From classical training to gold and platinum records, David Jakoubovitch’s journey through music and sound engineering is one of passion, precision, and evolution. Beginning with piano and cello before transitioning to drums, his deep understanding of music laid the foundation for a career that bridges technical mastery and artistic expression. In this exclusive interview, David shares insights into his hybrid workflow, his approach to mixing, and how Antelope Audio’s Orion 32+ Gen 4 has become an essential part of his sonic toolkit.
Your musical journey began with piano, cello, and later drums. How did these instruments shape your understanding of music and creativity from a young age? And what was the soundtrack of your childhood?
I started my musical studies at 6 with both piano and cello, and at 13, I dropped classical music to start playing drums. I was listening to a lot of rock with my older brother: ACDC, Guns n’Roses, Aerosmith, Nirvana but also Eric Clapton, the Doors…Later on, Linkin Park and some more modern progressive rock.
What inspired your decision to pursue sound engineering? Was there a specific moment or influence that set you on this path?
When I turned 16, I wanted to be a professional drummer, but my parents wanted something more “stable,” so with some help, I found that being a sound engineer could be the right way. My father loved music and we organized some classical music concerts. My father had a ¼” Revox B77 tape recorder (I still have it today), and he recorded all those concerts. When I started sound school, “Meteora” by Linkin Park had just come out, and with the CD came a DVD with the making of and a lot of footage of the recording process. I was amazed; at that moment, I was sure that I took the right way.
Like many in the industry, the pandemic led you to scale down and move your studio to your home. How did this transition impact your creative process, and what advantages or challenges came with this new setup?
I always worked in pretty large spaces, in 2020 I moved to a new apartment after the first lockdown, I decided to rent a place close to my new home, but 1 week into the new studio, the second lockdown came, and most of my work was editing and mixing, so since no one came to record anymore, I decided to transform one bedroom into a mixing studio. The challenge was to turn a small bedroom into a space with an acoustic treatment good enough to work.
Nowadays, your setup has evolved from being completely in the box to a hybrid workflow. What drove this shift, and how has the Orion 32+ Gen 4 enabled you to handle the demands of a more complex, hybrid workflow while maintaining the precision you’re known for?
After moving the studio into my home, I was mixing completely in the box, and a friend of mine gave me a small summing mixer. I really liked the sound, so I started to find some analog gear, not too expensive but with a real impact soundwise. At the same time, I started a YouTube channel, and I was quickly able to get my first endorsements.
The setup kept growing until my converter wasn’t able to feed both the analog outboard and summing mixer, so I tried to find a converter with enough I/Os (32), and very high-quality converters, the Orion 32+ gen4 was a very natural choice, 128 I/Os and the converters are immaculate !!!
During the 2010s, you earned three gold and one platinum record. Can you tell us more about those projects and what you think contributed most to their success?
I have to say that I earned those gold and platinum records the hard way. I had to stand in front of those big labels, always trying to ask for more services for less money….I realized that being inflexible was the right way to be respected by those labels. When I got my first gold records, it was a game changer. People were calling and wanted to work with me because I recorded or mixed those albums.
Sound engineering is as much an art as it is a science. How do you approach balancing technical precision with the emotional storytelling of music?
Mixing is like cooking; you have tools and ingredients, and you need to use the tools to make a great dish, but in the end, you decide the taste. When I am mixing a song all those tools (Protools, plugins, analog outboard, etc..) are here to help your creativity and not the opposite, you can get great sound mixing in the box, and you can also miss completely with an SSL or Neve console, you also always need to remember that you need to enhance the vision of the singer/band.
You’ve recorded and mixed a wide range of acoustic and organic genres like jazz and world music. What are some of your go-to techniques for capturing the depth and nuances of these styles?
I have only one rule: 85% of a good mix is happening when recording. If you miss this critical stage, when mixing, you will be mostly fixing mistakes. My way when I am recording is to take some time to talk with the artist and try to move or change things like microphones, preamps, or placement to get the best I can. That way, the mixing process is way quicker and more fun. Now, since I am mixing 90% of the time, I always listen to all the tracks to check the quality. If something is not meeting my standards, I ask the artist to record a specific track.
You’ve taken on a unique role as an educator by running two separate YouTube channels to share your vast knowledge. What inspired you to take this path, and how has this decision impacted your perspective on the industry and your work?
The inspiration for my YouTube channels comes from an experience I had 20 years ago while studying sound engineering. During a 6-week internship at a recording studio, I found that the sound engineer was not sharing any knowledge with me. My tasks were limited to setting up microphones, managing cables, and putting everything back in place at the end of the day. It felt like a complete waste of time, so I made it my goal to gain knowledge independently to avoid such situations in the future.
What surprised me, however, is the way the new generation is learning so much on YouTube. While I believe YouTube can provide valuable insights and ideas, it’s essential to remember that hands-on experience in a studio and formal education are equally important for truly mastering sound engineering.
After years of success and evolution, what excites you most about the future of sound engineering? Are there any emerging technologies or trends you’re particularly eager to explore?
I really like the new hybrid analog outboard trend. Having a full analog EQ or compressor but also being able to control it via a plugin is a game-changer. Instant recall and automation on those EQs and compressors are just awesome !!! I am looking forward to seeing more companies manufacturing with this new technology in mind. AI is also making its way into sound engineering. I am a little bit old school, so I am a little bit afraid to see software doing our job, but I think that we will be able to find the right balance.
Socials:
Les secrets du son (French) – https://www.youtube.com/@lessecretsduson
David Jakoubovitch (Hebrew) – https://www.youtube.com/@buche84
Website – www.davidjmixing.com
