the team

Find the right engineer
for your record.

Five producers and engineers, each with their own sound and strengths. Press play on their records, then pick your person.

Ryan Palma Engineer / Producer

Best if it’s your first serious record. Patient and easy to work with.

Meet Ryan ↓

Not sure? Tell us what you’re making and we’ll match you.

Sam Pura, producer, engineer and mixer, founder of The Panda Studios
In session Guitar in the Panda West control room
Producer / Engineer / Mixer / Mastering Engineer

Sam Pura

Sam Pura is the founder and owner of The Panda Studios, and a producer and mixer known for taking a deeply hands-on creative role in the records he works on.

Loves working on
“Every part of making a record. Guitars and bass, arranging songs, recording drums, experimenting with sounds, great vocal production. Taking an idea that doesn’t exist yet and turning it into something that comes out of speakers and potentially changes people’s lives.”
A session with Sam feels like
“Fun, engaging, challenging, and ultimately incredibly rewarding, if you’re open to trusting me and letting me lead. I’m extremely hands-on, I have strong opinions, and I push everyone, including myself. The best sessions happen when artists trust me enough to let me do what I do.”
Not the right fit if
you already have every decision made and don’t want outside creative involvement.

Signed or independent, send the songs and your goals. If he’s not the right person for the record, he’ll tell you. For an album, reach out early.

Read more about Sam

Over more than 20 years, he has helped shape career-defining records including Basement’s Colourmeinkindness, home to the RIAA Platinum single “Covet,” alongside records for The Story So Far, State Champs, Hundredth, The Dangerous Summer, and more. His approach is not about repeating whatever worked last time. It is about figuring out what makes an artist specific, pushing that as far as it can go, and making a record people still care about years later.

The studio reflects the same philosophy: an extensive collection of vintage and modern analog gear, modern production technology, and custom tools built in-house when the right solution did not already exist. The process is focused, collaborative, and demanding, with every decision serving the record.

The goal is not simply to finish a record. It is to make the one that matters.

Best for

Artists who want a producer deeply involved in the songs, arrangements, performances, and sonic direction, and who are treating this record as the one that changes things.

Selected credits

  • The Story So Far
  • Basement
  • State Champs
  • Hundredth
  • The Dangerous Summer
  • SpiritWorld

Services

  • Production, Recording, Mixing & Mastering
  • Editing, Reamping & Arrangement
  • Songwriting
  • Session Musician (Guitar, Bass, Drums, Synth Programming)
  • Background Vocals & Harmonies
  • Remote Overdub Recording & Production

Genres

  • Pop
  • Rock
  • Punk
  • Indie
  • Alternative
  • Pop Electronic

Rooms

Works across the facility. The room is chosen to suit the session, most often Panda West.

1.7B Streams across credited work
575 Credits
Top 0.1% ProducersSep 23–30, 2026

Source: Muso.ai

Visit Sam Pura’s Official Website →
Theresa Brown, lead engineer and vocal producer at The Panda Studios
Theresa Brown patching the racks in the Panda West control room
In session Patching the West control room racks
Lead Engineer / Vocal Producer

Theresa Brown

Panda's lead engineer. She runs full sessions and productions independently, start to finish, across pop, indie and alternative music. If vocals are the center of your record, she's the person to talk to first.

Loves working on
“Vocal production is my absolute favorite part of the process! I love helping artists find their sound, bring out the emotion in a performance, and really make a vocal shine. Indie pop is my favorite genre to work in, especially when there’s room to experiment creatively and blend different sounds and textures.”
A session with Theresa feels like
“I want my sessions to feel like a productive hangout! We vibe, we dance, we sing, and we make something we’re excited about. I want the process to feel collaborative and fun, while still getting great work done and making sure we leave with something we’re proud of.”

A session with Theresa, in a client’s words

“Theresa has a good ear for when a different take or a quick punch-in will make a difference.”
Ella · Google
Read more about Theresa

Theresa moved to California from Virginia after falling in love with the records made at Panda, and has been an essential part of the studio since 2021, with credits on projects including SpiritWorld, SPICE, and Hundredth. She's a working vocalist who performs regularly with her choir, and vocal production is where her instincts are sharpest: capturing performances, writing melodies, and arranging harmonies.

She also writes and produces her own music at Panda, playing every instrument herself, including drums. In a session she brings technical skill, musical instinct, and a steadiness that makes artists feel supported enough to actually deliver.

Best for

Vocal-led records across pop, indie and alternative, singer-songwriters, and bands who want serious Panda-quality engineering from a collaborator who runs the room independently.

Selected credits

  • Alelih, Shouldn’t Change, Full Production, Engineering
  • Sharing the Road, Special Education, Songwriting, Full Production, Engineering
  • NostalgiKid, THROWBACK FUTURE, Songwriting, Vocal Production
  • SpiritWorld, DEATHWESTERN, Engineering, Vocal Engineering, Mix Assistance
  • SPICE, Viv, Additional Engineering, Mix Assistance
  • Hundredth, Mix Assistance

Services

  • Recording
  • Vocal Production
  • Production
  • Session Leadership
  • Background Vocals & Harmonies

Genres

  • Pop
  • Indie
  • Alternative
  • Singer-Songwriter

Rooms

Works across the facility. West, East, or Baby Panda depending on the project.

Listen to Theresa’s Work →
RJ DeMarco, engineer and session musician at The Panda Studios
In session Tracking acoustic guitar in the Panda West control room
Engineer / Session Musician

RJ DeMarco

An engineer who can also play on your record. When a part isn't working, he can pick up the instrument instead of just talking about it.

Loves working on
“High energy, catchy music that is driven by great melodies. I love recording loud guitars and drums. I love to work on pop punk, alt rock/indie, metal and pop rock.”
A session with RJ feels like
“Hearing the ideas in your head come to life for the first time. I like building my productions brick by brick to enhance the arrangement and emotional delivery of the music.”
Read more about RJ

RJ brings over 15 years of engineering experience and a lifetime of musicianship. Originally from Buffalo, he grew up a fan of the studio and is now one of its go-to session musicians and engineers, having performed on and helped shape dozens of productions at Panda. His alternative-rock background and pre-production, song-development, recording and mixing experience give him a working player's perspective in every session, grounded in real music theory and performance chops.

He's a writer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist: saxophone, guitar, bass, and more, as well as a seasoned live performer and musical director. His work spans pop rock, alternative, and indie, with a focus on capturing energy, emotion, and clarity in every take and mix.

Outside the studio, RJ is also an active live guitarist and playback MD, performing with artists including Cute Is What We Aim For.

Best for

Projects that need musical contribution as well as engineering: solo artists without a full band, or records that need parts written, played, or rescued.

Plays

  • Guitar
  • Bass
  • Saxophone
  • Vocals

Services

  • Recording
  • Session Guitar & Bass
  • Co-writing
  • Production Support

Genres

  • Pop Rock
  • Alternative
  • Indie
Explore RJ’s Work →
Charles Toshio, producer specialising in heavy music at The Panda Studios
Charles Toshio editing a session in the Panda East control room
In session Editing in the East control room
Producer / Engineer

Charles Toshio

Charles Toshio has built a serious body of work in modern hardcore and heavy music at Panda, producing and recording breakout records from bands including Spy, Sunami, Scowl, World Peace, and others.

Read more about Charles

Working out of Panda, he has helped push a new generation of Bay Area heavy music far beyond the region, bringing a raw, modern approach shaped by a deep understanding of amps, tone, and what makes heavy records actually hit.

A guitarist and writer in No Right, his approach is relaxed, focused, and artist-first. No formulas, just records that hit hard and leave a mark.

Best for

Hardcore, metal, punk, and heavy bands, and anything guitar-forward that needs someone fluent in amps and tone.

Selected credits

  • Scowl, How Flowers Grow
  • Sunami, Sunami
  • Gulch, Burning Desire to Draw Last Breath
  • Spy, Service Weapon

Services

  • Production
  • Recording
  • Mixing
  • Mastering

Genres

  • Hardcore
  • Punk
  • Metal
  • Rock
Explore Audio By Tosh →
Ryan Palma, engineer, producer and multi-instrumentalist at The Panda Studios
Engineer / Producer / Mixer

Ryan Palma

A freelance engineer, producer and mixer working out of Panda. Particularly good for artists newer to studio recording who want someone patient and easy to work with to guide them through it.

Read more about Ryan

Ryan is a seasoned engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer with over 20 years of experience. He built his reputation just across the street at the now-closed Red Wall Studios, where he first connected with Sam and brought his clients and projects into the Panda family.

He specialises in rock, pop, hip hop, Latin, and singer-songwriter work, blending musicality with technical precision. His mixes are emotionally rich and sonically clear, and often land in film, television, and major streaming playlists. He works closely with top-tier mastering engineers to guide records from early vision to final release, and brings patience and empathy to every session.

Best for

Artists making their first serious record, and anyone working across rock, pop, hip hop, Latin or singer-songwriter material who wants an unhurried, comfortable session.

Genres

  • Rock
  • Pop
  • Hip Hop
  • Latin
  • Singer-Songwriter

Services

  • Recording
  • Mixing
  • Production
  • Post-production
  • Songwriting

Also known for

Mixes placed in film, television, and major streaming playlists.

Explore Ryan’s Mixing Work →
still deciding

Not sure who to book?

Tell us about the music, the scope, and the budget. We'll recommend the best fit. There's no wrong door here.

Get a Recommendation →