Mixing & Mastering Pro

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

A: I tend to work with artists who love that late 90s, early 00s pop/punk sound. Bands that grew up listening to Green Day, blink-182, AFI, Sum 41, Saves The Day. I love working with bands that love a specific bass tone, or snare sound. And for me, it makes the recording process a bit more challenging, but obviously very satisfying to put together their vision.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Song-structure and mixing. I've always been a writer who starts with a formula, and then breaks it. Breaking it is the fun part, and what makes the song memorable. For mixing, I need to know exactly where the artist wants to take their music; radio-ready, low-fi, arena-rock, stripped-down. I like to know which artists my clients look up to or what to sound similar to. It gives me a better understanding of how we want the final product to sound.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I love letting my clients shine and then adding the glossy, subtle elements to their project. The extra notes in a chord that are hidden deep in the mix, or the shiny synths or strings that float left and right in a bridge, or an added harmony only on the third chorus to really make one more layered impact on the artist's idea. I enjoy making each part of a song have its own mood and a chance to stand out (or lay back).

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I have learned to make spontaneous, executive decisions quickly. Overthinking and spending weeks on a guitar riff or a vocal harmony used to be a downfall of mine, but years ago I realized you must work smart and fast to achieve your end goal. Music creativity can come and go in an instance, and as a producer/engineer I need to be the one to catch everything the artist is trying to paint on their canvas.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I currently run a tiny house studio in the US Virgin Islands overlooking the bay called Seagull Studios VI. I'm a minimalist and I record, mix, and master everything "in the box." Analog gear does not hold up too well down here with the salt air, so I've learned to adapt and treat everything digitally.

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

A: The late, great Jerry Finn has and always will be an inspiration to me. He had worked with every pop/punk band under the sun and really set the bar high when it came to getting those classic guitar tones and hard-hitting drum sounds. Butch Vig is also a producer I look up to; he does an amazing job with song structure. He knows exactly when to either make a mellow, low-key bridge or and epic, widened bridge. As for modern day producers, I love Paul Leavitt's wide mixes, and Joey Sturgis' insane metal mixes.

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

A: My most popular work involves co-writing with artists, mixing, and mastering. Taking their demos or voice memo ideas and writing a full song with them. A song can start with juts one melody that's written while walking down the street, and I have the most fun with expanding that one idea and making is something that will mean so much to the artist and soon, their fans.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Have you ever wanted that extra slinky, clanky bass tone? Tune up some fresh Ernie Ball strings and play with a quarter.