Mitch Gallagher originally hails from Jamestown, North Dakota, the home of the World’s Largest Buffalo. He was introduced to recording music when the manager of the rock band he was in loaned the group a 4-track cassette recorder. His background includes studies in electrical engineering and computer science, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minnesota (now known as Minnesota State University, Moorhead). Graduate studies in composition, electronic music, and classical guitar took him to the University of Missouri, Kansas City.
As a guitarist, he toured the Midwest playing rock and country music. He has performed with big bands, jazz-rock fusion groups, and experimental music groups; in small ensembles; and as a classical and steel-string guitar soloist. He has taught countless guitar lessons, both private and in university classrooms.
As a composer, he has worked in both the commercial and classical realms. Prophecy #1: At First Glance, his experimental work for percussion ensemble and synthesizers, received a NARAS (Grammy) award.
He began building his first project studio with a Commodore 64 computer, primitive MIDI software, a low-end drum machine, and a small RadioShack PA for monitoring. Eventually, his studio evolved into MAG Media Productions, which provides a full range of recording, mixing, editing, mastering, and production services, as well as freelance writing and editing services.
In addition to years spent in pro audio retail and as a freelance recording and live sound engineer, Gallagher has taught university-level recording and electronic music classes and labs, seminars on recording, MIDI, and live sound, and has lectured on music technology topics throughout the United States and in Europe.
Mitch was named senior technical editor of Keyboard magazine in 1998. In January 2000, he assumed the editor in chief’s chair at EQ magazine. He has published nearly 1,000 articles on music technology and recording in magazines such as Performing Songwriter, EQ, Keyboard, Pro Sound News, Guitar Player, Government Video, Extreme Groove, Music Technology Buyer’s Guide, Videography, Acoustic Guitar, and Microphones & Monitors, as well as in magazines in Japan, Australia, and throughout Europe. He has released five previous books: Make Music Now! (Backbeat Books) was released in 2002. Pro Tools Clinic: Demystifying LE for Macintosh and PC (Schirmer Trade Books, 2005) was named the top-selling instructional book by Music & Sound Retailer magazine. The Studio Business Book, Third Edition (Course Technology PTR, 2006), Acoustic Design for the Home Studio (Course Technology PTR, 2006), and Mastering Music at Home (Course Technology PTR, 2007) are his most recent titles. His first instructional DVD, Project Studio Mastering (Multi-Platinum Pro Tools) was recently released.
In addition to freelance writing and recording and producing a variety of projects in his studio, Mitch is the editorial director for Sweetwater in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Visit him online at www.mitchgallagher.com.