Trusted Mixing & Mastering

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

A: I am really proud of the work I did together with Chmba on their project, Okongola Caucus. Our collaboration was a huge learning process for me as it was my first introduction to Amapiano music, a subgenre of House that emerged from South Africa in the mid-2010s and has grown in popularity abroad in recent years. One staple of the Amapiano sound is the log drum, a modern-day synthesized version of a traditional African percussive instrument that originated in Guinea, West Africa. The log drum used in Amapiano sounds like a cross between the original wooden instrument and a deep, sub-heavy 808 that carries the most climactic sections of tracks with playful, bouncing rhythms. After some thoughtful feedback from Chmba and independent research and listening, I was able to get the log drums thumping through the mix, and balanced properly with other competing elements.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Growing a little bit as an engineer every day. And collaborating with my studio mates on some exciting new projects.

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

A: Q: How quickly can you get this done? A: It depends on the scope of the project (e.g. number of stems, length of the song, number of songs)

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

A: AI can do it better ; )

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: 1. How happy are you with the rough mix? 2. Are there any elements that you feel need a lot of work/attention? 3. What elements are key to the personality of your track? 4. What emotions are you trying to convey with your track? 5. What timeline do you have for this project?

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

A: Don't compromise when it comes to achieving the sound that you hear in your head. Find someone who can help you make it a reality. We all get one lifetime to leave our sonic imprint on this world.

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

A: 1. Macbook Pro 2. UAD Apollo 3. Focal Monitors 4. Some matcha tea 5. A cat (for mix feedback of course)

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Matt Goldsmith and Rob Rox.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog soul with digital utility. The analog gear emulations have been getting so good lately that the line between the two has really become blurred.

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

A: I will genuinely care and be invested in the success of your project and do everything I can to deliver the best final product.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Connecting with artists around the world and staying in touch after we've finished a project together.

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

A: I've been consistently working as a freelance audio engineer for 4 years now. Growing up I always wanted to somehow work in music. That path was temporarily put on pause after I left music school at Hartt to take a semester off and then pursue a degree in Exercise Science and Sports Psychology. Now I've found a way to let both paths co-exist, teaching mindfulness meditation while progressing my audio engineering business.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Warm, deep, and gritty.

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

A: Ciel or Satoshi Tomiie. I've become a huge dub reggae nerd in the past year and I really appreciate how they bring that dubby sound into their modern productions.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: For me, arrangement is the most important and underrated key to improving your production. Commit to a few strong elements and good drum samples that communicate the vibe of the track and cut out unnecessary parts that aren't contributing especially in the low end. Try to avoid stacking multiple sounds with the same timbres and frequencies or spread them out so they play during different sections.

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

A: Generally tracks under the ever-expanding umbrella of 'electronic music'. House, downtempo, R'n'B, and electronica most recently.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Understanding my client's visions. And getting clean, punchy drums.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: We live life a moment at a time and what brings me back to the music I love is the draw to relive those little magical, transcendent moments in songs that transport me or help me understand my human experience on a deeper level. With each song I'm a part of I look to help facilitate little moments like that. Sometimes by automating in a little splash of reverb or delay, getting an 808 to rumble just right, or dramatically creating space for a new part to shine when it makes its entrance.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Before beginning a mix or master it's vital for me to understand as clearly as possible my client's vision for the track. Music is ultimately communicating an emotion or vibe that moves the listener so I need to learn how I can amplify that feeling to impact their audience. After that, I'll identify the key elements in the track and work to get those sounding as sharp as possible. That almost always includes the drums, bass, and vocals. Once those parts are sitting well I'll bring in additional melodic elements and fx to fill in the picture.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I'm fortunate to share a beautiful small studio space in Berlin with a few fellow engineers and producers. Shout out to my friend and collaborator Matt Goldsmith who invited me to join the studio and also offers his services through SoundBetter. The space is well-treated and equipped with a pair of Yamaha HS8 studio monitors calibrated using Sound ID Reference. I work entirely in the box at the moment.

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

A: So many! I'm very grateful to Luca Pretolesi and Conor Dalton for how openly they've shared their experience on social media. I've learned a lot from them. Since I've been living in Berlin, Rob Rox, a fellow engineer on SoundBetter, has been an amazing mentor and teacher. Strictly for the catalog they've mixed/mastered, I would say Frank Merritt (mastering engineer, owner of The Carvery Studio in East London) and Klaus Arnold and the Zenker brothers, Dario and Marco (mixing/mastering engineers, owners of Tangible Air based in Munich).

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

A: I mostly get hired to mix my client's tracks or EPs/albums. Sometimes those will turn into mastering jobs as well to complete the process.