Record Mixer and Producer

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

A: Goodness gracious, who can think of gear in a time like this! I need water and sunscreen! ...Ok, I'll bite. (besides computer and DAW) good I/O, Dangerous Monitor ST, Focals or NS10s, Shadow Hills Quad GAMA, and I'd really have to toss it up between a plugin suite or a case of Bombay Sapphire gin. Oh wait, microphones - man, who can narrow it down to 5?

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

A: Check the single from the aforementioned electronic project... https://itun.es/us/nnbjdb Mixed and mastered by yours truly.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Finishing mixing an electronic/pop record I co-produced.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Neither. Are we still arguing about this? ...sheesh, ok. I love em both.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The excitement of working with different people and on different projects constantly. Who knows what tomorrow might bring?!

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

A: There's a lot of file/data management in our field these days. More than one might realize if not in a similar field.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are your goals for this project? Do you have any specific references in mind that might give me a better picture of your artistic and technical aim for the mix?

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

A: Make sure you feel comfortable when you meet with them or when you correspond with them. If they aren't giving you a good impression early, it will probably only get worse.

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

A: Graduated from MTSU with a Bachelor of Science in Audio Engineering in 2005, since then have worked as an engineer, producer, and mixer.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I wouldn't.

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

A: Recently digging Young the Giant's latest releases. In the "legendary" category I'd go with U2.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Learn to see a stereo mix in terms of left-right=pan, bottom-top=freq(eq), front-back=dynamics(volume and compression)...and train yourself to visualize your mix processing.

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

A: Any and all. Certain kinds tend to find me, and those are the ones I chose to list.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: The two above...communication and mixing in the moment.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I try to marry technical knowledge and critical listening skills with a sense of drama and excitement in the moment. Mixing any project is best served when the mixer is so comfortable with the technical left brain minutiae that they can let go and spend the time they are mixing in their intuitive right brain.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I'm a strong believer in a lot of good communication between mixer and client, especially early on in the project. Then once the files are delivered to me, I spend some mix-prep time making sure the files are appropriately edited and check against the rough to make sure no files are missing.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have 3 mix rooms available to me...one with an SSL 4000 e/g and tons of outboard, one with a Slate Raven MTX and some choice outboard, and one primarily in the box. I enjoy mixing in all of them, so client needs and budget usually dictate where I take the project.

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

A: There are a handful of older mix engineers and producers who have honed their craft for so long, all I can do is respect them and learn from them. If you have the passion and endurance to stick with it like they have, I respect that tremendously.

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

A: Mixing and producing