Daily Inspiration: Meet Ben Reno

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Reno.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Ben Reno. I’m a record producer, songwriter, and mix engineer primarily working in the Country Music industry. My music production facility “Majestic Ape” is located in beautiful Franklin, Tennessee. It’s home to many established songwriters and artists in Nashville and around the world.

Also, an established television and game composer. My music scores can be heard in Breaking Bad, The Voice, Jurassic World, Sex In The City, commercials, and trailers. I have been making music professionally and for a living since 2003. I also produce music for Americana, Pop, and CCM artists. I often play guitar and drums in the sessions I produce.

As a producer, my job is to always shine the best light on the artist. Working with songwriters and their stories is my greatest joy because I get to see their most vulnerable state. This is where the magic happens. It’s like diving in the pool together to see how far we can swim in the music together. It’s about drowning out the noise so the artist can be heard.

I like to push the boundaries in my arrangements and bring out elements that make the listeners’ ears turn. It’s not about being technical for me. It’s about being emotional. This is when the best records are made. You also have to be a fan of the artists’ music before you accept the gig. The goal is to help artists define their sound and create longevity for their songs.

I started out as an artist myself. I was chasing the dream and playing the local circuit. It was very challenging at times. One can only take so many “no’s” before they combust and give up. I quickly realized that my passion was helping artists from the opposite side of the glass. I enjoyed being “behind the scenes” crafting song arrangements and working on mixes in my studio.

In 2005, I became the youngest person in the United States to become Pro Tools Certified. I attended Pro Media Training and Curb School Of Music and learned the true craft of recording and running recording sessions. I had many great mentors and masters along the way. I shadowed some of the best engineers, session players, and songwriters on Music Row.

What started out as making coffee for big producers, one day led me to record for some of the biggest acts in country music. It was all about working your way up. For 9 years, I performed songwriters nights around the Nashville scene. In 2011, I signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. This deal led me to write with artists such as; Lady A, Loretta Lynn, and Cyndi Thomson. All of this was pointing me in the direction of where I would eventually end up.

Currently, I’m living in Franklin, Tennessee with my beautiful wife and kids and producing music for my clients. Always looking for the next great song to record, I truly believe I have the “dream job.” I’m very blessed and I look forward to making music with you.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I almost wanted to give up at one point early in my career. Mainly because of the challenges of thinking, I wanted to be an artist but really God’s plan for me was to be a producer. I got so frustrated with Nashville that I left town for 6 years. This was actually part of a greater plan. I ended up on the west coast and landed a killer job as a music composer at a video game studio.

I also met my beautiful wife and she has been very supportive of my professional music career. Finding a job in music outside of the “country music industry” is what led me to so much freedom to be able to actually work in country music again. It was the first time I was actually starting to make real money and get noticed for my talents in the music world. The money aspect and making a living part is the hardest thing for many musicians to grasp.

That’s why many talented musicians end up kicking in the towel. For me, it was discovered there are many ways to make money in music other than waiting around for a big break or cut. You have to leverage all your resources, find your lane, put your head down and work hard.

Once I realized I could make a living doing music, that’s when the flexibility kicked in to be able to do many things in the industry. It’s about finding that one thing that makes everything else work.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a music producer, mixer, and songwriter. I work with genuine artists at all stages of their careers. I also work for major record labels, independent labels, and television and game studios. I offer artist development, recording, mixing, mastering, composition, and arranging.

I specialize in making tracks in the Country Music and Americana genres.

I’m known for producing music that sounds radio-ready and captures the spirit of the artist’s vision. I’m known for tracks with stellar vocals, solid arranging, and punchy-sounding mixes. I work with my clients until they are satisfied with their vocals, and song arrangement, and want to make the overall experience an exciting time. The goal for me is to work on consecutive records with repeat clients. That’s when the magic happens.

I’m most proud of the number of hours I’ve put into learning my craft. But I’m also very proud that I’m always learning. The audio world is an endless discovery. Learning is what keeps me going. My clients are what keep me going.

My attention to detail is what sets me apart. Growing up, I used to analyze records and what was actually going on with the instrumentation and sonics of the recordings. I became pretty obsessed with the music-making process and technical aspects of record-making.

Today, I spend unlimited hours making sure my mixes translate to the listener and across many speaker devices. It’s all in the small details that make something brilliant to listen to.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
I’ve learned that being able to work remotely for people all around the world has actually opened up my business. I offer remote recording sessions for people all over the world.

It’s amazing to be able to work with talented people from afar and extend the Nashville caliber to musicians that don’t live inside Music City.

Pricing:

• Single Song Mix- $600
• Mastering- $200
• Producing Track (Full Band) – $2000
• Producing Simple Demo – $1000
• Songwriting – Contact Ben Directly

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.benrenomusic.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/benrenoproducer
• Other: www.majesticapestudio.com

Image Credits
Chaz Mazzota