Pop / Alt-Pop / R&B Mixing

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

A: Mixing Snow Tha Product's *BEFORE I CRASHOUT* — a full album, start to finish, where I got to build the entire sonic world. That's the dream: not just a song, but a whole record that lives or dies on your decisions. And YEONJUN's "Long Way Long Ride" — a moment that big deserves a mix that feels enormous. Those are the projects where everything I learned, from EastWest to years with Spike, fully clicked. My role on both: mixing engineer.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A mix of established and rising artists — recent mixes for MARIS, Paxton Smith, Lavengro, and Johnny Huynh's album, plus a steady stream of indie artists and producers I'm building long-term relationships with.

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

A: Lennon Leppert, really great up-and-coming producer in LA.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. The records I mix live on streaming — being in the box means total recall, fast revisions, and I can work from anywhere. The magic was never the medium; it's the decisions.

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

A: You'll love your mix, or we keep working. I move fast, I communicate constantly, and I don't stop until you're in love with how your music feels.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The moment a mix clicks. The vocal lands where it should, the low end locks in, and the whole record suddenly feels *finished*. I chase that feeling on every song.

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

A: "What's your royalty?" — I ask for 2% of the master royalty (the SoundExchange/streaming side) per mix. "How do you mix?" — bright, punchy, exciting. Glue and energy.

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

A: That an outside mixer is a luxury. The real value is objectivity — artists and producers live inside a song for months and lose perspective. A mixer hears it fresh and knows exactly what it needs.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Can you send your latest rough mix plus wet/dry stems? What's the vibe you're going for — any references? And when do you need it?

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

A: Make sure their taste lines up with yours — listen to their work first. If their mixes make you feel something, you're already on the same page.

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

A: My Mac, my interface, my main monitors, one great pair of headphones, and a stack of hard drives. That's the whole studio.

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

A: Playing since I was 11 — piano from age 6, trombone for 12 years. Frost School of Music at Miami, then Blackbird Academy in Nashville at 24. Five years climbing from intern to First Engineer at EastWest Studios in Hollywood, then several years as mix assistant to Mark "Spike" Stent. Now I mix full-time.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Clear, transparent, elevated, I love to uncover the song and let what’s already there speak.

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

A: Artists with something to say and the work ethic to match — the next wave of alt-pop, R&B, and pop acts with real traction. I want records that last.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Check your mix in mono and on small speakers. If the vocal and the groove survive there, they'll survive everywhere.

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

A: Mostly pop, alt-pop, R&B, and hip-hop — in stereo and Dolby Atmos. But honestly, if I can vibe with the song, I'm in.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Listening — to the song and to the client. I don't stop until the artist and producer are completely happy. It's their record; my job is to serve it.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Clarity and elevation. I uncover what's already in the song and let it speak — with the width, weight, and vocal placement it deserves.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I start with your rough mix and a conversation about direction — references, vibe, what you love and hate. Then I build the mix and refine it with you until it's right.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: In the box, anchored by my UAD rig and a couple key pieces of hardware I reach for on every mix.

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

A: Artists and producers pushing the envelope — the ones still discovering themselves and thinking forward. That hunger is contagious.

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

A: Full song mixes, stereo and Atmos. My number one goal is always the same: the artist and producer feel the emotion and energy they put in, translated at the highest level.