Metal Mixing and Mastering

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work mainly in-the-box in Cubase / Pro Tools. I monitor through PMC IB1S-AIII and Adam Audio S2.5A with a sub, plus a pair of NS10s. Usually rely on Fabfilter, Waves, Slate, Eventide and UAD. I use some analog outboard gear for stems and mix bus: Thermionic Culture Fat Bustard, SSL bus compressor, Looptrotter MONSTER COMPRESSOR.

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

A: Metal, rock, electronic music, indie, pop.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I start with listening to a rough mix or a preview if I get one from the client. First, I try to get the idea what the song is about, what emotions it carries, what are the strong/weak points, the structure and the rough sound. I take notes and get to file maintenance stage, get them all properly named and checked for mono/stereo issues. Next I import the files to my DAW and set the session, check and align phases where needed, set the right gain stages. Only then I start listening to what's going on and usually doing big, bold moves to get the best possible mix within the first hour. This is the creation stage, carving the main sound. At this point I take a break to get a perspective. When I come back I get into details, first the core instrumental stuff, drum replacement if needed, surgical eq moves and so on, then the vocals, vocal effects and some basic automation I feel needs to be there right away. At this point I usually do some editing, but only the things that really bother me. When the mix is 80-90% ready I send it to the client to check if the direction is ok. Only then if we're good I get to the detailed editing, cleanup, time alignment and tuning. I tend to delay the editing stage to focus more on the mix and the creative side while the song is fresh to me. Lastly, I make tons of automation, especially for vocals, effects and subgroups. I usually finish the mix after 2-3 revisions.

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

A: Recently I've been mostly mixing and mastering music albums.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both have their pros and cons. Love digital for recall and editing capabilities, love analog for the magic.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The moment I start a new mix and the moment the client is happy about the end result.

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

A: Can you fix the parts where I played/sang out of key/time? The answer is yes, to some degree. If you hit a note or a couple of them a little off, but the entire performance makes me feel something, then sure, no problem. If a part is lifeless and the majority of notes are off I suggest you record it again.

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

A: That the mix will fix everything that wasn't done properly in the writing/recording process. Especially that the mix fixes poorly arranged songs or performances with no vibe or feeling. The magic has to be there from the start and I'm here to help you augment it, get it to the next level.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: About their artistic and timbral vision, what they want to express emotionally. Sometimes with large sessions I ask about priorities, which instruments are key and which can go to the backgroud. I also ask about reference tracks.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Be true in what you do.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: A fresh, musical perspective, technical expertise, and sometimes some production assistance. It happens a lot that we get rid of some tracks that don't cut it or overcrowd the arrangement, or add stuff that wasn't there to bring out a section/moment of a song.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Musicality, the ability to understand the tracks I get in terms of structure, arrangement, voicing, harmony, rhythm and the way all these attributes progress in the song. I play guitar, bass, keys, drum machines and sing, so there's also no risk that I'll focus on e.g., drums, because I'm a drummer. That enables me to contribute to the song not only technically, but also creatively. Apart from that - patience and communication.