Who:Beau Sorenson

What:Engineer, Producer, Electronic Musician

Where:Portland, Oregon

API Gear:512cs, 550bs, 525s, 527s, lunchbox®

"I started using API gear while working at Smart Studios, where I learned very quickly that I could depend on the 512cs with 550bs for great guitar sounds. Before long, I decided I needed my own. My go-to vocal chain has been API-based for years now.

"As a freelance engineer, I travel a lot for sessions and make records in some strange places. Being able to carry my lunchbox on a plane with me offers an incredible amount of peace of mind; no matter where I end up recording, I know I'll have a reliable, great-sounding signal chain I can depend on.

"Most of the mixing I do involves a hybrid of in-the-box and outboard equipment. I like to break individual tracks or stems out and send them through API compressors and EQs to get the control and character that I have a hard time achieving with plugins.

"When working on electronic music, I try to get as many 2520s involved as possible. The 525 has three of them and I love the tone that compressor imparts on synthesized tracks — even when I'm not using a lot of gain reduction. The 550b is great for adding color to individual tracks or an entire mix, too."

Before becoming a freelance engineer and producer, Beau Sorenson worked at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin — the same Smart Studios that bands such as Nirvana, Garbage and The Smashing Pumpkins recorded in. When Smart Studios closed in early 2010, Sorenson decided to take a "nomadic" approach to recording and turned to freelance recording and producing rock, indie, pop and electronic music. Sorenson has worked with a number of artists over his years spent in the recording industry including Death Cab for Cutie, Garbage, Sparklehorse and Yellow Ostrich. When he is not working on other people's music, Sorenson spends his spare time composing and producing original electronic tracks under the name Beaunoise.

More: beaunoise.com; Tumblr; Bandcamp
Contact: beaubrit@gmail.com; Twitter