Expert Audio — Creative Design
Clarity and translation — across music, dialogue, and sound systems. I take projects from rough or unreliable to clean, balanced, and ready to hold up wherever they're heard.
The attention to detail to our episodes is next level. It is not just sound design, it is a partnership where we feel heard and our work elevated. So many awards and ‘best of’ lists were all possible because of our collaboration with Roofdog Studio - Leila Day, The Stoop Podcast 〰️
Roofdog Studio's enthusiasm for both sound and teaching makes him a thoughtful, reliable, and genuine person to learn from—someone who helps others grow into their fullest capabilities. He takes real joy in his students’ achievements, and it shows - Truc Nguyen, Engineering Fellow, KALW 〰️
Roofdog Studio provided top notch sound design for my children’s audio stories series. He genuinely cared about every detail- bringing each character to life, enhancing scenes with a masterful sense of sound design and musical scoring. He was great with creating sounds and beats that fit the culture and tone- and not stopping until he got it right. A pleasure to work with! 〰️
Within months of receiving mentorship from James, both the work I do in my professional and personal creative life took an immediate jump in quality! His training helped increase my overall skills in utilizing Pro Tools to create high quality audio deliverables for video, podcast, radio broadcast, television, etc. Not only have these skills translated to new work opportunities for me, I also have been fortunate enough to win national and internationally recognized awards for my work. Couldn’t have done it without Roofdog Studio - Galnadgee Joe-Johnson, KALW 〰️
The attention to detail to our episodes is next level. It is not just sound design, it is a partnership where we feel heard and our work elevated. So many awards and ‘best of’ lists were all possible because of our collaboration with Roofdog Studio - Leila Day, The Stoop Podcast 〰️ Roofdog Studio's enthusiasm for both sound and teaching makes him a thoughtful, reliable, and genuine person to learn from—someone who helps others grow into their fullest capabilities. He takes real joy in his students’ achievements, and it shows - Truc Nguyen, Engineering Fellow, KALW 〰️ Roofdog Studio provided top notch sound design for my children’s audio stories series. He genuinely cared about every detail- bringing each character to life, enhancing scenes with a masterful sense of sound design and musical scoring. He was great with creating sounds and beats that fit the culture and tone- and not stopping until he got it right. A pleasure to work with! 〰️ Within months of receiving mentorship from James, both the work I do in my professional and personal creative life took an immediate jump in quality! His training helped increase my overall skills in utilizing Pro Tools to create high quality audio deliverables for video, podcast, radio broadcast, television, etc. Not only have these skills translated to new work opportunities for me, I also have been fortunate enough to win national and internationally recognized awards for my work. Couldn’t have done it without Roofdog Studio - Galnadgee Joe-Johnson, KALW 〰️
TRUSTED CLIENTS
Award Winner, Sound Engineer, Teacher
Roofdog Studio was founded by James Rowlands in 2023. He is a multi-award-winning engineer with over 15 years of professional experience. He has engineered and sound designed thousands of projects across music, podcasting, and broadcast.
James began his career in 2008 as an educator. He co-founded an after-school program called In-Digital Kids, where he taught elementary students music production, mixing, and mastering. In 2010 he went on to manage the studios at Youth Radio, training high school students in studio production and maintanence, live sound reinforcement, and DIY electronics.
For the past decade, James has been a lead instructor for KALW’s Audio Academy, where he has trained the next generation of audio storytellers in real-world production, recording, mixing, and critical listening.
Today, he continues his work in public radio at KALW 91.7 as Chief Audio Engineer.
I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE — MAKE SOUND EXCELLENT
Production & Engineering
End-to-end audio production for podcasts, music, and narrative content — from raw sessions to final delivery. Built around efficient workflows, clean editing, and reliable production systems for real-world deadlines.
Sound Design & Scoring
Custom audio elements that enhance storytelling and keep audiences engaged — from subtle texture to full sonic identity. Designed to support narrative clarity, pacing, and emotional impact across formats.
Mixing, Cleanup & System Optimization
Professional mixing and audio problem solving — taking projects from inconsistent or compromised to clear, balanced, and reliable. Built to translate across platforms, rooms, and real-world listening conditions.
Contact me
Looking to make your project sound its best? Let’s chat about how sound engineering can bring your vision to life!