// Mix Engineer // Producer //

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

A: I've been making music full-time since 2009, professionally since 2005. I started my career as a session/touring drummer where I got to perform around the US, Canada, and UK opening for artists like WALK THE MOON, CHARLI XCX, THE WOMBATS, YEARS & YEARS, ANDREW McMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS, JOYWAVE, and more. My old band (CHEERLEADER) even had some music in TV shows (Ozark) and Video Games (Guitar Hero: LIVE). I tried my best to learn from every one of those experiences and apply what I've learned into every project that I work on. It's fun. Like REAL fun.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Sonic style? Big vocals, big drums, dynamic and dramatic mixes that kick your teeth in (but keep you coming back for more). Fashion style? ASOS clearance section (just calling it how I see it).

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

A: I was asked by my friends Dan & Tord from The Wombats to do some remixing for their new side project Sunship Balloon. I coordinated with three artists I work with, and we tag-teamed two new remixes. I co-produced and mixed both songs, and I'm incredibly proud of how they turned out - not just the sonics, but also the experience. They're on Spotify if you'd like to take a listen: https://spoti.fi/35Ymb2V

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Sarcastic answer: filling out my profile questionnaire. Existential answer: gradually growing and developing each day in an attempt to become a better human. Realistic answer: there's a 63.7% chance that I'm drinking coffee as you read this.

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

A: Tomás Shannon is a stellar session drummer that I've used on a bunch of projects and have always been crazy happy with the results. Lucas Gienow has been my go-to vocal editor for the past few years and he is a freak of nature when it comes to getting tight but natural vocal edits.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Kinda like asking "Food or drink and why?" Depends on the moment, the mood, the need, and the desire.

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

A: I won't stop until you are head-over-heels in love with your song.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Meeting other creatives and working together to turn their visions into realities. Specifically, I've been VERY fortunate to have worked with artists in 13 countries so far (as of the writing of this answer) and I looooooove learning more about different musical cultures. Love it love it love it.

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

A: The most common questions often require the most individualized answers. Every project has different needs, so common questions about budget, timeline, etc usually require some follow-up questions to determine what the project REALLY needs.

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

A: The biggest misconception is that mixing all about balancing and EQ and compression and reverb and yada yada. Sure, mixing INVOLVES those things, but what a mix is really all about ensuring that every sound is supporting your story, not getting in the way or distracting from the story.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What do you love about the song so far? Which part do you think needs the most work? What are your sonic goals for the project? What are your career aspirations? Followup: How do you want this project to help push you toward those goals? What are the biggest obstacles you've had with collaborating remotely, and how can I help to ensure a smooth workflow?

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

A: Try to make sure that the provider you choose is genuinely invested in helping you to get the best results possible - and not just genuinely invested in getting your money.

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

A: I fully acknowledge how pretentious this may sound, but I don't think any individual piece(s) of gear defines my sound (or my happiness)... so I don't think I have any particular gear that I'd bring. But if HAD to answer, probably some jug-band jugs and washboards - I may as well be a little practical whilst trapped on a remote island.

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

A: 99% of what I do is pop or pop-leaning styles: Indie pop, dark pop, alt-pop, pop-leaning hip-hop, etc. If your goal is for people to SMASH THAT REPEAT BUTTON, chances are we'll probably be a good fit!

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

A: I'd love to work with someone like The Weeknd, Troye Sivan or The 1975 - not just to work with THEM, per se, but it would be such an insane learning opportunity work with the TEAMS that they have. The best of the best of the best. Even to just be a fly on the wall would be amazing.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: This is more of a production philosophy tip, but KNOW WHEN YOU'RE NOT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB. Or, more specifically, know when you're not the right person FOR A PARTICULAR ASPECT of the job. A good example is that personally, I CAN do vocal editing if I need to... but if I can find someone that is better than me, faster than me, cheaper than me (and let's be real, probably enjoys doing it more than me), why would I NOT recommend them for that role? Speaking of, if you need a vocal editor my good friend Lucas Gienow is on SoundBetter and is FANTASTIC (just sayin').

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Sonically - I'm really great at wrangling huge track counts and wall-of-sound productions, so big bombastic arrangements don't scare me. Personally - I'm really great at figuring out what can/should be done to make your song outrageously memorable, and putting together a killer team specifically for that song to achieve the goals.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Decades of professional musical experience, a teamwork-focused approach, an open mind, and the determination to make your song as bad@$$ as humanly possible.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I want to make sure we stay true to the vision (even if that vision develops over time) so I try to get inside your head and understand what you're looking for, even before we start making any sonic decisions. As the project moves along, I like to send work-in-progress "checkpoint" versions just to make sure that I'm going in the right direction. If so, I'll keep moving in that sonic direction and if not, we'll chat about what we think needs to be tweaked.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I mix in a humble-but-well-treated studio in my home (thanks, COVID) and my monitoring rig was custom built by Tom Conran at Atom Sonic Concepts. I have a lot of the same plugins that other engineers have - but my ears and my taste are what set me apart from other engineers. I use a handful of local/regional studios when I need access to a larger room for tracking sessions.

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

A: Cheesy (but very true) answer: everyone that I've had the opportunity to work with. But also some fantastic engineers like Rob Kinelski, Serban Ghenea, Michael Brauer, Jaycen Joshua, Andrew Maury, Matt Huber, Jeff Ellis and a zillion others.

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

A: I'm a problem-solver that mixes with a producer's ear. The vast majority of artists who hire me to mix their songs also want me to help them with those pesky final production obstacles that they need help smoothing out. Sometimes that means replacing drum sounds, sometimes that means helping to find that missing "thing" that will help the bridge be more emotional, and other times that means just telling them "You crushed it! Stop second-guessing yourself!"