Andrew Solin

Mixing Engineer

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5 Reviews
Andrew Solin on SoundBetter

I'm a recording engineer, producer, and guitar player in Austin, TX.

I love to help bands make records!

I work with bands and artists to complete their songs and albums, and get them sounding they way they want them to sound. My experience in professional studios in New York informs the way that I work, and the equipment I chose to record and mix with. I like to mix through a summing mixer (Dangerous 2-Bus LT), using world class converters (Lynx) because it helps me work more efficiently and deliver the sound that works best for the bands I work with.

Sometimes artists need something fixed or made to sound better, especially if it wasn't recorded in the best sounding room or in an ideal environment. Re-tracking or re-amping can be a great option in that case. I have classic vintage bass and guitar amplifiers and can send your recording through my gear to re-record your tracks. With re-amping, I am using your original recording, and playing it back through my equipment, but if you have a guitar or bass part that you need added, or re-played, I can get that done for you as well.

Another option is to have your mixes played back through some high-end analog EQ and compression, keeping everything just as you have it, but adding presence, depth and dimension.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Andrew Solin
  • Patti Rothberg
  • Kaydi Johnson
  • Autodrone
  • Life in a Blender
  • Life in a Blender
  • Life in a Blender
  • Life in a Blender
  • The Damnwells
  • The Damnwells
  • Sex Slaves
  • Annie Gallup
  • The Claudia Quintet
  • John Hollenbeck
  • Jonathan Kreisberg
  • John Wesley Harding
  • John Wesley Harding
  • Rebecca Martin
  • Lori Carson
  • Stand
  • Stand
  • Blake & The Family Dog

5 Reviews

Endorse Andrew Solin
  1. Review by James Pertusi
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    by James Pertusi

    I was in a band with Andrew for many years. We recorded our own records. We battled small shitty rooms, inadequate gear and a cronic lack of funding... and the records we made are still among those of which I am most proud. Even in those conditions Andrew managed to get us sounding good, capture great performances and ultimately produce a unified piece of art from a goat rodeo. 😉

  2. Review by Taly
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    by Taly

    Working with Andrew is a joy. He made us feel comfortable and confident recording. The outcome was fantastic, sonic and left a raw element which really reflected our live energy.

  3. Review by Kevin Lacroix
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    by Kevin Lacroix

    Working with Andrew has always been a breeze! He brings ease, enthusiasm, attention to detail, and a willingness to explore that just makes everything better!

  4. Review by Byrne Rock
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    by Byrne Rock

    I had the pleasure of working with Andrew on two separate EP projects for my band. On the first one he took some really rough DIY recordings and made them sound a million times better. Andrew is professional, thoughtful, and has an incredible ear for mixing! It was a lot of fun collaborating.

  5. Review by Starr L.
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    Andrew did an amazing job on the voice work we needed for our game trailer and and game intro for Shroud of the Avatar. He was a true professional and incredibly easy to work with.

    www.shroudoftheavatar.com

    www.stellareffect.com

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starr_Long

Interview with Andrew Solin

  1. Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

  2. A: I started out as a guitar player, but when it came time to do a demo in one of the bands I was in, I jumped in and figured out how to hook our 4-track up to a mixer that we had in our rehearsal space. I was working in New York at temp jobs to support my music habit, until I found my way to a full-time job at a record company – Capital Jazz & Classics (Angel and Blue Note Records). Almost everybody that worked there was a great musician and I ended up doing some recording with a few of them. Working at the record company was great, but I wasn’t as involved in the creative process as I wanted to be, so I decided to get some formal training in recording at SAE Institute. Recording school allowed me to build a really strong foundation in audio and recording, and gave me a lot of experience using many different kinds of equipment including analog tape recorders and large format Neve and SSL consoles. After I graduated from SAE, I set out to get a full-time gig is a recording engineer in New York. For the next several years I spent all of my time in major recording studios in New York including: Shelter Island Sound, Dubway Studios, and a short stint at The Hit Factory (right before they closed up shop to make way for luxury condos).

  3. Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

  4. A: I would take an acoustic guitar, my stereo and my record collection.

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

  6. A: I'm a guitar player, so I usually gravitate to bands and artists that have guitar as part of the mix. My strength is creating an organic space with depth that draws the listener in, like they're listening to a live performance. That said, my tastes are quite broad, and I work on many different types of music, as long as I feel like I can contribute to the project. I have worked with Indie Bands, classical musicians, Broadway singers, and everything in between.

  7. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  8. A: I thrive in a collaborative environment. When I'm working with a band or artist, my mindset is that we are on a mission towards a common goal - to do what is best for the song and make it as great as it can be.

  9. Q: How would you describe your style?

  10. A: I take an organic approach to mixing which probably comes from the fact that I like vinyl records more than CDs, and I like mixers better than computers. I like the band to sound like a band, but I think of textures when mixing so I like to incorporate weird, experimental sounds in the mix when it's appropriate.

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

  12. A: Treating your listening environment (and recording space) with bass traps and other room treatment probably has a greater impact than any one piece of gear because it is always present and will influence every move that you make from recording through the final mix.

  13. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  14. A: Inspiration was easy to come by having had first-hand experience working in professional studios along side great engineers and producers such as: Steve Addabbo, Kevin Killen, Joe Ferla, James Farber, Dave McNair, Ray Martin, Jason Marcucci, David Winslow, Al Houghton and Mike Crehore.

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

  16. A: Most of my clients are looking for mixing and overdubs. They have recorded basic tracks or a complete session but don't have a treated room for mixing, or would like to have a project mixed by someone else.

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

  18. A: The first thing that I do is talk to the artist or band about the project and get as much information from them as possible to inform me as to what they want the song to sound like. I will find out what they are listening to, and what they have in mind as an artistic goal. A lot of times, they'll have a really good idea like "this should sound like the first track on..." Once I have a good grasp on that, I immerse myself in their influences. Bands that I work with usually have something in common with me musically, so I'll just go to my record collection and start listening. After that, I will start putting the track together (mixing it), and early on in the process I'll get a sample of the mix to the band to show the direction and confirm that it's headed toward the right place. There are always comments, and I welcome that. Then I'll send the track in for review when I consider it "done." There is usually one more round after that, plus/minus some really minor tweaks and then we move on to the next tune.

  19. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  20. A: My setup starts with the room. I've got a good amount of room treatment and some non-parallel walls that contribute to a really nice, even sounding listening space. I have Lynx Aurora converters that pass through a Dangerous 2-Bus LT mixer. I use Pro Tools, and try to keep my digital processing to a minimum with just essential plug-ins. Most of my sound comes from analog outboard EQ and Compression.

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

  22. A: Experience and perspective are my main contributions. All of the time that I've spent mixing and recording in my studio and other spaces makes me aware of what elements to bring out in a song and what technical issues might be present that need attention.

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Demo Reel Feat. The Normans, The Pink Meat, Fake Brain, The Mean Guitars

I was the Mixing Engineer on all, Recording Engineer on some, Guitar on some tracks in this production

Gear Highlights
  • Neve Mic Pre & EQ
  • Lynx Converters
  • Dangerous Summing Mixer
  • Smart Stereo Compressor
  • Shadow Hills Stereo Compressor
  • API EQ
  • Vintage DBX Compressors
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