Mix Engineer Extraordinaire

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A super talented artist from Leicester, England, Uncle Frank. I love the chances they take on their records! Also finishing the latest from The Fun Lovin' Criminals.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I'll spend time just listening to the songs before I do anything. I like to get a feel for not just the tracks, but more importantly what the lyrics are. Before I start mixing, I like to know what the perspective is (1st/3rd person) because the lyrics guide a large part of my decision making. I think of mixing as a very visual craft. Once I have a good visual I'll start pulling faders down and building the "motor" of the mix which is the rhythm section. From there I'll start adding additional instruments while constantly checking everything with the lead vocal. And by the time I'm finished I'll be able to "see" the visual I imagined. Mixes should be felt, not heard.

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

A: To deliver a stunning sounding mix that presents each song in the most appropriate, transparent way.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Big and transparent without gimmicks.

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

A: There's way too many to choose from. But if I had to, I'd say The Fun Lovin' Criminals 1st record, Come Find Yourself because they turned over the entire recording and mixing process to me with no questions asked. It's a record that stands up today over 20yrs later. Also, The Hamilton Original Broadway Cast Recording because we pulled off recording, overdubbing, editing, comping and mixing a 2-CD album in 35 days. And it sounds *amazing*

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

A: Paul McCartney. And Peter Gabriel because it was his records that made me ask myself early on "how did they get so much depth in those mixes?!?!"

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Hire pros! And trust your instincts.

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

A: A comfortable chair and a pair of Genelec 1031A's.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Communication.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I do a fair amount of foreign language work so a translation is a must! I've also learned to help manage expectations for newer clients as I want to deliver the best possible results.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Whatever is appropriate for the project. I feel results trump process every single time.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I get invited into peoples dreams for a living!

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

A: Communicate. Open and freely.

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

A: A long, kinda winding road. I started as an intern at Syncro Sound in Boston in 1987 while attending Berklee. I returned to NYC was an intern/runner/assistant and eventually a staff engineer at Battery Studios NYC. I've been freelance since 1994. So about 30 years.

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

A: My CV is literally all over the map.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I built my room in my house after moving out of NYC. It took a little while to treat it after floating the floor to get it exactly as I wanted it, but it was worth it! I typically work in-the-box using Pro Tools HDX 12 but I still keep a few pieces of analog gear in-line because I can't find anything to replace them. It took time along with the technological advances Avid/UAD/Waves etc... has made to allow me to match what I'm capable of doing outside the box.

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

A: My influences are (in no order) Bruce Swedien, Tom Dowd, George Massenburg, Kevin Killen...

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

A: The majority of my work is is mixing. While I still do (and love) track, I'm usually booked up with mixing projects.