Larry Ryckman

In 2017, Ryckman and his partner Shelly Yakus took over and renovated the 40-year-old Graham Nash recording studio in Hollywood, at which many well-known artists had recorded. The studio was upgraded to include an 80 track SSL 4000 G+ console and up-to-date gear and instruments.

On April 1, 2014, ON Semiconductor, a multinational developer and manufacturer of semiconductors partnered with AfterMaster Audio Labs to incorporate AfterMaster Audio in semiconductor chips for use in consumer electronic products. In November 2014, superstar Justin Timberlake joined AfterMaster Audio Labs as a co-owner. In 2016, mastering engineer Pete Doell joined as head of Aftermaster's music mastering.

In April, 2011, Ryckman finalized a multi-year agreement involving stakeholders Fox, Freemantle, Sony and Simco for the use of MyStudio's for Simon Cowell's "The X Factor." The 2012 MyStudio auditions resulted in the discovery of top four X Factor finalists "Emblem3" and "Carly Rose Sonenclar". In September, 2013 a MyStudio was installed at SONY Pictures Studios for use on The Queen Latifah show. In September 2014, MyStudio merged with bBooth, Inc.

Aftermaster was awarded the Technical Achievement Award at the 2010 Hollywood Music and Media Awards for its MyStudio and AfterMaster HD Audio technologies developed by Ryckman and his engineering team. Aftermaster's patented technology and products were recognized with three awards at the 2016 CES show in Las Vegas.

In 2008, Ryckman negotiated a music license with publishing giant EMI which allowed consumers for the first time to legally create music videos in a publicly accessible venue using popular music for unlimited online posting. The EMI license was followed up with multi-year licenses with Universal Music, Sony ATV and BMG.

In 2006, Ryckman and audio engineer Shelly Yakus embarked on a multimillion-dollar, multi-year development effort to create AfterMaster HD Audio through AfterMaster Audio Labs. Inc. The award-winning and proprietary AfterMaster hardware and software process creates an audio process and master recording with a loudness, fullness and clarity which AfterMaster claims is unachievable through traditional mastering techniques. The first major music releases using MyStudio AfterMaster HD Audio process were Janet Jackson's "Make Me" produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, and Lady Gaga's multi-platinum "Telephone."

In 2004, Ryckman founded MyStudio, Inc., a private company established to develop MyStudio interactive recording studios, Mystudio.net and related technologies. MyStudio was the world's first self-contained, interactive audio and video recording studio available for consumer use. In 2007, Ryckman sold his interest in MyStudio to public company, Studio One Media, Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at $30 million and became the largest shareholder of Studio One. As CEO of MyStudio, Ryckman negotiated multi-year deals with Simon Cowell's "The X Factor," Mark Burnett Productions, The GRAMMY Foundation, EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music, Sony/ATV, Hard Rock International, Warner Music Nashville and the Queen Latifah Show. Multiple patents have been issued and filed relating to MyStudio and its underlying processes and technologies.

In 1995, the Alberta Securities Commission levied a large fine on Ryckman after he was convicted of stock manipulation. He was forced to place the team into receivership, where on April 3, 1996, Sig Gutsche purchased the franchise. Whereas Ryckman had restored interest in the Stampeders, Gutsche was able to rectify the team's debts and make it profitable again.

During his five years in the CFL, Ryckman co-chaired the CFL expansion committee with late actor John Candy and served on the Executive Committee of the CFL Board of Governors. In 1993, he purchased the rights to host the 1993 Grey Cup game for the City of Calgary. That year, he declined the playoff bye the Stampeders had earned in order to get another playoff home game and the ticket sales that resulted from it. The 1993 Grey Cup festival drew a capacity crowd of over 50,000 spectators. Ryckman constructed and donated new private luxury boxes at the Stampeders home field, McMahon Stadium in Calgary. Ryckman was subsequently awarded the CFL's Outstanding Contribution Award for his contributions to both the league and as a Governor. Ryckman was a major advocate of the CFL's American expansion, with part of the rationale being that the expansion fees could serve as a source of revenue for the existing franchises.

Ryckman received Canada's Vanier Award Vanier Award for Outstanding Young Canadian in 1993 for his business and community accomplishments.

In 1991, Ryckman purchased and privatized the Calgary Stampeders Football Club of the Canadian Football League (CFL). At the time the team was struggling financially and Ryckman was widely credited for saving the team. Many changes took place under his ownership, including the signing of Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Doug Flutie, quarterback Jeff Garcia from San Jose State and future pro wrestling superstar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and in team management and player personnel. A new marketing campaign was built around "The New Calgary Stampeders". During his tenure the Stampeders broke a number of league and team records, participated in five Grey Cup Championship games, and won the Grey Cup in Toronto in 1992, for the first time in 21 years. Part of the marketing campaign was one of extortion: at one point he demanded that Stampeders fans buy 16,000 season tickets or else he would move the team to San Antonio, Texas, USA.

In 1990, Ryckman and music attorney Allen Grubman negotiated a deal in the music industry with Polygram NV, then the world's largest record company, for the payment of a mechanical royalty on all albums sold that were mixed with QSound. Ryckman oversaw the engineering of several albums using QSound including Madonna's "The Immaculate Collection", Michael Jackson's "Dangerous', Paula Abdul's "Spellbound", Sting's "The Soul Cages" and Julian Lennon's "Help Yourself". In addition, three music recordings engineered with QSound during Ryckman's tenure won GRAMMY awards including the motion picture soundtrack, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. The Company achieved a market capitalization approaching $500 million and was covered in Barron's, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter.

In 1986, Ryckman co-founded Archer Communications, Inc./QSound, Ltd., an audio technology company which developed proprietary audio technologies for the music, film, TV, computer and video game industries. QSound developed the first patented three-dimensional audio process for playback through traditional stereo. Ryckman assembled a team of entertainment industry professionals to assist in building the company, including CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz, music industry veterans Jimmy Iovine, Shelly Yakus, music producer Bob Ezrin, film producer, George J. Folsey and Warner Bros. director Salah Hassanein. Todd-Ao/Glen Glenn Studios then the world's largest motion picture and television sound studios became a large stakeholder which led QSound to be utilized in various feature film productions including, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.

In 1982, Ryckman served as Vice President, Development, of the film and TV production company American Artists, Inc. He became President and CEO in 1984 and produced several feature films including The Virgin Queen of St. Francis High, Snowballs, and Crime of the Century. At about this time Ryckman produced, hosted and narrated a one-hour documentary, The Aryan Nation, an exposé of the Aryan Nations and the growing neo-Nazi movements in North America, filmed partly inside the Aryan Nations Hayden Lake Idaho compound.

Lawrence G. Ryckman (born August 28, 1959, Toronto) is a music industry executive known for his knowledge of audio production and mastering and the development of patented audio and video technologies used in the music and entertainment industries. He is President and CEO of AfterMaster Audio Labs and Recording Studios in Hollywood, California, part of Scottsdale, Arizona-based Aftermaster, Inc. In November 2014, recording artist Justin Timberlake joined Ryckman as a co-owner of AfterMaster.

Ryckman was born in Toronto, Canada, on August 28, 1959, to Claude and Magdeline (Gallo) Ryckman.