Dr Daniel Pratt Profile Photo in front of a mixing desk

Dr Daniel Pratt

Course Leader for BA (Hons) Recording, Mixing and Production
London College of Music

Dr. Dan Pratt is a senior lecturer and course leader for BA (Hons) Recording, Mixing, and Production, as well as BMus (Hons) Performance and Recording at the University of West London. He also co-directs London Noise Records, a student-run label distributed via Sony Records.

With over twenty years of experience, Dr. Pratt has worked as a record producer, performer, and educator, focusing on future approaches to music-making and performative art. He has released music through Sony, Universal, and independent labels and recorded several highly played songs for radio and television.

As an engineer, he has collaborated with Bruce Woolley (Video Killed the Radio Star), Christopher Elliot (Amy Winehouse), Andy Visser (Death in Vegas), and drummer Ralph Salmins (Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Tom Jones). As a researcher, Dr. Pratt has published papers on cutting-edge recording concepts, Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, transnational recording, and sensemaking theory.

As a performer, he has toured Australia, Hong Kong, the UK, and the USA, playing at multiple festivals and iconic venues like the Whisky a Go Go (LA) and the Bowery Ballroom (NY). Dr. Pratt also co-directs The Hounslow Battle of the Bands, The 90 Songs Project, and several community outreach and student-led songwriting workshops.

  • Qualifications

    • PhD (Queensland University of Technology)
    • MFa (Queensland University of Technology)
    • BMus (Queensland University of Technology)
  • Memberships

    IASPM
    ARP
    Innovation in Music
    The Music Producers Guild

Teaching

Course leader for BMus (Hons) Performance and Recording at the University of West London. Dr Pratt has worked as a record producer, a performer, and an educator for over twenty years. He has released professionally through Sony, Universal, and Independent record labels and has recorded several highly rotated songs for radio and television. As a researcher, Dr Pratt has published papers on recording concepts, transnational recording, and sensemaking theory.

  • Research and publications

    Journal articles

    Pratt, D., & Bourbon, A. (2019). Life in Between Phase: Understanding and Manipulating Microphone Relationships with Visual Tools. In Art of Record Production 2017 (pp. 225–247). Stockholm: Royal College of Music.

    Pratt, D., Hoose, S., & Gordon, W. (2019). Transnational Flow in Cloud-based Music Production: Organisational Communication and Collaboration Between Australia and America. In Art of Record Production 2017 (p. 247-267). Stockholm: Royal College of Music.

    Online Presentations

    Pratt, D., Seay, T, Gould, L. (2020). Time Place and Reflexivity: The Recording Studio as an Instrument. In IASPM UK and Ireland, London Calling. London: University of West London. 

    Pratt, D., Seay, T. (2020). The Record Producer as a Nexus Facilitator: Understanding New Spaces and New Musical Conversation. In IASPM UK and Ireland, London Calling. London: University of West London. 

    Musical Scholarly Output

    Selected releases as an artist:

    Nothing Comes of Thinking - 2005 SONY, six track EP
    ritten by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier.
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Roger Sommers.

    Restore Factory Settings - 2006 MGM, ten track album.
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier.
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Roger Sommers

    Drawn from Bees The Boy and The Ocean - 2008 MGM, six track EP
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    And the Blind Shall Lead the Way - 2009 MGM, nine track album
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    The Sky is Falling - 2009 MGM, six track EP
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Fear Not the Footsteps of the Departed - 2010 MGM, fourteen track album
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Of Walls and Teeth EP – 2011 Ink Music, four track EP
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    The May King and his Paper Crown - 2012 MGM, thirteen track album
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Web of Thieves - 2014 MGM, five track EP
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Raven Jones, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James and Tom Hunt

    All These People - 2016 BeliveDigital/Universal, single release
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Don Le, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded and produced by Dan James and Don Le
    Mixed by Don Le

    Kindness - 2016 BeliveDigital/Universal, single release
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Don Le, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded and produced by Dan James and Don Le
    Mixed by Don Le

    Gravity 2017 BeliveDigital/Universal, single release
    Written by Dan James, Stew Riddle, Don Le, Matt Wedmaier
    Recorded and produced by Dan James and Don Le
    Mixed by Don Le

    Selected Production Credits

    Soda Jerks
    ream Girl – 2016 single release

    Baskervillain
    Naivety – 2016, single release
    Written by, Dan Mahler, Tom Spurgin, Jack Mckenzie and Lachlan Giddings
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Self-Titled – 2014, six track EP
    Written by, Dan Mahler, Tom Spurgin, Jack Mckenzie and Lachlan Giddings
    Mixed by Dan James

    Sacred Shrines Come Down from the Mountain – 2016, twelve track album
    Written by Phil Usher
    Recorded and produced by Dan James

    Tim Drury
    She Said – 2014, single release (number one iTunes)
    Written by Tim Drury
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Transvaal Diamond Syndicate
    How’d you get so Low? 2017 Single Release
    Written by Christian Tryhorn
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Diamonds and Dust 2010 – five track EP (Number 1 4zzz hot 100)
    Written by Christian Tryhorn
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Sins of the Blessed – 2011, seven track EP
    Written by Christian Tryhorn
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    You Call That a Tour? - 2012, six track EP
    Written by Christian Tryhorn
    Tracks 1,2 and 3 Produced mixed and recorded by Dan James

    Buick Six Costa Mesa Sun – 2011, five track EP
    Written by Buick Six
    Recorded, mixed, and produced by Dan James

    Happy Mediums
    Happy Mediums EP - 2013, five track EP
    Written by Phil Usher
    Produced mixed and recorded by Dan James

  • Conferences

    Pratt, D., & Carfoot, G. (2016). Make it Yourself: New Models in the Production and Consumption of Audio Recording Equipment. In 11th Art of Record Production Conference. Alborg: Alborg University.

    Pratt, D., Hoose, S., & Gordon, W. (2017). Transnational Flow in Cloud-based Music Production: Organisational Communication and Collaboration Between Australia and America. In Mono: Stereo: Multi. Stockholm: Royal College of Music.

    Pratt, D., & Bourbon, A. (2017). Life in Between Phase: Understanding and Manipulating Microphone Relationships with Visual Tools. In Mono: Stereo: Multi. Stockholm: Royal College of Music.

    Pratt, D., DeMan, B., & Reiss, J. D. (2017). Developing Mix Evaluation Skills in Higher Education: A Technology-aided Approach to Self-directed Learning. In Mono: Stereo: Multi. Stockholm: Royal College of Music.

    Pratt, D., Hoose, S., & Gordon, W. (2018). Further Exploration of Transnational Flow in Cloud-based Music Production: A Constant 24 hour Workflow. In Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice. Huddersfield: University of Huddersfield.

    Pratt, D., & Bourbon, A. (2018). Life In Between Phase Part 2: Reflexive Microphone Manipulation. In Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice. Huddersfield: University of Huddersfield.

    Pratt, D., Hoose, S., & Gordon, W. Goold, L. (2019). Transnational Flow: Experiments in Long Distance Non-Synchronous Networked Collaboration. In In C: Creation, Connectivity, Collaboration, and Controllers. Boston: Berklee College of Music.

    Pratt, D., Carfoot, G., Goold, L. (2019). Music and Materiality in a Post-digital World. In Turns and Revolutions in Popular Music. Canberra: Australian National University.

    Pratt, D., Seay, T. (2019). The Record Producer as a Nexus Facilitator: Understanding New Spaces and New Musical Conversation. In Turns and Revolutions in Popular Music. Canberra: Australian National University.

    Pratt, D., Seay, T, Gould, L. (2020). Time Place and Reflexivity: The Recording Studio as an Instrument. In IASPM UK and Ireland, London Calling. London: University of West London.

    Pratt, D., Bushell, B. (2020). Introducing London Noise: Real-time Pedagogical Approaches to University Record Labels. In IASPM UK and Ireland, London Calling. London: University of West London.

    Pratt, D., Seay, T. (2020). The Record Producer as a Nexus Facilitator: Understanding New Spaces and New Musical Conversation. In IASPM UK and Ireland, London Calling. London: University of West London.

  • Research degree supervision

    Principal Supervisor

    Re-definition of the Hip Hop Producer: New Hybrid Recording and Mixing Techniques
    (Diego Fernandez)

    Musical Connections and Enhanced Technological Performance Control: A Strategic Approach (Charlie Norton)

    Understanding Mental Health in The Music Industry: The Artist Manager Relationship (Brenda Combes)

    Tailored Mitigation of Psychological Distress in Touring and Gigging Musicians (Helen Rowell)

    An Actor Network Investigation of Heavy Metal Industrial models (Konstantinos Koumpiadis)

    Approaches to Vocal Synthesis in Record Production: A Practise Led Investigation (Hammad Rashid)

    Investigating The Musical Principles Behind Mix Preparation for Hip-Hop Music Production Within the Realm of Digital Audio Workstations (Ashour Ahmed)