This one almost drew a flag, but after further review, we decided we couldn’t see the harm in NFL players learning a little bit about music mastering.
The idea, according to a recent Associated Press story, apparently took root with retired defensive end Darren Howard, who’s played for the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Howard, who left football in 2009, had always wanted to be in the music business — so when he left the gridiron, he started his own recording label, Empyre.
Meantime, the NFL’s player-engagement division took a survey and found that a surprising number of players had dreams just like Howard’s.
That led to the league teaming up with New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to hold a music camp.
About 70 players applied, and 20 made it in to the four-day camp, AP reports.
Players who got in included former Oakland Raider Justin Fargas, Marvin Austin of the New York Giants, Brand Lloyd of the St. Louis Rams and former Ram and Jacksonville Jaguar Torry Holt.
The players visited a professional music studio at one point, getting some instruction on how to make records from Nick Sansano, who’s head of production studies at the Clive Davis Institute.
Sansano explained the differences between a $3,000 microphone and a $95 one, according to AP.
“If that’s of good quality, that’s where you should spend your money,” Sansano told the players, holding up one of the spendier mikes.
Useful information, Howard and the other players agreed after the camp. But they’re keeping their expectations realistic:
“I’m not looking to knock nothing out the park,” Howard says. “I’m not trying to be Puffy … I just want to make good music, make some money, add something to the community and provide some jobs …”
Well, OK. Maybe those thicker helmets of theirs are paying off after all.
if you want a guy manhandling your audio, good luck. If you want someone who doesn’t do music as a hobby
call SoundOps.