Congratulations, classes 42 & 43! As Ex'pression Alumni you now belong to a network of over 1,100 professionals working in gaming, animation, design, audio engineering and various other related fields. You will receive a monthly alumni newsletter which includes featured student profiles, Insider Day information and periodic invitations to events. Please be sure to keep in touch! If you have comments or suggestions, email Alumni Profile Immediately after graduating Ex'pression, Ryan got an internship in Northern California for a promotion and production company called Nuthouse Productions. Ryan had the hip-hop bug and it was not long before he began doing his own valuable research. Ryan compiled a list of Los Angeles studios that specialized in hip-hop and contacted them all. He was turned down everywhere, but kept pushing. After several conversations with one studio manager, he was invited to interview at Encore Studios in Los Angeles. “I basically bugged him in to hiring me,” says Ryan of the former owner. He worked there for a couple years, starting at the bottom. As Ryan says, “I was just really persistent and willing to do anything, starting with janitorial work.”
Ryan’s foundation from Ex'pression has served him well, he is quite flexible in all aspects of the studio environment. A bulk of his work is in programming, although he also engineers and produces. “I work with Pro Tools totally differently now, four years later, but the framework came from Ex’pression,” says Ryan. Also, the work ethic, being willing to work any time, day or night, a schedule Ryan became comfortable with all the demanding time in school. What is Ryan looking forward to right now? “I am getting ready to move in to my first condo. I think, look what music bought me!” Subscribe or unsubscribe from the alumni newsletter at any time by visiting the following link: |
Ryan is on full time staff in apl’s studio, which is conveniently located in a separate structure on the same property as of apl’s LA home. The studio has been home to Ryan since its construction, affording the opportunity to be involved with a studio from conception to completion. 
In his time at Encore, he met multiple artists, but one connection really stood out, the Black Eyed Peas. Ryan, always working on his own craft, would often shop beats to the same management company that represents the Black Eyed Peas, and eventually after introductions, a professional relationship developed between apl and Ryan. The timing was perfect for Ryan, as apl was looking to build his own team, and Encore was being sold to Paramount. “The Black Eyed Peas are like a big family, and they employ a number of musicians and production people,” says Ryan. The
connections have allowed Ryan to work on multiple projects, including solo projects for both Fergie and Taboo. Ryan is also free to continue his own work, which he has not given up even working full time in studios. 
