Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer, mixing engineer, record producer, and technical writer best known for his work with Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Hall & Oates. Rudolph has been a contributing editor for Music Connection Magazine since 1987 and Mix Magazine since 1997. Rudolph is credited on more than 30 RIAA-certified gold and platinum records.
Early life and career Rudolph's interest in electronics started at a young age. While in sixth grade, he won a science fair competition for building a radio transmitter with parts from a war surplus store. In high school, he played the drums in a rock band and also designed and built a PA system for their use. He said that his interest in recording engineering developed, "I was interested in what made certain records sound better to me and why." He graduated with an Associate of Science degree from Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, California in 1969. In 1970, he graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Science degree. Simultaneously, Rudolph worked for various Southern California aerospace and computer companies as a digital test technician.
His first job at a recording studio was as an assistant at United Audio in Santa Ana. In 1970, he moved to West Hollywood after accepting a position at Larrabee Sound Studios. He started cutting demo acetate discs and later assisted recording engineers during sessions. He was first engineer and mixer on his first #1 record. Al Wilson's album "Show and Tell" which received an RIAA gold certification in December 1973. Rudolph became a freelance engineer afterwards.
Rudolph began writing for Music Connection Magazine in 1987 and for Mix Magazine in 1997 and continues to contribute to both publications. He started teaching audio engineering in 2010 at Pinnacle College in Alhambra, California and then taught at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He is the founder and owner of mixing facility Tones 4 $ Studios (pronounced "Tones For Dollars").
Selected discography YearAlbumArtistRole1973Show and TellAl WilsonMixer1975Daryl Hall & John OatesDaryl Hall & John OatesMixer1975Common SenseJohn PrineEngineer1975Best Of EverythingEl ChicanoEngineer1976Footloose and Fancy FreeRod StewartEngineer1976Are You Ready For The CountryWaylon JenningsEngineer1977Street SurvivorsLynyrd SkynyrdEngineer1978Levon HelmLevon HelmEngineer1983I'm ReadyNatalie ColeMixer1984Juice Newton's Greatest Hits (And More)Juice NewtonMixer1988Tales of the CityRockmelonsMixer1988The Ugly Americans in AustraliaWall Of VoodooCo-producer1989MergeArthur Baker & the Backbeat DisciplesEngineer1992Welcome to HowdywoodBoy HowdyEngineer1995Enrique IglesiasEnrique IglesiasEngineer1996At Night I PrayWild OrchidEngineer1996Songs of West Side StoryDavid PackEngineer1998Talk on CornersThe CorrsEngineer1999EnriqueEnrique IglesiasEngineer1999Screamin' for My SupperBeth HartEngineer2000Sooner or LaterBBMakEngineer2001Nuthin' Fancy/Second HelpingLynyrd SkynyrdEngineer2001All the LoveOleta AdamsMixer2003GoPat BenatarMixer2006Mile High FanParthenon HuxleyMixer2008When We Were the New BoysRod StewartEngineer2012Come to Me/Well Kept Secret/Take HeartJuice NewtonEngineer
References
External links Barry Rudolph Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2021)