MEET DAVID

 First off, only my mother calls me David; you can call me Dave

“You are made of good”

— Daniel Lanois (Music Producer: U2, Brian Eno, Bob Dylan)

BIOGRAPHY
 
Since 2003, Dave has worked under the name Nomadic Sound Research pushing creative boundaries. Dave is a coach, a natural maker, thinker, and educator. He is currently involved in various aspects of the creativity industry, from branding and marketing to research and interactive UX design. For over two decades, Dave has been intensely curious about culture and the people that make up cultures, ultimately aiding businesses redefine communication strategies with customers. He uses the title of Ethnomusicologist.
 
His high tolerance for volatility, uncertainty, and ambiguity was naturally developed through coaching clients. His understanding of "the creative act," complex marketing theories, and methodologies makes him a unique person to employ when unique solutions are needed. His clients learn through his experiential and Socratic techniques that balance play, theory, tradition, and purpose. With clients and students such as the head of audio at Microsoft, the head of national marketing at Ford Motor Company, and MusiCares with the Grammys, Dave is comfortable working in a variety of corporate, academic, and political structures. He champions user experience as the foundation of great development.
 
Dave is Ph.D. educated, primarily in anthropology. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts from CalArts and a Bachelor of Jazz Studies from Loyola University New Orleans. He has studied fine art and music in film at the College of Santa Fe in New Mexico.
 
He started his career as a multi-instrumentalist at the age of 16. From touring around Texas in the early days to joining Uli Behringer's innovation department and audio mapping sections of the earth, Dave has evolved over the past 30 years into an audio UX strategist, researcher and business coach all rolled into one. He has collaborated with hundreds of people, contributing to projects with companies such as Columbia Records, Popeyes, the U.S. Armed Forces, Remax, Wind Up Records, Marlboro, NATO, American Recordings, Ford, Canadian Tire, Music Tribe, General Motors, Interscope, and Capital Records.
 
Having grown up in Southeast Texas, it was only natural for Dave to relocate to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the 1990s to pursue art studies. This decision led to a fortuitous encounter with Mark Bryan, co-author of the book "The Artist's Way". Under Mark's guidance, Dave acquired the skills to coach, teach, and draw out the best in people. Dave honed the art of recognizing the creative act and delving into the magic of creativity through this valuable experience.
 
A significant portion of Dave's current practices was shaped during his initial days of working in Los Angeles in the early 2000s. He remarks, "It's not glamorous work, but you pick up all the things you need to know about the creative business by watching the pros". Dave worked for music producers Rick Rubin and Michael Beinhorn. Additionally, he was employed by music manager Jeff Norskog (Pussycat Dolls and Puff Daddy) under Jimmy Iovine and music supervisor John Houlihan on the movies Training Day, Bubble Boy, and Sweetest Thing.
 
In the 2010s, Dave honed his marketing and branding skills at Ethnodialogue, a multicultural marketing agency. He also developed music production programs at Conestoga and Sheridan colleges. Dave also contributed to the design of iOS and Google Play applications at Music Tribe, along with audio consumption playback systems for interactive games for Christie Digital and McDonald's. Additionally, he devoted a significant portion of five years to writing books on Daniel Lanois' sound and creativity practice techniques.
 
Dave imbibed a crucial life lesson from the legendary Jazz bassist Charlie Haden: "You can't do great things unless you are a great person. Be a great person, and you will naturally do great things." Following this philosophy, Dave commits ample time to connect with the individuals he collaborates with, immersing himself in their environments armed with a recorder to delve into their challenges within a profound context. Through active engagement and involvement, he unravels the subtleties and trends that influence behavior, consequently shaping culture. This forms the essence of Dave's work.
 

MAJOR EVENTS
 

  • 1975 Born In Toronto Ontario
  • 1979 Moved To Houston Texas
  • 1992 Ritmo Latino Mexican Filming
  • 1993 First Texas Tour, Drummer
  • 1994 Studied Film, Music And Fine Arts @ Santa Fe U.
  • 1995 Produced First Record, New Mexico
  • 1997 Teach For America, New Orleans
  • 1999 Bachelor Of Jazz Studies Loyola U. New Orleans
  • 2000 Performed With Charlie Haden, Los Angeles
  • 2001 Worked for Michael Beinhorn, Korn Untouchables
  • 2001 Masters Of Fine Art World Music @ CalArts
  • 2002 First US National Tour, Illkidd Sony Records
  • 2002 First Drumming Endorsement - Premier Drums
  • 2003 Worked For Rick Rubin, Los Angeles
  • 2003 Started Nomadic Sound Research Co.
  • 2004 Music Supervisor w/ John Houlihan
  • 2005 US Armed Forces Tour, The Balkans
  • 2007 Audio Mapping, Arctic Region
  • 2007 Professor @ York U. Toronto
  • 2010 MusiCares @ Grammys - Built Studio, Malibu
  • 2010 Instrument Ambassador, Steel Guitar, Taiwan
  • 2012 Music UX Design @ Dandy
  • 2013 Co-Founder Modern Audio Arts Program, Ontario
  • 2013 Adjunct Professor @ Conestoga College
  • 2013 First Book - Creative Music Practices
  • 2014 First Recorded Interaction, Daniel Lanois
  • 2014 Sound Design @ Christie Digital
  • 2015 Field Recording @ Ghana
  • 2015 Adjunct Professor @ Sheridan
  • 2015 Viral 1.7 million (reddit) Test Question 38
  • 2015 Evangelist & UI/UX @ TC Group
  • 2017 Ph.D. York Univ. Ethnomusicology
  • 2018 Partner @ Ethnodialogue Ethnic Marketing
  • 2019 Audio Mapping @ Newfoundland
  • 2020 Winnebago Mobile Studio
  • 2021 Arts Council @ City of Tofino
  • 2022 Audio Mapping @ Vancouver Island
  • 2023 Michael Beinhorn Remote Production

CURRENT POSITIONS

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR @ Sheridan College
ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH @ Nomadic Sound Research
GUEST LECTURER: topics - music, music business, record production, entrepreneurship, marketing, creativity, improvisation, drumming, world percussion and the impact of music technology on music industry.
PRODUCTION, SOUND RECORDIST, AUDIO CREATOR @ Canadian Recordings

SUB DISCIPLINES

Ethnomusicology, Musicology, Cultural Marketing, Anthropology, Branding, Audio Production, History Of The Recording Industry, Jazz, Blues, New Orleans Brass Band, Electronic Music, Electroacoustic, Music Industry, Music and Audio Technology, Intellectual Property, Entrepreneurship, Life Skills, Drums, History Of The American Drum Set, World Percussion, Ghanaian Music, North Indian Classical Music, North African and Persian Music, Square Neck Dobro, Pedal and Lap Steel Guitars, and Taoism.

PAST CREATIVE CREDITS

Dave has performed and/or shared the stage with the following musicians and bands: Young Empires, Bob Egan (Wilco, Blue Rodeo), Charlie Haden (Ornette Coleman), Loretta Lynn, Saint Motel, Boy Hits Car, G Love & The Special Sauce, Justin Meldal-­‐Johnsen (Beck, Nine Inch Nails), Dan Mangen, Slightly Stoopid, Eddie Roeser (Urge Overkill), Kottonmouth Kings, Ferriby Loinheart, Alien Ant Farm, Audra Mae, Dominique Stephane Fricot, Phantom Planet and Sandy West (The Runaways).