Ryan Harris | Artie Music

Picture: Ryan Harris, Artie Music | Source: Instagram

From High School Band to Audio/Video Hub: Ryan Harris Builds Artie Music in Grey‑Bruce

TL;DR:

On this episode of the Rural Entrepreneur Podcast (listen here) Chris sits down with Ryan Harris of Artie Music.

Ryan Harris turned a high school passion for music into Artie Music—a full-scale audio/video production hub based in Hanover, Ontario. From DIY recordings to formal training and mentorship in Toronto, Ryan pivoted from carpentry during the pandemic to build a creative ecosystem in Grey-Bruce.

Artie Music now empowers local musicians and filmmakers with tools, mentorship, and services—challenging traditional industry models by focusing on fair artist compensation and rural creative development.

Introduction

Ryan Harris, the founder of Artie Music, is a musician, audio engineer, and entrepreneur born out of a high school passion for music and recording.

After studying audio engineering at Trebas Institute in Toronto, he leveraged his skills during the COVID‑19 pandemic when traditional work (carpentry) was disrupted to turn his side gig into a full‑time multidisciplinary audio/video production business.

Based in Hanover, Ontario, Ryan’s mission is to support local creatives—musicians, filmmakers, podcasters—by offering the tools, training, and network to stay and grow their craft rather than relocating to larger cities.

Key Points and Insights

Topic	Insight
Hawks Nest and Entrepreneurial Confidence	Pitching from Passion – Despite limited preparation, Ryan’s authentic passion carried his pitch at the Hawks Nest competition. Speaking from the heart helped him overcome nerves and deliver effectively—demonstrating the power of founder-led storytelling.
Early Exposure to Music Production	Necessity Sparked Innovation – Ryan’s high school band couldn’t afford studio time, so he built a DIY recording setup in his bedroom. This hands-on experience ignited his passion for audio production and planted the seeds for Artie Music.
Pandemic Pivot	Turning Disruption into Opportunity – COVID-19 halted Ryan’s carpentry work, prompting him to pursue audio engineering full-time. With encouragement from his wife, he turned a long-time side hustle into a business, backed by formal training at Trebas Institute.
Mentorship and Industry Exposure	Learning from the Best – While studying in Toronto, Ryan was mentored by high-level industry professionals, including engineers behind projects for Sum 41 and Bruno Mars. Their support helped shape his vision and professional standards.
Return to Rural Roots	Bringing Big-City Skills Home – After gaining industry experience, Ryan chose to return to Hanover, Ontario, to support creative development in Grey-Bruce. He saw a gap in resources for rural artists and aimed to fill it with Artie Music.
Evolving Beyond a Recording Studio	Adapting to Community Needs – What began as a recording and mixing space quickly evolved into a full-service audio and video production hub. Ryan now offers podcast production, audio for film, sound design, and music composition.
Building a Creative Hub	Empowering Local Talent – Ryan envisions Artie Music as more than a business—it’s a community space. He offers training, mentorship, and networking to help musicians and filmmakers succeed without leaving the region.
Disrupting the Music Industry Model	Flipping the Revenue Equation – Ryan critiques the exploitative nature of streaming platforms and traditional labels, where artists see little return. His long-term vision includes launching an artist-friendly label that prioritizes creative ownership and fair compensation.
Local Film Collaboration	Grassroots Filmmaking in Grey-Bruce – Ryan collaborated on a locally shot feature film, connecting with a community of filmmakers committed to using local talent and settings. This reinforced the potential for a vibrant, self-sustaining film scene in rural Ontario.
Versatile Offerings at Artie Music	End-to-End Creative Services – Artie Music now offers recording, mixing, mastering, film scoring, podcasting, video production, audio restoration, and educational programs—positioning it as a one-stop creative powerhouse for the region.

Listen to Our Interview with Ryan Harris

If embedded players doesn't show you can access the episode here.

Timeline with Timestamps

Start Time	Topic
00:01	Introduction to Ryan Harris and the Hawks Nest pitch competition
01:25	Ryan’s Hawks Nest experience: nerves, improvisation, and passion-led delivery
07:00	High school band days, DIY recording setup, and early love for production
10:05	COVID-19 impact, pivot from carpentry, decision to pursue audio professionally
12:07	Trebas Institute training, mentorship from top-tier industry professionals
22:30	Returning to Hanover, setting up first studio at Blue Water Radio building
25:00	Expansion from recording to audio restoration, film audio, video, and podcasting
30:00	Film collaboration in Grey-Bruce, grassroots creative community development
35:30	Industry challenges: streaming, artist revenue models, desire for disruption
44:00	Overview of Artie Music’s full suite of services and community-building vision

Notable Quotes

“Something that I just seemed to be able to do is… one of the Hawks had mentioned is he could listen to me talk about what I’m talking about, so passionate about it. As soon as I get into that role… it just kind of takes off.”

“It turned into this whole working beehive of audio and film related stuff.”

“Artists need to take it into their own hands of streaming side of things… Where am I putting my music out that I have control over it…”

“The labels are kind of messing with everything where you do all this work … you throw all your creativity into it, and then they take 95% of all the royalties … and you get this little bit.”

Conclusion

Ryan Harris’s story is one of following a passion, responding to disruption, and building something that serves both him and his community.

Artie Music started from a bedroom recording setup, through formal training and mentorship, and has grown into a multifaceted creative hub providing audio/video services, education, restoration, and community networking in Grey‑Bruce.

Ryan’s vision is not just personal success, but lifting up local artists and filmmakers, offering the infrastructure and support so creative people don’t need to leave to make it.

His take on the industry is realistic: the odds are stacked, the streaming platforms and labels don’t always share value fairly.

But he believes in flipping that model by empowering creators, providing quality, and building locally rooted networks and services.

Call to Action

If you’re a musician, filmmaker, or aspiring audio/video creator in Grey‑Bruce or nearby:

• Check out Artie Music to explore their services: recording, mixing/mastering, film audio, podcasting, etc. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

• If you want to learn, see if Ryan offers mentoring or courses in recording, home studios, film sound.

• Join local music/film meetups: attend open mics, local film festivals, network with other creators. Learn about AREA 81's ACorp Venture Initiative

• Think about where you want to distribute your music or art, who you want to partner with—and whether you want to control more of the value chain.

• Support local creativity: when you can, go to local shows, support indie artists, use local production houses rather than always outsourcing to larger centres.