Mix Engineer & Producer

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

A: The last project POMAGRANITE released was a cool one for me. It was almost like a turn the page album. We released that while Everett and I were driving across the country on our move to California. I produced a few of those tracks, I wrote and sang, and mixed the project. I was really happy about the direction we were going in and i'm stoked for people to hear the new stuff were working on.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Im working a few different things. Some new POMAGRANITE music. Ive been collaborating with some new artists, stay on the look out from new music from Liam St. John, Tyler Brash, Ouse, Chrispy D, Laeland....

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

A: Im new to the community and i'm sure as I work with new people my network will expand and my resources outside of SoundBetter will expand to you all.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Whatever you can afford. They both offer incredible value.. at the end of the day we're just trying to make some music however we can. If you can make a hit on an iPhone...make a hit on an iPhone.

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

A: You'll be stoked.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Meeting new people. Facing new challenges. Learning new things.

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

A: Can you add your "Bryll" touch? I usually start with getting a track back of what you sent me but mixed better... (you might not need the "Bryll" touch) and then another track with some sugar and spice for you to consider.

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

A: Its not clicking presets and finding one that works. Every situation in mixing a record is different and different process are used to create solutions. Sometimes it takes longer than others, sometimes things just work.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What does your project file consist of? Vocal tracks and a beat, or is this a full production to be mixed? What is your ideal turnaround time? Do you have a plan for the release, and what is it? How can I help you with the release? Which distributor do you use and are you familiar with creating teams for royalty splits?

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

A: Get the conversation started. What do you need? Be open and ask all the questions you have. Theres always SOMEONE who wants to work.. but find the right person that works for you.

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

A: Mac. Apollo. U87. HS8's (Technically thats 5 right there.) But if i added one more... midi keyboard.

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

A: I have been into music since I was kid. I was in band in middle school and then sang in high school. Thats when I started doing sound for the theater department and got into the "behind the scenes" type stuff. I went to college for audio & media production, where I learned the process of recording & mixing. After college I was freelancing, mixing projects, and started producing my own music. Shortly after I started my studio in MA and met up with Everett Gibbons and we started POMAGRANITE. Now four projects and several singles deep this has opened the door even more to work with other artists who enjoy the POMAGRANITE sound. In all, i've been at this about 10 years now and relocated to North Hollywood to spread the sound.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Clean & contemporary.

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

A: I would really like to work with Russ. I really enjoy his music and I feel like I would take away a lot more from working with the guy. His mindset and drive is something from another world.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Gain staging. For those who don't know, it's essentially making sure all of your levels of audio are set to work with you and not against you. If all your tracks are too hot, you'll run out of headroom to mix with quick, and your faders will have to be super low to get a mix that doesn't clip. If you look at the intervals on a fader, they get larger as you go down. This means when your fader is lower in volume, every TINY adjustment you make on the fader equates to a much bigger adjustment in the grand scheme of things. I wouldnt say there are rules, but a great suggesstion that changed things significantly for me was trying to make sure nothing ever hits past -9dB. This also plays into how analog emulated plugins will respond to the audio coming into them and you'll find that they seem to work a lot better.

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

A: For the most part its alternative hip/hop and rap. Most of my early experience is working with bands and a lot of live elements. When I started producing, I was able to continue sharpening my mixing skills while also falling in love with the process of the genre I was working on.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Probably my focus. When i'm locked in, i'm LOCKED IN. This plays a large factor in my ability to balance more than one thing, and still manage to always deliver a top quality product in a short turn around time.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I can help in the stages of production, creating loops arranging sections, doing more with less. I can help in the writing process, sing some vocals if needed. And I can mix and master the song.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Its usually making the beat first while arranging it into song structure, this way the artist(s) have an easier time writing in the moment if they are in the session. Then I start recording vocal takes whether its a fully written verse/hook, or just mumbling some melodies and writing lyrics after. I mix as I go so the final mix stage happens faster and then its done. Time to sit on it and visualize where it fits into the universe.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Im using the ol' faithful 16" MacBook Pro with Apollo Twin X in Logic Pro X. I monitor on Yamaha HS80Ms and record all my vocals using the Neumann U87.

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

A: Kenny Beats, Alex Tumay, Russ, 99 Neighbors, Rocky Burwell, Michael Brauer, Mike Dean, Mac Miller, Hit-Boy

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

A: Definitely producing and mixing. I make a lot of songs with my group, POMAGRANITE, using beats that I make. I think this has led artists to gravitate toward working with me on their project. I have my engineering knowledge from school and thousands of hours of practice, but I also understand the creative side from an artists perspective as well.