Mastering

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

A: I recently mastered "Left Coast Live" by MxPx. Another great album was "Projections" by Jesse Lawson(ex-Sleeping with Sirens)

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am working toward my goal of becoming a full time mastering engineer. I am hustling to gain more clients and reaching out to local studios to educate them on the services I offer. It is a tough industry to get started in.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I am 90% analog. I really love that extra dimension that analog gear adds to a master. I had used plugins in the past and they did the job quite well. Once I started using analog gear I became hooked, and I slowly began to add more pieces of equipment to my mastering desk.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: My favorite part of mastering is the first before and after comparison. I save it all for the end. I don't like to go back and forth because it tends to sway some of my decisions so I wait until everything is to my liking and conduct a level matched A/B comparison. It is always a joy hearing how much better the master is compared to the original mix. Hearing it all come to life is very fulfilling.

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

A: Try before you buy. Ask for a test master first. There are many people out there that claim they know how to master but in reality they have no idea how in depth it really is. Most "real" mastering engineers will provide you with a test master for free. That will allow you to hear if they are the right fit for the job.

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

A: Dangerous Master, Dangerous Liaison, Manley Vari Mu, API 5500, Apollo 8p

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

A: Being in Seattle, I tend to work with Indie Rock/Funk Rock the most, but occasionally I get a variety of genres. Rap, Hip-Hop, Soul, R&B, Country you name it.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is knowing/understanding how to master a variety of genres of music. Some genres require a different process than others, for example you would not master a soul album to sound like a heavy rock album it would not sound natural. Most people specialize in a genre or two but to me that is limiting oneself. I find it better to be versatile in many different styles of music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I would say I bring a sense of energy and life to a song. Mixes often times sound dull and lifeless, even when well balanced and dynamic, they feel as if there is something missing. When I am done with the masters, that missing element is there. It's hard to explain in words but the songs sound lifted and full of life when they leave my hands.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Song/file analysis, the mastering stage (equalization, compression, limiting etc), album sequencing, delivery to client, possible revisions.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: At this point in time I have a Sterling Modular Plan A desk with quite an array of mastering equipment. I have the capability of Mid-Side processing out of the box with the Dangerous Master. Then with the Dangerous Liaison I have the ability to instantly A/B different equipment without having to patch, and not to mention I also have the capability of parallel processing out of the box with the Liaison. My setup is very powerful and it is going to keep getting better with more equipment purchases in the future.