SAE Institute Nashville Audio Technology Program graduate Huib Schouten (L), a 28 year-old native of the Netherlands, is gaining traction as one of the world’s most in-demand remixers.
As soon as I walked in, I knew that SAE Nashville was the best place for me. The experience made me a confident engineer, mixer, and producer who’s comfortable in an analog environment as well as an all digital ‘in the box’ domain.
Nashville, TN (PRWEB) October 15, 2014
SAE Institute Nashville Audio Technology Program graduate Huib Schouten, a 28 year-old native of the Netherlands, is gaining traction as one of the world’s most in-demand remixers. His studio work – which he’s created through his company Nashvillain Productions - has been featured on releases by Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, and Erasure, and his production group The Storks is signed to recording deals with Capitol Records (U.S.), Mute (U.K.), and Magik Muzik (The Netherlands).
“Both I and my partner in The Storks, Reinier Dike, have taken a unique approach to electronic music that we call ‘house with emotion’,” says Huib Schouten, who cites Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Queen, and The Doors as his biggest musical influences. “We incorporate analog synthesizers, live guitar, and vintage organs to achieve this sound, and we also utilize a lot of analog tracking and mixing in the studio. This unusual combination gives our EDM productions a warm, soulful, and very distinctive feel that’s resonating with club music fans around the world, and we’re thrilled with their enthusiastic response.”
Huib Schouten’s family members all played musical instruments, and as a child, he listened to a lot of classical music. He started playing the drums at six years-old, and participated in the local marching band. As he got older, his music tastes expanded to include hip hop, grunge, and pop, and he became increasingly fascinated with DJing and electronic music.
In 2005, Schouten studied international business and management at The Hague University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands, but soon realized that his true calling was for a creative career in the music business. His father recommended SAE Institute’s Nashville campus in the U.S. because of his regard for the city as an important heartland of the American music business, and the two visited the school in May of 2007.
“As soon as I walked in, I knew that SAE Nashville was the best place for me,” says Schouten, who graduated from the school in October ‘08. “I was lucky to be taught by an amazing faculty, like Dallan Beck and the faculty chair for SAE Nashville's Audio Technology Program Alan Shacklock, an incredible producer, guitarist and industry veteran who taught me the lifelong skills and studio techniques that I use on a daily basis. Overall, my SAE experience made me a confident engineer, mixer, and producer who’s comfortable in an analog environment as well as an all digital ‘in the box’ domain.”
Currently, Schouten is working on a Doors-inspired track with singer/songwriter Willie Scott for D2L Recordings; a guitar-driven EP composed by The Storks in collaboration with SAE’s Alan Shacklock (who is also the founder of the influential 70s rock band Babe Ruth); and a variety of remix projects.
As far as advice goes for SAE students and graduates who would like to become remixers or producers, Schouten recommends two things: never stop seeking knowledge and find the right person to represent you.
“The moment that you stop learning in the music business is the moment that your career will come to an end,” says Schouten. “The creative, technical, and economic aspects of the industry change daily, so if you’re not adapting and working your butt off, you won’t succeed. In terms of building your career, you need to work with a representative who understands you as a person, gets your vision as an artist, and has the best possible outcomes for you in mind. When that person crosses your path, you’ll know it, and you should do your best to nurture that relationship.”
About SAE:
SAE Institute provides aspiring creative media professionals with a foundation of practical theory and valuable hands-on training in their chosen areas of concentration. Under the guidance of our faculty, which is comprised of working industry professionals, students gain the essential experience they need for entry-level jobs in the entertainment business. Our students are supported in their job searches by SAE’s international network of alumni, many of whom are leaders in the music, film, game arts, and live performance arenas. We offer programs in audio technology across our seven US campuses, along with a music business program at select locations, all fully accredited and focused on preparing students for employment when they graduate. Bachelor’s Degree programs in Animation, Audio, Film, Game Art & Graphic Design are available at the two locations of Ex’pression College, which is owned and operated by SAE Institute Group, Inc. SAE Institute Group, Inc. is a part of Navitas LTD. Learn more at USA.sae.edu.
About Navitas:
Navitas is an Australian global education leader, providing pre-university and university programs, English language courses, migrant education and settlement services, creative media education, student recruitment, professional development, and corporate training services to more than 80,000 students across a network of over 100 colleges and campuses in 27 countries. Learn more at Navitas.com.