Zach Elam

Remote Mixing and Mastering

Zach Elam on SoundBetter

I am a recording arts graduate and currently working as a live sound engineer. I have a passion for mixing and mastering music, as well as recording and creating it.

I offer mixing and mastering services through remote contact. I am able to mix and master songs to a decent level. I am not going to call myself a professional because this is not my profession, but I will say that I can compete with their level.

Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Interview with Zach Elam

  1. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  2. A: I can be creative while still allowing for others to express their creativeness and their talents within the music.

  3. Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

  4. A: That I have a preset for each instrument or plugin. I start every mix from scratch and I create a unique sound every time I mix.

  5. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  6. A: I usually ask for a reference as to what band or song they are most closely trying to sound like. This helps me gauge my workflow for the upcoming project.

  7. Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

  8. A: I would consider looking at their sounds rather than their experience. In this day and age, anyone can mix a song, but not everybody can mix the song the way it needs to be mixed. You can give 1,000,000 engineers the same track and none of them will sound the same. We all have our own unique sound to our mixes, whether you can hear it or not, it's important to take that into consideration when picking an engineer.

  9. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  10. A: I was told by a very very very well known producer and engineer that you should always keep your choruses and verses different, but familiar. Being able to grasp this concept and write a piece that falls into this mindset will really open up your eyes into the music production world.

  11. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  12. A: I am usually working on Pop, Rock, Punk, Heavy Metal or anything else of the sort. I am a huge fan of acoustic instruments within a song like drums, guitars and pianos, so I like to work with songs that have these elements of the human creation.

  13. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  14. A: I would say that my creative mindset is my biggest skill. I don't have a set EQ or compressor or plugins for that matter that I go to. Each track is a blank slate for me and I love to explore the possibilities and the limitations within them.

  15. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  16. A: I feel that I am very good at finding the raw energy of the tracks and really bringing it out and making it shine. Like I said earlier, I am big into punk, rock and anything else thats heavy, so I love making those songs just feel powerful.

  17. Q: What's your typical work process?

  18. A: I like to get my sessions organized, this is a huge part in my work flow. Gain staging, color coding, track naming and grouping all fall into the organization process. Then I like to move into the foundations of the songs, typically the drums and the bass. Doing it this way, I feel that I can create a solid foundation for the rest of the song to sit on top of. Next up are the things within the mid to mid-high frequency ranges like guitars, pianos, strings, anything of that nature. Then when that is all good and ready, I set the vocals into the mix as I feel necessary.

  19. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  20. A: My mixing setup consists of my Pro Tools setup, accompanied by my Yamaha HS8's and if need be, my Sennheiser HD 280 Pros. My Recording setup is a little more advanced, but considering I'm not really providing those services here, I'll spare the details.

  21. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  22. A: I mostly mix rock and pop songs like the one that you are able to hear on my profile.

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One Minute Smile by Actions

I was the Mixing and Editing Engineer in this production

Terms Of Service

I allow for one revision after the final mix or master is complete. I can usually get a mix done within a couple days, I like to take my time and create something I would be proud to call mine.

Gear Highlights
  • Pro Tools
  • Logic Pro X
More Photos