Category Archives: FamFriday
PreSonus Fam Friday with Mike Cole!
I started on May 29, 2018. So 29,203,200 seconds.
I’m a Software Engineer.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?
It was destiny that I came to work here. I’m from Baton Rouge, first of all, so it’s awesome to be home. I started playing music when I was 13 or so and my dad bought me a 4 track tape recorder to record myself with after watching me play with our answering machine for hours. I wanted to post my recordings on the internet, so I figured out that you could plug the headphone jack of the tape recorder into the mic input of a computer, and then I downloaded a little program called “Kristal” to record with. Turns out, that program eventually became Studio One. This experience was the gateway to a 10-year stint as a sound guy with various production companies, and eventually a degree in computer engineering. PreSonus sponsored my senior design project. I was thrilled when I got an email from Jim Odom after graduating. It really feels like I’ve finally found a permanent place in the world. Never been around so many people who will nerd out on audio like me, and I love it!
“UFO dreams: The Man Who Wears Alien Shirts”
What was the first 8 track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
In 2001, I bought P.O.D’s “Satellite” because I was a youth of the nation at that particular time.
Who’s your go-to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
I’m a big fan of Ice JJ Fish. He’s really pushing boundaries.
I always do “Last Resort” by Papa Roach. It’s a crowd pleaser.
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours? OR when you’re not at PreSonus, what are you up to?
I’ve been a sound guy for the past decade or so, and I also write and play music. I’m between bands at the moment if anyone is looking for someone to jam.
Drums, bass, guitar, vocals, and am terrible at keys and brass.
The amount of I/O you can get with the StudioLive 64S for this price point is truly remarkable. I think it is an incredible value and has the potential to be very disruptive.
Why did you choose this as your favorite?
The StudioLive 64S was the first big release I had a significant role in here at PreSonus. I’m proud of the work we did!
Got any tips for working with the StudioLive 64S?
The user layer is probably the best feature of the console. Use it!
Getting my design feet wet on secret projects (mwahaha) and also helping to refine some important engineering processes like automated product testing and other things most people would find boring.
I am able to pogo stick with no hands while making up jingles for local businesses.
Yeah, I just want to say that knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
PreSonus Fam Friday with Peyton McMahon
It’s that time again… PreSonus Fam Friday!
Introducing one of the newest and most talented members to the PreSonus team—Peyton McMahon! Not only is he super-rad addition to the team, he’s a hard-working singer-songwriter and PreSonus user! Random fact: Once he performed alongside the ORIGINAL American Idol, Kelly Clarkson at one of her shows. Get to know Peyton here and check out his latest single out today!
How long have you worked for PreSonus?
I’ve been here six months.
What’s your official job title?
Inside Sales Coordinator.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here
I love getting to learn more about both studio and live equipment. As an artist, it has been super beneficial for me to get more educated on this stuff and it’s going to serve me well in the future! That’s one of the main reasons I chose to work here, it is helpful to my craft.
What was the first 8 track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
Middle of Nowhere by Hanson when I was 5. ZERO shame. (And FYI, those guys are ridiculously talented and still put out some great music.)
Who’s your go-to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
It totally depends and changes often, but lately it’s been James Bay. He’s got a great variety of stuff that always levels out my mood, and I love his voice.
What’s your go-to Karaoke song?
If I’m ever doing karaoke, it’s probably been a long night of drinking, I have to have someone up there with me, and I never try to be serious with it… It usually ends up being “Hello,” by Lionel Richie, “Since U Been Gone,” by Kelly Clarkson, or “Hero” from the Spiderman soundtrack.
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours? OR when you’re not at PreSonus, what are you up to?
I’m a pop/rock singer/songwriter, so I’m always doing the typical aspiring artist hustle… Writing, recording, playing gigs, researching, online stuff, etc.
What instruments do you play? What do you love about them?
I play guitar, piano, and I sing. I love both guitar and piano because they’re so easy to sit down and write songs with. Starting with just piano/guitar and vocals is all you need to get down the base of the song, and the possibilities from there production-wise are limitless.
Why did you choose this as your favorite?
I love the Eris 3.5s because they’re such great quality sound for such a great price and easy size. They’re also versatile… Great for both elevating your everyday music listening as well as listening to mixes for music you might be working on.
What are you currently working on at PreSonus? What’s next for you?
Releasing and promoting my new single, out TODAY, and continuing to write and record my upcoming EP!
What’s the strangest talent you have?
I have a really weird knack for remembering vivid details in memories. Like, I can remember specific dates and details for memories in my life, down to what I and others were wearing.
Anything else you want to share?
I have a new single out TODAY called “Liberate Me,” and y’all should check it out on Spotify/Apple Music/wherever you listen to music!
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Follow Peyton on Instagram here!
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Grab you a pair of the Eris 3.5s here!
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Check out Peyton performing at a Kelly Clarkson show
It’s #PreSonusFamFriday with Alexandra Medina!
Bringing back a blog favorite this season… #PreSonusFAMFriday! If you’re not familiar with the series, catch up here.
Up first is Alex Medina! She’s in charge of making sure everything gets paid for here at PreSonus. She’s also in charge of baking up all kinds of tasty treats for the office. We are coworkers but we’re also her certified taste testers and let’s just say, Betty Crocker WHO?!
Here’s more on Alex and her favorite PreSonus product the Eris 3.5s!
How long have you worked for PreSonus?
8 Months.
What’s your official job title?
Accounts Receivable and Credit Manager.
What do you love about your job?
I love the people I work with. Also, I pretty much get to talk to everyone we do business with and its awesome when they share the latest things they are working on with our products or tell me stories about how our products made their lives easier. I enjoy checking out the youtube links they send. I get introduced to all kinds of new music.
What was the first 8 track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
Salt-N-Pepa “Push It.” Odd choice maybe but I heard it in a movie and it just stuck so I downloaded it same day. Remember when ring back tones were a thing? This was totally mine.
Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
When that happens I turn on Spotify and listen to the new releases. You never know what you will come across.
What’s your go to Karaoke song?
Journey, “Don’t Stop Believing.”
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours? OR when you’re not at PreSonus, what are you up to?
I’m in the Air National Guard so sometimes I’m working there., or I’m off on some new adventure with my son. Toddlers are never boring!
What instruments do you play?
I dabble in rock band… the drums… on easy. Plus it’s color coded so…
Why did you choose the Eris 3.5s as your favorite?
They are very satisfying for the size and price. I just needed some small speakers that wouldn’t clutter my desk and these work great. Almost too well, the sound is crystal clear no matter how high I turn them up, which usually isn’t the case with speakers this size. I feel people always like to talk about the big flashy and fancy products, so I wanted to give the little guys some love too!
Anything else you want to share?
Ummm PreSonus rocks and GEAUX SAINTS! #WHODAT
Learn more about one of the best selling monitors on the market, the Eris 3.5s HERE!
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with Andy Hidalgo!
FELIZ NAVIDAD AMIGOS!
Today we have a festive edition of PreSonus FAM Friday, brought to us by our very merry and bright Andy Hidalgo and the R80 monitors!
One year, four months.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?
I love working with people that challenge me to become better. I choose to work here because I knew PreSonus offered a lot of intellectual growth and it will really further my career. The fact that there are so many Star Wars fans turned out to be icing on the cake.
Who has the best Christmas album of all time?
Trans-Siberian Orchestra hands down. I worked at a restaurant for many college Christmases and I can’t listen to too much of that.
The original NES. Don’t you miss blowing on cartridges and getting that game to finally play?
What do you do for fun?
I have 2 small sons (4 and 2) so anything that would keep them entertained is fair game. Watching sports also, I love watching sports.
What do you love about R80? 
I love that they have allowed me to hear new things in songs that I didn’t know were there. The tweeters make the sound very crisp. I haven’t found any type of music that doesn’t sound great.
Got any tips for working with the R80?
Get a really good quality recording to truly appreciate the sound. Use that recording to tune the speakers for your space, tuned well placed speakers makes a big difference.
LIGHTNING ROUND!
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with Kyle Poehling!
“I legitimately LOVE these speakers,” said Kyle Poehling the Software Designer at PreSonus Audio!
It’s Kyle Poehling for #PreSonusFAMFriday!
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours?
Why did you choose this as your favorite?
Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, Install somewhere….
- Work – Currently I’m working on some VERY exciting things for the StudioLive mixers/UC Surface/Studio One family.
- Music – I’m working on a solo album and should be wrapping that up this spring and continue to gig with Think Less, Hear More in New Orleans.
- Personally – enjoying the new house my wife and I recently purchased in New Orleans! The commute can be tough, but I love this job too much to let it bother me.
Learn more about the AIR Loudspeakers here!
Keep up with Kyle on Instagram!
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with John Bastianelli!
The one and only John Bastianelli combines talent, charisma, drive, fun, smarts and know-how perfectly here at PreSonus! Thankfully so–he’s one of the masterminds behind the Quantum 2 and he’s here to tell us all about it! It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with John Bastianelli.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?
It was a vinyl record actually: John Coltrane’s Blue Train.
“Every Breath You Take,” Police. I always like to belt out the bridge as I sing like crap and totally annoy everyone straining to hit those high notes, that’s the purpose of Karaoke as far as I’m concerned, right? 😉
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours?
Playing, producing and writing music.
I’ve been involved in product development for many years and the Quantum is by far the best audio interface I’ve ever worked on/with and slept with at any price point! 😉 The sound quality, ease of use, and lack of latency has finally made working “inside the box” as easy as the old days of analog recording. It doesn’t get any better this. This one product has inspired me to get back into making music again, even when I get home after a 12 hour day at the office, it calls my name from afar!
Why did you choose this as your favorite?
Simply put, this product inspires me to be creative, makes me want to make music and sounds amazing—recording an alto saxophone can be difficult as there are a lot of high frequencies that are difficult to reproduce/capture unless you have high quality mic pres and converters, the Quantum and Quantum 2 capture my sound perfectly and makes me sound great. I practically like the Quantum 2 because of the size and portability and I don’t need more than 4 mic pres.
Got any tips for working with the Quantum 2?
Plug it into your Thunderbolt port, open Studio One or your favorite app and hit record, then watch what happens!
A Thunderbolt Flux Capacitor… Super exciting!
Connect with John on LinkedIn here!
Learn more about the Quantum 2 here!
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with Chris Hare!
When you think of IT guys, you don’t always think of the coolest guy in the office. WELL NOT AT PRESONUS! Let us introduce you one of the most talented, coolest, laid backest dudes on the block, Chris Hare.
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with Chris Hare!
Joe vs. The Volcano.
What was the first 8 track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
The Bee Gees Greatest Hits on cassette. I have fond memories of riding in the back of my parents station wagon in the late 70’s listening to all sorts of disco music. You could say it’s my “happy place”.
Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
Pat Metheny.
I’m a sucker for a melody so anything by Burt Bacharach & Hal David.
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours?
Playing guitar for whoever I can trick into listening to me.
I’m blown away by the plugins that come right out of the box with the new Series III mixers. Once I saw we were doing a single rackspace 16 channel model, I realized that I can use it for my acoustic/nylon string guitars as well as my guitar synth. I’m able to replace a solid state preamp/channel strip, stand alone noise gate, vintage hardware reverb, and a line mixer with just a 1u SL III 16r.
Why did you choose this as your favorite? 
If anybody knows anything about me, it’s that I’m a HUUUUGGGGE Pat Metheny fan and have been really drawn to his style of playing and his use of timbre and effects. As such, the reverb sound is crucial to getting a great amplified nylon string tone and the plugins on the new Series III mixers really nail it perfectly. Add in the other vintage modeling of plugins for the compressor and EQ and you’ve got a sound that you used to need a big studio desk and special hardware effects to achieve.
Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, Install somewhere….
My favorite events have been the PreSonusphere events, where we would have users come to Baton Rouge for a few days of intensive workshops and master classes. It was great experience and always interesting to meet the end users and hear about how they used PreSonus products and get their feedback and suggestions first hand.
Got any tips for working with the StudioLive Series III 16R?
As I’m using in a more unconventional fashion as really a processor for my acoustic guitars, I would say try to find unique ways that you can incorporate it into your rig or setup. It’s a very flexible product and I’m sure there are musicians who are going to find things to do with it that we never thought of.
Just trying to continue to grow as a musician and play with other musicians who inspire me whenever I can. I keep saying I’m going to use our glorious studio here at the PreSonus Mothership to record a jazz trio record sometime and maybe this will be the year.
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with Phil Knock!
Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
The one you’ve been waiting for…
The FaderPort 16!?!?!?!?!
Yes.
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with Phil Knock!
How long have you worked for PreSonus?
I’ve worked for PreSonus for nearly a year.
Software Engineer.
My first introduction to audio engineering was using a FireStudio interface. We had a recording studio at my high school and I swear I practically lived there. So I’ve been a PreSonus fan since I was a tot basically!
“Debugging Code 7 Part 2: The Re-Debugging, Revisited”
What was the first 8 track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
Do you guys remember Hit Clips? My first music purchase was an “All Star” by Smash Mouth Hit Clip.
Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Father John Misty, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Led Zeppelin.
“Don’t Let Me Down,” The Beatles.
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours?
I find the field of Digital Signal Processing utterly fascinating. To that end, I’ve had a ton of fun tinkering with audio plugins using the JUCE framework, Kontakt, and MaxForLive.
I played cello in the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony when I was younger, and since then I’ve dabbled in guitar, bass, and drums.
Why did you choose this as your favorite?
Mixing is one thing, but writing fader automation with a mouse is a fate worse than death. Being able to navigate and interact with large sessions in Studio One or any other major DAW makes this product incredibly useful.
Got any tips for working with the FaderPort 16?
This might sound crazy, but it can sometimes be helpful to balance levels without looking at the computer screen. Even turn your screen off if you have to; at least temporarily. I find that it helps you focus more closely on what you’re actually hearing rather than what you’re expecting to hear looking at waveforms and user interfaces.
What’s your social media handles and is it ok to tag you?
For any aspiring engineers out there, you can feel free to add me on LinkedIn!
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with THE Rick Naqvi and the StudioLive Series III Rack Mixer and StageBox!
It’s hard to write introductions for people who don’t really need them.
This is Spinal Tap.
What was the first 8 track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
My first record was the first self-titled Kiss album in 1976. A few years later I got the first Van Halen album. I was around 8 or 9 years old and my parents scheduled a family vacation where we drove from Baton Rouge to Niagara Falls. I had a Sony Walkman back then. The only tape I had with me was Van Halen 1, and I listened to it for 42 hours straight (2,628 miles.)
Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
MUTEMATH!
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours?
I play with a funk band called Phat Hat.
Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, Install somewhere….
There’s a local church that I’m working with that recently upgraded their sound system to a total PreSonus solution: a StudioLive 32 Console with 32R Stagebox. All of the are musicians using QMix and HP2s to adjust IEMs, and their speakers are the PreSonus WorxAudio X5 with X118 Subwoofers. They already installed the speakers, and next Tuesday I’m going over to help them dial in the new mixer before their Wednesday rehearsal.
Got any tips for working with the Rack Mixer/StageBox?
Spend some money and get an awesome wireless router. They are not that much money for a great one and you will be happy. Here’s a link to the one I use with my band.
It’s #PreSonusFAMFriday with Cave Daughdrill!
If you don’t know him, you’re missing out. And if you do know him, I’m sorry.
Cave Daughdrill keeps PreSonus looking legit. He designs the boxes, takes lots of photos—lots of photos. He creates ads and has his hands on a lot of moving pieces—literally—and somehow manages to keep spreading the love with his congenial personality and jolly cheer. Here’s a little more about our office mascot and our DP88 for PreSonusFAMFriday!
How long have you worked for PreSonus?
Almost 14 years. Wow. Feels weird saying that out loud!
What’s your official job title?
Creative Director/Lead Pixel Junkie.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?
I’m surrounded by awesome people who have the same passions that I have! A great team, making a great product!
Choose a movie title for the story of your life.
Confessions: The Story of a Guitar Pedal Addict.
What was the first 8 track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
Seriously, can not remember…
Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
Really depends on my mood; I have way too many backups! Let’s just keep this happy for everyone and say Thin Lizzy.
What’s your go to Karaoke song?
I would never do this… Well maybe, Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories, “Stay.”
Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours?
Marketing/Design Consultation/Creation.
What instruments do you play?
Guitar, Bass, Drums. Been working on the drumming lately.
What do you love about the DP88?
Almost every interface these days has ADAT I/O, and the DP88 is a simple, easy way for everyone to expand their capabilities.
Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, Install somewhere….
NAMM is always a blast. I think my favorite times have been running around with smaller boutique builders, and crashing parties with em! We always had great times at the old TapeOp Con too! NAMM “initiations” are always fun for the new guys, too.
What are you currently working on? What’s next for you?
Oh, can’t share that with everyone quite yet! Can’t ruin a good surprise!
What’s the strangest talent you have?
I’m able to retain boring facts on old video games that no one cares about. So, making people bored sometimes?!
Anything else you want to share?
Our social media director is a swell guy!
Learn more about our DP88 HERE!