High-Touch Audio Mastering

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Q: Why do you only work with one client and project at a time? A: Juggling projects often lead to less than ideal client experiences and masters.

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

A: Probably that we obsess over LUFS and other readings or that mastering can fix a bad mix.

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

A: Making music since childhood, producing and mixing projects around 2005, mastering projects a short time later. We still produce or mix the occasional unicorn project.

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

A: Laptop, speakers or headphones, satellite link, solar power bank, bushcraft/survival kit.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Our typical work process is focusing on one client and project at a time to give you the attention you deserve. We begin working after project is funded and files & info are received. We deliver reference quality mp3s for approval within 1-2 business days of starting and deliver high quality final files within 1-2 business days of final payment and approval. We keep your session recalled and ready for unlimited mix changes, revisions, alt mixes and formats during your booking period (within reason) and make ourselves available during your post-project support period to assist however we can during the manufacturing and distribution process to ensure a smooth release.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Client work, transitioning our offline word-of-mouth businesses online (👋 SoundBetter).

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: We have and love both for different reasons. If something does a particular job effortlessly well that’s what we’re reaching for. Analog or digital be damned.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Doing what we love and helping others do the same.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Too many to just name one. We like working with passionate and talented artists that are fun to work with.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Big, open, dimensional.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Use your ears and intuition more than your head. Overthinking everything can hold you back.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Turning good mixes into compelling masters, attention to detail, openness to feedback.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Our taste, experience, objectivity.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Acoustically tuned room, Prism converters, B&W, NS10 and Auratone speakers, select analog and digital gear (Elysia, SSL, Waves, etc.), way too many plugins.

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

A: Wow, too many to name. There’s lot of good people that are doing (or have done) great things.

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

A: High-touch audio mastering for artists and artist teams (digital, streaming, ADM, CD, vinyl, cassette).

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

A: Check websites, social channels and SoundBetter if they have them and listen to portfolios. If you get good vibes reach out and make sure you feel the same after.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Aside from the typical questions about project details — we like to find out about the artist, stakeholders, what their goals and vision are for the success of the project, how that plays into the bigger picture and how they see our role in contributing to that success.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: That we’ll give you all we’ve got, one client and project at a time, and if you’re unable to approve your masters, you don’t pay for them. Guaranteed. No hard feelings.

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: It’s hard to name just one, but some of the most rewarding were when we’ve helped friends who stepped away from music release projects that helped them process life and get back to making music.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Yes, always happy to make a recommendation!

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

A: Rap, R&B, Pop, Latin, Rock, Metal.