Audio Perception Music was formed by Jason Atkinson and David Knauer as an extension of the music and audio related work they’ve been involved with for over 30 years. Their combined experience and talents include music composition, scoring, songwriting, producing, recording, mixing, music editing, music supervision, and audio post production for film and television. After building a successful audio technology and studio design business for over a decade, Audio Perception Music is a next logical step in the growth of their business, allowing Jason and David to go back to their roots and continue to express themselves through their music.
Jason Atkinson is a talented singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer. Developing an ear for melodies and harmonies at a young age from the likes of The Chipmunks, The Monkees and The Partridge Family, those early influences were synthesized into his knack for crafting very musical pieces and songs. His ability to play a variety of instruments lends a more organic sound to the music he writes and records. Read more…
After several years of muddling through learning to play guitar on my own, my first summer band was around age 13. My mother had to drive me to band practice. Not cool. That summer I played my first real gig in front of, gulp, like 10 people. It was terrifying, yet exciting. That first gig led to many years of playing in bands and trying to attain the ever elusive record deal. In 1987 I Moved to Los Angeles to attend the Musician’s Institute (G.I.T.), where I graduated from the 1 year program.
After graduating from M.I., I landed in Phoenix, Arizona, where I worked at a music store. While living in Phoenix in the early 90s, I started recording my original songs with a 4 track cassette, figuring out basic recording methods, etc. Next I moved up to 8 tracks of cassette and started recording other people. At this point, I was sequencing on an Alesis MMT-8 hardware sequencer and syncing to the 8 track cassette tape. The next step was moving up to ADAT tape machines while sequencing on an Atari 1040STe running Steinberg Cubase. The JL Cooper DATASync provided synchronization between the two. I also played in various Phoenix based bands in the 90s.
In 1997, I moved from Phoenix to Seattle, where I played in bands and worked at Mackie Designs in the tech support department. I was on phone support for the D8b, Ultramix, Hui and most of the analog mixers. While at Mackie, I learned a lot about troubleshooting audio and computer related issues. My work at Mackie helped prepare me for the work I now do in Los Angeles.
1997 was also when I first started learning Pro Tools, partly due to my support work with Mackie Products (D8b, Hui). That’s when I bought my first Mac and started using a free version of Pro Tools that ran on the built in hardware of my Powermac 8500. From that point on, I’ve been using Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Digital Performer, Reason and Live, etc.
In 2001, I ended up back in Los Angeles working for a Pro Tools rental company. After a few years, I left that company to pursue freelance support and engineering work and started my own small business, Sound Mac Consulting. David, who I knew from my Phoenix days, was also doing freelance tech support work and he started hiring me to occasionally help some of his clients. Which takes us to this point where we have combined our talents and resources to form Audio Perception.
Playing various music instruments for much of my life, I will always need my creative music outlet. To this day, I continue to write songs and compose music for personal enjoyment as well as commercial use and profit.
IMDB Credits
David Knauer is an accomplished musician, audio engineer and producer. David got bit by the engineering bug at a young age while playing guitar in various bands. That led to him attend the Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio. He then opened his own studio and went on to engineer a variety of label album releases over the years. His musical ability and talent enhanced his ability to produce many of the bands he’s worked with over the years. Read more…
While playing in bands during high school, I got my first four track cassette recorder and started to record my band’s music. In no time, I started to record other local bands and artists as well. In 1987, while still in the 11th grade, I opened my first studio. Then, literally the very next day after high school graduation, I left for the summer to attend The Recording Workshop’s audio engineering program in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Over the next 11 years, my studio grew from analog to digital and from 4, to 8, to 16 and finally to 32 tracks. I also began to produce most of the bands I was recording. During that time computers began to take on a big role in the recording process as we moved into a digital, and then a software based studio environment. By the early 90’s, I had my studio, was teaching at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences as a mixing instructor, and was chief engineer and manager of another large commercial Phoenix studio.
In 1996 I relocated to Los Angeles and started my company, Knight Thyme Productions. As an engineer, producer and studio owner, I worked recording and mixing on hundreds of projects including people like Rod Stewart, Puff Daddy and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park. I also worked as a music editor and mixer on shows like The OC, Futurama and ER, as well as many other TV shows and films, and working as a dialogue editor, sound designer, and audio post mixer for films, shorts, TV promo and commercials.
As I started working in LA, I began to realize that there was a huge need for combining audio engineering and technical engineering. I started to focus on providing a wide range of services for TV and film composers, musicians, studio’s, producers, just about anyone who had a private or commercial studio and needed help. Since I was always very computer, electronic and mechanically inclined, it was a natural fit for me.
Over the next 7 year period, my company began to grow and change focus from just an audio production based company to offering support for all technical aspects as well. In 2003, as Knight Thyme Productions was growing swiftly and I was looking to expand my services so I began to work with Jason regularly, dealing with a very musically diverse clientele. Over the next 4 years we began to develop what has now become Audio Perception Inc.
Since AP’s formation in 2008 I have continued to expand my palette to include audio consultant, studio designer and CEO. In addition to mixing, mastering, and creating music, I spend some of my time now working on expanding the company, as well as doing a lot of the design and layout work for our studio design company. I am also called upon often for consulting, utilizing the great amount of knowledge and experience I have amassed over the years to help our clients achieve their goals. I never want to stop learning or growing and I’m always looking to understand every aspect of what we do. That way I can grow and shape the company in the best way possible”