Remote Mix Engineer

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Currently, I am recording and mixing an EP for an Americana-inspired indie rock band's first release. I am also recording and mixing my own project, an 80's-influenced indie synth-pop album.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: A typical mix of around 36-48 tracks generally takes 2-3 hours to complete. I've tried to be systematic in how I mix, but that usually only goes so far as how I organize the sessions. Every song is different and needs to be treated differently and uniquely. Sometimes I work out from the vocals, sometimes from the drums. Sometimes it's a particular guitar lick or synth line that anchors the mix. Songs are like people--no two are alike. Then, I will take a day to reflect on it and listen back with fresh ears before making tweaks. Finally, I run the mix through as many audio systems as possible: main monitors, Avantone Mix Cubes, multiple home and car stereo systems, laptops, ear buds, and consumer- and pro-grade headphones. When it sounds good on all of them, you're on pretty solid footing.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: There is no beating an analog front end. Despite how good emulations sound (and they get closer and closer all the time), they still are not quite able to capture the nuance and uniqueness of analog hardware. However, the stability and ease of workflow digital provides, especially in terms of editing, recall, and flexibility, is unmatched. I'm also a big believer in running soft synths through analog hardware and bringing them back into the DAW for the mix.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What music do you love? What does this song mean to you? What is it's inspiration? How do you describe your music in non-musical terms? What does it feel like? Look like? What's its vibe?

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

A: I've been playing music for over twenty years. I studied audio engineering at the Madison Media Insititute but mainly applied what I learned to my own music. It is only recently that I've found I enjoy mixing other people's songs much more than mixing my own. It's extremely satisfying when someone gets excited about your mix of their tunes. As a newcomer to this profession, I'm enthusiastic to work with as many artists across as many genres that I can.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Listening and being service-minded. I'm here to support your music.

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

A: Recently, I ran a recording session for an artist, which included a 12-mic drum setup, multiple-mic setups on guitar, bass, piano, electric keys, and various percussion instruments, all recorded in a room just big enough to fit the instruments in. While the recording was done in a small space, I was able to create a much larger sounding room, reminiscent of big studio recordings in the 1990s for bands like the Gin Blossoms, Ryan Adams, and Matthew Sweet (touchpoints for the artist). This was achieved by carving out frequency and dynamic roles for the instrument at the point of recording, capturing one shots of the drum elements to trigger ambience, and utilizing room mics in creative ways.

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

A: To keep working until you sit back, listen to your mix, and say "hell yeah!"

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Take your time getting your sounds while recording, and focus on capturing your most authentic take.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring an objective ear and a deference to your vision. My goal is to create a mix with a sense of depth and openness that reflects the emotional journey you're taking the listener on. I want your music to shine and represent your talent in the best possible way.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My home studio is primarily set up for mixing. I use a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, which has multiple outputs for reamping through my Vox AC4TV or through my Daking Mic Pre One for added analog flavor. I have several effects pedals available including the Way Huge Green Rhino, vintage black Russian Big Muff, vintage EHX Small Stone, Zvex Fuzz Factory, Earthquaker Device's Sea Machine, and Soundblok's Mulitwave Bass Distortion. I have a giant arsenal of plugins from Waves, Slate Digital, Soundtoys, Izotope, and more.

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

A: Lately, I've been inspired by Jonathan Wilson and Tame Impala's Kevin Parker. But I have a wide range of tastes: Pink Floyd, ASAP Rocky, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Toto, Childish Gambino, Warpaint, Pixies, Michael Jackson, Miley Cyrus, Kid Cudi, Sia, all Scandinavian pop music (!); anything Nigel Godrich, Tchad Blake, Andy Wallace, and more.