Recording/Mixing Engineer

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

A: The most important quality that an engineer or producer must have is an understanding of the music that he or she is working on. Without having a strong idea of what will make a song come to life, no amount of experience or expensive gear will be enough.

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

A: I generally work on rock, indie, and electronic music, but I have experience with other styles including jazz and pop as well.

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

A: My favorite project that I've worked on recently is an '80s style synthpop album for new wave artist, Sir John Reid Hatchporch. I recorded, mixed, and produced the album, while Sir John played all the instruments. The whole thing came together very quickly and we were both more than happy with the result.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Along with various freelance projects, I am currently working on an album for my own band, Greater Sirens. It's our first release that I've produced and engineered myself. Influenced by late '70s new wave and postpunk, it's an indie rock album with lots of synthesizers and a fair amount of experimentation.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The most rewarding part of being an engineer is enabling artists to finish their work and put it out. After spending time working on a project, I love having something to show for it.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I always want to know what the ultimate goal of a project is. The more I understand about my client's goals, the better I can help to achieve them.

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

A: I originally got into music production in the early 2000s because I wanted to be able to record and mix my own music. I taught myself basics for a few years and then decided to start taking it more seriously by completing a Bachelor's program in audio engineering at Ex'pression College in Emeryville, California. Since then I have been working with music and audio professionally, both in small studios and as a freelancer.

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

A: Most of the work I do is recording, editing, and mixing for up and coming independent artists. Although music is my focus, I also have experience with sound design, post-production for film and games, and live sound.