Richard Morris
Richard Morris is a musician and engineer who has been working on both sides of the glass for over two decades. Beginning with guitar at an early age, he learned to love and appreciate many styles of music, from rock and blues to bluegrass and jazz. He soon discovered home recording, and began assisting at local studios to learn more. In 2001, Richard attended the SAE Institute of Technology, graduating from the Audio Technology Program, where he had a chance to round out his experience with a mixture of classic analog and new digital technologies.
Shortly after, he was hired by Sterling Sound, one of the world's premiere mastering facilities. There he worked with and learned from some of the best in the business, including Chris Athens (The Beastie Boys, Coldplay), Leon Zervos (Santana, Maroon 5), and Greg Calbi. As an assistant to Mr. Calbi, Richard had a hand in the production of some of the most groundbreaking albums of the last few years (Iron and Wine, The Hold Steady, Norah Jones, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, John Mayer).
Moreover, he witnessed firsthand the kind of commitment that a great mastering engineer can give to a project. "Greg is a legendary engineer who has worked on some of the classic albums of all time. What really impressed me, though, is the level of attention he gives to every artist he works with, treating each project as if their lives depend on it. To help an artist realize their aspirations you have to be willing to go the extra mile, allowing them to communicate where they are coming from creatively and using that as a point of departure to get the right sound."
While at Sterling, Richard began mastering projects on his own, and through his connections in the emerging NYC alt-country scene he carved out a niche as a go-to mastering engineer. When rock, jazz, and ambient projects came along, he used his diverse tastes and encyclopedic knowledge of music to great effect. Some standout albums include "Songs for Love Drunk Sinners" by Jan Bell and The Cheap Dates (produced by Samantha Parton of The Be Good Tanyas), "The Movie" by Clare Muldaur and The Reasons, and "Great Calamities" by The Two Man Gentlemen Band.
"I've definitely become more of an acoustic musician over the years, but I still love hard rock. By playing in all different kinds of bands I'm open to just about anything. As a mastering engineer I've become much more attuned to the subtleties of dynamics. I think that the artists I work with appreciate that I am going to let their music breathe and keep its original life. Of course, I can make it louder, but the real trick is getting the right balance between the two."
I met Richard several years ago and have been impressed with his character and work ethic. He has a very real and true approach to mastering. Richard's clients are always impressed with his attention to detail and his competent and easy to work with nature. We're thrilled to have him on board.
- Scott Hull
