Better Know a Gothamite: Sal Barra

Sal Barra joined Gotham in the summer of 2012, and has proved himself an invaluable asset to the customers, sales team, and the company at large.

What is your background in sound? What got you interested in it?
I am a producer/performer from Long Island. I have worked as a sound mixer/boom op for various indie film projects. Coming from a music background, I have always been interested in how analog sound is converted to a recording. I am obsessed with the recording process and this has lead me in the direction of production sound for film.

How did you hear about Gotham Sound? What made you want to come to work here?
I heard about Gotham Sound through our lovely sales manager Christina. I wanted to become a part of a production company and found the next best thing at Gotham.

If you had to describe your job at Gotham in one word, what would that word be?
TEAMWORK

What is your typical day at Gotham like?
Roll into the office, eat breakfast. Help out some customers, eat lunch. Be entertained by the soulful croonings of our owner Jim Guzzi, eat a cupcake... Yes, my workday revolves around FOOD.

Do you do freelance work or other sound work outside of Gotham?
Yes! I am a guitarist/bassist/producer/engineer. I currently play in the cover band No Soup For You. I teach guitar lessons on the weekends and record live shows using my mobile Pro Tools HD rig. I am launching an audiovisual production studio in New York later this year!

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in the suburbs of Long Island. I studied engineering at Cooper Union, jazz performance at City College and classical guitar at Stony Brook. I graduated with a BA in Music from Stony Brook University.

What is your favorite thing about working at Gotham Sound?
The trustworthy and knowledgeable co-workers… and free beer at 5pm on Friday!

What piece of gear do you own that you can’t live without?
Focal Solo6 Be studio monitors! Dependable monitoring is the most tangible improvement I have made to my studio in the past year. Poor monitoring is the Achilles’ heel of the home recording studio!

What piece of gear do you most lust after?
Alumisonic 1100 Custom Guitar! It’s an ALUMINUM GUITAR! What’s cooler than that?!

Interview conducted by Chris Wood