The Raw Truth About Online Bullying in the Audio Professional World For "Business Reasons"

My guess is, my career path into audio is very different to yours.

Way back when, from 2000 to 2002, I threw everything I had into music tech education. I dreamed of mixing desks and recording rock bands, not desk jobs. But reality bit hard after finishing college—no gigs in sight. So, I adapted, moved into other fields like banking, online marketing, being an insurance broker, and being a business account manager. I even snagged being certified as a Mortgage Adviser by The London Institute of Banking and Finance. Despite it all, my heart stayed tuned to music, and I kept my passion for audio mastering alive as a side hustle.

The above isn't to toot my own horn, but to put into context, if I had the online tools we have now, I can guarantee my audio career would have looked very different, and I wouldn't have had to wait until 2021 to go full time in the audio industry.

When Trolls Strike

Fast forward to 2020, and I kicked off Produce Mix Fix and Conquer (PMFC), hoping to create a buzzing hub for audio buffs (and mainly inspired by one of my old school mates, Iain Russell, who is now recognised as one of music tech's leading patient attorneys).

What I didn't see coming was the onslaught of trolls aiming not just to ruffle feathers but to pull the rug right out from under me. They hit where it hurts—incessant, poison-laced DMs, embarrassing me on public platforms, and those unsettling prank calls that made me second-guess my safety.

Why?

Because the audio community I left charged their members a fee.

PMFC community is free.

The friends I invited to join my new community (PMFC), some of whom I made friends with in person, I invited to join our community.

In came the backlash!

Food for thought: how many communities are you part of on Facebook and Discord that are similar?

Exactly!

Another reason?

Networking with folks who are also friends with other engineers.

Outcome?

Another backlash due to "business reasons."

Food for thought: Do you ever add folks on Facebook thanks to the "friends you might know" link? Or like the look of someone's Instagram page and like their music/personality, then add them? Maybe strike some business?

Exactly!

What I experienced was cancel culture before I even knew what cancel culture was.

The outcome of all of this?

• 6-7 guests cancelling PMFC audio engineer interviews due to believing false rumours in 2021 - who were directly contacted by trolls and engineers who were protecting the trolls who attacked for business reasons
• Prank phone calls
• Direct DMs
• Social media posts
• Attacks on our PMFC business page
• Me being tagged into posts by industry professionals who believed the made up rumours (of course with me being blocked and tagged at the same time—enough to send anyone down the road of PTSD and Sertraline!)
• When I launched www.producemixfix.com I was bombarded by fake telephone numbers and spam sent to my Proton business email address

I've never talked publicly about this, but I decided to close my lovely mastering studio in the Northern Quarter, Manchester and re-locate my audio business from home.

Yes, this was more cost effective, but the real reason why I relocated is that I was scared of being beaten up late at night outside of my studio (which never happened) due to a grim mix of PTSD, anxiety, and depression from the attacks I had online.

My Rock Through the Storm

In this corner, meet my wife, an absolute titan in NHS safeguarding, watching over vulnerable women like a hawk (who also risked her life during the pandemic). She's seen some things in her career that would make your skin crawl and has stood by me, teaching me how to stand tall when all I wanted to do was fold. Her grit and wisdom showed me the ropes on handling this mess of trolls and hate without losing my cool or my morals.

Calling Out the Bull

Let's cut to the chase—bullying is the pits. It's a coward's game. And it’s got no place in audio engineering, or any field for that matter. We’re here to pump out killer tracks and innovate sounds, not tear each other down. This isn’t just about being nasty; it’s about messing with people’s bread and butter, their peace of mind.

Thankfully, multiple audio engineers and producers came to my rescue, and I was later informed I was cyberbullied for "business reasons."

Please don't ask me the names of those who attacked, but if you're reading this and you know what happened, please finally address the individuals involved and deal with them the way you see fit!

Also, if you are one of the pro engineers/producers who cancelled your interview due to lies/threats/whispers...I won't tell a soul what happened...happy to sign an NDA....and let's get together for an interview like I did with over 30 other world class pro guests!

Remember when Chris Rock got slapped by Will Smith?

Well, the trolls of the audio world (let's call them the Will Smiths) are still out there spouting garbage, and I don't want to see anyone else being verbally spat on for no reason other than protecting bank accounts!

Another one of the main trollers who posed as one of our mods back in 2021 (who we soon kicked out!) we actually found out is well known to an IT security firm individual I know very well.

What’s the Game Plan?

We need a shake-up, a real change in how we handle this nonsense. More than new rules—though, hey, those wouldn’t hurt—we need to stitch a new fabric for our community. One where respect and support are as basic as bass and treble in our mixes.

I come from a world of banking which is very much based in compliance, fairness, customer first and fair competition.

Do you see Santander bad mouthing NatWest if they run an advert they don't like luring each others customers?

No, because they are REGULATED and will get FINED!

So why the hell should it be ok in any other industry to spout shit about another business?

Don't even get me started on bloggers acting as impartial audio expert reviewers, when, in fact, their bank balance is being lined by the companies whose audio products they are reviewing.

They are likely incredible audio engineers who write these blogs. However, why are we taking their knowledge as golden, when in fact they're product pushing?

The FCA in the banking sector would have a field day with companies like this (if we were talking about banks).

Don't even get me started what the Ombudsman would do (Google UK finance FCA for context).

They also call themselves gatekeepers....yikes! Very grim!

And breathe.....

Sorry, I went on a tangent there!

Here’s My Two Cents

To the keyboard warriors out there, think twice before you unleash havoc. Those words, those actions stick. They hurt. And to everyone else riding this wave with me, let’s lock arms and look out for each other. Life’s too short and sweet for the bitterness of bullying. Let’s fill our days with beats that lift, not bash. And maybe, just maybe, we can turn this ship around together as an industry rather than ripping off each other's limbs for the scraps of work.

Remember, at the end of the day, it’s not just about surviving the trolls; it’s about thriving despite them. Let's not just aim to get by—let's aim to get better.

For the record...

I've stood out in the rain, door knocking selling gas and electric as my first job, getting soaked in the rain (if you didn't sell you didn't eat- a shit first job for a wannabe audio engineer back in 2002!) , have survived verbally abusive relationships, survived financial issues through divorce, conquered depression, and am currently on an exploration of learning about my ADHD.

Anyway, all this came to the surface in my head today.

Today, I tell imposter syndrome to F**K off!

If you've faced similar issues too, then I encourage you to do the same!

Our music industry is evolving.

So should we, so let's all learn to get along.

Rich Steve Beck (aka Richard Beck CeMAP certified by The London Institute of Banking and Finance) is the creator and owner of Produce Mix Fix Conquer and producemixfix.com. As well as being a Mastering Engineer, Blogger, Podcast Interviewer and Community Leader, Rich has 20 years + experience in finance, insurance, account management and online marketing. This will be a regular blog supporting new up and coming audio engineers and producers as well as hopefully throwing around some fresh ideas to industry veterans to help assist sustainability. Cherry pick what is helpful, leave behind what you don't need. Good luck on your audio adventures!