The missing puzzle of music production education
with Adam Moseley and Lawrence Biancardi
Audio education gives you the foundations: theory, gear, and software. But making it - and staying - in the industry involves more; it takes the right mindset and skills.
We sat down with Adam Mosley (U2, Roxette, Rush…) and his former student Laurence Biancardi, now a renowned mastering engineer, about what it really takes to survive the studio grind: navigating endless tech options, building trust and reputation, and why human relationships - especially mentorship - still matter more than any plugin or piece of gear.
From Tea Boy to Trusted Mentor
Adam Mosley’s journey began in the late 1970s at Trident Studios in Soho, London - not as an engineer, but as a chef and construction worker. The studio world was fiercely competitive, and learning was often a matter of silent observation and relentless persistence. Adam worked his way up, assisting legendary producer Mike Stone, and eventually engineering and mixing on major records. The environment was tough: asking questions could expose your ignorance and risk your job. Yet, through perseverance and a willingness to learn, Adam found not just a career, but a community.Today, Adam’s approach to mentorship is rooted in friendship and mutual respect. He believes that making music should be fun, and that the people you work with matter as much as the work itself. If you’re not enjoying the people you’re involved with, you have to change those people. The job is hard enough without difficult personalities.
The Changing Face of Mentorship
Laurence Biancardi, now a UK-based mixing and mastering engineer and tutor at ACM Guildford, represents a new generation of audio professionals. Unlike Adam, Laurence didn’t start as a “tea boy” or runner; he went straight into engineering, supported by formal education and a willingness to take on any job that came his way. The digital age has made it easier than ever to connect with mentors and peers worldwide - Laurence and Adam, for example, keep in touch regularly despite living on different continents.For Laurence, mentorship has been crucial in building confidence and developing an ear for the craft. Adam’s feedback - delivered with honesty and care - helped Laurence see the importance of mixing and mastering, inspiring him to dig deeper and refine his skills.
Hard Work vs. Talent: What Matters Most?
Both Adam and Laurence agree: curiosity and persistence are key. Talent is valuable, but it’s the drive to learn, experiment, and improve that sets successful engineers apart. Adam emphasizes the importance of being “politely persistent”- showing up, asking the right questions, and being eager to learn without being pushy.
In the studio, Adam still values the traditional path of starting as an intern or runner, learning the ropes by doing everything from making tea to cleaning bathrooms. It’s a rite of passage that builds humility and a strong work ethic.
Navigating the Noise: Technology as a Tool
The explosion of technology in music production has created both opportunities and challenges. With countless plugins and hardware options available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Laurence’s approach is to try everything, make mistakes, and learn from them. “Eventually, you start learning the nuances,” he says. The key is not to let technology dictate your choices - use it to serve your creative vision.
Adam echoes this sentiment, recalling the days when reverb meant using an elevator shaft or stairwell, and editing vocals was a painstaking manual process.
While technology has made many tasks easier, the fundamentals remain: listen carefully, trust your instincts, and let the idea lead the tools - not the other way around.
Building a Career in Audio: Advice for the Next Generation
So what does it take to survive and thrive in the music industry today? Adam’s advice is clear: don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Network, work with as many artists as you can, and be seen to be working. Reputation matters - be the person others want to work with, and always behave honorably. Trust is earned through experience, and experience comes from doing the work.
"You need to realise no one is going to come and knock on your door saying here’s this amazing opportunity that will save you for the rest of your life. Every moment you have to create. Have to network, find bends and don’t expect to get paid. If you do it right you’ll get paid later on in the journey. Constantly educate yourself and be the kind of person that people will want to work with. Earn that trust. To do that you need to get experience by working. You can only work if you’re going out and you’re finding artists offering to do a mix for a little money and if they like it, ail the job for the full album. The big thing is, don’t expect to start where you want to land."
- Adam Moseley
Laurence adds that building a reputation as a specialist - whether in mastering, mixing, or another niche - can set you apart. Word of mouth and relationships are powerful; being known as the go-to person for a particular skill can open doors. And above all, treat yourself as a business if you want to succeed as one.
The Human Element
Despite all the changes in technology and the industry, one thing remains constant: the importance of human relationships. Mentorship, trust, and a willingness to learn from others are as crucial now as they were decades ago. As Adam and Laurence’s story shows, the journey from student to mentor is a cycle - one that keeps the music, and the industry, alive.
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About our guests
Adam Moseley
[The Cure, Roxette, Richard Marx, The Blow Monkeys, Maxi Priest, Visage, Bill Bruford, Baaba Maal, Beck/Jack White, Nikka Costa/Lenny Kravitz/Prince, Wolfmother, AJ Croce and Lucybell (Chile). TV and Film include: “The Americans”, “True Blood”, Spike Jonze (“I’m Here”)]
Adam has been involved with development for Ableton, Plugin Alliance, Trident Audio and Barefoot Sound speakers. He is part of the Music Faculty at The Herb Alpert School of Music, UCLA and also does a Masterclass at Berklee School of Music in Valencia, Spain. There, he also became a senior advisor to She Knows Tech.
Lawrence Biancardi
Lawrence Biancardi is a Mastering Engineer, Music Producer and HE Tutor at ACM Guildford , U.K. He is inspired by both heavy and empathetic tones in music. A lot of his musical influences include: Hyper-pop, Ambient, Classical, Metal, Synthwave, Emo, Pop-Punk. Classical music runs in his blood...Lawrence is a distant nephew of composer, Frederic Chopin.
He started playing instruments and learning recording software from the age of 8 years old, and has been largely self taught across several instruments.
Lawrence started his professional musical career at the age of 13 as lead vocalist in Metalcore band Via The Void, and later played as a keyboardist for Never Not Nothing (co-writers w/ The Prodigy). After working with many songwriters and vocalists (including recording Diane Warren's song "I Wish"; for X Factor's 'Jahmene') Lawrence began his own journey of creating music as a solo producer/artist.
In 2019 he started working as a Composer/Producer/Mastering Engineer for Accidental Entertainment (Synch/licencing agency for media) in L.A. Producing for artists across many styles and genres Lawrence has had European charting success with Americana group, Our Man In The Field.
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