assisting forward-thinking and talented engineers like Matt Kelly (SF), Russ Elevado (NYC), Bill Stevenson (CO), and Ben Hillier (UK), Garcia follows in their footsteps by utilizing many modern production techniques as the ability to balance a bit of that "old school" vibe into his sessions.
From 2012- 2017, Josh was the manager and head engineer at San Francisco's best kept secret, Motor Studios (owned by Fat Mike of NOFX). Seeking to move on to his own creative projects outside the hustle and bustle of the city, you can currently find him mixing away and making music for him and his wife's record label, Heartburn Records, in their home studio in the North State as well as working freelance out of various studios and venues in the Bay Area and up and down the West Coast.
Garcia is highly passionate for all things audio, including creative advances in audio production. While his audio upbringing and work ethic are deeply rooted in old school production techniques, such as analog tape recording, as well as capturing live “off the floor” takes which stem from his experiences with engineers and producers such as Joel Jaffe (Ray Manzerek, Santana, Huey Lewis & The News) and the late, great Don Smith (Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, U2). However, having learned from his time assisting forward-thinking and talented engineers like Matt Kelly (SF), Russ Elevado (NYC), Bill Stevenson (CO), and Ben Hillier (UK), Garcia follows in their footsteps by utilizing many modern production techniques as the ability to balance a bit of that "old school" vibe into his sessions.
From 2012- 2017, Josh was the manager and head engineer at San Francisco's best kept secret, Motor Studios (owned by Fat Mike of NOFX). Seeking to move on to his own creative projects outside the hustle and bustle of the city, you can currently find him mixing away and making music for him and his wife's record label, Heartburn Records, in their home studio in the North State as well as working freelance out of various studios and venues in the Bay Area and up and down the West Coast.
