Caleb Anderson on SoundBetter

Mixing Engineer with experience across genres, specializing in instrumental music.

I offer remote mixing services, as well as recording and playing. My recording set-up is mobile, although I feel just as comfortable in a professional studio. I have played guitar and trumpet in a variety of bands, from ska to soul, and I like to spend my free time pursuing my own writing and musical projects.

My audio journey began when I first got my hands on my dad’s Led Zeppelin greatest hits CD; nothing was the same after that! I quickly developed a passion for playing the guitar, which soon led to an obsession with recording.

As a student of Music Production at McNally Smith College of Music, I learned the finer points of music theory and studio technology, from using analog mixing consoles to proper digital file management. My taste in music began to expand rapidly, and I'm happy to say that it is still expanding today.

After my time at McNally Smith, I began an internship at Pearl Recording Studio in Minneapolis. As an intern I was able to be a part of projects by a wide range of talented artists including Gaelynn Lea, Purple Funk Metropolis, and Why Not. This exposure to diverse artists and workflows continues to have a valuable influence on my process with artists of all types.

I think it's a privilege to be able to do this work, and nothing is more satisfying than when an artist feels that my involvement helped improve their project.

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Credits

1 Reviews

Endorse Caleb Anderson

by Beaurbaker@gmail.com
Caleb is a super nice guy who really knows his stuff! He’s always willing to work with you to accomplish your vision.

Interview with Caleb Anderson

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I just finished mixing two songs on an acoustic EP by my band (Shades of Dissonance). I learned a lot about recording and mixing acoustic rock from this project!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: You'll be happy with the way your music comes out when we've worked together.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: A fresh perspective; I'm listening to new and different music all the time, and it helps me find new ways to approach a project.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Greg Reierson is an amazing mastering engineer.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Folks will ask what the most important part of a project is to me; my answer is the performances and arrangements. How it feels when the band is playing together, how the vocal is coming through, how the verse builds to the chorus. That's the magic!
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I've been an assistant recording engineer on several awesome projects, including records by bands Buffalo Fuzz and the Plott Hounds. As an intern, I got to be a tape op during mixing sessions for Gaelynn Lea's "Learning How to Stay." Fun stuff!
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What do you want your record to sound like? What's your vision for this music?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Be open with feedback; don't be afraid to ask for what you want.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started making recordings as a teenager, and then went to college to study music production. I had a studio internship after that, and got started as a freelancer about two years ago, mostly recording rock and hip-hop.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Mixing, recording
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I like a "less is more" approach, where the artist's playing and songwriting can stand out. If a song is recorded well, the mix doesn't need a hundred plug-ins on every track! However, I will open up the toolbox when noise reduction or vocal tuning is needed, or when a creatively processed track is what a song needs.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Don't be afraid to do your own thing. Make the most out of the equipment you have, and commit confidently to your musical choices.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Mixing and recording.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I use Pro Tools on a MacBook Pro, with a PreSonus Firepod interface. Waves, FabFilter and Izotope make up much of my plugin collection, along with Arturia virtual instruments. I use Tannoy Reveals for monitors, and a Command8 control surface for precision in mixing.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I'll listen to a rough mix of an artist's song, and then get to work transferring files into a new Pro Tools session. I'll make any edits necessary to get rid of unwanted noise and tidy up tracks, and during the course of this preparation I'll start to get a basic mix. Once all the tracks are in place, it's time to start shaping sounds with compression and EQ. Once I print a mix, I'll listen to it on different speakers to make sure there it's ready to go before sending it to an artist.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Great music is made with both technologies; we live in a world where digital is much less expensive and time-consuming. My personal studio is all-digital, but when freelancing in other studios, I love the sound and tactile control that analog offers. If you've got it, go ahead and use it!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That mixing and mastering is the "easy" part! Attention to detail at these stages will really take your song to the next level.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Kesha Lee, Bob Clearmountain, George Martin, and Steve Albini.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Joe Bonamassa; he's a great player, he writes great tunes, and it seems like he'd be a lot of fun in the studio!
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Hearing the great music that's being made and helping make it sound even better!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: SM57, Steinberg UR22C interface, MacBook Pro (with charger), my Stratocaster guitar, and my Shure SRH440 headphones.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Rap, rock and Americana.

I Know That I Have Nature On My Side by Nathan Hanson and Chris Bates

I was the Recording and Mixing Engineer in this production

Mixing EngineerAverage price - $150 per song
EditingAverage price - $50 per track
Vocal compingAverage price - $50 per track
Mastering EngineerAverage price - $100 per song
Recording StudioAverage price - $400 per day
Live SoundAverage price - $100 per concert

Turnaround time is 24 hours for one track, one week for larger projects. Mixing and mastering prices allow for up to two revisions (after initial mix). Extra editing may incur extra costs.