Who We Are

Imagimotion is owned and operated by Dave Ruedger in a convenient, centrally located section of the San Francisco Bay Area in Fremont, California.  Dave is an accomplished engineer and producer who has worked with bands since the mid 80s recording on various formats and media.  Initially he started recording on reel-to-reel 4-tracks and 8-tracks and eventually graduated to digital in the early 90s with the advent of the ADAT digital recorder.  Dave was an early adopter of digital workstation software in 1994 and saw the technology blossom from a promise of sophisticated editing and signal processing to a revolution in the way music is made.  After working exclusively with digital for several years, Dave finally came full circle and once again got back to his roots of analog mixing.

Dave built his reputation mixing live sound for local bands and recording various groups on extremely limited budgets.  He has mixed on everything from a small portable mixer with limited EQ and routing capabilities all the way up to large vintage consoles with a plethora of routing options.  The experience he brings from working in these vastly different environments is invaluable, especially when a project is on a tight deadline.  Dave has been active in the Bay Area music scene for over 15 years and has had the opportunity to work with some notable engineers and producers.  Recently he had the opportunity to work in the legendary Different Fur studio in San Francisco where artists such as Primus, Joe Satriani and Santana have recorded in the past.  For the past few years Dave has taken on a larger role of producing local bands in addition to mixing and remote recording.  Although his specialty is in rock, heavy metal, punk and pop, Dave has also mixed and worked with country, funk and techno groups.

With the cost of digital audio editing and sequencing software finally reaching a level where practically anyone can afford to make music on their computer, digital music has clearly become the mainstay of the audio industry.  Having worked extensively with both media, Dave recognized that there was a gap in the audio world that needed to be addressed.  Although digital technology has provided huge leaps in signal clarity and helped to push audible signal response far beyond the capabilities of analog tape recorders, the resulting sound is often accused of being "sterile" or "clinical", sometimes even leading musicians to the conclusion that it sounds too "digital".  Somehow the "warmth" of analog gear and analog tape machines has been lost in the push for better resolution and signal-to-noise ratio.  Imagimotion is Dave's answer to that dilemma.

Realizing that analog gear has its place in restoring some of the lost magic in digital recordings, Dave has a philosophy of using the right tool for the right job.  By reintroducing analog processing in the signal path where it makes sense, Imagimotion bridges the gap between the harshness of digital processing and the warmth of analog circuitry.  Primarily this is done by running the final mix through a vintage Amek console with luscious British EQ instead of relying upon the digital summing bus of digital audio applications.  This technique alone restores the clarity and postioning of instruments in the stereo field and improves the stereo image with increased depth.  In addition, the console's preamps utilize classic analog circuitry that flavors the signal path with a much sought after warmth, leading to a fuller, rounder and somewhat smoother tone.

Imagimotion was founded on the principle of providing the best service at the best price possible.  That doesn't mean quality has to be sacrificed in the process. With years of experience and a profound understanding of the tools at his disposal, Dave is able to deliver results even under the most aggressive time frames.  In addition, he has assembled a team of associates to assist him during heavy workloads.  As a result, Imagimotion is poised to provide outstanding service at a very affordable price.  We are passionate about what we do and dedicated toward creating a truly unique sound for you that will stand the test of time.