Shinji Tanaka (Recording Engineer)

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Shinji Tanaka

Japanese recording & mixing engineer, drummer, and entrepreneur

Shinji Tanaka
Origin	Machida, Tokyo, Japan
Residence	Marikina City, Philippines
Occupation	Audio Engineer, Record Producer, Drummer, Restaurateur
Known for	Kodama Studio; Sound Creation; OPM recording engineer
Studios	Sound Creation (1999 - 2015, Tandang Sora, Quezon City); Kodama Studio (2015 - present, Marikina City)
Bands	Gaijin, Squid9, SLEX
Businesses	Crazy Katsu, Rough Mix Restaurant
Active since	1987 (arrived Philippines)

Shinji Tanaka is a Japanese recording engineer, record producer, and drummer based in the Philippines. Originally from Machida, Tokyo, he arrived in the Philippines in 1987 and became one of the country's most sought-after sound engineers in Original Pilipino Music (OPM). He founded Sound Creation recording studio in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, and later Kodama Studio (木霊) in Marikina City. He is also a drummer for the bands Gaijin and Squid9, and a co-founder of Crazy Katsu restaurant. He also owns Crazy Ramen Rough Mix Restaurant in the Philippines.

Early Life

Shinji Tanaka was born in Machida, Tokyo, Japan. From an early age, he developed a strong interest in rock music and was particularly influenced by bands such as KISS and Deep Purple, as well as the Japanese rock band RC Succession (RCサクセション).

<ref>Japan’s strict noise regulations and the challenges of practicing loud instruments in residential areas made it difficult for him to play freely at home. At the age of 12, he joined his junior high school brass band as a percussionist, marking the beginning of his formal musical training and his first experience playing the drums.</ref>

Move to the Philippines

Tanaka first arrived in the Philippines in 1987, at the invitation of a Filipino musician friend. He was immediately struck by the ubiquity of live and recorded music in everyday life playing in jeepneys, malls, elevators, and on the streets. During his early years in the Philippines, Tanaka immersed himself in the local music culture. He visited a record bar in Harrison Plaza where he bought cassettes of APO Hiking Society, Gary Valenciano, Asin, Sharon Cuneta and other popular Filipino acts, and used the lyric sheets to learn Filipino (Tagalog). He became so fluent in the language that he prefers conversing in Filipino over English. He also had his own stainless steel Philippine jeepney manufactured, occasionally serving as conductor or driver himself along the Caloocan route.

A Filipino musician friend later brought him to a recording studio in Greenhills, which sparked his interest in studio work. He set up his own home studio where he could also practice drums, which gradually evolved into a professional recording facility.

Career

Sound Creation

Tanaka founded Sound Creation Studio in Quezon City. The studio began by recording advertising jingles and band demos before progressing to full album productions. Sound Creation became well regarded in the OPM community, known for its welcoming atmosphere and Tanaka's skill in capturing strong drum recordings.

The first full album recorded at Sound Creation was the Pin-Up Girls' Hello, Pain, followed by Monsterbot's ‘Destroy! Destroy!’ both produced by Raymund Marasigan of the Eraserheads. This collaboration marked the beginning of a long professional friendship between Tanaka and Marasigan.

Sound Creation operated at its Tandang Sora location until 2015, when road expansion along Visayas Avenue displaced the studio.

Kodama Studio

In July 2015, Tanaka opened Kodama Studio (木霊, meaning "echo" or "spirit of the trees") in Marikina City, following his family's relocation from Tandang Sora. The studio offers recording, mixing, and mastering services and has hosted a wide range of OPM artists. Tanaka has also carried out vinyl remastering projects at Kodama Studio, including remastering albums for Backspacer Records, such as The Jerks Live, Bini, Francis M, and many more.

Artists who have worked at Kodama Studio include: Sandwich, Yeng Constantino, Itchyworms, Ian Veneracion, Moonstar88, Imago, Apo Hiking Society, Gloc 9, Space-Ta, Pedicab, The Dawn, Jim Paredes and more.

Notable Collaborations

In 2014, Tanaka engineered two new tracks recorded by the Eraserheads for Esquire magazine a milestone he has described as one of his career highlights. His long-running collaboration with Raymund Marasigan has extended across multiple projects, including Sandwich, Pedicab, Squid9, Assembly Generals, Basement Lung and Gaijin.

Drumming Career

In addition to his engineering work, Tanaka is an active drummer. He is a member of Gaijin, Squid9 and SLEX. His dual role as both engineer and performing musician has made him a unique figure in the Philippine music scene.

Business Ventures

Crazy Katsu

Crazy Katsu is a Japanese restaurant co-founded by Tanaka alongside Bryan Kong of Taken By Cars. The restaurant are located on Maginhawa Street in Quezon City, Lilac Street in Marikina City and Aguirre Street in Parañaque City.

Crazy Ramen Rough Mix Restaurant

Crazy Ramen Rough Mix Restaurant is another food and beverage establishment owned by Shinji Tanaka alongside Raymund Marasigan and Erika Dela Cruz in the Philippines.

The name is drawn from the audio engineering term "rough mix”. A preliminary version of a mixed track used for reference before the final mix is produced, nodding to Tanaka's background in music production.

Personal Life

Aside from music, Shinji enjoys mountain biking, motorcycle touring, and off-road 4×4 driving. He has one son, who is currently the only member of his family living in Japan, and three grandchildren.

Selected Works

Year	Artist	Single / EP / Album	Role
2001	Pin Up Girls	Hello Pain	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2001	Monsterbot	Destroy! Destroy!	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2004	Chicosci	Icarus	Recording Engineer
2004	Sandwich	Thanks to the Moon’s Gravitational Pull	Recording Engineer
2006	Pinoy Dream Academy	Vol. 1 & 2	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2007	Imago	Blush	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2007	Yeng Constantino	Hawak Kamay	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2007	Yeng Constantino	Salamat	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2008	Pedicab	Tugish Takish	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2008	Pedicab	Shinji Ilabas Mo Ang Helicopter	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2008	Yeng Constantino	Journey	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2008	Apo Hiking Society	Boboy, Jim, & Danny…Final Edition	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2009	Yeng Constantino	Lapit	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2009	Sugarfree	Mornings and Airports	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2013	Yeng Constantino	Metamorphosis	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2014	Imago	Kapit	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2014	Imago	Effect Decide None	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2022	Party Pace	Nauseous	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2023	Moonstar 88	Lourdes 2088	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2024	Ian Veneracion	Beyond Bulls#!t	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
2025	Party Pace	More Hawks	Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer

References

1. Olivares, Rick. "The Philippines is Shinji Tanaka's Musical Nirvana." My Infinite Playlist. March 8, 2017.

2. Bandwagon Asia. "Here are 12 recording studios in the Philippines your band should check out." August 25, 2022.

3. Bandwagon Asia. "Raymund Marasigan recruits Shinji Tanaka and IV of Spades' Badjao de Castro for 'Minsan' jam." December 9, 2020.

4. Coconuts Manila. "8 awesome studios in Metro Manila.

5. Coke Studio Ph: The Man Behind The Music

6. Offstage Hang with Raymund Marasigan and Daren Lim – Ep. 4: Shinji Tanaka (Spotify Podcast).

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