Steven Berson
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totalsonic.bsky.social
Steven Berson
@totalsonic.bsky.social
120 followers 51 following 110 posts
Mastering engineer at Total Sonic Media.
https://totalsonic.net
Micro-blogging: https://mastodon.social/@TotalSonic
Long form blogging:
https://my-place.social/u/stevenberson
Message me: https://telegram.me/TotalSonic
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totalsonic.bsky.social
Had an excellent time at the latest ATX Mastering Mafia meetup, Peruvian food & then viewing the Lone Star AudioFest. Hanging out with supposed "competitors" can be super fun. #audio #hifi #music #hangouts
Photo of most of the ATX Mastering crew at Brasas Peruanas, a great Peruvian restaurant, in Round Rock, Texas Photo of the ATC booth at the Lone Star Audiofest, showing hi-fi speakers and amps set up in a conference room at the Hilton in Round Rock, Texas
May 6, 2025 at 5:03 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
Great chart from Ted Gioia, which I discovered via my former Berklee classmate's John Strohm's blog: "How to tell heroes from villains (in the music business)" ->
#music #musicindustry #musicbusiness #audio #tech #business
a chart saying the following: You can identify the heroes in the music business by these signs: They respect creative people as sources of value. When they talk about music they call it music. They nurture artists. They invest in talent. Their dream is to make the best possible music. They live in cities with great music. When they brag, they talk about the songs. They are visionaries. Here are warning signs that you’re dealing with villains in the music business: They treat creative people as an expense. When they talk about music they call it content. They manage intellectual property (IP). They invest in data centers (or distribution). Their dream is to have the lowest costs. They live in cities with great tech. When they brag, they talk about profits. They are administrators.
April 29, 2025 at 6:06 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
The new tariffs deeply hurt lots of US manufacturing in the here and now. The head of Manley Labs, maker of made in USA pro-audio gear, shares letter where a huge custom order for a Chinese buyer is getting canceled #politics #tariffs #trump #maga #trade #china #hifi #audio #manufacturing
Letter from a Chinese importer to the head of Manley Labs, a manufacturer of pro audio gear in California, detailing how they are canceling a large order due to the tariffs that were just enacted.
April 7, 2025 at 6:49 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
Once upon a time I was cool. Pic of the author playing bass with False Face Society at the 8x10 in Baltimore, circa 1990. #music #retro #bassplayer #nostalgia #glorydays #funk #punk #bassist #1990sthrowback
B&W photo of Steve Berson in 1990 - a white man with large nose, dark hair in a semi-emo-ish mullet, with scruffy 3day facial hair, in a white tank top shirt - shown in profile playing an Alembic bass guitar with a cymbal in the background.
March 22, 2025 at 11:44 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
Did some photo dumps from the little bit of SXSW I attended - you can see them at
diasporasocial.net/u/stevenberson
selfie photo of Steve Berson, a middle aged man in black framed glasses, dark hair, gray goatee, bundled up in an olive hoodie and a grey denim jacket, riding on the CapMetro train on his way to SXSW, Austin TX, 3/2/2025
March 20, 2025 at 10:50 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
Rest In Peace to the brilliant vocalist Marianne Faithfull. I had the privilege of opening for Marianne for 2nights in 1990, at DC's 9:30Club. Marianne truly mesmerized the crowd (and me) with her whiskey-throated intense presence. Thank u4 the music Marianne! #music #restinpeace #mariannefaithfull
Photograph of Marianne Faithfull from 1990 with red lipstick and a black dress, and coiffed slicked back hair, singing into a microphone.
January 31, 2025 at 1:46 AM
totalsonic.bsky.social
Sweetie, also the first of her name, and Queen of all the realms that she surveys ;)
January 28, 2025 at 6:13 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
The egg section at my local, usually well stocked, big grocery chain (HEB) here in central Texas last night.

#eggs #birdflu #hording #shortages #maga #texas
Photo of a long row of empty grocery store shelves, where egg cartons usually would be.
January 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
Word
January 25, 2025 at 11:26 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
They were omnipresent on the rock stations coming out of Baltimore & DC when I was growing up, and obligatory to be included in garage band covers. So good, too! Definite Spinal Tap vibes from some of their showmanship as well. This was the album in everyone's collection
January 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
A rare mini-snowman appears in Texas
January 22, 2025 at 1:53 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
Apparently the White House just declared all of the USA as a nation of women. This is what you get when people ignorant of biology try to create regulations based on their ignorance of biology.
January 22, 2025 at 1:52 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
"The problems of racial injustice and economic injustice cannot be solved without a radical redistribution of political and economic power." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Happy heavenly Birthday and Rest In Power to a great American. #mlk #restinpeace #politics #economics #justice #peace
Photo of Martin Luther King Jr. addressing a crowd facing the Washington Monument in the distance, DC, August 28, 1963
January 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
I would like to register a strong point of information, that I was not among those "f*cking around," but unfortunately it seems I have been placed among all those who will be "finding out." #fafo #politics #idiocracy #oligarchy #inauguration #maga #trump #kakistocracy
Black & white illustration of a distorted USA flag, with the letters "FAFO" written across it.
January 20, 2025 at 5:06 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
This week has been a bit of a downer between dealing with the whole fam hit by the flu, and the general doom in the social media scroll, but nothing like working on an excellent mix of some awesome music to make things feel better, if at least for an hour. Grateful. #music #audio #mastering #studio
Photo of Total Sonic Media's mastering studio showing B&W speakers and a desk full of analog eq's & compressors
January 16, 2025 at 10:45 PM
totalsonic.bsky.social
I feel seen
#politics #socialmedia #memes #funny
Picture of an early 20th century living room with a daughter sitting on a seated father's lap, with the caption "Daddy, what did you do during the erosion of our democracy? A: I shared some white-hot memes with a small like minded group of friends"
January 13, 2025 at 10:41 PM