Great songs deserve
finished records.

I am an award-winning producer, songwriter, professor and musician helping artists bring their songs from first idea to finished record.

Dave Tough with a collaborator in the studio
A recent studio session with Dave Tough and musicians
Dave Tough and guitarist Mark East in the studio
Dave Tough with musicians after a live-room recording session
Dave Tough working at a studio computer surrounded by instruments and recording gear
A guitarist performing during a recording session
Musicians gathered after a 2025 recording session
Microphones positioned for an orchestra recording session
Dave Tough collaborating during a recording session
A guitarist tracking during a studio session
Dave Tough playing piano in the studio
Dave Tough directing musicians during a session
Producer · Songwriter · Mixer · Musician
GRAMMYnominated work
2Dove (Covenant) Award wins
500+songs in film & television
John Lennon Songwriting Contest grand prize winner

Hear the difference

Same song.
A different future.

Move between the original demo and Dave's finished production without losing your place.

Now playing

LA Love Song — The Lost Trailers

From intimate worktape to finished production

0:000:00

Switch between versions while listening—the playhead stays in place.

Your song. Fully realized.

Production

From a voice memo or demo to a release-ready master, with the arrangement, players and details built around the song.

Mixing

Musical, dimensional mixes that protect the emotion of the performance while delivering clarity, impact and translation.

Songwriting

Co-writing, melody, lyrics and song development from a two-time John Lennon Songwriting Contest grand-prize winner.

Artist development

A practical creative partner for artists shaping their sound, repertoire and next body of work.

Dave Tough in his Nashville production studio

About Dave

Years in the room.
Still chasing the moment.

Dave Tough is a Nashville-based producer, songwriter, engineer, musician and educator whose work moves easily across genres without losing sight of the artist.

He has written and produced more than 500 songs for film and television, including placements in Pretty Little Liars, Empire, Glee, Nashville and CSI. His career includes two Dove Awards, GRAMMY-nominated work and two grand-prize wins in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

Dave has worked on the creative and business sides of the industry with Capitol Records, Warner Chappell Music, BMG Music Publishing and Capitol/EMI, and today works with artists and songwriters around the world. He currently serves as a tenured full professor of audio engineering and music production at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Start a conversation
“You felt my heart and everything I wanted. Both songs are perfect.”

Angelina DeBem · Artist, Monterey, California

Have a song in progress?

Let's make the record
you already hear.

Contact Dave

For label projects or master recording projects, please contact my manager.