Today we’d like to introduce you to John LaRosa.
Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My love for music began at the age of three when I started playing drums at my neighbor’s house. My parents eventually bought me a drum set and I remember at the age of ten recording myself on a cassette deck. I’d move the cassette deck around my bedroom to hear how the sound changed in the different sections of the room. I didn’t realize at that time that someone could actually get paid for capturing sound, but when I was a senior in high school, I learned more about audio engineering. Following high school, I enrolled in an audio engineering program at A.R.T.I. in Orlando, FL. That decision led me to meet and learn from some of the best teachers I’ve ever had. Following that program, I edited voiceovers and did live sound at Hard Rock Live in Orlando. I eventually found my way into the recording studios working with musicians and songwriters. I continued to work hard and hone in on my skills and now I work at TSM Studio as a recording and mixing engineer for multiple genres of music. I’ve recorded music from rap to rock and bluegrass, country, RnB, soul, as well as music in foreign languages. I’ve been fortunate to also be a re-recording engineer for a feature film, sound designer, as well as location sound engineer on multiple projects.
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?
No, not at all. I questioned so many times (especially in the early years) if I was cut out for this. I would say to myself “is this for me” or “am I meant to do this for a living” so many times when I made a mistake or someone wasn’t happy with the work I did, but I continued to push myself to be the best I could. In 2008 my business partner past away and everything fell apart. I felt like it was time to move on to something else, that everything was over and nothing was left for me to accomplish in the audio industry. So I tried to pursue another path professionally, but I found myself to be very unhappy. So I stayed on the path and I am very grateful that I did to this day.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a recording and mixing engineer. I work at TSM Studio and I also work in education as a Program Director at F.I.R.S.T. Institute. I love teaching my clients and students about audio and also learning more about the trade as well. I strive to learn something new with every project and continue to push myself to be better than the last project I did.
I also enjoy building soundscapes. I’ll take a small video clip or picture and build a soundscape from the image(s). I found an interest in this during the pandemic when recording sessions came to a halt and I continue to do these types of projects in my downtime.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I enjoy reading TapeOp and am currently reading Creativity Inc. which is a book about Pixar and the management of creatives. I find a lot of inspiration in this book for both the creative side of my line of work, but also in managing the audio team at F.I.R.S.T.
Contact Info:
- Email: tsm.johnlarosa@gmail.com
- Website: tsmstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_la_rosa/
