Specializing in mixing and mastering for more aggressive genres and styles while providing pop-quality production standards.
Mixing and Mastering to give you the edge needed for maximum reach potential. Professional editing whether time-alignment for music or precise dialogue editing for post. Graduated with a B.S. in Audio Production from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) with a minor in Entertainment Technology.
If you do heavy music, I am your guy. I specialize in technical metal genres.
I often travel between Nashville, TN, Washington, D.C., and San Diego, CA. If you're in one of these areas and want to rent out a studio then I can assist with tracking as well, however, mixing and mastering is where I shine.
I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.
Interview with Chris Lazzaro
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: Short Stay's EP was my first REAL album I was putting out into the world under my name. They gave me the shot and we both came out satisfied. I did the mixing, reamping, and editing and will always remember working on that album as the first thing I worked on after starting to learn about and taking mixing seriously
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Metal. Technical death metal, djent, hardcore, anything heavy I tend to work on. I'm not a one trick pony, however, and can work on other genres with the same level of quality delivery.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Mixing... hands down... it's where my passion sits and it shows.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I'm best known for my vocal and drum sounds. I enjoy making drums punchy and aggressive and making the vocal shine. I bring out the life, emotion, and energy in your music.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I receive the tracks, will usually have a client-ready test-mix by the next day. I work with the artist on achieving their ideal sound, I check the master through about 6 different listening areas to make sure the mix will translate.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Right now I mostly keep things in the box with a Universal Audio interface and thousands of dollars of plugins that I've purchased over the past decade for use with Pro Tools.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: CLA is a huge influence, I love pop mixes and enjoy bringing that level of quality to other genres.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: One indie label band's next EP I am producing, engineering, mixing, and mastering. I am also gearing up for a pro major label band's upcoming album.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: You'll be more than satisfied with your final product.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Can I do midi drums? Yes!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That gear will get you anywhere... it's in your ears and your mind.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Whats your website/social media page? Link me your previous music. Where did you record and what with. What is your budget? Usually I am willing to work something out. Do you have direct input (DI) tracks? What amps do you like for reamps? Who are your biggest influences?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Make sure you stay organized. Have your tracking engineer contact me if they need to. Be up front about what you need, you won't hurt my feelings, this is YOUR project, not mine.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Poppy, bold, aggressive, clear, clean.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Wrvth. I've known them since they were Wrath of Vesuvius and been to a ton of their shows. They great people, hard workers, talented musicians, and their music is almost a strange amalgamation of all of my favorite types of music.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Tamborines can make almost any non-metal chorus more interesting and work well.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Avid ProTools Operator's Certified in Music, started interning at Studio West in San Diego while still in high school before going to MTSU to study audio production at a major university. Have been using ProTools and recording since 2006. I decided to start taking mixing seriously in March of 2016 and have really devoted all of my time to learning and perfecting it as a craft.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Mixing // Mastering
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. Some analog has great sound, but a lot of digital is modeled extremely well off of the analog gear. Digital is also usually easier to work with. Depending on what I'm doing though and where I am, I may switch back and forth.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Mixing let's me add my own touch and be part of great music.
I was the Mixing & Mastering Engineer in this production
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $350 per song
- Mastering EngineerAverage price - $80 per song
- Vocal TuningAverage price - $200 per track
- Time alignment - QuantizingAverage price - $200 per track
- Dialogue EditingAverage price - $200 per minute
- Post MixingAverage price - $200 per minute
Up to 3 major revisions (if something is absolutely not right, we can work it out). Additional costs if your quantizing/editing/tuning isn't done beforehand and I have to do it.
- Fractal AxeFx II
- UAD Apollo
- Avid ProTools
- Professional Plugins
Deals on full EPs and LPs.
