Franz Pusch

Franz Pusch is an Austrian-born music producer, keyboardist, audio engineer, and sound designer whose career has been defined by a passion for both music and technology. Growing up in Vienna, Franz first developed his musical skills performing in school bands before becoming an in-demand studio musician. While he enjoyed performing, it was the creative possibilities of recording, electronics, and sound engineering that ultimately shaped his life’s work. After relocating to the United States in 1984, Franz established himself as a versatile producer and engineer, contributing to recordings, film projects, and collaborations spanning progressive rock, jazz fusion, and pop music. He became closely associated with the acclaimed jazz fusion group Brand X, serving as both keyboardist and producer, while also working with artists including John Goodsall, Rudy Sarzo, and Simon Wright. Throughout his career, Franz has preferred to describe himself not simply as an audio engineer, but as a “music engineer”—someone who approaches each recording as a complete artistic experience. Whether producing albums, creating sound libraries for digital keyboards and samplers, or demonstrating products at countless NAMM Shows, his goal has remained the same: “to get good sound into people’s hands.” His pioneering work in digital sampling and binaural recording, including the use of the innovative Aachen Head microphone system, has helped advance immersive audio technologies for musicians around the world. Franz’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to blending technical innovation with the human qualities of music, believing that a little “dirt and grit” often gives a recording its greatest authenticity.