Secret Service Studio on SoundBetter

Achieving super analog sound while working 100% 'in-the-box'. Got skills and the gear needed for A-grade mixes. If your multitrack lacks punch and drive, I can add/replace drums by live acoustic kits.

My main area of expertise is mixing rock/funk/blues/alternative, and remixing. Additionally, being a drummer for musician, I can improve your beats in various ways. This may include complete replacement of the original drumtrack or anything like adding a few accents.

I do offer my services as (junior) mastering engineer. However, this must be seen at an intermediate level; I lack a properly treated room to serve as mastering studio. That said, I do charge rates for mastering that are way lower than professional grade masters. Therefore please consider my services as B-grade mastering (just being honest here).

Mostly, I will require one or more reference tracks. In that way, we can agree a lot easier on your desired 'sound' than by discussing over and over (especially because I have a remote studio).

Mixing outside my own genres is something I really would like to do. If you can go along with longer workflows and more feedback in my direction, you might like the ideas that I will agree to charge a lot less for the mixes.

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

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Interview with Secret Service Studio

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: 100% Digital. e-drumkit with Superior Drummer (NY avatar edition) and EZX Funk masters and SDX Indiependent ASUS i7 8 GB, quad core. Mixcraft 8 Pro Studio (insane stock plugin collection), high end plugin collection (most from plugin alliance). Native Instruments Komplete audio 6 interface, KRK Rokit 5 G3 nearfield monitors, AKG k271 mkII Studio headphones, AKG perception 5 live! microphone The studio is an attic with no rectangular shapes at all. The ceiling is pointed, lots of shelves, books, drawers, carpets. The atmo is nowhere near 'lively'.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I mixed the whole debut album of our band, made a bandcamp site and put everything on it. Also, all of our tracks were distributed across all big streaming platforms.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: The singer of our band TrippleTree has been replaced. This means we're recording everything anew from scratch. So, lots of mixing!!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital. I can make it sound analog cos I got gear for that. It's faster, it is less costly, and it doesn't break down. Well, the computer crashes from time to time, but there are ways around that.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: It will be a mix like no other
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: It feels like sculpting. The outcome can be a thing of beauty, that was hidden inside the recording
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: How do you achieve that? Answer: I just do
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: Mixing is easy
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Can I have reference tracks to point in the desired direction? How fast do you want me to work? Can you cut down on tracks? Number 21 and up are not adding as much a you think
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: the first mix should be paid after completion and delivery.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: drumkit internet computer DAW headphones my music collection audio interface
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Weekend night DJ in dance clubs - age 20-24 Drumming - infrequently, age 28 - 38 Drumming - regular, age 47-52 (now) Mixing - practice and study, 2010-2015 Mixing for bands, 2015 -2018 Mixing course by professional engineer - 2017 Pro Mix Academy mixing contest - 2017
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Mixing - loud Drumming - relentless
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Stewart Copeland, because after drumming for the Police, he emerged as composer
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Never mix and master the same product in one day
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: rock, alternative
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: direction
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: The drummer's perspective: punch and energy
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Arranging the tracks in order: drumtracks-bass tracks-guitar tracks-keys-extras-vocals. First drums and bass must get 'in the pocket'. If the performance is just poor, I will stop here and either send back the project or agree with client upon drums replacement. When drums and bass align, I will eq everything without compression. Then I will introduce submixes per sound sorce and apply (parallel) compression, always on drums, bass and vocals. Other tracks might require compression, or not. Many times, I use 3 send tracks - reverb, delay and analog emulation (saturation, pentode and triode tubes). Mostly, I finish the mix with stereo and mid-side placement.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Songwriters, guitarists, bass players
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Mixing and remixing multitracks Session drumming Gigs drumming