Mixer, Producer-Engineer

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

A: I usually tell people I work on Pop music as I feel Pop is inclusive of the many genres I work in. I've worked on quite a lot of R&B through the years, but I'm just as comfortable working in Hip Hop, Rap, Rock, EDM, Metal, Jazz, Broadway, etc.

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

A: I've always loved Trevor Horn. He's a truly innovative producer going back to the 80s and I respect what he's done to advance the recording industry as well as music.

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

A: A mix can't be great if the source isn't great, so start there. Many times I get asked to mix a song and I find it's not in condition to be mixed yet. Vocals need tuning, musical parts need timing correction or editing, or the arrangement needs to be tighter. This is the same type of work I usually do while tracking, making the best out of the tracks that have been recorded. I find it difficult to even concentrate on the mix until this is done. As I'm tightening things up, I'll be working on the basic sounds - making each instrument or vocal sound great and in context with the overall mix. Once there's a groove happening, I work on the vibe. I am creative with my approcah to sounds. I take calculated risks and rely on a wealth of experience of getting "hit record sounds", I keep creative and flowing - not sticking to any particular rulebook.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Edit. Editing is what makes the difference between a live recording and record production, it's an integral part of the process. Of course there's times where a performance is recorded and and is just fine on it's own; the best producers and engineers know when to leave well enough alone. However, most of the time it's all about the editing.

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

A: To work as hard as I can to deliver the best result I poossibly can.

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

A: I feel every project is different and different clients have different expectations. I try and work with clients within their budget framework and always give the project the best effort I possibly can.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Modern, artistic, competetive.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Making great music. I truly enjoy record making and seeing how people react to the end result. When someone loves the way a song sounds it makes me very happy.

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

A: That it's just about getting sounds and levels. To me it's about the emotional impact the song has on the listener. I work hard to take the listener on a trip, on a virtual ride through a new reality.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are you happy with with your current mix. What do you want to be different? What direction do you hear the final mix sounding like?

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

A: Communication is key. I don't mind the barrage of phone calls, emails, text messages, etc. that come with this type of work. Without an open line of communication there's no way to be on the same page, so don't be shy or think any comment isn't necessary. I'm open to comments, I have thick skin, I can take criticism. I also stand my ground when I think I'm right. However, at the end of the day music is about collaboration so I aim to make sure we're all proud of the end result.

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

A: I started as an intern at 17 years old in a local studio. As soon as I got my drivers license I got an internship, I was still in high school. After I graduated high school I went to Berklee College of Music for 3 years and continued interning and assisting. I almost didn't go back after the second year as I already had the job I wanted in New York. I ended up going back to Boston to try and finish up that year and when I got out decided I wanted to work at The Hit Factory. I took a job as a general assistant at Hit Factory and soon after became an assistant. Less than 2 years later I was engineering there and shortly after was mixing number one singles. My tenure at Hit Factory was unmatched. I had my own private studio there when I left to become a freelancer. Since then I've been freelancing, maintaining my production room and working out of a few choice studios here in New York. I've been doing this professionally about 20 years now.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My musical taste and ability. My technical chops. My desire to learn techniques while being able to rely on a wealth of experience.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: A perspective. I like to take a direction and go there. When I'm listening to a new project I get an idea in my head of where it needs to go and I do my best to take it there.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I'll ask to hear a rough mix of the song and ask what the client likes and doesn't like about it. I'll reference that rough mix and the notes I take while I'm working on the mix to make sure I don't get too far away from the original intent. Once I feel I'm at a pretty good place with the mix, I like to send it out for comments, usually the mix isn't completely done at this point as I'm looking to make sure I"m in the ballpark. Once we're in the ballpark, I get to making the final reference and send it out for notes. From there any revisions are made.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My first commercially released huge hit that was mixed "n the box" was in 1999, it was R.E.M.'s "The Great Beyond". I love console mixing and prefer SSL, Neve or API desks and when I can I'll create a hybrid mix both in the box and on the console, but, for flexibility and workflow I'm usually printing everything back to the computer for updates later. My studio has some of my favorite outboard pieces, and some floating gear that comes in and out as well. But for me the most important pieces of gear are an acoustically accurate control room, some great monitoring I'm familiar with and a good computer.