Daily Inspiration: Meet Robert Hewitt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Hewitt.

Robert, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been infatuated with sound for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I loved playing with my parents’ records, layering them through a bass-heavy boombox and overdubbing onto cassette tapes. My journey into electronic music began the moment I heard artists like Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Fatboy Slim, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, and The Crystal Method. By age 12, you could find me in a dark basement with a strobe light spinning in circles to John Digweed—on a pair of speakers I rescued from a neighborhood curb.

I’ve always been drawn to the experience of different sound systems—how music translates across various speakers and environments, how it shapes the energy of a space, and how it connects people. In my teenage years, I played bass in ska and punk bands, taught myself to record in Pro Tools, and picked up mixing and mastering tips from anyone willing to share. Early beat production on Fruity Loops and sequencing in Acid Pro launched me into sound design and remix experiments, trying to reverse-engineer tracks from artists like Lusine, Shpongle, and Kid Koala.

Alongside music, I grew up doing gymnastics and eventually taught it to students of all ages and abilities. Occasionally, I’d help write and curate floor routine soundtracks, which deepened my interest in the connection between movement and sound. While I pursued a degree in Integrative Physiology with a plan to become a chiropractor or physical therapist, I found myself falling even deeper in love with sound—especially its impact on the physical, emotional, and energetic bodies.

During college, I began exploring how to weave brainwave entrainment and binaural beats into my productions. That journey steered me away from conventional paths and toward creating community-centered “art share” gatherings—definitely not a business plan, but deeply fulfilling. I started investing in sound systems, partnering with local underground artists, and co-hosting events that combined music, tea ceremony, creative process shares, and of course, get-downs with DJs and bands. It was epic—but also not very sustainable.

Around 2012, I shifted focus to live sound, picking up gigs at small venues and refining my studio craft. Live engineering led me to connect with touring acts and grow a network that organically expanded my studio work. In 2018, I founded Golden Turtle Sound, a hybrid audio production company offering remote mixing and mastering services as well as solar-powered sound system rentals. We’ve since powered and engineered stages at gatherings like Arise Festival, Sonic Bloom, Unison Festival and the Crestone Energy Fair.

Artistically, I release music as Treaphort. Though my creative output ebbs and flows with life’s seasons, it’s never far from my mind. I DJ Ecstatic Dance events across the country and produce for a hip-hop project called Original Currency. Balancing this work with raising three kids has its challenges—but it’s all part of the path. And it’s a path I wouldn’t trade for anything.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Most definitely not a smooth road—not even close, haha. Honestly, it’s nerve-wracking when I reflect on it. So many unknowns, so many risks. I often describe it like walking a stone path suspended in space—you take a step forward, there’s nothing there, and you do it anyway. Just when it feels like you’re about to fall into the void, a stone appears beneath your foot. That’s been the journey. A giant trust fall, over and over again, led by the heart.

I didn’t come from a musical family, and in the beginning, I had no mentors in the audio world. I was making it up as I went—learning through experimentation, intuition, and persistence, all while trying to figure out how to make ends meet. There were stretches in my twenties when I lived out of my car, traveling for gigs or just saving what I could while reinvesting every dollar back into the business. Slowly, that built momentum. The gigs got better. The work started to feel more sustainable.

I’ve heard it all before: “Just take the laid-out path, it’s easier,” or “You can always do your hobbies on the side.” But it never felt right. Something in me has always been relentless when it comes to authenticity—and stubborn, too, when it comes to why we’re here in this life. I may not know exactly why I’m here yet, but the guiding force inside me hasn’t let me down, and I continue to trust it.

One moment that really stuck with me was the first time I could afford to pay someone else to help run a live show. That felt like true abundance—not just financially, but creatively and communally. I brought on someone new, paid him as fairly as I could (which, honestly, was way more than I ever made starting out), and taught him everything I could during those gigs. He’s now gone on to work in larger venues and carve his own path in the music world, which feels incredible.

There were also times I had to step back and drive Uber just to stay afloat. Thankfully, it’s been a few years since those days, though I still feel that seasonal pressure now and then. But all of it—the highs and lows—has shaped the path I’m on, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a music artist and producer under the name Treaphort, and I also run a sound system rental and remote studio business called Golden Turtle Sound.

As an artist, my sound leans toward a midtempo, organic house vibe—often blending field recordings from nature with wooden percussion and acoustic textures. That earthy, spacious aesthetic also influences my hip-hop beats and studio production work.

I’m known for creating minimal yet full-spectrum mixes—productions that feel expansive but still leave room to breathe. There’s a certain clarity and presence I aim for in all my mixes, something that gives the listener space to really feel.

As a dancer and movement enthusiast myself, I love curating ecstatic dance journeys—sets that guide people through a wide range of emotions and energy levels, helping them connect more deeply with their bodies and each other.

In live settings, I keep the performers front and center—engineering with care to ensure the music is represented at its highest potential. One of the things I’m most proud of is my ability to translate a musician’s energy to the audience with top-tier sound quality and attention to detail.

What really sets me apart, I think, is the combination of kindness and competence. I genuinely care about the experience—from artist to audience—and that shows up in the work. It’s something clients often mention, and it’s led to strong relationships and steady return business.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
hit me up at treaphort@goldenturtlesound.org for any collaborations of any sorts. We can discuss projects, events, studio work or anything!
https://www.goldenturtlesound.org
https://www.treaphort.org
@treaphort
@goldenturtlesound

Pricing:

• Full Sound System (with Solar) starts at $1200/day
• Workshop Sound (with Solar) starts at $600/day.
• Production and Editing start at $40/hour
• Mixing starts at $250/track
• Mastering is $75/track

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.goldenturtlesound.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/goldenturtlesound
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/treaphort