The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) has announced that pro audio industry veteran Bill Gibson has joined the faculty as its latest instructor.
“I’ve never seen a program structured in the same way as the program at CRAS,” Bibson says. “The students receive constant input from several instructors all the way through completion. And the job-placement department has obvious success getting students into fantastic internships that frequently lead to jobs working on big-time productions in television, movies, broadcast, post production, gaming audio, and recording studios. Placement is a major component for any school and the CRAS record of success speaks volumes for their effectiveness at, and focus on, helping their students succeed.”
Gibson’s resume spans decades working in the music engineering and production world, including Quincy Jones, Bruce Swedien, Al Schmitt, Sylvia Massy, George Massenburg, Dave Pensado, Chuck Ainlay, and others. In his role as communications and training specialist for Hal Leonard Corporation, he used a range of production and development skills to conceptualize, script, and produce nearly 100 instructional videos that were specifically created to train music store owners, managers, and staff about the technical aspects of tech-related products.
Gibson’s portfolio also includes working with Berklee College of Music, LinkedIn Learning, The Art Institute of Seattle, and as president of Northwest Music & Recording. He’s recorded and mixed award-winning big band and symphonic music for composer Ron Jones, recorded, produced, and mixed countless albums and commercial jingles, and has taught several classes and seminars on audio recording, producing, and mixing. In addition, he’s a member as well as trustee and board of governors member of several industry committees, societies, and boards.
“Students that come to this kind of school are there because they can’t wait to learn, with the goal of moving into their dream job at some point,” Gibson states. “Some of the students might not have fared well in traditional academia, but in an environment such as the one CRAS has created, they thrive. The students I’ve worked with have been motivated and excited, often seeming in disbelief that they get to do what they’re doing at CRAS. Everyone I’ve met at CRAS, including administration, staff, and faculty, has passion for seeing students learn, and they each have their own credibility in the industry. Many of the faculty and staff come from some of the most high-profile professional environments, and they all love what they’re doing, and that’s helping students. That’s why I enjoy the academic environment so much…motivated and interesting faculty and eager students who can’t wait to learn.”
CRAS director of education Robert Brock adds, “It was easy to see that with Bill’s accomplishments, his partnerships with industry icon’s and his background as an author and teacher that he would be an enviable addition to any audio production school’s faculty. However, it was a casual conversation over lunch where where we discussed our beliefs about work ethic, client relations, communication, and even punctuality when I knew Bill would be a perfect fit for CRAS. Bill’s clear desire to share all of this with the next generation of audio professionals will provide our students with both the technical and life lessons that will guide them throughout their future careers.”
