Jim Petty is a New York City-based sound designer whose work spans musicals and cruise ship productions. He also takes on side gigs, including event work, theater installations, film sound, and performing with modular synthesizers. Recently, he started a band called Modura with a drummer. Jim’s journey into sound design was unconventional, beginning in DJ booths before discovering his true passion in live performance and theater. With a strong interest in the technical side of music and sound, Jim brings an open-minded and collaborative energy to every project. Let’s explore the person behind this artistic exploration and learn more about his journey and approach.
Jim grew up in Portland, Maine. At the age of 19, he moved around and spent a decade in Columbus, Ohio, before eventually settling in New York City. His early interest in the technical side of music and sound was sparked by his father, who was a DJ during Jim’s childhood. While he experimented with sound and video since his teenage years, Jim didn’t step into the world of theater until his 30s. The turning point came when his wife took him to see his first Broadway musical, Wicked, and explained the role of a theatrical sound designer. After pursuing film production and moving to New York City, Jim shifted towards a more theatrical line of work that would define the next decade of his career. One part of this new path was his time with Five OHM Productions, where he expanded his skills as an A1, production audio engineer, and sound designer. Reflecting on this time, Jim credits Graham Johnson at Five OHM and Ryan McCurdy as key collaborators who helped shape his journey, describing them as “notable general genius collaborators”. He added, “There are countless others in other aspects of my sound career, but these were the biggest ones”. On a related note, he is “super excited” about his friend Ryan McCurdy’s new musical Niagara and is “hoping that it breaks through”.
Jim named Noise by César Alvarez as an especially meaningful project. “This show presented the problems of society as we all experience them. Then explained how we got here, and proposed a way to change the world. It gave me hope and left me with the feeling that we really can change the world through art and music,” shared Jim. Jim considers himself a “forever student” constantly seeking to learn more, recently expressing an interest in delving deeper into system tuning to gain a better understanding of it. He is motivated by collaboration and is a strong believer in fostering a positive environment. Hoping to be on Broadway within the next five years, he leaves one piece of advice: “Attitude is everything. Stay positive, be kind, and help each other”.
Jim’s Picks
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- Go-To Tech Snack: bananas, nuts, and coffee
- Pet Peeves: Bad Attitudes
- Recent Favorite Music: anything by Omar S or Des Andres
- Favorite Gear: Modular synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, and turntables
- Frequently Used Programs & Tools: ProTools with Izotope Rx and other mastering plugins, along with QLab and CL Editor while in the theater
- Technology that changed the way he works: Dante and Eurorack
Interviewed by Erica Fox & Aaron Woodstein