Indie Rock Mixing

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

A: I recently worked with the band Relentless on SoundBetter, and they just released their first EP. I was the recording and mixing engineer for them. It's a really organic and free sounding production. Everyone in the band and I worked really hard to make sure everything was right with every song. After listening to it post-release, it's clear our efforts were absolutely worth it. The music and production sound amazing, if I do say so myself.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Just wrapped up mixing a single for a band in Phoenix, Arizona. Now I'm writing and recording a metal EP.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love helping create people's vision. There's no better feeling than seeing a someone who is beaming with happiness after hearing their efforts come alive.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are you trying to say with your music, and how do you want to say it?

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

A: Just be yourself! Also, don't be afraid to tell me if something doesn't sound right.

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

A: I was a live sound engineer from 2015-2020, all while doing freelance recording. I ditched the live sound portion once COVID hit, and now focus on being a recording engineer, mixing engineer, music producer, and session bassist.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Deep and 3D. Not everything needs to be saturated, but sometimes I love making things sound a little dirty.

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

A: Anyone that has a passion for music.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: The best way to find your signature "sound " is to simply listen to your ear when it tells you that something sounds good.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I make songs feel deep, wide, and 3 dimensional. I like adding sometimes subtle, sometimes grand reverb and other time-based FX when the moment calls for it. Other times, I like to pin-point focus on specific elements of a song to really draw the listener in.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: With a mix, I'll start with the drums. From there I'll mix in any guitars, pianos, synths. After that comes the bass instruments and then finally we get to the vocals. I'll make sure to everything is gelling together and cohesive during throughout the whole process from start to finish.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog gear can be great for tracking. When it comes to editing, mixing, and mastering, digital all the way. There's so much you can do within DAWs these days, pretty much anything is possible

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

A: Having the best or most expensive gear in the world doesn't make anybody a good engineer or producer. Having a great ear that can make critical decisions is the most important thing for anybody making music.

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

A: A fishing pole with line, a smartphone, a solar powered generator, a salt water filer, and one acoustic guitar. Living is pretty important.

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

A: I typically work on rock or some variation of pop music. Lots of indie and metal mixed in there too.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Getting vocal tracks to sit in the mix. It's the most important part of most songs, so it's critical to treat the vocals properly.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I use 2 rooms. The room I mix and master in has a ton of acoustic treatment from GiK Acoustics, and the sound coming out of my monitors lays any track bare. If there's something wrong, the speakers will scream at me. Our tracking room has extensive treatment as well. We have 16 channels of Universal Audio Apollo preamps, a mini grand, a full drum kit, and a fantastic personal monitoring system.

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

A: I primarily mix for my clients and bring all the elements of their music together, turning their creation into a cohesive and vibrant sounding product.

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

A: Son Lux, John Paul Jones, Kendrick Lamar, Little Dragon, Gojira, Meshuggah, Toro y Moi