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Find out how. https://www.studiobluedreams.com/coaching daily 0.75 2022-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Your coach and teacher https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Your coach and teacher https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg Your coach and teacher https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e9e44e143969e061c2ed8fa/1597176656465-AS04QUP6DHSPNWPR3K8Q/image-asset.jpeg Your coach and teacher https://www.studiobluedreams.com/services daily 0.75 2023-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/568c8dc9-ea69-43b3-9e8d-ebd7978350e5/graphic-design-studio-1563080_1920.jpg Services - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.studiobluedreams.com/contact daily 0.75 2022-10-21 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/work-with-me daily 0.75 2022-10-21 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/the-studio daily 0.75 2025-11-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/ddd390af-dd5f-4466-ab26-516fece31623/ears+close-up-18753_1280.jpg The Studio - What does it sound like when it’s done? That depends on the talent, the room, the microphones, the outboard gear, the control room tone, the monitors, and the experience of the engineer. EARS + PERFORMANCE: The engineer’s ears and skills are critical. And then you want terrific performances. Past that … TRUSTABLE MIX ACOUSTICS: The best start to a great recording space whose configuration and size suits your project, and mixing environment that is well-treated — it has a sound you can trust. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/514ca3a7-7486-4c3e-bce4-079522ba8986/guitars-2033566_1920.jpg The Studio - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/6bcc56c2-c619-480c-8e1b-e4ad2b736c6c/microphone-4340507_1920.jpg The Studio - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1668457055091-X5AQY4YN5SOLFI9L2B4N/Antelope+Audio+ZEN+GO.jpeg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1667632761673-8JEH1Y7TZJ4HVNMX7795/Aphex+207d.jpeg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1667632762156-LFID3920312FHFQP6216/ART+TPS+II.jpeg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1667632761601-Z3Y5XP1ZBTKDS7CYK55S/107.jpeg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326709129-GRKMQH4NYH61DSQGCPMC/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - MXLV250 with CK-47 Mod Warm, clear tone similar to the Neumann U-47. The CK-47 mod from Microphone Parts is well-regarded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326892543-WVH5YKWYU1F38RESCIUI/image.jpeg The Studio - CAD E100SX Latest revision of legendary VO mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326687854-N1XGGH0NG2F3YNNNRF7C/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Antelope Axino Emulates 18 of the world’s best microphones https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326759960-411UVHVW3GXLUCKFNQQ9/image.jpeg The Studio - AKG 214 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326719260-0UOU6LT0KNST3BGIJ2IX/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Rode NT-1a A voice over artist’s dream, when you match it with the right talent. One of the most widely used VO mics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326723797-GRGFPEVWGJH3R5LZKRCU/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Rode NT2A (2) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326711378-7H5ZMERCDSGE3AFSQX7Z/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Oktava 319 (mod) Amazing, warm mic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666327095451-NC5R2EPGMN5CP39T9ESY/image.jpeg The Studio - Avantone Pro CK-6 with Peluso mod The Peluso CEK-47 mod deploys the same capsule Peluso uses in a multi-thousand dollar microphone. The is warm, buttery, even in tone through its range, and an excellent choice for a vintage sound that nevertheless has some modern detail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326681215-F42GRFMZ2AG9RX2LIOVA/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - AKG P420 (2) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326695014-O09OFEGA2JLWFVZQX3BT/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Behringer B1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666329659129-UN26BQRFC07BUPRBHBXP/image.jpeg The Studio - C4000B Great, warm mic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666327632382-BSOQX9BK6PXGOTR0HA09/image.jpeg The Studio - Behringer B2-Pro vintage with 797 capsule https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326731798-KKD7EA32CDJUY8LVZOKJ/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Studio Projects C1 with 797 Capsule https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326729512-G9O5Y31K9HJANL7NH47V/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Studio Projects B1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326698043-4756L8XM3DE4SGBRKO9G/attachment.php.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326714175-SJZMNTK2OK5CGT5E1VDX/gear_attachment.php.jpg The Studio - Rode M5 matched pair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326668098-XQ1D47B0U2UHBEIHC4V0/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - AKG P170 SDC (2) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1666326725851-J0FNHD6GF1POUJ86BFR9/attachment.php.jpg The Studio - sE X1D kick drum mic I also have a Shure Beta 52, and two full drum mic kits, including the CAD Stage 7. Normally I’d mic a kick drum with the X1D for non-jazz, but otherwise choose an LDC that fits the kick drum sound and the player’s style. I have Shure 57/58 and other good mics for snare, and many tom and overhead choices. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706080448-7KAQJVEI60G3O3AFPJZY/1125+v+2+-+FR+1%3A12+smoothing.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706080830-ZJBJKCWQQR8USOI0X8AW/1125+v+2+-+FR+1%3A6+smoothing.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706079854-CTE72CNZHWF9M2V34YT3/1125+v+2+-+FR+Psychoacoustic.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706079478-X4E3VNFSBKNRZ9FF6D4J/1125+v+2+-+Waterfall.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706077499-W508LZZLU4SCTT475NNK/1125+v+2+-+Topt+on+RT60.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706078470-EN6R3WIRKJWQOZ9MJ2GK/1125+v+2+-+THD.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706078778-QHG7MCMOLNBSCRPIFKBW/1125+-+v+2+-+Clarity.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1669706077376-I4LHG9CVWKFHBFF07W14/Decay+-+400ms+at+40dB+down.jpg The Studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1668454005297-CS5R9N1KX98PKKWVYRLN/Avantone+Planar.jpeg The Studio - Avantone Pro Planar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1668454005581-NHVJP0SS3LOFFJICUOH0/B2031A+-+71QuDxe1gXL._AC_SL1500_.jpg The Studio - B2031A - A Genelec clone with solid performance These are heavily-built, well-specified monitors that Behringer produced to compete with a popular line that Genelec formerly sold and then discontinued. These monitors were calibrated to be close to flat at the factory, but whatever variations in the monitor characteristics were in place when I installed them have been corrected through digital room equalization. These are very good monitors that, in my room, probably perform similarly to monitors at the $4000/pair price range. The imaging is very good, and the frequency response is generally balanced throughout the audible spectrum. I complement these with the IK iLOUD MTMs, which are also internally calibrated using a proprietary calibration mic — they sound a bit more mid-forward, very gently. So these two monitor pairs are really useful together. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1668454005991-KS5KQM68CEQ61U1ZTTCU/behringer+truth.png The Studio - B2031a frequency response out of the box Performance of the B2031a monitors out of the box is very good, but not ruler-flat. The monitor can either be gently altered through low and high settings on the back of the monitor to boost/attenuate frequencies that may cause issues with the monitors in your room, or can be precisely adjusted the way we do it: through digital room EQ, which supports a truer response at the mix point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1668454006076-VN8T2GTAX1YNJSZ9HHCV/ik_multimedia_ip_iloud_mtm_in_iloud_mtm_high_resolution_1568655366_1455769.jpg The Studio - MTM iLOUD from IK Multimedia A new addition to the studio, these sit on the bridge of our mix desk and provide near field reference monitoring with very flat, internally calibrated response and superior imaging and phase reproduction. At medium to somewhat loud volumes, these monitors have a very low-distortion, highly accurate reproduction of program material. Because they go reliably down to about 45Hz (rated 40Hz, but I wouldn’t push that at high volume), they sound a bit more mid-forward than the fuller range Behringer B2031A with the subwoofer. This mid-forward character is great for comparing mixes to ensure that the right amount of mid-content is present without stepping on all the great stuff that can happen in the midrange. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1668454069474-QG1ZG5KA8MWI4O2S0KTU/iLoudMTM_FrequencyResp%402x.png The Studio - IK iLOUD fréquence response graph out of the box This flat response out of the box is impressive, and gets modified by the monitor calibration process that deploys IK’s MEMS calibration microphone. https://www.studiobluedreams.com/about daily 0.75 2022-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/c82f53e4-1668-45fa-a7a6-afd3b6706262/IMG_E0304.png About - Hi, I’m Paul K. Ward. I started playing music professionally in high school, and continued through college and afterwards, while I also built a career in marketing strategy and international business advisory. I love what I do. My career, whether in music or business — or both — has been centered around getting all the elements right to create a successful, memorable experience. In both business and music, the conversation with one’s audiences builds trust, loyalty, and passion. Think beyond the gig, beyond the project, beyond everything you imagined. Your dreams are big. Let’s build them step by step. https://www.studiobluedreams.com/room-measurements daily 0.75 2022-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/24e045a7-6fea-41d5-a4e1-07d0a65bc317/Waterfall.png Room Measurements Waterfall graph. Frequency response is vertical; how long a frequency "rings" in time comes towards you. The measurement signal was 89.6db SPL. You can see essentially tight absorption to about 250ms from 150Hz to 20kHz. I left a marker at 296 Hz to show a slightly longer ringing, but at a frequency that is slightly less loud than surrounding frequencies. Also not that low end does indeed ring more from about 57Hz down. The loudness at 22Hz is notable, but most music will not contain information here, so it's not an issue. From 30Hz to 55Hz, the loudness is 42-50dB quieter -- that's really hard to detect when mixing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/589a5caf-3220-442e-ac0d-f93c987ed473/Clarity.png Room Measurements Clarity measures how voice and music maintain their intelligibility in a space. The D50 measurement is really flat, especially in the first 50ms (that's where the "50" comes from in the name D50) -- that means that early energy from a source (say, a voice in a voice over) is strong and clear. Music clarity is often measured by C80. Voice clarity is often measured by C50. The energy for C50 is somewhat low in the 120Hz range, meaning that a person with a very low voice (think James Earl Jones) might experience slightly less clarity than other people). His voice is probably centered to 200Hz. C80, for music, has the same energy dip, but it's all within normal specifications. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/84d8241f-89b6-4e59-b412-5542298bf939/300Hz+RT60+Decay.png Room Measurements This is a graph that shows you the time domain in a waterfall graph below, and allows you to "slice" that waterfall at any given frequency so you can carefully examine how any given frequency decays over time (shown in the upper graph). In this case, I chose 296Hz as an example (it rings just a bit, and it's in the normal singing/speaking vocal range). You'll see in the upper graph that 296Hz, when sounded, starts at a "baseline" value of 0dB, and drops 50dB in volume by 275ms. (This is about a quarter of a second, and is a very good result.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/28cd5a95-1b94-4cb7-9c77-06d42a8d00c9/40Hz+RT60+Decay.png Room Measurements This is another graph that shows you the time domain in a waterfall graph below, and allows you to "slice" that waterfall at any given frequency so you can carefully examine how any given frequency decays over time (shown in the upper graph). In this case, I chose 40Hz as an example (it rings just a bit, and it sits in the lowest range you might normally want to have in your mix). You'll see in the upper graph that 40HzHz, when sounded, starts at a "baseline" value of 0dB, and drops 40dB in volume by 425ms. But even at 350ms (about a third of a second), this frequency is 41dB down, so the mixer will experience this low-end coloration essentially for only 1/3 second. This is also an excellent result. The 22Hz ringing we've touched on before: The chances of musical content actually being present and maintained in a mix at that frequency response are very low, if not negligible. In short, this RT60 Decay graph shows good low end control for most mixing scenarios. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/e9671c0c-d6c4-4184-97d7-3b279569bb3f/TOPT.png Room Measurements This is the RT60 graph. For small rooms, measuring RT60 is not very useful. This is a measure of time it takes for a sound to drop in power (loudness) by 60dB. Industry experts usually use T30 or TOPT (the latter because the optimal time for reverb decay). Here the graph shows that T30 and TOPT overlap almost completely. There is a jump at about 115 Hz. This is common in studios, and can be caused by a combination of the presence of a desk and the distance between floor and ceiling. It is normally not an issue when mixing. This doesn't mean we're going to settle on this result, but it is well within industry norms. You will see that, overall, most frequencies are well-absorbed by 300ms, an excellent result -- indeed, the room performs even better, with strong absorption down to roughly 200ms from low-midrange to very high sounds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/f8d25e26-28c7-44a8-b030-7ff0f405c887/THD.png Room Measurements THD is total harmonic distortion. The THD in low frequencies is within industry norms. The boost at 35Hz is likely a by-produce of the subwoofer placement or crossover. This is something we can work with over time, but it is not an obstacle. See the noise floor chart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/2bd07587-303a-4b76-9880-347a7e22bd2b/Noise+Floor.png Room Measurements This is the noise floor in the room. Except for the 40Hz bump (generated probably by some vibrating materials in the room, TBD), it is consistently around -80dB, which is superior for control rooms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/31ac3eb8-2205-43df-90ac-d7bbaee26fec/FR+1%3A24.png Room Measurements No hiding allowed: This is the frequency response of the control room at a resolution of 1/24th octave. You'll see a dip at about 120Hz (possibly a desk reflection, but it also coincides with a number of "resonances" in the room). It's sharp, and about 9dB. The sharpness indicates it will not generally be an issue because the lost energy is very narrow, but if a song is in a key that features that frequency, it's wise to double-check on headphones or other monitors -- as we do. There's a fair amount of very high-end variability from 9kHz upward. We believe this is caused by reflections from the materials used to contain the "super chunks" (big volumes of rockwool insulation) we use to tame the low end. Looking at frequency response at this level of detail helps a studio engineer and acoustic designer find and improve issues. Whether there's a short-term issue is actually another story; this resolution does NOT always indicate how an engineer will actually perceive sound. You can use lower-resolution images for that, or even the psychoacoustic version of this data, to find out what may be concerning -- or not! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/f3eaf389-73f5-41ae-ae87-79c9f2fb5974/FR+1%3A6.png Room Measurements This is the same frequency response measurement as shown in the 1/24th octave resolution and in the psychoacoustic display. You'll see that most variations are less than 5dB, usually around 4dB or less. The high end variability is still at 7dB (peak to trough). See the psychoacoustic measurement. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/253d3ee1-b9ce-4816-8ce6-a28715aeef91/Psychoacoustic.png Room Measurements The psychoacoustic lens on the frequency response data uses industry research on sound perception to indicate how an engineer may interpret the sonic profile of the music s/he is mixing. Generally we see that diversion from flat response is generally 2.5dB except 700Hz and 6kHz. Here, the variation from flat is 3.5db - 4dB. Excellent results. https://www.studiobluedreams.com/appointments-2-2 daily 0.75 2022-11-12 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/grants daily 0.75 2023-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/41a99fec-92ad-44fb-a99b-8eae098cf576/microphone-933057_1920.jpg https://www.studiobluedreams.com/resources daily 0.75 2023-05-18 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/rsvp daily 0.75 2023-05-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/b90733a2-4401-4a07-a5ae-65e39b00e2aa/Shelly+and+Olivia_p1.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1912e1e0-d767-40fc-a162-ee496857fc8a/Olivia.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/5a54b778-a59b-4b89-b805-895640ce2763/2023.17.23.Shelly+Rudolph.Kiggins+Theater-46.jpg https://www.studiobluedreams.com/shelly-paris-rsvp daily 0.75 2025-07-25 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/pkw daily 0.75 2024-04-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/935cd0f6-06a0-44c1-9db2-2aa50944ad5f/IMG_4582.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist At Paul's recording studio, Pamela Statz (l) and Mara Palmieri (r). Pamela narrated her new novel, Thorn City. The production was co-produced by Mara as part of her graduate work at Portland State University and in her producer role at Ooligan Press. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/f7753cbb-73f3-4cdd-9c02-bd31d93e26ab/IMG_4844.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul with Carl Solomon, one of the national leaders in songwriting and mentorship for veterans in his non-profit, Soldier's Songs and Voices. Paul has recorded Carl at StudioBlue and developed content for SSV as part of his work at Artichoke Community Music. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/fbee085e-0d89-4580-91aa-513f0355b201/IMG_4953.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul helped open one of Portland's hottest new jazz and restaurant clubs, a nationally-recognized speakeasy called The Underground, in Clackamas County. He also performs there periodically. Here he is seen with young singer Shaymus Hanlin, whose Sinatra-inspired book is a town favorite. They are joined by drummer Eric Ching (formerly of PDX, now in San Francisco), and one of Portland's top working bassists and educators, Kevin Deitz. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/672aef54-7dd5-40b7-8efd-85d2f5dd8af1/IMG_5579.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul's focus in music has included working with some of the area's best singers. Here is the very talented Brigitta Teuscher with Paul taken this past New Years Eve, when Paul was performing the early set and his colleague Brigitta was handling the midnight set. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/ea396f58-81db-4b1e-b5d9-e8d7af0b4ce6/21B0972F-5AEE-4DE6-98EA-7CD07CA878B0.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/6bec6a59-aabe-44a9-8efe-707e2e456495/IMG_1800+%281%29.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist One of the region's top vocalists, Shelly Rudolph performed in a duo setting with Paul at The Underground, a club he helped establish as a new jazz venue. The Underground has since become nationally recognized as a top speakeasy-themed restaurant. Shelly regularly performs in a group called Swank Soul, with the region's very best musicians. She is equally known for her spoken word projects and she also occasionally works with music, spoken word, and aerial dancers. Her styles range from soul and blues to jazz and swing. Her last album released during Covid, The Way We Love, featured national cellist David Darling and her partner, Chance Hayden on guitar, along with a who's who of musicians. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/cbcd6add-b6fe-4844-85c9-64cc1f1001f2/IMG_1088.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul with local cultural leader and consummate trumpet player, Noah Simpson, at Paul's studio after recording a Juneteenth tribute spoken word project. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/6b854957-96e3-40c6-9cee-4c7c5e928ce4/IMG_1269.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist One of the nation's best jazz guitarist is John Stowell, middle, seen here with John's partner, Candyce. This was taken at a concert with the Pacific Northwest legend, vocalist Nancy King, at a house concert venue, which are popular throughout Portland and elsewhere. Paul has recorded and captured video with John Stowell on many occasions, and has recorded piano and guitar duets with him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1183c25b-3617-4bb7-bf9c-8ec237ec6765/IMG_1636.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul seen here with regular collaborator, Billie Eidson, a regional vocalist, joined by one of her favorite accompanists and arrangers, the legendary Darin Clendenin, whose vocal arrangements have been the backbone for vocalists in the Pacific Northwest for decades. Paul continues to collaborate when he can with Billie on artwork for her album projects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/46b52544-9385-422b-a697-69edc58fbe73/IMG_1843.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul with Tom D'Antoni, who anchors Oregon Music News, one of the region's longest running publications and online presences promoting music in Oregon and beyond. Tom is one of the most educated and passionate music journalists in the nation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/3f25c95f-b703-48c0-b5df-27c6efd3076d/IMG_1845.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul in front of Artichoke Community Music's poster wall during his tenure as executive director and board chair. Artichoke is one of the city's most active venues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/b4441015-b4a3-4e03-949d-9cb977a8eb2d/IMG_1847.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul inside the venue, at the very busy bar, at Artichoke Community Music. The community mural behind him is legendary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/03153923-00e7-44cd-81b6-5b358a30e2ad/IMG_2555.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul with beloved Portland singer, Donna Jones, in the green room at The Alberta Rose Theatre, preparing for the Tom Waits Experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/55501d7e-aac6-48c9-b6f9-b5e89312dfde/IMG_2737.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul with some of the nation's best musicians, younger and older. From left to right, Will Lyle (bass), George Colligan (piano, drums, trumpet -- and Paul's main mentor), national treasure and pianist Dave Kikoski, nationally-regarded jazz guitarist Dan Ballmer, and up-and-coming PDX jazz pianist, Harrison Richter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/bac3173b-cbc0-4f72-8294-754cb16b6d25/IMG_3279.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist "She's Speaking" emerged as the nation closed up due to COVID, as a virtual channel to elevate women's creativity -- especially in music -- to create more space for women in an industry that has been male-dominated. Two of the founders, Bre Gregg (l) and Kristen Grainger (r) joined legendary fellow songwriter Beth Wood to open their arms to America's most brilliant and inspiring women songwriters. Paul supported them before, during, and after his time at Artichoke Music. Here, he opened up the venue for rehearsals to the group. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/d06209da-9e2f-4f1d-aadc-f3ed0e2fc32f/IMG_3596.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist National flugelhorn star, Dmitri Metheny, has become a colleague of Paul's, recording in his studio and appearing with John Stowell at Cerimon House and Artichoke Music where Paul produced shows and workshops with them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/0a8fadf0-3b42-4ce4-8f38-5974a711325b/IMG_3807.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul with his beautiful mother, Judy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/871ec549-1481-4627-b6fa-73afcf2e5b15/IMG_3961.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul at Cannon Beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/421a84e0-2259-4bfb-a3ba-75c41ac307a1/70625290886__3E68EC86-F38E-4533-B788-D48E62EC48D7.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist One of Portland's super-talented bass players, Laurent Nickel, with Paul at The Underground, a club Paul helped establish in Portland. Laurent books musicians at other venues and plays regularly from a wide variety of music, with a focus on jazz and standards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/63042200-4ffa-4302-b81b-64477ea6307c/70882741949__BB96D5A1-1405-4760-A3E9-DCEF1AF95756.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist One of Mexico's finest and well-regarded songwriters is Olivia de la Cruz, originally from Seattle. Here she is with Paul after a recording session at his studio. He has performed with Olivia several times in Portland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/b7985459-442d-4fc4-a533-44dc911e15fb/IMG_4303.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist Paul with his wonderful wife, Angela Potter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/673f32b3-8d2f-487e-ae89-63f08a85934f/IMG_5188.jpeg Paul K. Ward, Pianist One of the top guitarists, educators, arrangers, and producers in Oregon is Dan Gildea, with whom Paul has had the pleasure of working on occasion. Seen here with Paul on show night for the Tom Waits experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/21e3707b-4863-4d97-a363-fafb2550026f/Screenshot+2023-06-21+at+10.09.21+AM.jpeg https://www.studiobluedreams.com/havalina daily 0.75 2024-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/2c5d3708-030f-485b-9c0d-8d24eb4c801b/performer-958392_1280.jpg https://www.studiobluedreams.com/marita-signup daily 0.75 2024-07-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/32550b4a-8c39-4396-a7e4-33e1763b3576/stockfresh_435378_champagne-bottle-with-shotting-cork_sizeL.jpg https://www.studiobluedreams.com/vpform daily 0.75 2025-03-05 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/btyes daily 0.75 2025-03-11 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/omn daily 0.75 2025-09-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/b3e0f7ca-acaa-4290-999e-8a08be8c6f80/OMN+Logo+on+White.jpg https://www.studiobluedreams.com/comfy daily 0.75 2026-02-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/3dc7b9b5-983b-4045-9a46-329ded75410d/TRIO+2-1+SHADOWS+LIGHT.png https://www.studiobluedreams.com/portfolio daily 0.75 2022-10-21 https://www.studiobluedreams.com/portfolio/vo monthly 0.5 2022-10-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/599c7a70-d0aa-4ccd-88d6-b51c579433dc/pexels-wallace-chuck-3587478.jpg Portfolio - Voice Over Corporate Voice Overs often come to me recorded with average mics in poorly treated rooms. I work with the talent to work around these issues as possible, then use a variety of post-production techniques, including EQ and AI tools to lessen excessive room tone, adjusting the mic character to closely resemble more expensive microphones, and using gates, editing, and other noise reduction tools to reduce or eliminate other environmental noises. Here is sample voice over work for a video series produced by Studio Blue for EuroCAST Cookware. Voice over by Lisa Akey, a voice actor in Los Angeles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/b739df3f-d3db-44aa-8a09-bf853a12b34e/pexels-revac-film%27s%26photography-194985.jpg Portfolio - Voice Over Often the voice over talent is not a professional voice actor. Certain habits like tapping the table, squirming in a chair, and varying the distance between mouth and microphone create challenges in post-production. In this example, the talent is a professional mediation guru, Greg Jesser, who has an even tone and steady volume, making post-production easier. Using gates, EQ, and other tools, ambient noise and room tone are minimized. This was recorded on a Rode NT1-A, which was then transformed in post-production to the tone of a very expensive Italian microphone that seemed well-suited to Greg's voice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/48e07087-6b01-4347-9476-d8a6650939f7/pexels-meline-waxx-165974.jpg Portfolio - Voice Over We work with spoken word artists, who write poetry or narratives, to be set to music (usually composed by our studio). This was recorded on an Audio Technica AT2020, and transformed into a very expensive Italian microphone, which provided the balance of clarity and suppressed sibilance that makes the talent's voice sit attractively in the mix. https://www.studiobluedreams.com/portfolio/video-music monthly 0.5 2022-10-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/6239af35-b226-4a43-8540-a1af1ed5ca8c/Dreamer+Bryn.png Portfolio - Video and Audio Production Using both the isolation room and the control room, jazz duo Bryn Roberts and John Stowell were able to safely record some of the best music produced in Portland during COVID. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/d9e7f4f2-7dbd-4f4e-aaba-3cc1a24e85cd/Gary+Riler.png Portfolio - Video and Audio Production As a part of our work with Artichoke Community Music, we produce ongoing interviews and workshops that capture the culture, music, and personalities that make Portland's music ecosystem uniquely vibrant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/f7b6cd1f-f61e-4b2f-95b1-ea2858578d47/Greg+Jesser.png Portfolio - Video and Audio Production A regionally prominent therapist and meditation guide, Greg Jesser, is a regular client, whose meditations are often captured both in audio and video at Studio Blue. The music bed was composed, recorded, mixed, and mastered at Studio Blue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/c90092d6-06e2-4bc5-ab57-18b2dc6e4432/CB.png Portfolio - Video and Audio Production Video production in our studio can create an intimate and appealing result. With two-camera setups in the isolation area, we can capture excellent audio and video, editing it easily to help tell a story. This is famed Portland percussionist and saxophonist -- and leader in educational programming -- Christopher Brown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1e7fa655-b0cd-4859-a961-396d766a28d0/Dmitri.png Portfolio - Video and Audio Production Dmitri Matheny is a nationally-treasured flugelhorn player, and a protégé of Art Farmer. He joins John Stowell at Studio Blue to record from their ongoing Bossa nova project. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/b01c6374-de49-4536-b4f0-7800be339b05/Greg+and+John+at+Toshima%27s.png Portfolio - Video and Audio Production Studio Blue does remote pre-production and production, often in collaboration with venues and private parties. A staged concert during COVID with John Stowell and renowned regional pianist Greg Goebel featured a multi-camera shoot, with Studio Blue providing camera work, audio production setup, and post-production. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/cfa274ef-34de-4a65-8956-5c1da0cae2b6/Billie+Underground+Beautiful+Friendship.png Portfolio - Video and Audio Production Remote shoots with existing light can be a challenge. To keep within budget, we use specialized software to color match, address lighting realities, and even match the "hand-held" look across our video capture to unify the production look. Here is local talent, Billie Eidson, and the swanky Underground, below De Fuego Grill, with a top Portland jazz trio. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/1a070c95-30cd-48e5-9f2a-827dc9948ecd/M%26TKs_Quartett_CarinaAntl.jpg Portfolio - Video and Audio Production Produce Like a Pro Mixdown Challenge for Marina & The Kats https://www.studiobluedreams.com/portfolio/corporate monthly 0.5 2022-10-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/fca79381-b37b-49d7-9cfb-dbd42dedc4d0/Image+10-20-22+at+4.42+PM.jpeg Portfolio - EuroCAST by BergHoff Our web experience included e-commerce, story-telling videos, how-to's, and recipes with rich photographs. Customers could also access complementary product lines, include blak•lLabel, a brand and culinary condiment product line we designed and branded to help take aspiring chefs to the next level. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/06f70f7a-69ec-4b58-bbe7-087c16ba48af/Image+10-20-22+at+4.43+PM.jpeg Portfolio - EuroCAST by BergHoff Our videos featured in-restaurant and in-home cooking demonstrations, featuring chefs from France, the UK, and Portland, Oregon, one of America's foodie capitals. We also produced our own food demonstrations in a green-screen studio we designed and implemented. We covered pre-production planning, production, and post-production, including audio, video, and license-managed music. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/6c77c6ae-b520-4c74-963b-9540c387b14e/Image+10-20-22+at+5.00+PM.jpeg Portfolio - EuroCAST by BergHoff https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/efebd5f7-7e51-426a-883d-d70cb3a304b8/Image+10-20-22+at+5.06+PM.jpeg Portfolio - EuroCAST by BergHoff https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61dc85d39540b10baeb141c6/a109d9c1-c0a0-4cd0-8098-50f152d5b1df/Image+10-20-22+at+4.59+PM.jpeg Portfolio - EuroCAST by BergHoff