Meet Marcus Grimaldi of Next Level Recording in Sandy Springs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Grimaldi.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Marcus. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My love for music started when I was a three-year-old kid banging on my parent’s pots and pans in the living room with spoons. Despite nobody in my immediate family having the ability to play music, my parents quickly realized that, though I was extremely annoying with all of the noise I was creating, I was actually holding a beat.

This all led to me receiving a kids drum set that Christmas and to everyone’s surprise, I was able to hold a steady beat with Elvis Presley’s ‘Hound Dog’ just days later. Fast forward to third grade and my parents finally bought me a real drum set. I locked myself in the basement and, without lessons, taught myself song after song to the shock of everyone around me… mainly because I couldn’t, and still can’t, read music, and these were the days before the internet and YouTube!

As I got older, I expanded into playing other instruments, and for whatever reason, I’m lucky enough to figure out how to play anything I pick up. Things come to me naturally without having any formal training in music, and my lack of ability to read sheet music has never bothered me because I can learn anything by ear (which really annoys my brother who tries to play as well).

I earned my degree from Middle Tennessee State University in their Recording Industry Program – one of the best and most competitive music programs in the world. I was immersed in classes taught by professionals who included Michael Jackson’s former producer, and other teachers who were literally winning GRAMMY’s while I was in their classes. It gave me the drive and competitive spirit I have today to forge my own name in an industry filled with amazing talent.

Although I love playing drums, guitar, piano, or anything else I pick up, my love for the other side of the glass skyrocketed, and I fell in love with audio production.

In 2013, right out of college, I launched Next Level Recording where I specialize in recording, mixing, mastering, voice over, automated dialogue replacement (ADR), sound design, foley, and audio restoration. There’s nothing quite like connecting all the dots to bring someone’s artistic vision to life and it’s one of the most satisfying things to create something from nothing with so many talented artists.

Over the years, my clients have appeared on American Idol, they’ve become semi-finalists on The Voice, and recently, one of my favorite artists I work with won ‘Album of the Year’ at the Independent Music Awards (IMA’s) and Steeple Awards.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not at all! I think if anybody who owns a business tells you they’ve had a smooth road, they’d be lying. The music industry is a tough industry to be a part of, and finding clients when you first start is a struggle.

When you’re new to the game after college, you have to sort of do everything for free so you can gain the trust of whoever you’re working with. A lot of my business comes from word of mouth, so delivering a pristine final product is critical – but it’s also about enjoying the journey and having a great time during the creative process.

Please tell us about Next Level Recording.
Next Level Recording is a full-fledged recording, mixing & mastering studio that’s dedicated, in every aspect, to provide you with a professionally polished product.

I specialize in recording, mixing, mastering, voice over, automated dialogue replacement, sound design, foley, and audio restoration.

The trust that my clients place in me is something that I’m very proud of. It’s not easy for artists to let go of the reins and let someone else have input and creative direction. That makes seeing their smile after listening to the final product so satisfying.

My attention to detail and honesty sets me apart from others. If the world is going to listen to your music or watch your film – it needs to be perfect and someone needs to give you thorough, honest feedback – which I do by offering mix critiques to music artists and filmmakers. My critiques are extremely thorough and I provide as much constructive feedback as possible. If you reach out to anybody who has had a critique done by me, they’ll tell you it was 2-3 pages long!

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t believe in the notion of “starting over” or even think along those lines. Life is all about taking your shot. Sometimes we’re going to hit the bullseye, and other times we’re going to miss the board completely. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who care and doing the things you love to do. For me, I’m always looking forward and trying to become the best version of myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.nextlevelrecording.com/
• Email: Marcus@NextLevelRecording.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelrecording/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NextLevelRecording/

Image Credit:
Marissa Jean Photography

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