Written in Partnership with Amir Bakian
Audiobooks are becoming more and more popular as people prefer audio to reading. Today, audiobooks are the fastest-growing format in publishing, with the global audiobook market size accounting for USD 4159M in 2021. This has highly been linked to the advantages of audiobooks over paper books—audiobooks let you multitask, fit more reading into your schedule, and are far more immersive. But it is only possible to talk about this growth and even the future of audiobooks by mentioning renowned producer and sound engineer Cadu Byington.
Cadu is a respected and admired recording/sound engineer in his home country, Brazil, Europe, and the US. He has overseen several audiobook projects in the US over the last three years. He is the main audio engineer at Deyan Audio, the world’s largest independent producer of audiobooks. Deyan Audio has been in the industry for 30+ years and has 5 Grammy wins and 12 nominations, among other awards.
Cadu works at their studios in Tarzana, Los Angeles, providing assistance and expertise before, during, and after the recording process. Cadu works on sound; he refines and forms the sound of the project into a finished piece and manages other projects.
Cadu’s creative skills have enabled him to solidify his spot in the field, climbing up the radar in less than three years. He started audio engineering at Deyan during the COVID pandemic, which greatly impacted audiobooks.
COVID led to increased demand for audiobooks as people turned online to find something to keep their mind’s busy. With the movement restrictions, most people could not go to libraries to get paper books. There was also the fear of contamination which saw most opt for eBooks. This trend has continued to persist even after COVID. According to Cadu, it may alter the future of reading and audiobooks.
Cadu is also a recording producer / audio engineer for the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra Youtube channel, a worldly renowned orchestra. Somewhat a purist, he is a big fan of music, specifically classical music. He has a Bachelor’s from the State University of Sao Paulo and has performed as a session musician on several rock and pop projects.
Cadu has worked alongside Grammy, Emmy, and other award-winning artists, including the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra based in Bero Horizonte. Mechetti chose Cadu because of his exemplary work, describing Cadu as the best, “Cadu Byington is well versed and knows how to organize an audio and achieve the best results,” said Mechetti.
Cadu is leveraging this experience to help the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. They have grown their numbers significantly, with their work receiving massive attention globally. Their main contributors are the American Marin Alsop and Swiss Thierry Fischer. They have also played in famous halls such as the Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall-BBC Proms.
As he goes further into a successful career, Cadu hopes to produce and share more music and audio content. He also aims for a bigger spread of audiobook consumers. Looking to inspire future sound engineers and musically savvy listeners, Cadu Byington wants to make it possible for musicians and listeners to engage more through high-quality performances, regardless of where you are, through live broadcasting and recordings.
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