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Artwork for Sound Business with Akash Thakkar

Sound Business with Akash Thakkar

Akash Thakkar
Sound Design
Game Audio
Networking
Music Composition
Freelancing
Foley Art
The Bear
Mantra-Based Music
Video Games
Audio Design
Video Game Industry
Creative Process
Radhika Vekaria
Client Management
Dialogue Editing
Ubisoft
Classical Music
Career Transition
Warriors Of Light
Vedic Philosophy

Akash Thakkar interviews successful audio professionals from every corner of the music and sound industries. From educators, performers, pop stars, game audio professionals, voice actors, composers, sound designers, plug-in designers, audio programmers, and everything in between, we dive deep into the business and mindset skills it takes to ”make it” in the worlds of music and sound.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes100Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic InterviewsBusinessEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for Sound Business with Akash Thakkar

Latest Episodes

#95: My guest today is Tim Larkin, who's based out of Spokane Washington.

Tim has been playing trumpet and piano since a young age, and has performed with artists like James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Sheila E, and many others. Tim has also worked in g... more

#94: My guest today is Chris Bolte, who is a technical sound designer and audio implementer based out of Massachusetts.

Chris has built a wide-ranging library of sound effects used by creatives all over the world, co-wrote the book Elevate Your Audi... more

#93: My guest today is Virginia Leo, who is a composer, sound designer, and pianist based out of Austin, Texas.

Virginia has worked on projects like Wobbly Life, had her work played by orchestras around the US, and is most known for her work on the ... more

#92: My guest today is Kevin Senzaki, who is a sound supervisor and sound designer based in Los Angeles. He has an incredibly diverse background starting first as a visual artists but then transitioned into sound during his college days. He got his c... more

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Recent Guests

Tim Larkin
Game audio composer and sound designer based in Spokane, Washington
Valve Software (and Cyan)
Episode: Jazz Composition, Game Audio, & Working at Valve with Tim Larkin
Chris Bolte
Technical sound designer and audio implementer
Sucker Punch Studios
Episode: From Musician to AAA Game Audio with Chris Bolte
Virginia Leo
Composer, sound designer, and pianist based in Austin, Texas
Independent / Team Terrible (collaborator on The Baby In Yellow)
Episode: Building a Composing Career from Game Jams with Virginia Leo
Kevin Senzaki
Sound supervisor and sound designer based in Los Angeles
Episode: Working Across Film, TV, Games, and Youtube with Kevin Senzaki
Beatrix Moersch
Video game sound designer and audio lead at Don't Nod Montreal.
Don't Nod Montreal
Episode: From Indie Freelance to full-time AAA Sound Design with Beatrix Moersch
Noa Beazley
Composer and music educator based out of Boston, Massachusetts. She has composed for projects such as Photodroid Delta and A Token War.
Berklee College of Music
Episode: Teaching, Composing, and Organizing Community with Noa Beazley
Alejandro Pérez Heinze
Composer, flamenco guitarist, audio engineer, and audio educator based in Mexico
Episode: Finding your Uniqueness with Alejandro Pérez Heinze
Venus Theory
Music producer and YouTuber known for lush electronic music and the soundtrack for Avowed.
Independent (YouTube)
Episode: From YouTube to Composing for AAA Games with Venus Theory
Jamie Brindle
Freelancer and consultant helping others across industries with aspects such as pricing and client management.
Episode: How to Freelance in 2025 with Jamie Brindle

Host

Akash Thakkar
Host of Sound Business, conducts deep-dive interviews with audio professionals across music and sound industries.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 134 ratings
  • brass for days

    Love it! Please never change this podcast!! Unless you want to… I’m not your boss.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Phoebe Plus Ultra
    United States5 years ago
  • Amazing!

    I would rate this podcast a D for “delightful.”

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lamthern
    United States5 years ago
  • Love it!

    I highly recommend this podcast! It is entertaining and inspirational, even to those who don’t work in the music industry. Six seasons and a movie!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    katmeeps
    United States5 years ago
  • Sound Biz

    I didn’t know what “sound” was before listening to this podcast! 5 stars. Also the host “sounds” super hot. I regret nothing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    M Selvog
    United States5 years ago
  • Hey sailor

    Pop-pop!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Effywastaken
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great blend of practical advice and inspiring stories from diverse audio roles.
Guests consistently offer actionable takeaways for career growth.
Host brings genuine curiosity and thoughtful questions that surface real-world workflows.
Guests bring a wide range of perspectives from indie to AAA environments.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Jazz Composition, Game Audio, & Working at Valve with Tim Larkin
Q: What strategies helped Tim avoid burnout and stay creatively engaged across different projects?
Tim highlights the importance of variety—working across games, film, and live music—plus maintaining curiosity, learning from different domains, and choosing projects that offer new challenges rather than repetitive tasks.
Jazz Composition, Game Audio, & Working at Valve with Tim Larkin
Q: How did Tim's role evolve at Valve, and what allowed him to take on diverse responsibilities?
Tim describes Valve's autonomous, low-punch-list culture and his own willingness to expand beyond single roles, moving from focus on ambient music and sound design to more cinematic, ambience-driven work, and later to documentary and live orchestral projects, enabled by collaboration and a broad skill set.
Jazz Composition, Game Audio, & Working at Valve with Tim Larkin
Q: What was Tim's mindset when he jumped from trumpet performance to game audio and how did he approach learning on the job?
Tim emphasizes that his path was not calculated; he learned on the job through mentorship, experimentation, and leveraging related audio skills to transition into sound design and composition, often taking advantage of available opportunities and remaining open to multi-disciplinary work.
Building a Composing Career from Game Jams with Virginia Leo
Q: How did you approach joining The Baby In Yellow team and what kept you there after the initial for-hire work?
I was honest about why they kept contacting me and learned that it was our shared creative vision that mattered, not just my past experience; this realization helped me stay engaged and grow with the project.
Building a Composing Career from Game Jams with Virginia Leo
Q: What sparked your shift to game audio and your early mindset going into your first game jam?
Even though I had little experience, my passion for games and the drive to network pushed me to participate; the experience taught me that being proactive and open to learning is more important than technical mastery at the outset.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sound Business with Akash Thakkar

What is Sound Business with Akash Thakkar about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This series spotlights seasoned audio professionals who share practical paths into careers across music, sound design, and game audio. Episodes center on real-world career pivots, hands-on learning, freelancing realities, and strategic portfolio building, with guests ranging from AAA game audio leads to indie composers and educators. A standout throughline is the emphasis on actionable workflows, continuous upskilling, and how proactive visibility—through demos, case studies, and content sharing—can open high-level opportunities. Listeners likely come from diverse audio backgrounds seeking career guidance, industry insight, and inspiration to pursue ambitious paths in sound and music.

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Which podcasts are similar to Sound Business with Akash Thakkar?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sound Business with Akash Thakkar:

1. Tonebenders Podcast
2. SoundGirls Podcast
3. Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
4. Song Exploder
5. SmartLess

How many episodes of Sound Business with Akash Thakkar are there?

Sound Business with Akash Thakkar launched 5 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Sound Business with Akash Thakkar?

Recent guests on Sound Business with Akash Thakkar include:

1. Tim Larkin
2. Chris Bolte
3. Virginia Leo
4. Kevin Senzaki
5. Beatrix Moersch
6. Noa Beazley
7. Alejandro Pérez Heinze
8. Venus Theory

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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