Paul Matelski is a Los Angeles-based mix engineer, recording engineer, producer, and vocal tuner/editor. He has worked with artists such as Lindsey Stirling, DaBaby, $tunna 4 Vegas, Citizen Cope, etc... Fun fact: His client base spans artists from over 60+ countries! Paul works in genres ranging from pop, rock, R&B, hip hop to singer-songwriter.
I am a Los Angeles-based mix engineer, recording engineer, music producer, editing engineer, vocal tuner/editor, and audio restorationist.
I began engineering as a teenager, recording bands in my garage. Wanting to pursue my passion, I decided to study at Berklee College of Music where I graduated from the world-renowned Music Production and Engineering program. I studied with many industry professionals and became a very in-demand engineer for hundreds of clients. I also worked as a staff engineer at The Record Co. in Boston.
I then relocated to Los Angeles, where I began working at The Village Recording Studios and worked with many big name artists to later establish myself as a freelancer.
When it comes to working with clients, my philosophy is simple: Serve the client and give them the best product possible. Quite simply, I believe in doing great work for those who enlist my services.
I would love to learn more about your project. Please feel free to send me a message.
Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.
Credits
AllMusic verified credits for Paul Matelski2 Reviews
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If I were to summarize Paul Matelski's professional disposition in one word, the word would be "service." Paul is incredibly deft at his craft, yet very patient and attentive when listening to the input of his clients, which is only part of what assured me that my project was in great hands. Paul additionally took the time to explain his procedure and approach to creating the sounds we were mutually imagining, which meant I not only came away with a fantastic sounding product, but also a great learning experience to boot!
I approached Paul with a very ambitious project where every track called for a different lineup of instruments, ranging from four piece rhythm sections to horns and strings. He accepted recording, mixing, and mastering duties with enthusiasm, and the project was completed in an organized and professional manner. I'd love the chance to work with him again.
Interview with Paul Matelski
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I could go on endlessly about my gear, setup, instruments, and space. Let's just say I have what I need to get the job done right.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Brian Wilson, George Martin, Kuk Harrell, Sylvia Massy, Al Schmitt, Geoff Emerick, John Hill, Andrew Scheps, Rick Rubin, Joe Meek, Max Martin, and Stephen Desper immediately come to mind.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I most commonly work as a freelance recording engineer but as my profile indicates, I also do a lot of production, mixing, vocal tuning, etc...
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Rock, pop, hip hop, trap, jazz/neo-soul/funk, singer-songwriter. I'm lucky to have a diverse client base.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. If I have the choice of using the analog version of a piece of outboard gear (such as a compressor or delay) or an analog console, I will nearly always choose to use that. However, I believe that plug-in technology has gotten quite close to the real thing and DAW's such as Pro Tools have unquestionably made the record making process easier.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: A sense of enthusiasm! I get very excited about what my clients create and see it as my job to do whatever I can to make the song as good as possible. Whether it needs a stronger bridge, an improved arrangement, or simply a great mix, I want to provide that for my clients.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys because he inspired me to start producing and engineering in the first place. He's also an absolute legend in general.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: Some people tend to understate the true extent to which production/engineering is a service. It is really no different than hiring a plumber or an electrician. I urge my clients to consider that production/engineering services are the same as any other. You get what you pay for.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I like my productions, recordings, and mixes to sound big, wide, deep, and CLEAR! When it comes to recording, I like to utilize analog resources as much as possible. For mixing, I prefer to work 100% "in the box" or in a hybrid workflow.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been doing this for 10 years. I started off in my garage recording bands, then I went to Berklee and worked at a studio in Boston. Meanwhile, I was also freelancing a lot. I then graduated and moved to Los Angeles where I continue to freelance and work in various recording studios.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I have been fortunate enough to receive many complements on my recording skills, arrangements, and mixing chops so I would say those are my strongest skill(s).
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Just because you're hiring a music professional doesn't make it any different than hiring any other service professional (a plumber or electrician). Again, you get what you pay for.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I served as recording engineer for an artist named Natalia Nakopia, who is an amazing singer and neo-soul/funk songwriter. We tracked one of her songs in a 4 hour recording session. As we tracked, I was making a mix for everyone to hear. When Natalia and the other band members came back into the control room to listen to it, they all loved it. Natalia and one of the band members told me it sounded like a finished mix already! The mix took me 20 minutes to make. It was an extremely satisfying moment because I love to see my clients happy!
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: As I'm writing this answer, I'm in between working on a mix for a neo-soul song and a mix for a hard rock song. Fun stuff!
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Kate Brady.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Q: "Do you want me to send you reference tracks?" A: "Yes!!" Q: "Are you willing to make revisions?" A: "Yes! I offer two rounds of revisions for mixes, edits, and tunings!" Q: "Can we have a video call to discuss my project?" A: "Yes! I am more than happy to do that."
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: "If you start to undo things you did a couple hours ago, it's time to stop."
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I always start by identifying what the client wants and becoming familiar with the musical material I'm dealing with. I then identify the primary things that can be improved and take it from there. I'm almost always working "macro to micro".
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What are your goals for this project (whether they be creative, technical, or commercial)? What is your budget? When do you need this done by? In general, I'd rather over communicate than guess or leave people guessing. A 5 minute email asking for clarification may save hours of time.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To deliver the best possible work every time and to keep growing with every project I complete.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The fact that I can help others achieve their goals and also feel musically satisfied while doing so. Producing and engineering are musical tasks for people that enjoy them as much as I do.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: A Telefunken C251E, a GML 2020, a Pro Tools floating rig, Augsperger Classic 215H monitors, and a 421. If I'm gonna be stuck on a desert island, might as well have some high end stuff!
I was the Recording Engineer in this production
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $300 per song
- ProducerContact for pricing
- EditingContact for pricing
- Vocal compingAverage price - $100 per track
- Vocal TuningAverage price - $100 per track
- RestorationAverage price - $50 per hour
Quick turnaround time is the name of the game! I offer my clients two complementary revisions for mixes, masters, vocal tunings/compings/edits. Always willing to negotiate and work out a deal...
- Tame Impala
- Dua Lipa
- The Beatles
- Neve
- API
- SSL
- Universal Audio
- SoundToys
- iZotope
