Talk About Your Junk : Dave Trumfio
Malcolm X Abram
Throughout February, EQD's "Show Us Your Junk!" video series is showcasing the "Rock Block," an actual city block in Los Angeles' Silver Lake neighborhood that houses the studios of veteran producers, mixers, and musicians Aaron Espinoza (The Ship), Rob Schnapf (Mant Sound Studios) and Dave Trumfio (Kingsize Soundlabs). The fourth member, Manny Nieto, has since moved his Suplex Audio to a new location, but we've included him because Manny was the first to find and build a studio in that location. As an addendum to the "Show Us Your Junk!: Rock Block" series of videos, we asked each producer to answer a few more questions highlighting their methods, professional histories and to share a bit more of their cool gear collections.
Dave Trumfio is a lifer.
The 53-year-old veteran producer, engineer, mixer, and musician began his journey into the world of music-making and production at the tender age of nine when he formed his first band and recorded them on his handheld tape deck. At 16, using his parents' suburban Chicago basement as a nascent studio, he upgraded his recording gear from a boombox to a Fostex X15 four-track cassette recorder and never stopped.
As with many successful producers, Dave learned as an intern at Seagrape Recording Studios in Chicago. In 1991, Dave and his partner Mike Hagler opened the first Kingsize Soundlabs in Wicker Park.
While recording others, Dave was also a member and primary songwriter of The Pulsars with his brother Harry. That band released a full-length album and two EPs, and Dave has also played with Ashtray Boy and the Mekons (both of whom he also recorded).
Eventually, Dave found his way to Los Angeles, opening the West Coast version of Kingsize Soundlabs in Silver Lake at the Rock Block location alongside friends and fellow producer/engineers Aaron Espinoza and Rob Schnapf.
Dave's recording resume is long and varied and includes Wilco, Grandaddy, Built To Spill, My Morning Jacket, Kool Keith and Kutmasta Kurt, American Music Club, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Sia, Natalie Merchant, and The Pretty Things.
Today, Dave oversees Kingsize Soundlabs and its staff of eight engineers and continues to be a music and recording lifer. Dave graciously shared his impressive amount of junk for EQD's four-part "Rock Block" themed Show Us Your Junk series. Dave was also kind enough to answer a few more questions, sharing some of his philosophy on working with bands, the importance of real-world experience, and his gear addiction.
EarthQuaker Devices: As a producer, what's most satisfying about the recording process?
Dave Trumfio: Realizing a song to its fullest potential. Knowing you helped create something from nothing.
EQD: You mention that psychology is a big part of the job. How so? For example, is it the ability to read people and figure out the best ways to motivate them or picking up on a group's specific dynamic and working within it or blowing it up? What is the most common bit of psychology you find yourself using during a session?
DT: A lot of times, you're helping make the experience as fun and easy as possible. Kind of like a sherpa. If it's a young artist with little experience in a studio environment, you need to help break down those walls that might psych them out. If it's a seasoned pro, you might need to figure out a way to get them excited about the process. The studio should be fun!
EQD: So many veteran producers/engineers - particularly over 40ish - got their start running tape or sweeping up and just being present to soak up information at their local studio. How important was that apprentice/intern/deluxe custodian experience for your development?
DT: For me, it was truly my education. You learn by doing and observing. In the late '80s, when I was coming up, it was an exciting time in that it was still old school, but technology was starting to move fast, so being the young guy, I threw myself at it. Setting up midi rigs, learning early digital as well as the tried and true analog workflow. I also learned about how important "bedside manner" is as an engineer and producer. I witnessed how a bad attitude could tank a session and how a good positive one could catapult the whole process to full productivity. This was when I realized half the job is being a people person. You could be the greatest engineer or producer in the world, but if no one can stand to be in the room with you, your career will suffer, and you'll be exiled to the backrooms!
EQD: You mention becoming a producer "by osmosis" with the help of the Fostex. But did you ever have an epiphany or a pivotal moment when you truly felt and thought, "Golly. I am a professional record producer!"
DT: Probably when I was getting approached by labels and A&R types to take meetings with their artists and budgeting out everything. Technically "producing" on all levels. Up until then, I always just thought of myself as the guy recording the record. It was in the early '90s, and credits were leaning to "recorded by" as opposed to "produced by." But looking back, I was in a traditional sense producing, as a band would come to me, and I'd put together a plan to achieve what they wanted to do in the studio along with a budget. Then there were the creative aspects, of course, which always went hand in hand for me. I'm a musician at my core, so being part of the creative process was always welcomed when things would get to a crossroad, etc., or being the objective outside ear.
EQD: With so many audio engineering schools available on and offline, are apprenticeships and/or interning still important? Do you have any interns or apprentices? If not, Do you think it's even still a viable way to learn or enter the business?
DT: We do have "interns." I'm still a strong believer that you can be book smart but useless in the real world! The schools seem to be good at teaching DAW operators but lack the real-world stuff. Our studios are definitely a combo of old school and new school, so it's a great environment for young engineers to get real-world experience. Many times the interns move into assisting and engineering roles as we see their capabilities, etc. It's the classic studio model in that sense.
EQD: You mention using smaller amps when recording. What are the advantages for you?
DT: Ha! I call it the diaphragm-to-speaker ratio! I just feel they sound more forward and actually bigger than larger cabinets in many cases. To me, smaller speakers are easier to capture with mics, etc.
EQD: How important is it for a studio to have a variety of gear for artists? Do you ever find yourself having to tear artists away from playing with everything in the keyboard or the drum room just to get them back to work?
DT: It's important to have choices outside the artist's normal palette. It's the bells and whistles that give many recordings the depth of a definitive version. Also, many times it sparks new songs and approaches to existing songs. On top of that, letting band members keep themselves busy off in the lounge or iso booths while another member is in the hot seat keeps everyone in the fun zone!
EQD: Is there an album from your storied history that you feel really captures your production style and/or highlights the synergy between an artist's vision and producing it into a sonic reality?
DT: There are so many I hear years later and am pleasantly surprised. When you're in it, you really don't have the perspective, and many times it's hard for me to listen once it's finally released! All the hours of listening it takes to complete an album are insane, no matter how you slice it.
Recently, I revisited the records I did for the Get Up Kids label Heros And Villians with Koufax and The Anniversary. I was smiling, let's just say... Also, a similar dive was Butterglory "Are You Building A Temple In Heaven" I did for Merge. I love that record… BUT I have to say I love them all once I'm able to get away for a while and hear with fresh ears…
EQD: Do you miss being in a working band? Do you ever get the urge to break out the drum machines and start playing gigs and making your own records again?
DT: I never stopped recording my own stuff. Let's just say I have a shit ton of unreleased music! I released 2 EP's a few years back as Viktor Fiction. I'm currently playing bass in the Mekons, which has been a blast, and I also did a stint recently with the Moving Units playing aux guitar and keys. At the end of the day, writing and playing music is a huge part of my life, and I'm starting to focus a lot more on it… Thanks for asking!
EQD: What kind of gear still interests you as a studio owner? Do you ever see a piece of gear, be it new or vintage, and think, "I absolutely MUST have that for Kingsize!"
DT: I love it all! Let's just say it's an addiction… I'm always interested in gear that gives the studios the creative sparks.
EQD: Is there any dream piece of gear you still covet for your studio or your personal collection?
DT: HA! So many… I can't even process it.
Malcolm X Abram is a recovering reporter and music writer and a proud 40 year guitar noodler. He lives, works and plays in the bucolic dreamland of Akron, Ohio in an old house with two dogs who don’t really like each other and way too many spiders.
