Emma Brenner Music and Production

My Portfolio

Index

Samples, Projects, Purpose
My Story So Far, Bio
Experience, Education, Skills
Social Media
The Studio and More
Contact

2025, Marist University

2022, Syracuse University

Samples, Projects, Purpose

Craig Dreyer, Arianna Prappas and I recorded “Thinning” at the Mighty Toad Recording Studios, in Brooklyn NY. I wanted to capture the Radiohead-esque, percussive quality of guitar playing to complement the morbid imagery in the song, along with haunting vocals, where Prappas describes she is “thinning,” slowly turning into a skeleton metaphorically and literally. The pick intentionally sounds like bones as it strikes the strings. The subject matter covers an eating disorder she experienced during college, and we wanted to release this song for anyone who has had or is currently going through similar struggles.

“My Son is a Mockingbird” includes a bass track written by Jada Crawford, while the lyrics, melody, and guitar content were written by Ariana Prappas. The distorted and echoey vocals ilustrate an image of a child calling out in a hallway, a child subject to abuse calling out to an empty void. The guitar and vocals were recorded with Neumann U87 microphones, and the bass was recorded with direct input.

“Angel” the opening track on Before We Met, was originally recorded with ProTools in 2021 at Subcat Studios in Syracuse, New York. We re-recorded the track at Mighty Toad Recording Studio with a microphone placement technique that captured the artist’s full live energy, recording vocals and guitar at the same time. The microphone used for vocals and guitar on the album is notably a Neumann U47. I created the MIDI cello track in Ableton, and crafted a sound design design with tape saturation that adds gritty texture to the otherwise sweet sounding strings. I double tracked the guitars in post-production, and the background vocals were added back at Subcat Studios. I mastered this track, among the others showcased in this portfolio, on Wavelab.

Ariana is currently working on the Before We Met EP in Los Angeles, CA. This music is protected by copyright law. Our work together has sparked the beginning of a project that we hope inspires mental health awareness, domestic abuse awareness, and represents folx struggling with eating disorders.

My Story So Far

Hi, my name is Emma Brenner. I am a passionate musician and audio engineer, born in 2000 in Danbury, CT. Creativity is not merely a choice or an activity in my life– It is something I have to do. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Music and Sound Recording Technology in 2022, I had focused on actively cultivating a network as an audio engineer, session musician, and local barista. Additionally, I have taken next steps to advance my career path by pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Ethical Leadership at Marist University.

Currently in 2025 I have graduated from Marist University, and I am actively pursuing full-time roles in the music and entertainment industry. I am working as an instructor for audio engineering, electronic music production, songwriting, piano and voice, as well as part of Caramoor Center for Music and the Art’s technical crew. I started recording for artist Kiara Kaltschnee as well as assisting in production for Lewis and Kirk Music. Until graduating I have been managing freelancing, as well as part-time jobs on top of my studies at Marist.

In 2022 I was known mainly for my efforts arranging, recording, mixing and mastering the EP, Before We Met, with musician Ariana Prappas. I also excelled as a vocalist, writer, student, and peer mentor to music industry students recording projects at Subcat Studios, located in Syracuse, NY. I earned an Expansion Grant for the promotion of Before We Met, and recorded with engineer Craig Dreyer at the Mighty Toad Recording Studio located in Brooklyn NY. Dreyer mentored us as a team and inspired us to continue using creative and efficient recording techniques.

In 2023, I had begun working as a freelance engineer at Sage Sounds in Shelton CT, a session musician for Peter MacDowell in Norwalk CT, and a barista at Tusk & Cup where I was a vital member of a cornerstone of community and arts in Ridgefield, CT.

In 2024 I finished sound design for the documentary film, “Don’t Forget to Leave,” directed and produced by Kyle Kuchta and OTC Productions. This experience was incredibly new and challenging for me, and I honed my skills in editing, ambience and overall film sound design. I worked with dialogue, score, ambience, and archive elements to create the atmosphere for each interview, and eased transitions along to create a sense of unity.

In January 2022, the Mandarins released an A Capella cover of “If You’re Gonna Lie,” originally by Fletcher. My colleague, Brianna Cofield and I recorded and mixed this track together. Brianna mastered it in Wavelab. We recorded each vocalist in Protools, mixed and edited the tracks together, and Brianna mastered the track in Wavelab. We recorded each soprano with an AKG C414 microphone and each alto with the Neumann U87 microphone, to highlight individual vocal timbres and ensure we customized the microphone choice and placement for each member of the Mandarins.

About

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