Former Houston-based engineer, Don Devore wanted to become better at his craft, and after looking at a number of schools the 29-year old decided to visit the CRAS to see if it was up to his standards.

What brought you to the Conservatory?
I had been doing some studio work in Houston, but for the most part I was doing a live sound gigs for bar bands and wedding bands but only on a part-time basis. I had heard of the Conservatory but didn't know anything about the program. My wife and I drove from Houston to Phoenix (1200 miles-one way in a day!) where I was able to tour the school and talk with an admissions representative about the program. Once I saw what they had to offer I signed up. I think the thing that convinced me the most was the required internship program that other schools didn't offer.

What made you decide to open your own studio once you graduated?
Well, I didn't just pop out of school and open a huge multi-room facility. I did my internship at Studio X, Seattle's biggest world-class room. I later found out about a studio in town called Ironwood that had more opportunity for advancement, so I finished my internship there. After a few months, a position opened up and I was hired as a staff engineer. I was in the right place at the right time. It turns out that the current owner was ready to retire. He made me an attractive offer that was hard to refuse, so I took over the operations of the studio.

What kind of clientele do you attract in Seattle?
A wide variety of talent including local jazz and rock bands, major record label projects, radio jingle/voiceovers, singer/songwriter demos, the Seattle Symphony and projects from independent engineers and producers.

Devore’s current gear setup is a mix of new and old including a vintage Neve 8248 console, Studer A827 2" machine, Pro Tools Mix 24 and outboard gear from Lexicon, Manley, Summit, Aphex and dbx. He plans to add a new room featuring a new Pro Tools|HD rig soon. When I asked him what the most gratifying part of working in audio was he quickly replied. "Helping people create music. And getting paid for it."