Women in Pro Audio: Rebecca Jo Huston Women in Pro Audio: Rebecca Jo Huston...

Providing a platform to showcase the stories of women in pro audio is a critical step in reshaping a historically male-dominated field. By sharing these experiences, we highlight the technical expertise and creative dedication that women bring to the studio and the stage, while also offering a documented roadmap for the next generation of engineers. Hearing these first-hand accounts allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the industry’s landscape and the persistence required to navigate it, ensuring that these women’s stories are no longer overshadowed.

Meet Rebecca

Rebecca Jo Huston’s path began with a creative spark in Philadelphia and led to a professional life navigating the pro sound scene in Los Angeles. From mixing legendary performers to restoring lost tape recordings, her work is grounded in self-teaching and the necessity of hands-on experience.

The Path to Sound

Originally from Wisconsin and currently based in Los Angeles, Rebecca Jo Huston is a mastering engineer who also handles front-of-house (FOH) live sound for Dart Collective and the Lodge Room, an entertainment venue housed in a 1922 Masonic Lodge, Northeast Los Angeles. Her entry into audio was driven by an artistic impulse that took shape at age 20 while living in Philadelphia.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was younger, but I did know I wanted to do something artistic,” Rebecca explains. “When I was 20, living in Philly, I was inspired to start writing songs and immediately knew I needed to record them. I wanted to hear them with effects, and I wanted to double up my vocals. So, the transition from amateur guitarist and singer to amateur recording artist was immediate.”

Because she found it easy to teach herself computer software, she quickly moved into the technical side of production. This included an extensive build of a vintage recording studio with Mitch Marzec, which she describes as “a tangible history lesson all about analog recording and vintage gear repair.” While she produced her own project, Romantic Thriller, with help from Bodhi Landa, she eventually transitioned to live sound. “I asked a friend of mine, John Rau, if he could train me on mixing bands in a live venue, and so he did,” she says. This led to a role at Sunnyvale in Brooklyn, where she was promoted to head engineer after just one year.

From Apprenticeship to Audio Mastering

While live sound provided a fast-paced foundation, Rebecca’s career trajectory shifted significantly in 2018 when she decided to pursue audio mastering. Seeking a more specialized path, she reached out to local studios and secured a year-long apprenticeship at Timeless Mastering. Working under the mentorship of Adrian Morgan and Heba Kadry proved to be a defining period of her professional life. “That is how I learned everything I know,” she notes.

After a year of intensive training, Rebecca was hired as an engineer at the studio. When the studio partners eventually moved in separate directions, she used the lessons from her apprenticeship to launch her own independent mastering studio in Los Angeles. Today, mastering remains her primary focus.

Overcoming Hurdles for Women in Pro Audio

In an industry where women make up a small percentage of the workforce, Rebecca identifies self-confidence as her primary challenge. “I would say the biggest hurdle is just believing I could do it,” she shares. “I definitely had a late start, and I blame my own confidence for that. Whereas most of the boys I knew formed their first band at 12, I didn’t start learning guitar until I was 20, and I didn’t start doing live sound until I was 32. Most of the men I work with in live sound started in their early 20s.”

Beyond internal pressure, Rebecca has noticed that “People dismiss you a little in this industry,” she says. “The bands show up at the venue and ask the production manager who the engineer is, even though you are standing at the board setting up. You will feel an air of doubt from time to time.” She also connects her ability to handle high-pressure environments to her history in the service industry. “I think my years of waitressing and bartending really help with these time management skills,” she notes, referring to the quick, decisive action required to solve problems mid-show.

Regarding the industry’s demographics, she notes: “This industry seems especially slow to involve women, and I believe I have read that fewer than 7% of pro audio professionals are women. I blame the egos. There is a prevailing culture of hyper-competitiveness, arrogance, and exclusion in audio engineering.”

Mentorship and Technical Mastery

Rebecca credits her growth and technical skills to mentorship and practical experience. “I think the best way to go is through an apprenticeship. If you are interested, do some research and identify potential mentors to reach out to. That is how I learned everything I know. And you get real-life, hands-on experience in this way. Also, reading interviews with engineers is always a great resource. Tape Op magazine has so many excellent interviews, also, SoundGirls!”

Regarding audio work, especially mastering, she views it as a sculptural process. “Mixing audio is more like having a block of stone and chiseling away pieces, sculpting the form. It’s more subtractive.” She also emphasizes the importance of learning from multiple sources to avoid rigid thinking. “Your first teacher will be extremely certain that the way they do things is absolutely correct,” she notes, but argues that seeing different approaches from various engineers is vital because “there isn’t just one way to do anything.” One of the most impactful pieces of advice she received was from Heba Kadry during her studio build: “She said just buy one piece of gear each year and begin developing a relationship with clients, doing the work. Mastering every day keeps your ears trained.”

Highlights and Future Projects

Rebecca finds immense satisfaction in the energy of live events. “I love working events! I love making the party happen and seeing people dance,” she says. Her portfolio includes mixing a memorable show for the legend Genesis P-Orridge at Sunnyvale and a “sick show” for Steve Mason of The Beta Band at the Lodge Room.

Her mastering portfolio is equally diverse, recently including Joanna’s album Hello Flower, which required extensive restoration work on unreleased tape recordings from 1990. “I also love restoration,” she says of the process of touching up old recordings.

Looking toward 2026, Rebecca is focusing on a choreographed theatrical show for Romantic Thriller that involves dance and acting. “I am so excited to make this dream performance happen in 2026,” she shares. Rebecca is dedicated to carving out her own space in this industry, proving that “you wake up the next day and choose to march onward, armed with new lessons learned.”

To keep up with what Rebecca is doing next, follow her on Instagram at @romantic_thriller and @theforestmastering, and visit her website at rebeccahuston.com, or check out her work on Discogs.

To read last month’s Women in Pro Audio interview, click here.

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