Sam Pura on SoundBetter

Hello best friend! I am Sam Pura. I am a Producer, Recording, Mix, and Mastering Engineer. I also am a Songwriter and Session Musician. I own and operate The Panda Studios in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. I have made music for 20+ years for various record labels, artists, and independent audio projects all over the globe.

Sam Pura is a ubiquitous name in modern production, engineering, and mixing. It’s Sam’s boundary pushing attitude that has earned him every album credit in his ever-expanding discography, which already includes breakthrough albums by Basement, The Story So Far, State Champs, Hundredth, and The Dangerous Summer. His studio equipment is a meeting of classic hit-makers and fresh sounds that you can’t get anywhere else, each room designed for his specific workflow. When you work with Sam, it becomes immediately apparent that he will relentlessly push your record to be the best he’s ever done, but for those who come prepared, the environment can be as inspirational as that feeling on release day. And, along with your record, you’ll leave The Panda Studios with a new best friend and a love of Purafied.

Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

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Interview with Sam Pura

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I am very proud of the 4+ records I produced for The Story So Far. They were a basic local band with no following that I helped transform into a globally recognized band that re-ignited the Pop Punk revival in the 2010 era.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Building audio plugins
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Machine, James Trevascus, Ryan Ellery
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. I love the flexibility of digital and love the sounds and inspiring workflow analog brings.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise to make your music densely compressed and spacious, and in turn melancholic, euphoric, nostalgic, and profound
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Achieving creative and spiritual fulfillment through the end result of my work.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Why is the studio named The Panda? It was named after a the baby panda Mei Sheng born on the San Diego zoo's baby panda web cam.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: My unorthodox and innovative style has led to a reputation for being radically relentless
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: If you could only choose 2 out of 3 options what would they be? Good, Cheap, or Fast?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: If you are passionate about your vision I will help you surpass the quality and expectations making that vision a reality.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Pro Tools, OP1, Smart C2, 1176, NS10's
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started playing music and then touring the globe in various projects. I have been operating my production facility for over 20 years now.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Conspicuously loud production style and absurd level of meticulousness.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Charli XCX. She's a phenomenal singer and writer.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Listen to your heart.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Pop, Rock, Electronic, Metal, Hardcore, virtually anything that involves vocals and instrumentation.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My dedication to achieving the best possible results.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring excitement, engagement, and expert arrangement.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I listen to the material and asses the full potential of the material and work relentlessly until the material reaches a level that I am proud to promote as my work.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I own and operate The panda Studios. We have 3 control rooms, 2 live rooms, and 1 isolation room. I use Pro Tools and have an array of drums, guitars, basses, amplifiers, keyboards, microphones, compressors, and fun and inspiring audio gear throughout the facility.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: My favorite producer is Rick Rubin. My favorite songwriter is Max Martin. My favorite mix engineer is Serban Ghenea, and my favorite mastering engineer is Brian Big Bass Gardner.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I write, record, mix, and master. I often play guitar, bass, live drums, and vocals on music. I also am an expert editor. I can time align, tune, and clean up any audio. Vocals, VoiceOver, drums, guitar, bass, etc. I am an expert at Pro Tools.