Tom MacLean

Prog Rock and Metal Producer

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4 Reviews (1 Verified)
Tom MacLean on SoundBetter

- Highly experienced reader-poll-nominated musician ("6th Best Bassist" -Prog Magazine 2013) and producer. - Have recorded on 6 critically acclaimed albums within the prog rock and metal genre (3 with Haken, 3 with To-Mera) and 3 EPs as a guitarist, bassist, writer, co-writer and producer/ co-producer. - Certified audio engineer by HOFA

I offer the following services:
- Mixing (and mastering)
- Session recording (guitar, bass and keys/ synths)
- Additional arrangements
- General production assistance

Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

4 Reviews

Endorse Tom MacLean
  1. Review by Jimmie H.
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    Tom is absolutely the first class level producer and mixing/mastering engineer in the world! He knows the correct direction and will guide through with smooth communication and decent suggestions. Also you can feel and find he put creative ideas in the mix with proper tones for each of the instruments and deep understanding on music. One last thing but not least I would like to mention is his remarkable bass performance. Looking forward to make more music together in the future, thanks a lot!!

  2. Review by James Heesbeen
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    by James Heesbeen

    Tom worked on a couple of our band’s mixes for an upcoming EP. Dealing with a tricky drum track in particular (Some odd room mic tracking and the lack of a hi hat mic. Not to mention performance & timing edits) and a fairly large track count, Tom delivered the dynamic & professional mix we had hoped for. He was in constant communication throughout the process and was very quick to get back to our feedback and questions. I would happily recommend Tom’s services to anyone looking for a professional mixing engineer!

  3. Review by Matt-Felix
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    by Matt-Felix

    Tom has such a wide knowledge of music, with a very creative style of mixing that would suit any genre. He’s the kind of producer that knows what you want, which is hard to find. He’s also a beautiful human being, which is also hard to find! Do not miss out on the Twelve Tone Studio experience :)

  4. Review by Konstantin Begun
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    by Konstantin Begun

    I would like to thank Tom for all the hard work he has done to mix and master our EP. He's fantastic communicator with excellent attention to detail. Very happy with the results!

Interview with Tom MacLean

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

  2. A: I suppose as a younger musician I used to assume that certain producers were only interested in putting their stamp on the music, whereas now I realise that the best producers should be invisible and work with the artist to getting it to sound just how they want it to sound.

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

  4. A: The first question is nearly always how much I charge for mixing and mastering haha! Of course it varies depending on the scope of the project, the length of the tracks, the complexity of the arrangements. But I always aim to be accommodating to the client's budget!

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

  6. A: My Mac. Sennheiser HD650 headphones. My JP 7 guitar and RME interface. Does a jack cable and pick count as gear? :)

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

  8. A: Anyone striving to be original :)

  9. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  10. A: The desire to make it rock!

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

  12. A: I am proud of all my projects, but in terms of production, it was probably my first project working as a mixing engineer for another band. There had been some major issues in the recording process and through some serious hard work, editing, re-amping, sample replacement etc. I think the production turned out pretty well in the end (IMHO ;)).

  13. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  14. A: Both have their merits. Analog is great for 'warmth', but digital is certainly more flexible and 'powerful' when it comes to sound processing.

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

  16. A: I work to serve you. I am always listening to your feedback. I will always provide the very highest level of communication and service.

  17. Q: How would you describe your style?

  18. A: Versatile. Clean. Somewhere between classic and modern :)

  19. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  20. A: I have a typical setup for a mixing and mastering studio. I mix in Logic Pro X through some KRK Rokit 5s that have been calibrated using Sonarworks. I use my Sennheiser HD650s for fine details.

  21. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  22. A: Preparing for a recording session with a local psychedelic rock band.

  23. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  24. A: Every project is different. I love listening to other people's creations and helping bring the best out of their music.

  25. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  26. A: What vibe are you going for?

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

  28. A: When thinking about the sound you are looking for, do try and provide some examples of reference recordings so we are on the same page to begin with.

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

  30. A: I started out in the music industry as the guitarist and songwriter for To-Mera in 2005. I recorded and released 3 albums with the band. I was also the bassist in Haken from 2007-2013 and did 3 albums with them as well. Since stepping back from touring, I have been quietly working on my mixing and production skills and now offer them as a professional service.

  31. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  32. A: Don't try to mix your music whilst recording haha! You'll never finish :)

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

  34. A: Rock, metal and alternative music.

  35. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  36. A: Listening.

  37. Q: What's your typical work process?

  38. A: I start by finding out exactly what the client is looking for, sonically-speaking, and researching any relevant recordings and productions. I then

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

  40. A: Currently I'm obsessed with the production on H.E.A.T.'s most recent album. I believe the mixing was done by Tobias Lindell.

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

  42. A: I specialise in mixing and mastering material that has been recorded by artists in their home studios/ garages/ garden sheds/ bedrooms etc and working hard to make it sound like it was professionally recorded.

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"Phoenix" (feat. Charlie Griffiths) by Earupt

I was the Mixing and Mastering Engineer (and Sound Designer) in this production

Terms Of Service

Mixing:
-> Revisions - 3; Turn-around time - 1-3 days per track depending on complexity.
Mastering:
-> Revisions - 2; Turn-around time - 24 hours.
Session recording: until it's perfect :)

GenresSounds Like
  • Dream Theater
  • Symphony X
  • Haken
Gear Highlights
  • Musicman JP7 guitar
  • Dingwall ABZ 6 bass
  • Quad Cortex
  • Logic Pro X
  • vast library of plugins
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