ACE Studio Creator Spotlight: Robert Olson
From church choirs to cutting-edge vocal demos with ACE Studio.
A Life Devoted to Music
For more than four decades, music was Robert’s vocation and his calling. As Director of Music at Emmanuel Church in Paramount, California, he led choirs, orchestrated services, and built a ministry of song that lasted 42 years.
His path began in Minnesota, at Moorhead State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Music in Choral and Instrumental Music. Later, he completed his Master’s in Conducting at California State University, Long Beach. Along the way, he directed and taught at the University of Minnesota Crookston, CSULB, Cypress University, and BIOLA University, shaping generations of musicians.
Robert also founded the internationally acclaimed show choir VOCE at CSULB and served as assistant director of the University Choir. His show choir at CSULB even brought his arrangements to the legendary Hollywood Bowl. His choirs toured the world, from Alaska to Australia, New Zealand to Germany, England to Austria, bringing his music to international audiences.
“I’ve directed and sung in choirs across the U.S. and internationally. Over the years, I’ve published more than 20 works with three different companies. One of my arrangements of Advance Australia Fair was even deemed the official arrangement of the Australian national anthem.”
Even in retirement, his passion for composition hasn’t slowed. Most recently, he released a solo album of original songs, titled Think Again, now available for streaming on major music platforms. Today, he continues to compose, share music, and spend time with his family.
Discovering ACE Studio
What he needed was a way to bring realistic voices into his demos.
“For years, I’d been trying to add voices to my scores so my demos could be more effective and real. I first saw an ad for ACE Studio on Facebook and wanted to see if the software could fulfill that need.”
The first try left him speechless.
“I was totally stunned after my first try!!”
How ACE Fits Into the Process
Robert’s workflow now bridges traditional scoring and modern production. After writing in Sibelius, he exports MusicXML files into ACE Studio. From there, he assigns voices to each part, exports them as WAV files, and brings them into Logic for mixing and editing. The final polish is applied by eMastered before the music is bundled with written scores for publication.
“I really like the large variety of voices, and how easy it is to change and export them into other software. Importing ACE into three other music programs is a breeze!”
Most often, he uses ACE Studio to create full choral demos or background vocals for live recordings. Hearing realistic vocal lines has changed the way he edits and refines his work.
“Hearing a real version of my vocal lyrics helps me edit easier and more effectively.”
Bringing Scores to Life
One of Robert’s recent productions, How Could We Not Believe, showcases just how powerful ACE can be. He used three different voices for each vocal part, totalling twelve, to form a virtual choir. He then paired the music with visuals and shared the finished video across social media and with publishers.
Watch “How Could We Not Believe” on YouTube:
Another piece, Ride On King Jesus, uses ACE to provide background vocals. It has since become one of his best-selling works.
“These songs help scripture come alive and bring hope to thousands of people.”
ACE Studio: A Creative Ally
“ACE brings a new dimension to my creative process. It helps my demos sound more realistic.”
After decades of hearing his works interpreted by live choirs, Robert now has the ability to preview them convincingly before they reach rehearsal.
“Yes! I finally have demos that sound real, which helps my customers hear my music the way their groups might sound.”
Even seasoned colleagues have been impressed.
“I recently sent my work, which used ACE voices, to a retired publisher. He shared it with a choir director in Nevada who was totally floored that the voices were AI-generated. He’s now looking into using my music with his choir.”
Next Chapters
Though still exploring ACE’s full feature set, he’s already thinking about the future. Custom voice modeling is high on his list of goals, along with expanding from single vocal parts to importing full orchestral and choral scores.
“I’m still learning all the features of ACE, but I’m excited to see how far I can take it. Especially the possibility of importing a whole score, orchestra, and voices together.”
Reflections on the Journey
Like any tool, ACE Studio has its quirks.
“When importing single vocal parts that have extended rests from my scoring program, ACE skips the rests, and I have to edit the exported part in Logic to make it fit the accompaniment. It’s a minor thing, and the editing isn’t hard to do.”
But the advantages far outweigh the adjustments.
“I’m thrilled to have software that helps my demos sound realistic, finally. I would recommend this to any serious composer, studio engineer, or performer who needs vocal support.”
Start Creating with ACE Studio
From Robert’s long career leading choirs around the world to his current work as a composer, his mission has always been the same: to bring music to life. With ACE Studio, he’s found a new ally to keep that mission alive in every score and demo.
Like him, you can use ACE Studio to transform your written ideas into voices that inspire.
