Meet Aaron Kusterer | Guitarist & Mix Engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaron Kusterer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaron, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
I think most are unaware of why folks in the music industry do what we do. While everyone can absolutely answer this question differently, for myself and many of my friends, we have to do it because it’s part of who we are. There just isn’t another option. It’s like a lifeblood of sorts. Many of us often exist in the trenches of the industry which means that while certain things may “look” cool in photos/videos, they often require extremely long hours of prep/rehearsal/travel for that 90 minute show (or less in some cases). Many of us work in support roles and our existence is predicated on our ability to be on-time, on-target all the time. That level of intensity requires a personal commitment far beyond whatever compensation one might be receiving. We do it because of that lifeblood I mentioned and how much we love it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

First off, I’m a guitarist, producer, and mix engineer. I have a unique sort of background in that my professional career started with the US Air Force band back in 2006. I grew up in a musical household and started on piano with my mom, who was a music teacher. Dad bought my first guitar and it was game over from there. Ha! I definitely went over to the dark side. After working in a music store for a few years as a teenager, I joined the US Air Force band while I was in college. That threw the doors wide open to a ton of new experiences that included touring in a number of countries in Central and South America, throughout the Pacific region, and in the Middle East. I spent 15 years in the military bands which overlapped with my move to Los Angeles. That time frame covered a number of different ensembles and many different styles of music. During those experiences, I worked my way into music direction and tour management roles. Those situations were instrumental in my growth and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them or the people that helped and mentored me along the way. Through both my time in the military and in LA, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with artists such as Eddie Money, Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson), Juanes, Annie Bosko, the Morgan Leigh Band, and Tatiana Erse, to name a few.

In addition to playing, I was always into the tech side of music from a young age. When I joined the military, it put me right next to a number of world-class mix engineers, a few of which saw fit to take me under their wing. Working with them further cultivated a desire to hone an ability to record and mix. I love the thought process behind how records are made, from the individual parts to how the end product is going to be mixed and ultimately sound. It’s such a wonderful process to be involved with and over time, that has come to be on equal footing with my love of guitar playing. Seeing a project come together whether it is a live show I’m helping to direct or an album I’m producing and/or mixing is truly fulfilling for me. Witnessing an artist experiencing their music come to life is super special!

There were plenty of challenges along the way—I remember getting into a new band back in 2011 and being asked to do a style I had never really played before. I went home, practiced, came back to the next rehearsal and while I wasn’t totally obliterated by the MD, I was definitely schooled on how the style should be in front of the band. As a result, it was back to the woodshed for me. That MD and I ended up becoming friends and it was absolutely the best thing he could have done for me as it forced me out of my comfort zone. He is still a mentor to this day. Often, the best growth happens through fire.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is actually an acceptance of who I am as both a person and musician. For a long time, I tried to be someone that I wasn’t and tried to conform to what I thought other people wanted me to be. I took a long time to unlearn that, accept who I was, and come to terms with what I like and want to do. At the end of the day, it’s still a work in progress but that is one of the beautiful things about life—you can live, grow, and seek out continual improvement regardless of where you are at. You just have to look for it and be open to it. Once you stop learning . . . well, it’s game over so it’s best to keep that growth happening.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I have musician friends visiting, then I’ll definitely be taking them to the Baked Potato for a show on at least one night. Always good music there. For food, some of my favorite places are in Long Beach and San Pedro so I would have to go with Sorrento’s in San Pedro and Domenico’s in Long Beach for dinners. My wife and I are big on food so a lot of the sightseeing would have to revolve around good food. I’ve also always enjoyed taking people to Warner Bros. for the lot tour. For movie buffs, it’s definitely a must. We’d also have to work in a trip to the Griffith Observatory somewhere in there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this to Darryl McEachin. I worked with Darryl in the US Air Force Band for several years and those were some of the most impactful times of my life. He saw fit to take me under his wing and show me the ropes in a way that no one ever had. He didn’t have to do it but chose to anyway and I wouldn’t be who I am without those years and his investment in me. Love you, man!

Website: https://aaronkusterer.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronkusterer/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkusterer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.kusterer/

Other: https://akstudioproductions.com/

Image Credits
Kim Clayborne Heather Lyman Don Marcelo Kyle Rutjes (AirBender Media)