CEO
LRyckman@AfterMaster.com
Larry Ryckman
Larry Ryckman is the co-founder and CEO of AfterMaster Audio Labs, Inc., the developer of AfterMaster audio technologies and operator of AfterMaster Recording and Mastering Studios. Larry is an award winning entertainment and technology executive who has been involved in the music and entertainment industries for over 25 years. During that time he negotiated partnerships with industry leaders such as Simon Cowell’s “The X Factor”, JVC, Mark Burnett Productions, Nintendo, Polygram, Todd-AO, Hard Rock International, The GRAMMY Foundation, NEC, Lionsgate, ON Semiconductor, Guitar Center and ReverbNation. Larry was previously co-founder and CEO of QSound Labs, Inc., a respected developer of patented audio technologies for the entertainment industry.
Larry has worked closely with some of music’s biggest producers, engineers and artists over his career and his corporate and personal engineering and mastering credits include Madonna, Lady Gaga, Nick Cannon, Akon, Michael Jackson, Diddy, Ray J, Sting, Busta Rhymes and Mobb Deep, Kerli, Paula Abdul, Brian Adams, Julian Lennon, Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, Adam Lambert, Donna Summer and Aerosmith.
Shelly Yakus
Chief Engineer
SYakus@AfterMaster.com
Shelly Yakus is co-founder and Chief Engineer at AfterMaster Audio Labs. Mr. Yakus is a renowned music producer, audio engineer/mixer and is widely considered one of the best engineers and mixers in the music industry and an expert in audio.
Shelly has engineered and mixed recordings for some of the world’s best known artists including John Lennon, Stevie Nicks, Alice Cooper, Van Morrison, Tom Petty, Dire Straits, Blue Oyster Cult, Bob Seger, Amy Grant, Don Henley, U2 and Madonna. Known as “Golden Ears”, he is also widely respected for his expertise in recording studio design, acoustics and audio processing. Mr. Yakus co-designed, equipped and operated the industry leading A & M Records music recording studios in Los Angeles. He was previously Vice President of the Record Plant recording studios in New York and Vice President, Engineering of QSound Labs, Inc.
The music that Mr. Yakus has engineered, produced, or mixed has grossed over a billion dollars in sales, and in 1999 he was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mr. Yakus’ career and accomplishments are widely covered in publications such as Rolling Stone, Mix Magazine, Audio Engineer and Spin.
Justin Timberlake
JTimberlake@AfterMaster.com
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Timberlake is a Grammy(r) and Emmy Award(r) winning singer/songwriter/producer and actor. He has become an accomplished artist who is widely considered one of pop culture’s most influential entertainers. The multi-talentated artist has also had starring roles in such films as The Social Network (2010), Runner, Runner (2013) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013). The 20\20 Experience – The Complete Experience was the best-selling album in 2013. To date it has sold more than 5 million albums and 15 million tracks. The album celebrates Timberlake as the highest debut for a male artist in the last six years. The album held the No. 1 spot in both the Top 200 (three weeks) and R&B album chart (10 weeks). He is one of the most followed people in the world on social media with a total of more than 85 million followers across all of his platforms.
Peter Doell
Senior Mastering Engineer
PDoell@AfterMaster.com
Peter Doell is one of the most talented and best known mastering engineers in the world. Pete has more than 35 years of experience and has mastered and engineered hundreds of chart-topping records, film scores and TV spots.
Doell has served as a first-call engineer with some of the most prestigious and acclaimed studios including Universal Mastering, Sunset Sound, Capitol Studios, and Sony Pictures. Some of Doell’s credits include: Josh Groban, Frank Sinatra, Kurupt, John Waite, Glenn Frye, Celine Dion, Dave Coz, Miss Saigon, Miles Davis, Brian McKnight, Toto, Dwight Yoakam, Marilyn Manson, Los Lobos, Harry Connick Jr., The Beach Boys, Dashboard Confessional, Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow. He has also worked on feature film scores including Road To Perdition and Black Hawk Down, and mastered the music for prominent TV productions such as American Idol and The Voice.
Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins
RJerkins@AfterMaster.com
Rodney Jerkins has been involved with AfterMaster for over 6 years. Rodney is an eight time Grammy Award winning music producer/songwriter with a nearly unmatched discography, which includes Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Madonna, Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Keyshia Cole, Britney Spears, Cher, Janet Jackson, Destiny’s Child, Gwen Stefani, The Pussycat Dolls, N’Sync, Ludacris, Jamie Foxx, Black Eyed Peas, Ciara, The Spice Girls and Vanessa Williams. Mr. Jerkins is considered to be one of the most influential and successful producers in the music industry. He was the first music super producer to use AfterMaster technology in the production with a top ten artist with the Janet Jackson single “Make Me”.
Ron Gillyard
Senior Vice President, Music & Marketing
RGillyard@AfterMaster.com
GRAMMY award winner, Ron Gillyard is a highly respected music industry veteran who has experience in all aspects of the music industry. Ron was formerly President of Urban Music at Interscope Records, Head of Urban Music at Clive Davis’, J Records and General Manager of Bad Boy Entertainment and Motown. Over the course of his career, Ron has worked with such artists as Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Sean “Diddy” Combs, 50 Cent and Eminem.
Paul Wolff
Senior Engineer, Director of Product Development PWolff@AfterMaster.com
Paul Wolff is a Senior Engineer and Director of Product Development at AfterMaster Audio Labs. Paul has been intimately involved in the professional music and audio industries as an audio engineer and product designer and manufacturer of professional audio products for more than 35 years. He is known within the industry as an expert in engineering, electronic design, DSP processing, mechanical design and packaging for the audio industry.
Paul owned and operated two highly coveted and successful audio product companies, API Audio and Tonelux. At API Audio, Paul designed, manufactured and marketed API’s legendary recording/mixing consoles to recording studios and production facilities worldwide. At Tonelux Paul was responsible for the conceptual design, physical design, marketing and manufacturing of some of the world’s best sounding and most coveted audio recording and processing hardware components used in high end recording studios (equalizers, compressors, mixers, consoles, etc.). His equipment and technologies have been used in many of the worlds top recording and engineering studios for the production of hundreds of hit records.
Ari Blitz
Senior Engineer
ABlitz@AfterMaster.com
Ari Blitz is a Vice President and Senior Engineer at AfterMaster Audio Labs. A top graduate from the Conservatory of Arts and Sciences, Ari applies his leading edge knowledge and unique technical skills in advanced digital audio processing technologies to develop groundbreaking audio technologies such as AfterMaster and ProMasterHD. In addition to his research and development expertise, Ari is a talented music producer, mixer and mastering engineer who works on music for some of the worlds top artists including Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, Akon, Busta Rhymes, French Montana, Pitbull, Nick Cannon, Jill Scott, Adam Lambert and Alice Cooper.
Matt Long
Senior Engineer
mlong@AfterMaster.com
Emmy Award winner Mr. Long has enjoyed an extensive career as a composer, musician and post-production audio engineer for both television and feature film. Matt is known for his expertise in both the academic and practical aspects of audio production and processing on multiple media platforms. He is also an accomplished director and editor.
Matt has worked on numerous television projects syndicated on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. In addition, Matt writes, records and masters trailer music for MARVEL and is responsible for developing, producing and managing the video technology for AfterMaster’s interactive studios and related television production.
World-class Engineering & Mastering Portfolio
