Community Highlights: Meet Bob Beals of Sound Foundation Studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob Beals.

Hi Bob, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started in 1980 playing throughout the Midwest as a solo act and was picked up by one of the bigger bands in Cleveland, Ohio as the keyboard player/lead singer. After that, I played in various projects for the next 7 years. My start in recording music was with 2 cassette decks. I’d record the drums and bass through a mixer onto one of the cassette decks. I’d then play that recording through the mixer play the guitar part and do it all over again for the vocals. 

It sounded horrible, but it was a start. I “upgraded” to a 4-track cassette recorder and an 8-track cassette recorder. Then somebody told me about a DAW (digital audio workstation) called Cakewalk and I was off and running. I recorded David Wells, a jazz trumpet player and one of our tracks hit #9 on Billboard. I made $150 for the recording. Oh, to know then what I know now. Lol. I then started working in a church as the worship pastor and recorded various artists in the area. About 3 years ago, I saw Michael Botte and asked if I could produce his music because I loved (and believed in) his songs. 

After a year, he finally gave in and let me produce New Rising Sun, and the rest, as they say, is history. I’m currently producing local artists as well as artists all over the world including Philadelphia, Nashville, Long Island, and Iceland. I’m also very excited to be working with Paul Zeleski, Al Green’s producer from the 80s on a brand-new project. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I quit music in the late 80s, as I was fed up with the music business. I was discouraged. 

Recording was so expensive and there was no one all that great to record with anyway. But that’s what got me started in recording instead of performing. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sound Foundation Studios is a full-service audio recording studio. We will arrange, produce, record, mix, and master just about any genre of music. We can also pitch-correct and also fix timing issues in vocal tracks. We can, and do, accommodate artists from all over the world. You don’t have to be a local artist to be a part of the SF family. 

We pride ourselves in really listening to the artist and getting to the root of their goals, what they want to accomplish with each song, and being able to carry it through to a completed track that is ready for the radio. We are very proud that every artist who asks for our help is treated like an A artist. We don’t have B and C artists here. 

Regardless of where they are in their development as a singer or player, they are treated with respect, and we know their musical journey is extremely important to them. 

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I can’t even begin to tell you how humbled and honored I am to be asked by these artists to be a part of their music. Writing music is a very personal and intimate experience. Each song that is presented to me deserves the best I have to offer, and I’m blessed to be a part of their journey. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.soundfoundationstudios.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063679567946
• Twitter: @bealsbob

Image Credits
Dave Parsons