Charlie Q. on SoundBetter

No Grammy's here; but, with a background in psychology and music production, I take the time to listen to my clients. As a team, we will turn dreams into reality. Whether you have something barely fleshed out that needs full production and engineering, or if you're almost there and need that "Fairy Dust" to make your mix sit. We can get you there.

Background:
I started my musical career early on by learning how to "pick" with my grandpa and his Country band. From there I moved onto playing in a couple metal bands and started to learn that I love turning a vague idea into a fleshed out piece. This inspired me to focus on theory and composition rather than focusing on any singular instrument. After learning what a DAW is, I hastily installed FL Studio and have been lost in this journey since. That was 10 years ago and I have since moved onto learning both Ableton and Pro tools.

Services:
This leads to where I am today. I work with individuals in the DAW of their choice and seek to provide the most professional (but fun) experience possible. Whether it's making a fat beat or completely mixing a project from scratch, we will work together to make sure your message is heard.

This may include:
Sound Design - Unique, recognizable sounds from scratch. (Serum, Massive, Kick 2, and Kontakt are my main weapons of choice)
Beat making from scratch - no samples used (yes, even for drums)
Recording - anything from vocals to drums
Mixing - Singular tracks or stems
Mastering - Let's get it loud and clear

Specialization:
I specialize in bass heavy music like EDM and Hip Hop/Rap; but, love to work with any genre.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

3 Reviews

Endorse Charlie Q.

by Andres Mayo
Verified (Client)
Second time working with Charlie. He is very talented, the tune is great and the mix was excellent, so it was an overall wonderful experience, and I thank him for trusting me once again with his music.
by Andres Mayo
Verified (Client)
Working with Charlie has been amazing indeed. Such a nice guy! Extremely professional, always trying to improve his own mix until we got to a really good final product. Look forward to working with him again! 5 stars.
by KUYANO
Verified (Client)
Such a pleasure working with Charlie, super talent and a great communicator! Looking forward to work with him again in the future. Thanks!

Interview with Charlie Q.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Currently, I just finished up a personal EP and have since moved on to mixing for local EDM artists.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Yes! I've used Andres Mayo as a mastering engineer in the past and can highly recommend him if you want a rich analog sound.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I work in both and they both have their own purposes. Sometimes the coloration from analog equipment actually ruins the "fat" sound you're looking for. Other times, Digital can sound thin and lifeless. It all depends on the situation.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That I will always listen to what you're saying. I may not always agree, but I will always take the time to actually hear you and your vision.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: "How can I sound like (insert famous artist)" - my answer is always - "Sounding like (X) is great but I want to hear what you sound like! There's already a (X) in the world."
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That you have to be perfect to be amazing.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What are your 3 favorite qualities about your music?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: My only advise would be to be yourself. Whatever that may mean. Not all of us are Mozart and it would be a real drag if we were. I'd rather provide a service for you wherever you're at, rather than try and force perfection. That will come with time.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My keyboard, an interface, PC, monitors, and a microphone. Everything you need to write a hit track.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started at 17 with making beats in FL and taught myself all the way up to starting an Audio Engineering program at Robert Lang Studio's. From there, I have been branching out in the local Seattle area for the past year and would like to Produce/ Engineer for the rest of the foreseeable future.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: My style is dark and warm. I usually end up writing in a minor key with major overtones that cause a nostalgic feeling. Though, I can switch that up dependent on the job.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would love to work with either Miley Cyrus or Royksopp. Miley, because her voice would fit perfectly into my style; and, Royksopp because their sound design is through the roof.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: When writing an EP/Album, think of 3 adjectives you want to describe that album. Then for each track, ask yourself. "Does this fit the overall tone, or is it intentionally contrasting the tone?"
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: EDM, Hip Hop, and Rap are my usual work.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skills are my sound design and mixing.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: What I bring most to a song is my ability to perspective take. Who is my listening audience and how can I put myself in their shoes. Then, form the song around that perspective. Sound wise, I have an arsenal of hundreds of custom made presets/ samples that offer a dark but present tone.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: It depends on what service I'm needed for. For mixing, I start by Cleaning everything up to get rid of unwanted artifacts, then balancing the mix with panning and gain staging, applying effects, and finally, automation.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My studio is humble, but in my experience, less is more. I have a pair of Rokit 5's, a NI Komplete Kontrol keyboard, and a pair of Senheiser HD 650's (my secret weapon for a clean mix).
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm inspired most by "Rezz", "Royksopp", and Travis Scott.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Usually, most of my work is in Mixing but beat making is a close second.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: That I get to help people achieve their dreams.