Advanced Mixing (Remote)

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Very, very organized. All my projects are organized in a way that optimizes my speed when making creative decisions and never lose sight of the big picture of the song. I am also able to recall any setting, sound or entire mix from any point in the past, allowing me to always retrace my steps, if I need to or if a client needs me to. Then, it all begins with smoothing out any unpleasantness in the tracks, such as clicks, noises, hiss, harshness, rumble etc. This will allow me to move forward with more confidence and generally less distractions when shifting focus to the song itself. In the mixing phase of the project, I focus my efforts on presenting the song in a way that captures the artists' creative intention and also extenuates the quirks and nuances that are unique to this artist and this song only. I'll be honest, I do some really wacky and out-of-the-box things in my mixes that I don't see others doing to the same extent. Almost every track communicates to another track, through sidechaining. In my mind, this is how I get the tracks to actually interact with eachother and respond to eachother in real-time, similarly to how a live band reacts to one another on-stage. From there, automation is everything. Especially on FX tracks, reverbs and delays that I use to create atmospheres that evolve with the song and change the emotional backdrop to reinforce the songs intention. Everything else is a bit of a blur, but it sounds really good at the end of the day so its a blur I won't question.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My setup is intentionally minimalistic but also extremely powerful. I needed to remove any limitations, both in sound quality as well as workflow efficiency, and this is what works for me: · The heart of the studio is my M1 Mac Mini (2020) - its a beast, that's all. · I basically grew up using Logic Pro, which feels like an extension of my own body at this point. · Lots of plug-ins, but let's not get into that. · iZotope RX for nitty-gritty audio restoration and cleanup, when needed. Monitoring is very important to me - hearing exactly what is playing back with ultimate clarity is possibly the most important part of getting a mix or master correct and making decisions confidently: · Yamaha NS-10s (they're like a brutally honest friend) with or without subwoofer. · Shure SRH1840 open-back headphones, through Sonarworks Reference and a hyper-realistic crossfeed plug-in that I believe is the most accurate and detailed method I have of critical listening. · JBL LSR305 monitors as an additional set of reference monitors. · Audient ID44 interface, which is super clean and has awesome features for my specific workflow. · Art Pro Channel Tube preamp, upgraded parts, which is a surprising workhorse EQ/Comp/Pre that I know well. · I have the microphones I need and I hate microphone culture, so that's that. Aside from guitars, basses, pedals, amps and all that jazz, the crown jewel that is worth mentioning is my vintage Roland Juno-6 which I serendipitously own and love dearly. It just makes the most beautiful noises and always just feels right when it goes in a production. 10/10, get one. I also have a chair which I don't love, accepting chair donations.

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

A: Anyone that is willing to try something new and cares more about developing their own techniques than they do about memorizing something a grammy-winning engineer said in a video lesson. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have the skills I have now if it weren't for videos like these, but I'm a big proponent of experimentation and progress and engineers that aren't afraid to speak out against "best practices". For example, I've recently been loving the videos coming from Kush After Hours with Gregory Scott. His advice is often controversial, putting a critical microscope on of the most fundamental mixing and production basics. He has inspired me to alter the way I'm mixing in many "big-picture" ways, and I've been able to focus on right things more easily as a result. I could give similar praise to Andrew Sheps, for always taking his own approach and encouraging others to do the same.

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

A: People will come to me with songs that are either in the demo phase, or are fully recorded but are lacking the cohesive, professional-sounding mixing that I am able to provide that takes the song over the finish line. In many cases, I am present throughout the whole process of arranging, recording and post-production and am able to guide the artist in exploring bolder and more evocative routes for their songs that they otherwise wouldn't have thought to pursue. I also receive mixes sent to me by clients for mastering, which I am able to do with great results and very fast turnaround.