Mixer, Producer

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Stylish

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Not that I know of

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

A: A Grammy, of course ;)

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My broad music knowledge

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Mixing 6 songs for a rock cover band in France.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital, because plugins have come a long way and sound fantastic now. Besides I don't own analog gear... yet.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Being exposed to new music and bringing my small contribution to the exciting process of music making.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: - How long does it take you to mix one song? 24 to 48hrs depending on the quality and the complexity of the material.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: There is only so much one can do with a bad recording

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are you trying to achieve with your project? What environment will your song be most likely played in? (Streaming at home? Club? On vinyl? CD?) What inspires you? How much creative freedom would you need from me? Any commercial release you might want to use as sonic reference?

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

A: Communication is key. Let's chat!

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

A: Mic: U47 Preamp: Neve 1073 Comp: Teletronix LA-2A, Urei 1176 Verb: Lexicon 224 I think I could make a decent record featuring the sound of the wind, the ocean and my rumbling stomach.

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

A: I started out as a musician, playing bass in many different bands. 10 years ago I went on to study audio engineering at SAE Institute Paris. Freshly graduated I was hired by award-winning engineer Dylan Ely at the Loop Studios in Texas where I expanded my skills tremendously. In 2015 I became Backstreet Boys touring Pro Tools engineer, consisting in editing, programming and running playback in packed stadiums and arenas all around the world.

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

A: Kevin Parker from Tame Impala. I love his unique mix of groovy and psychedelic elements. Production-wise his work is the perfect combination of dirty analog warmth and beautiful shimmering top end.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Stay away for that solo button. Always EQ in context.

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

A: indie rock, rock, electronica, funk, R&B

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: My passion for music goes far beyond just engineering. I've listened, studied and played music ever since I was a kid. I'm interested in music from all eras and cultures. I bring my sensitivity and my skills to make sure a song connects with the listener the way it was intended to by its creator.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a project studio in my basement. The room is acoustically treated and I monitor with a pair of Focal speakers. I mix in-the-box with Pro Tools and sometimes Ableton Live for more production-oriented projects such as remixes. My favorite plugins are Brainworx SSL E and G channels, Fab Filter Pro Q3, Soundtoys Decapitator, Krangleim MJUC Compressor and some Waves swiss army knife plugins.

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

A: Kevin Parker (Tame Impala), Nigel Goldrich (Radiohead), Rick Rubin (RHCP, Def Jam), James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), Philippe Zdar (Phoenix)

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

A: Most often I mix and master multitrack sessions or do remixes. On several occasions I've assisted artists throughout the entire production process: working out instrumentation and writing arrangements, booking musicians, tracking, mixing and mastering the final product.

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

A: I produced singer-songwriter Travis Kiel's first EP (https://soundcloud.com/thelooprecordingstudios/sets/travis-kiel-produced-recorded) He played his songs on the acoustic guitar and I instantly heard a specific sound, what instruments could go well with his vibe and really take it to the next level. I re-arranged his songs for a full band, including keys, horns, etc... I hired musicians for the parts I couldn't play and we spent a couple of days tracking. Then I assisted my mentor Dylan Ely with mixing. I'm very proud with the way it turned out. And so was Travis.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: - Listen - Take notes of genre, mood, intention, emotions, groove, lyrics - Identify the parts that most carry the points mentioned above - Come up with game plan and mix goals to emphasize those parts and bring out the most of it - Create a playlist of reference tracks and make sure to stay commercially relevant throughout the mix process - Mix - Submit first mix to client for feedback - Make corrections. Repeat until everybody is happy