Eric Westmaas on SoundBetter

My approach to mixing could be summarized simply as: "Feel = Everything."

The process of working with an artist to best understand their vision for the emotional quality of their music is what I prefer to focus on most. Because when any of us put a pair of headphones on or crank up our speakers, we are pursuing some brand of emotional experience. This is what I strive to give the listener: the kind of emotionally engaging experience the artist is after. This is also why I place a strong emphasis on the discussion of creative direction before mixing begins.

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

13 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client

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by Lip A.
Verified
Eric was one hell of a find. I cant stand all of this digital messaging, we trasfering, 400 emails, etc for one song. We traded a few messages, met up, got the song done quickly. He's a great hang, excellent at what he does, was in a good mood, listened to what I had to say, very reliable on communication after the fact, and had great ideas for some finishing touches. Highly recommended!
by Tyler E.
Verified
Another fantastic mix! Tons of moving parts and I can hear absolutely everything. Super crisp and clear modern vocal production. Was easy to communicate with and took care of our notes quickly. Will definitely work together more in the future.
by Tyler E.
Verified
Eric did a fantastic job! I had a song with a dense track count and he blew us away with his mix. He was very detail oriented, easy to work with, and very professional.
by Ashley K.
Verified
Eric is a true professional. He is more than a mixing engineer, this is his art. He takes the time to listen and really feel the song. He takes into consideration the message of the artist and the song and does his best to convey that. He will work on whatever revisions are needed until you are completely satisfied. I highly, highly recommend working with him and I know you will be happy with his work!!
by Clayton Stroope
Eric helped to make our track absolutely massive! Loved his mix and how quickly he was able to deliver a finished product! Will definitely be needing his magic touch on future tracks.
by Imroel Quays
Eric is one of those rare mix engineers that understands where the artist is coming from. He really has a love of music and this comes across in the manner in which he works. It's not a 'track done as quick as possible now pay absurd amount of money please and walk away slightly underwhelmed' type scenario which is often something encountered in the mix industry. I work with lots of layers and Eric really found a way to open up the mix without disturbing any texture and brought out the different timbres whilst retaining a sense of space.I would highly recommend him he's got great ears.
by Michael McQuaid
Eric is an incredibly talented mixer. I've gotten the pleasure of working with him and he's brought my song to the next level. He brings a sense of emotion into his mixing that is hard to find. He's also quick and time efficient! I would highly recommend him working on your project. 10/10
by ELIYYA LANE
I worked with Eric on a number of songs throughout my career because of his excellent ear and, more importantly to me, his attentiveness to my sound and what I was going for. I sent him a song that was very raw and he transformed it to a commercial sounding track that has received more attention than any of my other songs out. I have gone back to him for his mixes time and time again. You will not be displeased with his work. It is obvious how much passion he has for making music sound even better.
by Moana Mcartney
I worked with Eric as he mixed my second single, he found me on social media and expressed how much he loved my vibe and kept touching base over a few months while I was getting things together. I appreciated so much that he stuck to his word. When the project did start, he was an absolute pleasure to work with. First of all he is so amicable and receptive, therefore I looked forward to our sessions and I always knew he was really listening to what I was explaining and really trying to honour my vision. Throughout the process I felt so understood. I would highly recommend working with Eric!
by Colleen Francis
Eric has done several amazing mixes for me! Everything sounds so smooth and clean. He’s quick and super easy to work with. He does a great job of adding his own creative spin. This is definitely the second set of ears you want on your production!
by Andrew H
Eric has a fantastic ear for mixing and a creative mind to help bring your project to life. He's a fun guy to work with, and can easily act as an unofficial member of your band. He really puts a lot of himself in his work, which in turn helps keep us as musicians on top of our game.
by Tyler Ewing
Can't say enough good things about Eric! He has a great set of ears and has a true talent for mixing. He's easy to work with and goes the extra mile to not only get it right, but to put a unique, musical stamp on everything he does.
by James Lampe
I highly recommend working with Eric on any mixing project, no matter the genre or style. I have worked with him on super heavy tracks, indie pop/rock and soft acoustic tunes. With each project he brings an artistic ear and a genuine enthusiasm. I have always received beyond positive responses from listeners after hearing tracks I have worked on with him. Also Eric rules- you'll have fun working with him.

Interview with Eric Westmaas

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Pop, Art Rock, Indie and Experimental music: if I had to play the genre name-game.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I'm not happy until you are.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: There is a huge misconception I think for some that what mixers do is purely technical and can be achieved by particular plugin chains or "settings."
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Excitement and curiosity to find its heartbeat.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What sort of feel are you going for with this song? Do you have any particular favorite artists/singles/albums I should reference for any mix aspects that you like? ...Oftentimes the goal here isn't necessarily to imitate any of these influences blatantly - but I've found it can be helpful for me to know what has been informing some of the artist's stylistic decisions throughout their writing and production process.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Andy Wallace - Joe Barresi - Andrew Scheps - Tchad Blake - Steve Evetts - Ross Robinson - Trent Reznor
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Bjork because it would blow my mind wide open.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Using mid-side EQ to focus the low-end information of an element in the center can often be quite useful...I've found this particularly useful with synths that need to be fairly "full-spectrum" and feel more powerful+commanding in a mix.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Communication with the client I am working for and willingness to do whatever it takes to get us to a result we are both extremely satisfied with.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: As I work on my initial balance I have a few questions often floating around in my mind: What is the emotion of this song? Where is its pulse? Where is my attention supposed to be drawn as I listen across it? Then intuition gradually takes hold as I set about "solving problems." Which of these I tend to focus on and for how long is largely determined via instinct...Then I eventually find myself having established a mix that sounds "like something" and is engaging to listen to from top to bottom. At that point I get the artist's ears on my work up to that point and we begin the collaborative process of revisions until we are both 100% happy with where the final result has landed :)