Mastering Engineer

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My setup is focused on the most accurate monitoring environment possible. The most crucial component of mastering involves critical listening and quality control. To that end, I use world class converters and speakers inside an acoustically treated room so I can identify every detail in your mixes.

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

A: Every day I am sent mixes from a variety of artists, mixing engineers, and recording studios. Some projects are independent, some are major label, and the music involved can be anything from country rock to experimental ambient. When I receive these mix(es) I will first listen carefully and provide feedback - this is where any quality control issues that may have been missed in the mixing session can be addressed. When I’ve done my thing and the final master is ready, I deliver the audio as a high resolution master, a CD quality version, and a reference MP3.

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

A: Mastering isn’t “mix buss processing,” it is first and foremost a process of quality control - which means the mixing engineer should never be the same person as the mastering engineer. Mastering engineers are here to catch and fix errors, make enhancements when possible, and prepare your mixes optimally for distribution. These steps require completely fresh and unbiased ears in addition to both subjective and objective decision making which current AI or machine learning "mastering" algorithms are incapable of performing.

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

A: Listen to people’s work and ask lots of questions. I have made my discography playlists public and easy to find on all the major streaming services because I encourage comparison and I think it’s important to familiarize yourself with the past work of your engineer as well as their philosophical approach to the craft.

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

A: I have been playing instruments my whole life and I started producing electronic music at the age of 14. A decade and a half later, I have been a DJ, band member, songwriter, supporting musician, session musician, recording engineer, mixing engineer, and of course mastering engineer. I find that being the final pair of ears to refine a song is a really rewarding process; for me, nothing beats the feeling of sending a master to an artist and getting feedback that their initial vision for the song has been fully realized with my help.

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

A: Although some form of electronic production features in the bulk of what I work on (with quite a lot of rap, R&B, and pop as well as house, techno, ambient, etc.) I also collaborate with a lot of singer / songwriters and rock musicians recording to tape and doing things the old school way.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: After working on this craft for over 10,000 hours I have developed an intuition for knowing what will enhance a mix without inadvertently causing damage. My motto is always “do no harm,” which comes from a place of deep respect for the music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: In addition to being a musician myself, I have a huge amount of hands-on experience in some of the world's finest recording, mixing, and mastering studios. I am also a graduate of Berklee College of Music's prestigious Music Production and Engineering department where I was mentored by some of the most respected names in the music industry. Behind my technical knowledge and experience lies my passion for sound, which has always been my greatest asset; I live and breathe music like nothing else.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style, method, and choices of equipment are always tailored to the song. I believe that the mastering process should custom-fit the track, and that my work on your music should make it sound better in the least invasive way possible.