Analog Mixing Engineer

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I use as much analog equipment as humanly possible. Every piece of gear has its own sound with a unique and inspiring history. Manipulating analog hardware keeps my mind on the music instead of getting distracted by computer graphics. Plus, classic analog sounds fantastic!

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My mixing technique is much more akin to improvising music than taking on some technical feat. I've spent many years getting the technical stuff out of the way so that I can just let the song speak to me and forget about everything else. My performative mixing style is the reason I prefer to use an analog console; it's hands-on mixing the whole song at once, as opposed to scrolling around a screen listening to one thing at a time.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I mix in analog using my SSL AWS 900 console, classic hardware analog compressors, vintage hardware reverbs, and more. I use Pro Tools HD for prepping and playback.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The sense of satisfaction I feel when the mix comes together, and I help the client create something amazing.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Lately, I've been getting into the GoPro mixing thing. I feel like the art of mixing has seemed very mysterious, and even almost secretive at times. The idea of showing the world exactly what I do and how I do it is rather exciting.

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

A: That would likely be confusion about the differences between mixing and mastering. Mixing is the blend, or balance, of all channels that have been recorded. A good mix will have a good level balance and good tonal balance, and a great mix will also have creative decisions that serve the song and make it the best it can be. Mastering is the process of checking the final stereo mixdown, sometimes making a tonal change if needed, and sometimes increasing level if required, and often mastering consists of doing nothing at all. All mixes I provide have sufficient volume and rarely need any tonal adjustment by a separate mastering engineer.

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

A: I mostly mix Rock, but I've done my fair share of Metal, EDM, Hip-Hop, and even Gospel, among other styles.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What style is your music? Could you send me a link to or file of your rough mix so I can hear it?

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

A: Absolutely! I'm proud to recommend my assistant Samantha. You can find her profile here on Soundbetter listed as "Mixed by Samantha".

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

A: Rivermaker. Great band! I've recorded and produced them several times over the years. I mixed 3 of their latest songs late last year.

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

A: Is mastering included? Yes. Every mix I do is carefully checked to meet mastering standards. If you would like an un-mastered version of the mix, I can provide upon request.

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

A: Honestly, I love to work on great music regardless of who the artist is.

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

A: Regarding your multi-tracks: Take some time organizing your filenames in a way that's easy to understand.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My experience.

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

A: Absolute commitment! I am determined to help you achieve your artistic vision.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: 18 years of mixing experience. I listen to the music and it always tells me what to do.

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

A: I've been a musician for about 30 years and been working in the field of audio engineering for over 20 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I grew up on 70's and 80's rock and pop music, so those sounds are deeply imprinted in my mind. I like big drums, thick bass, wide guitars, rich synths, and passionate vocals.

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

A: My SSL analog mixing console, my Barefoot MicroMain27 monitors, my Lavry Gold AD122-96 converter, my LA3A hardware compressors, and my 1176 hardware compressors.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Quality over quantity is preferable when it comes to tracks and instrumentation. Layering something that sounds mediocre won't make it sound any better, but layering something great will make it sound bigger.

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

A: Randy Staub, Mike Shipley, Chris Lord-Alge, Michael Brauer, Tom Elmhirst, to name a few.

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

A: My primary focus is on mixing. By just specializing in mixing I am always able to focus on getting the best results for this task.