Simon Austin on SoundBetter

2,500,000+ Spotify Streams on credited works / Radio Play in Canada & Australia

I'm a songwriter, producer and mixer based in Toronto that specializes in Indie, Rock and Alternative music.

I take a "natural" approach to my productions, ensuring that the song always comes first. I utilize top of the line analog equipment including an API console, and I strive for professional level results right at the source. I thereafter provide clear yet impactful mixes that support the artist's vision and helps them achieve their goals within the music industry.

I currently works out of Metrolab Recordings, an approx 800sq ft facility in the heart of downtown Toronto's west end. The space is equipped with a dedicated control room, Iso booth and live room suitable for full band live sessions. The studio can flexibly cater to any artist's recording needs big or small.

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Interview with Simon Austin

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: John O'Reilly Jr. he's a super talented session drummer with a great knowledge of recording as well!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: 1) My API The Box2 Console 2) Neumann U87 3) Empirical Labs Distressor 4) UAD Apollo 16 5) Yamaha NS10's
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Mixing, Recording and Songwriting.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I work out of an 800sq ft facility in Toronto called Metrolab Recording. It features a sizable live room, dedicated mix room with an API console and a vocal Iso booth.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am always trying to get closer to Eric Valentine's patented drum sound while simultaneously developing my own take on it!
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I just finished an album for a band called The Pacifiers! it's not out yet but I truly feel I accomplished what I set out to do sonically, all while respecting the artist's artistic vision (and even more so than they had been able to achieve on previous works).
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Analog, because it better suits the way my brain works. I find myself constantly tweaking and second guessing when I use digital, whereas analog I can just work intuitively.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: A quality production that's true to your artistic intentions.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Recording Drums and dialing in a unique sound for each artist I work with.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Can I record X songs in a few hours at your studio? Answer: No, it takes 1-2 days to record a song from the ground up and I prioritize quality over quantity.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That computers and digital software can do everything that analog equipment can.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What are your goals with your project and what are some sounds you've wanted to achieve in the past but haven't been able to?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Pick out some reference mixes from artists that you aspire to sound like!
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I went to audio engineering school more than 9 years ago and have been working in the field since then. I have been making music itself for more than 15 years now.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Organic and realistic productions with a unique analog colour and sonic palette.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Tokyo Police Club, I really love the tonality and uniqueness of their earlier work and I believe it straddles an interesting balance between lofi indie rock and radio worthy alternative. I love colourful and stylized sounds that are a bit different from the norm and everything about their Elephant Shell album exemplifies that. As well their songwriting is truly one of a kind.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Great sounds come from the source!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Rock, Indie, Alternative and Pop Punk.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I have extensive experience as a songwriter (my other job is as a songwriter for a company called Songfinch), and also provide an array of analog equipment typically inaccessible to artists with smaller budgets.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: If it's a full song production I start from the ground up, being the song itself (ie. demo's and pre-production). I thereafter aim to capture the song in the form truest to the artist's intentions, and utilize recording and production techniques that best suit the genre/ style of music while achieving a professional and competitive sounding result.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I am inspired by artists in the Indie Rock domain such as Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and The 1975.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Full Song Production and Mixing.