OUR TEAM
TIM SMITH
FOUNDER / OWNER
Tim’s first instrument was the trumpet at age 9, moving onto to the drums at age 11. Shortly after at age 15, Tim scored his first recording contract with Pair of Jacks Records while playing with one of his childhood bands, Paddlefish. The band released two albums (Something Fishy & Dredlochness) both were received well locally however had very little success on a national level. In 1997 Tim gave birth to, what would later open many doors pushing him into the national spotlight, 2 Phat & the Family Funktion. It was here that Tim took his shot at fronting his own group rather than sitting at the back of the stage. Over the next ten years, the band released five albums under the self-launched label, House Phunk Records. During live performances, Tim handled lead vocals & percussion, although on the studio recordings he also performed the drums & turntables. In 2005 & 2006 the band was nominated in several Detroit Music Awards categories.
It was also at this time The Soundscape Recording Studio became more than just an idea, it became a reality. In 2005 after struggling to keep up the momentum, Tim left 2 Phat & the Family Funktion only to join one of Detroit’s most successful rock bands, Zug Izland. At the time, Zug Izland was signed to Psychopathic Records and distributed by Sony Red. For the next five years, Tim toured the US & shared the stage with a handful of legendary acts such as Buckcherry, Drowning Pool, ICP, The Phunk Junkeez, Esham, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Ice Tea, Three Six Mafia, Yelawolf, and Morris Day & The Time just to name a few. In 2009 Tim applied for the necessary Michigan proprietary school license and shortly after fully developed and launched the School for the Recording Arts side of The Soundscape. In 2012 Tim was featured in several episodes of the popular reality T.V. show “Take the Stage” with super-producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins & elite music artist manager Johnny Wright. Episodes featuring Tim were filmed onsite in Royal Oak Michigan at The Soundscape Recording Studio.
Tim’s studio work comprises of everything from jazz, classical, country, hip hop, rock, folk, and metal. Some of his more notable past clients have included the likes of Big Sean, Christon Birge, Tunde Olaniran, and ATMIG. In addition to teaching a new breed of audio engineers, Tim continues to engineer, mix & master select projects alongside of his hand-picked staff.
Tim authored three textbooks for Soundscape Studio & School for the Recording Arts. Aside from his studio teaching & engineering, Tim speaks regularly at high schools & universities regarding the art and business of music production and audio engineering. For more information on securing Tim for a speaking engagement please contact The Soundscape Recording Studio directly.
Tommy Porter
ENGINEER
Tommy began playing guitar at age 8. From middle school through high school he played in numerous garage bands, sang in the choir and excelled in the jazz ensemble. Tommy’s passion for music production as a teenager prompted him to assemble his first makeshift recording studio in his parent’s basement. This new creative space allowed him the opportunity to track and mix not only his own personal projects but an array of local artists as well.
It wasn’t long before he enrolled at Wayne State University where he studied music technology and jazz guitar. Shortly after he found himself participating at the school’s TV station (airs on PBS), the schools radio station (which is partnered with WDET), and at the DSO for WSU’s “Mondays at the Max” showcase events. Aside from engineering at The Soundscape, Tommy can be found performing on various stages throughout the metro Detroit area.
Kyle Saloka
STUDIO TECH / ENGINEER
Kyle’s musical journey began with the bass at age 6 and the guitar at age 12. By age 10, he found himself as the front-of-the-house engineer for his father’s band. It was here that Kyle cut his teeth learning the value of getting great results with limited equipment.
“…I didn’t have access to compressors so as a result, I learned a lot about riding faders, to this day I tend to use very little compression when I’m tracking as well.”
In addition to his solid background in live sound & studio engineering, Kyle also has experience as a Studio Tech. In 2019 he spent some time building a guitar amp with Bruce Egnator. Aside from engineering sessions, Kyle handles all of The Soundscape’s technical gear repairs and installations. In 2017, Kyle graduated from Soundscape Studio & School for the Recording Arts. Musical influences include The Beatles, Rush, Supertramp & Radiohead to name a few.
Geoff Brown
INSTRUCTOR / ENGINEER
Geoff grew up steeped in music, playing drums since toddlerhood and picking up electric bass upon hearing Green Day and The Ramones. Immediately falling in love with the craft, he spent the next fifteen years studying the bass and guitar. A few years in, he picked up his first Shure SM57, laying the grounds for an audio engineering obsession that would never be truly satiated. Later he attended the University of Michigan for audio engineering and has since made dozens of records in jazz, folk, rock, metal and also industrial idioms.
A lover of walls of sound (in both Phil Spector and My Bloody Valentine sense), sonic experimentation, tradition and technique, Geoff is a versatile and skilled engineer. An Albini acolyte, Geoff believes in getting it right at the start – capturing the “truth” and delivering it to the medium of recorded music.