Andrew Garver

Biography

Andrew Garver is a Grammy-nominated mastering engineer with more than 30 years of experience in the audio industry, working with artists including U2, Chris Cornell, Brad Mehldau, Captain Beefheart, The Doobie Brothers, Rage Against The Machine, Luther Vandross, Madonna, Gordon Lightfoot, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, and Burt Bacharach.  Garver has worked on projects with Al Schmitt at Capitol Studios, Ed Cherny at Village Recorders, and Alan Parsons at United Studios.  He has also worked as a freelance sound engineer in live television at the NFL Network and assisted on scoring sessions at Warner Bros. Eastwood Scoring Stage.  He continues to master, mix, record, and consult with artists and studios around the world.

Garver graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering with a BS in electrical engineering, then worked as an Application Engineer in the telecommunication division of Teradyne, Inc. in Chicago. There, he designed test equipment interfaces to improve and maintain signal quality for phone systems across the US, Japan, and Argentina. While in the Chicago area, he freelanced as an audio engineer with local bands and venues, helping maintain gear and run shows. 

After graduating from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, Garver moved to Los Angeles and landed at A&M Studios in Hollywood, CA.  He quickly worked his way up to Mastering Engineer, working across formats, cutting lacquers, and working with analog tape and digital archives.  A&M Records always maintained a high standard for quality, and Garver was part of the team tasked with evaluating record releases and studio gear in order to ensure the manufacturing excellence for which they were revered. This led to work with JVC’s XRCD development, which refined the mastering and manufacturing process to produce the highest quality audio in the CD format. His vast understanding of both digital and analog systems enabled him to work with producers and engineers looking to strengthen the quality of their music across all formats.  Garver also served as Vice President of Operations for G Ride Audio, a manufacturing company specializing in hand-crafted audio electronics with remarkable sound quality. 

While working for A&M, Garver began teaching at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.  As Assistant Professor of Practice, he developed and taught classes in recording, mixing, mastering, consoles, analog tape, digital audio, acoustics, and speaker design.  In 2008, he was honored with the USC Mentoring Award for faculty.  His insight, acquired through years of industry experience, coupled with his comprehensive knowledge of audio technology, create an unmatched set of real world experiences for his students.  Garver focuses on the new challenges engineers are facing – faster deadlines, smaller budgets, and limited space. He recognizes that although most of his students hope to apply their hands-on education in a professional recording studio, the majority of them are working entirely on their laptops, and thus need guidance managing the difficulties arising from that workflow.  He continues to explore new music technology and thoroughly enjoys equipping his students with the scientific and artistic understanding necessary to navigate the challenges of modern music production.