Jan Trafas
Audio Engineer & Studio Technician
Bio
SAE London Audio Production alumnus Jan has built an impressive freelance engineering career, working with some of the most respected artists and studios in the industry.
After graduating from SAE London with a BA in Audio Production, Jan continued to develop his technical and creative skills by completing an MA in Commercial Music Production at Tileyard. During this period, he began forming vital industry connections, including a chance reconnection with engineer Riccardo Damian while working at the Abbey Road Studios souvenir shop, a meeting that would prove pivotal.
That connection led to an internship at Studio 13, Damon Albarn’s studio, where Jan gained first-hand experience assisting on sessions for artists such as Yussef Dayes, FKJ and Vince Staples. Working in high-pressure environments with complex analogue setups, he developed a deep understanding of studio workflows, signal flow and professional session etiquette.
These early experiences laid the foundation for a twelve-month Trainee Sound Engineer role at RAK Studios. During his time there, Jan worked as a runner and technical support across the studio, assisting sessions for artists including Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Chronixx and Thom Yorke. Through this role, he refined his skills in session preparation, troubleshooting, artist relations and maintaining smooth-running recording sessions at the highest level.
Since leaving RAK Studios, Jan has gone on to engineer sessions for artists such as Olivia Dean, Thurston Moore and Lewis Capaldi. Now working fully freelance, he balances assisting and engineering work with studio technical consultancy for clients including Vegyn and Two Inch Punch, while also developing his own artist project, Ocean Lines.
One of Jan’s proudest achievements to date has been his work with Olivia Dean on the recording of her second album. He worked closely with Olivia and her producer, Zach, supporting sessions across multiple recording environments. His responsibilities ranged from session preparation and Pro Tools operation to microphone placement, signal routing and maintaining consistency between studio locations, from RAK Studios to Olivia’s home setup.
Jan also played a key role in installing and configuring Olivia’s home studio, wiring the signal chain, calibrating monitoring and creating recording templates that allowed for independent work. Beyond the technical aspects, he supported the creative process by managing headphone mixes, refining microphone choices and maintaining a calm, focused atmosphere during sessions. This collaboration strengthened his professional relationship with both artist and producer, leading to further freelance opportunities through word-of-mouth and industry recognition.
Jan credits SAE with giving him the confidence and practical foundation to operate independently in professional studios. Before starting his course, he had no experience with recording consoles and initially enrolled to improve recordings of his own instrument, the drums. Through access to industry-standard facilities, he became confident fault-finding, operating analogue equipment and running sessions smoothly. SAE also introduced him to Pro Tools, now a core part of his daily workflow, and broadened his understanding of music production beyond recording alone.
Reflecting on his journey, Jan highlights the value of SAE’s facilities and hands-on learning environment, where students can experiment with analogue equipment without the pressures of commercial sessions. He believes the course rewards those who actively seek opportunities, push themselves and fully immerse in studio time.
Jan’s advice for future SAE students is simple:
“Make the most of studio access as early as possible. Get confident working independently, bring in as many artists as you can, even for free, and treat every session as preparation for professional work. Stay disciplined, pass your exams and avoid cutting corners. The effort you put in really does show later on.”
Study Audio production at SAE
At SAE, our Audio Production Degree can help students learn the latest production skills and techniques to further their careers.
Our course encourages students to adopt a future-facing mindset where they are keen to understand more about how innovation and technology will shape the industry and their work.
