Alexander Archer on SoundBetter

With multiple million views on YouTube, credits with Sigrid and Carly Rae Jepson plus award nominations, I have the experience and know how to help you finish your projects. Together we can work to ensure you are releasing a professional, industry standard track that won't sound out of place on streaming, on radio or online.

Based in London I head up the recording and mixing for the Vevo DSCVR platform plus a number of other Vevo projects, working with the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Sam Fender, Dermot Kennedy, Lewis Capaldi, Craig David, Wretch 32 and many others.

I work closely with major record labels and content producers around London creating bespoke content both live and in the studio, including Carly Rae Jepsen live in Lapland and a recent remote series with Google for their Nest devices.

I also loving working with unsigned and developing artists - the joy of helping new artists take their tracks to the next level is some of the most exciting and rewarding work I do.

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Credits

6 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client

Endorse Alexander Archer

by Jeremy L.
Verified
Alex has done another superb job mixing and mastering two more songs for me. He has an intuitive ear for what’s needed to take a song to the next level and makes every effort to get as good a result as possible. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Alex to anyone looking for extra creative input into their songs. Very professional. Highly recommended!
by Jeremy L.
Verified
Alex is a brilliantly creative and professional mixing engineer. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with him. He took my song and made it better in every way. Better arranged and mixed, with a better groove and better vibe. It all just sounds so much better. Couldn't have asked for more. If only I could post what I sent to Alex and what he sent back you could hear for yourselves!
by Kyra
Alex has been an amazing help editing my podcast, The PilotEd, throughout lockdown. Not only has he been a joy to work with remotely, being easy to contact and proactive in asking about next episodes, he really listened to the material and made some inventive, smooth edits that add to the joy for the listener. I would love to work on some music with him at some point too! Highly recommended as a creative and inventive producer.
by Jay Cook
Alex is a fantastic producer and a lovely chap! He is a real joy to work with and always produces outstanding results. He has a great ear and a brilliant work ethic and always listens and comes up with great suggestions and ideas to bring out the best in your track!! Would definitely recommend!
by Stuart McCrone
Alex is a superb engineer. I have worked with him on a number of projects over the years ranging from small group to big band. His knowledge and understanding is beyond anyone else I know. The quality of his work speaks for itself! Would highly recommend him to anybody!
by Tom
I’ve worked with Alex a number of times. He’s great. Super nice guy, really easy to work with. He’s not only a super talented live and studio engineer but an amazing producer as well. He never fails to come up with a few gem ideas to take a song to the next level when in the studio. Highly recommend.

Interview with Alexander Archer

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: The Carly Rae Jepsen live project was a really challenging brief, record her and her band, outdoors, in northern Finland. I was responsible for working everything out from the kit we hired, to mixing her and the bands monitors on the day, managing the recording process and the final mixing and delivery. It was a great team and quite the adventure!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Bit of both! No one listening to your song will care though. Its all about process, creativity, speed... depends on the project. Its all about following where the music takes you - no point recording to tape if the songs going to be cut up and edited. Likewise if you've got a killer band in the room, enjoy the excitement of playing live and want the vibe of the classics, lets get the desk fired up and have at it!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: 100% satisfaction - bold I know, but do-able. Revisions, communication, back and forth of ideas will all happen to ensure you are happy.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Working with people and hearing beautiful songs being performed or created out of the air.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That the producer or mix engineer is in charge, and it's not collaborative. I'll never tell you thats wrong, or no that can't be done- Im here to be the technical, the objective and the pragmatic so you can dream and create and end up with a great finished product.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What do you want to have at the end of working together, what deliverables will you need. Also how are you fixed time wise and why, why do you want to release these songs? Also what records do you love and what sounds do you hear in your head when your writing. Who or what inspires you, musically or otherwise.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Ask us questions, you may not know what you want or need at the start of the process so lets have a chat, work out how best to get you to a finished product and go from there.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Laptop, SM7, UAD Apollo x4, Teenage Engineering OP-1 and my Genelec monitors...oh and a Gibson 335, Ill hide the OP1 in the hard case so it looks like 5.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been freelance for nearly 10 years now, previously I trained at Realworld studios and before that would tour with bands around Europe as a live engineer.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Bon Iver, I imagine a day inside his musical head would be incredible.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Never get distracted by technical rights and wrongs and stay focused on the song. No matter how you make it, if it's good people will respond emotionally. No one ever danced or cried to a song because of the compressor you used on the vocal...
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: It's really broad, I grew up in Jazz and Rock music but have also worked with pop artists, rappers and bands of every style.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Listening to what the artist or client wants and needs.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Objectivity and arranging, which can be difficult for the writer and performer sometimes. I don't try to re-write your song or make artistic suggestions unless specifically invited to; but if it takes 3 mins to get to Chorus 1, I will suggest thats too long and that we should alter the structure. With a very varied musical background I can make suggestions for references or alternatives to chords, instrumentation or arrangements if an artist would appreciate that.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Theres rarely a typical process, its all about forming a working partnership with the artist and making sure they are comfortable, happy and able to be creative as best as possible. If that means singing to a demo then doing all the parts after, sure...if that's 2 days of drum tracking, building it up bit by bit, also fine! No two projects are identical so always go with the flow.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: At home its a mostly in the box rig, for quick recalls, flexibility and portability. Mac Book Pro, UAD interfaces and DSP cards with Genelec 8331's and Avantone Mix Cubes for monitoring. I also regularly work out of a few studios around London which have all the kit and toys you could dream up and will pick where to work depending on the job.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Jaquire King, Sean Everett, Blake Mills, Tchad Blake, Mark Ronson... I love to musically approach the studio not be bluntly technical.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: My time is split between recording in the room with artists and working remotely. In both cases Im the technical know how and the objective set of ears to get a great finished product. Usually the artist has at least a fleshed out demo but sometimes we start from scratch. For remote working its usually more of a developing and completing what they have already done.