The University of Toledo

Right now Matt Feher is probably mixing some hot beats or pwning at Modern Warfare II.

The 2003 UT grad turned independent music producer may make his own schedule, but he still spends at least 60 hours a week in his homemade, Auralex-lined and dimly lit basement recording studio. It’s not a place where one might expect the creation of music for a Golden Globe-winning movie. But once you hear the four large speakers that dominate Feher’s desk blasting tracks at amplifier-straining decibels, it’s clear he means business.

Matt Feher mixes tracks in his basement studio

In fact, Feher has been in the business for almost nine years. He started producing his own music when he was 21 and used the social networking site MySpace to create a modest following under the name Mighty Wyte. It took him some time to perfect and polish his craft, but before long he was receiving e-mails from artists asking to collaborate — and one had ties to Universal Studios.

Thanks to those ties, audiences across the country can now hear Feher’s music on the big screen. His recent track “That Thang,” performed with Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist SoulStice, made it into the final cut of the blockbuster film “The Blind Side.”

Listen to the song:
That Thang – SoulStice with Mighty Wyte

“There’s a lot of work that goes into producing for the movies,” Feher said of the experience. “There were a lot of revisions and changes … and when I listened to what they actually used, I thought, ‘Wow, why didn’t they just use the first mix I sent them?’”

It’s the first time Feher has had his music in a feature film; his work has been placed in television shows and local commercials. And while the experience was incredibly fun and unlike anything he’s done before, he said it was also frustrating.

Hear more from Feher on producing music for Hollywood:
Feher on Hollywood

Feher said he didn’t always have ambitions to be a music producer. Though he’s been playing the guitar since the age of 12, Feher started his college career with flying on his mind — he was entered into the aerospace engineering program at Ohio State University before switching to an individualized program at The University of Toledo.

But now with bonds to Hollywood and the recording industry, Feher is flying high on the hope that he can turn his one-time hobby into the key to financial security for his family.

“I would love to tell Katie that she didn’t have to work,” said Feher, who with his wife, Katie, lives in North Toledo with their dog, Carmella, and five cats. “But it’s just gotten to a point in the last two years where it’s been lucrative enough for me not to have to work elsewhere. So we’re not there yet, but hopefully soon.”

With his foot tapping several beats at once — he produces, writes, mixes, masters, creates loop sets and drum kits, records for local artists and is currently working with hip-hop artist Onyx on the title track for the upcoming A-Team movie — “soon” could be just a measure away.

Bonus – Listen to Feher’s track he produced for an extreme sports video game trailer:
Song produced for video game trailer

This entry was posted  on  Monday, February 8th, 2010 at  8:35 am and is filed under  Features, UToday.
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