Mixing and Guitar Sessions

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

A: I produced and co-wrote two albums for a contemporary Blues act called Kat&Co. which, in my opinion, is the most interesting thing in Blues coming out of the UK at the moment. I also loved mixing Knoel Scott solo album (Sun Ra Arkestra)

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

A: I have been working with Adres Mayo for a while anbd he's my go to engineer for mastering

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

A: I can polish and greatly improve a bad recording, even fix a bad performance, but I can't turn a bad production into gold

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

A: Make sure you know what you want and give me plenty of directions and references

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

A: I wouldn't expect electricity on a desert island so I guess an acoustic guitar and something to brew coffee. Jokes aside, I could work with a good work station, my ATC monitoirs, great converters and a versatile Class A compressor

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

A: I love Sting, great performer, great voice and great song writer but I also love artists in the Jazz and Blues scene, they tend to require a very transparent but focused approach

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I tend to work in the box but, at one point or another, I usually run the material through my analogue gear to slightly colour the sound (if needed) and soften the transients. I find most of the recordings I receive too digital sounding and harsh in the top end, and by running the audio through valves and good quality outboards, I usually manage to thicken up the sound and make it more musical and easier to work with. I obviously check for phase issues and I am often asked to edit performances to tighten up groove and performances. After the files are in order, I mix in the box striving for clarity and separation between the parts, creating a soundscape for the voice to properly sit in it. In the final stage, to slightly glue everything in, I tend to run the mix through my Neve or Elysia bus compressors to achieve a couple of dbs of reduction using a gentle ratio (generally 1.5:1 ).

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

A: Production work including mixing and guitar sessions

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

A: I look after every project as if it is my own, offering insight and advises when needed and requested and always doing my absolute best. Plus I will only take payment if the client is satisfied with the results

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I have been a professional musician for more than 25 years and I know how to edit parts and reinforce a groove when it's a bit loose. I like musicians who play in the pocket and I can greatly improve a performance in post production, if needed. I also developed a deep understanding of frequencies and how to control them dynamically and the fact that I use mastering grade monitors (ATC 50) is of great help in my line of work.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Tracking vocals correctly is essential because there is very little that can be done to fix it later. I always make sure I have a clear and possibly high end signal chain, from the mic to the converters, and I like to use an EQ to high pass what is not needed in the lower range and to soften harshness and loud resonance in the voice. After that I use a compressor with a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 to gently control dynamics and I always make sure not to run my gain stages too hot to avoid "burning" a take. If done correctly, the singer will easily ride the compressor and won't need top push too much, easing the pressure on the mic diaphragm and reducing the risk of adding harshness to the take.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A traditional southern Blues album and a new production for a duo of young and extremely talented siblings

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog and Digital together because of what they can both offer

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love a finished product and the chance to be part of the process

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

A: "What desk do you use?", "how much will it cost?", "how long will it take?" to which I answer "I don't use a desk anymore", "it depends on the job" and "it depends on your deadline and how much you are satisfied with the result. I am happy to do many revisions if needed"

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: If it's a guitar session, I usually discuss choice of guitar, amps and pedals (when needed) and it helps to know what sound the client is after and to have as many references as possible (Paul Jackson Jr and Nile Rodgers both play funk but each one in his own style). If it's a mix they are after, I enquire about the recording process and discuss what I can and cannot achieve on the basis of the audio quality provided (a badly recorded drums will affect the whole audio spectrum for example). Once I start mixing, it helps to have references to previous works and other songs to compare to.

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

A: I started off by playing guitar and slowly got into songwriting, producing and engineering. I have now been working professionally for 25 years and I can cover many roles, being equally comfortable on stage or in the studio

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Not sure how to answer this question

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

A: Blues, Jazz and Indie-Rock

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Hopefully my sensitivity and expertise, and I am not afraid of turning down songs if I am not familiar with the style of music

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio is interfaced by a patchbay and the latest Antelope Audio Converters. That allows me to work in the box but also make use of my Neve Compressors, Drawmer Valve EQs and a selection of Preamps. I tend to use mastering grade plugins and I monitor my work through a pair of ATC scm 50

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

A: I like artists who can conceive their work from start to finish, people who can write, arrange, play multiple instruments and ultimately produce their own work. Many obvious famous names come to mind, but in this day and age many people work independently and it's a pleasure for me to work with them on a daily basis. Their drive and clear vision often inspire me.