OHIO students participate in masterclass with Grammy-nominated producer Joel Hamilton at Brooklyn’s Studio G

Earlier this semester, students in the Scripps College of Communication were given the opportunity to take part in a masterclass with music producer Joel Hamilton at Studio G in Brooklyn, New York.

Hamilton, a record producer, audio engineer and musician, has produced various albums and singles, including music for the band Highly Suspect, whose work with Hamilton was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards. 

The OHIO students who participated in the masterclass were given the valuable opportunity to serve in an apprenticeship role during an actual recording and mixing session led by Hamilton. 

For Michael Wells, a junior studying music production, it was this time in the studio, working with real industry professionals that made the masterclass such a valuable experience. 

“The number one thing I’ve gotten out of (the masterclass) was the amount of insight into being in a studio that’s trying to find a place in the music industry,” Wells said. “Although I think Ohio University has done a great job of setting me up to do things like record people and mix, I think actually being in an environment where they have to do it to make money has been very eye-opening and interesting.” 

Wells also said the insight the masterclass provided into the financial and business side of the music industry has given them a valuable perspective on how they envision their future in the industry beyond their time at OHIO. 

For some students this overarching perspective of what the music industry and working in a studio looks like in the real world was the most valuable aspect of the program, but for others it was simply being in the presence of Hamilton and having the opportunity to simply watch him work. 

“I’ve never had this close of an encounter with a producer of anywhere near that magnitude,” Keith Miller, a music production student said. “The biggest takeaway I had was right at the beginning when he used arrangement and conversation with the musician to shape the mix. There was very little just recording to see what fits.”

Shania Huffman, a junior in the music production program at OHIO, found similar value in being in the studio with a producer of Hamilton’s caliber. 

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is how Joel’s mixes and production decisions come from how he thinks about things,” Huffman said. “The way he thinks about how each sound relates to every other sound is probably the biggest thing I’m going to take away from this trip.”

Huffman said this approach, which was a new experience for her, is one she hopes to begin experimenting with in her own work. 

OHIO students weren’t the only ones who walked away feeling the experience was a valuable one. Hamilton said he was impressed with the level of knowledge the masterclass students possessed. 

"Working here at Studio G Brooklyn with the students from Ohio University, I was amazed by the level of comprehension all of them had, even when I would get deep into the more ethereal aspects of music production. The students asked very thoughtful and inspiring questions, which gave me a window into the program they are currently enrolled in,” Hamilton said. 

Overall, the masterclass experience offered a breadth of knowledge and real-world experience students often cannot get in a classroom setting. From the technical side of production to the business of the industry, these Ohio University students walked away feeling they had a better real-world and technical understanding of the industry they hope to one day build a career in. 

For some, these insights even managed to go beyond studio work and business. On the final day of the program, Troy Davis, a senior in the Scripps College of Communication, said it wasn’t the insights Hamilton offered about work in the studio he found most memorable, but the ones he offered for life in the industry.

“I think my favorite takeaway was all of the life lessons Joel has taught us. He taught us how to relate to artists on a human level and to show that we’re vulnerable which helps you connect with your clients beyond just a personal level,” Davis said. 

School of Media Arts and Studies director and masterclass program director Josh Antonuccio found the program equally as valuable as his students did. 

"Our students got to learn firsthand from a Grammy-nominated producer and engineer in the heart of one of New York City’s finest studios. Joel gave incredible instruction to our student group, allowing them to integrate into each stage of the tracking and mixing process,” Antonuccio said. “It was an extraordinary course opportunity for them, learning alongside Joel and his team; they gained invaluable experience to apply directly to their careers."