Audrey Martinovich relies on Focusrite for versatile audio work
Based in her hometown of Madison, WI, Audrey Martinovich takes on a wide range of recording projects, from classical ensembles to Comedy Central standup records. No matter the task, she consistently relies on the Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre and Scarlett 2i2 interfaces to deliver outstanding results every time.
Audrey Martinovich is the co-owner of Audio for the Arts, a recording studio in Madison, Wisconsin, where she wears many hats as an audio engineer and music producer. Beyond the studio, she’s an audio lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, a board member of the Chicago chapter of The Recording Academy, a member of its Producers & Engineers Wing, an active participant in the Audio Engineering Society, and a passionate advocate for SoundGirls. With such a packed schedule, Audrey doesn’t leave room for uncertainty when it comes to her audio gear. Whether she’s in the studio or on location, she relies on the dependable performance of Focusrite interfaces to get the job done, every time.
Martinovich was pursuing an education as an opera vocalist when she was inspired to pivot to audio. “I discovered that I had this very deep interest in how to make things sound good and how to translate what I might hear in my head to what we could hear then with our ears,” she recalls. “In the audio program, I was usually the only woman in all of my classes, and that gave me the drive to excel. I took it very seriously and looked around for studios around Madison that might have internship opportunities and came across Audio for the Arts, which was one of the only studios that really specialized in classical music and acoustic music, which aligned with my interests and expertise.”
Audreystarted at Audio for the Arts as an unpaid intern and then eventually worked her way up to being a full-time engineer and one of the owners. Partially due to the studio’s niche in the classical world, Audio for the Arts has turned into a go-to remote recording service, very often venturing outside of the walls of the studio to record orchestras, chamber ensembles, classical voice recitals, combo jazz performances – all the way to standup comedy sets, live theater, lectures and much more. “We have the reputation for being a very versatile studio that can deliver exactly what’s needed for each job, and I am proud of that,” she reflects.
Audrey’s impressive list of credits spans a wide range of projects: standup albums for Comedy Central with Shane Torres, Josh Johnson, and Chris Redd; live performances for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Madison Opera; jazz recordings with Johannes Wallmann and Chris Rottmayer; a contemporary classical trumpet/piano project featuring Jean Laurenz; and even a commercial campaign for fitness brand Reebok. Additionally, her studio has launched a popular monthly livestream series called Acoustic Moose, where songwriters and indie acts showcase acoustic versions of their songs, reminiscent of Tiny Desk or Unplugged.
Among Martinovich’s go-to tools are the Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre 18-in/20-out audio interface and the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 2-in / 2-out interface (“I probably have a handful of those,” she adds). Both are key to how she approaches on-site remote recording. “The Scarlett 2i2, in particular, you can just throw in a bag with your laptop and a few mics, and I have all I need for lots of these gigs. They’re just plug-and-play.”
Audrey notes, “The 8Pre isn’t quite as small, but it’s still plenty portable. I set up wherever the gig takes me, set up however many mics we need for the gig, and just record directly onto my laptop. And sometimes those recordings end up on commercially available albums. Fundamentally I’m able to deliver a release level of recording quality with a very small, convenient, portable setup. And the 2i2s often get used in an audio feed for something being livestreamed, whether in the studio or out on location. I’m able to give a stereo feed to the video engineer, and the audio and video get matched up easily and go out to the world with no fuss at all. The 2i2 is a very powerful, no-nonsense interface. At University of Wisconsin, they are in the process of equipping their audio lab with a whole arsenal of those, at my encouragement. The students are going to love that development.”
Audrey first encountered Focusrite gear as an audio student and has always trusted Focusrite for its highly reliable and user-friendly equipment. “The ease of use is why it’s particularly easy to introduce Focusrite interfaces to students without overwhelming them. It’s all seamless. Furthermore, the sound of Focusrite mic-pre’s is definitely something that keeps me coming back. It’s transparent, clean and accurate, but warm. Other brands might give you some harshness or noise floor issues, but never with Focusrite. I can always depend on this gear. I’ve heard their customer service is great, but honestly, I never have to call upon them, which is the best endorsement I can give of the performance of a set of gear.”