Meet Vince Baur | Record Producer, Songwriter and Engineer

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

Hi Vince, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work-life balance is a little difficult right now. My friends are what balance everything out right now. We all share common interests and there’s a lot of understanding in regards to working long hours. Working all week and going out for a beer with a couple of pals who were by your side even in the earliest hours of the morning feels really good. I strive to get a lot better at balancing my life because currently it is very work heavy. Still, not a complaint, I love what I do so the best days feel like a day off.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love making records; it’s the entire process that captivates me—the hours, the interactions between people, and the perpetual quest for the perfect sound. Tediousness, perfection, raw emotion, the smell of tape and the speed of ProTools. Growing up, my hands were always busy—whether it was working on old cars, or tinkering with electronics. Now, a big recording console, a tape machine and racks of outboard gear make my heart beat a little faster.
The modern world of music production is insanely powerful. Living ‘in the box,’ within the computer, having near infinite track counts, a grid, thousands of plugins, is wonderful. It’s a beautiful tool that lets you create almost anything you can think of.
Fortunately, my time studying Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music allowed me to experiment with both these worlds, avoiding the need to choose one over the other. There is a constant need for innovation in the industry and I firmly believe messing with and, at times, abusing the tools you have (no matter how old they are) is the only way to discover something new.
In addition to my studio work, I’ve had the privilege of performing live shows with artists I’ve produced or engineered for, such as Ana Schon and Alester. My musical journey initially picked up as a guitarist, and whenever I’m back home in Nova Scotia, I dive into blues music, regularly performing in and around Halifax. The stage, for me, is a reality check—it challenges me to embrace imperfection, distinguishing what part of a song requires perfection and what should remain untouched.
Looking ahead to 2024, there’s an exciting trajectory. I had the opportunity to work on several projects in 2023 set for release this year. Collaborating with Dean Foster, we engineered and produced an indie record for the Massachusetts band ‘Jamsexual.’ With a limited budget, we booked 24 hours at a local studio, recording everything, every creative move, in a constant shoot-from-the-hip manner. Another project I’m immensely proud of is Juan Botero’s debut EP. Having previously worked with Juan’s successful band ‘Two Smooth,’ I had the honor of engineering and co-producing his upcoming solo endeavor.
As I prepare to graduate from Berklee College of Music in May 2024, my sights are set on a move to Los Angeles in the summer. The goal is to pursue larger projects, further establishing myself in the dynamic landscape of the music industry.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would probably have to do quite a lot of exploring together. I haven’t seen much more of LA than the inside of studios. One place we’d have to check out is Norm’s Rare Guitars. We’d probably also alternate music nights at the Hotel Café and the Baked Potato.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friends and family have always been there to support what I do and it’d be difficult to do it without them. Brian Charles, one of my professors at Berklee, has been an incredible mentor and friend throughout the last year. In general, the entire Berklee Community, especially the Music Production and Engineering department are some of the most wonderful, supportive and intelligent people I have met in my life. Lastly, the people who’s music I get to work on. There are too many to list but I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate and learn from an unbelievably long list of insanely talented people.

Website: www.vincentbaur.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/vincebaur

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicvincentbaur

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vincebaur

Image Credits
Charlotte Baur Megan Currie