Mixing & Mastering Alt-Rock

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

A: Apartment 2111 "How to Hide" full album followed by "Stuffy Nose" single.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am working on programming with Max to come up with effects, building pedals and instruments on the side of working on Apartment 2111 new song "Stuffy Nose" to be released soon.

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

A: I actually don't know many people in the western music industry. If Nigel Godrich was here I would recommend him :D

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Depends. I enjoy analog but not limited to it. Most my gear is analog but I often program effects using Max, it allows you do things that you cant do with analog. After setting limitations, the role of Analog and digital is clear for the project and I play within it.

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

A: I promise that something beautiful and special is added to the project.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Meeting very like minded folks, getting to know them and the ability to grow as a human doing this.

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

A: They mostly ask me if it is possible to make it sound in a specific way, or often point out the issues they have with their project. I often bring up a lot of the points I mentioned and have a meaningful conversation with them regarding the project.

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

A: Artists are very knowledgable these days but some still think this is where we sit behind a huge shiny mixer and expensive gear, and move knobs, and move our heads to it, which could be true in some cases but the real work is the thinking we put behind the work. That takes many many many hours and sometimes days. I sometimes drive my partner crazy for zoning out for hours, staring at nothing, thinking about the projects I'm working on.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your expectation from the project.

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

A: I advise looking in to hiring someone who cares about the process rather than the final sound. Im sure there are a lot of ppl that could make your song sound great, radio friendly and beautiful but I think this is a very important additional step you could be creative in.

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

A: Laptop, Interface, A Condensor Mic, Theremin, Bass.

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

A: I have been privileged to be around instruments since I have been 4 years old (thanks to my caregivers back in Iran). Just like many of you, I am a multi-instrumentalist, and I started production from age 18. From then, I can only enjoy listening to my last 2 years of work. I am 32 now. I have been getting paid doing this since 2016.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I guess the music speaks about this, I can't put it in writing.

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

A: I like artists that are open to pushing boundaries. This doesn’t mean just experimenting, this means growing as an artist to me.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Focus on the process rather than the sound itself. Your ears already know what sounds good and bad. Make the process creative and fun. Set some limitations and use that to your advantage.

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

A: Alternative Rock/Rock and contemporary music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Producing.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: It really depends on the project and the group/individual I am working with. I like to add something special to the song, noticeable or not noticeable, it is the process that matters to me the most. In a project where I am the producer, I spend days thinking and coming up with ideas such as, how to highlight sections of the song, using space while being mindful of the band image, instrumentation, vocals, highlighting the rhythm and etc… Same thing goes for composing, mixing and mastering. The process is very important and at the end of the day it adds something very special to the song.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: After I get assigned to a project, next is meeting in person or by zoom if possible, I like to get to know the band / artist. Aside from making friends, it is very important for me to find out the intensions behind the project, what their expectation is, what their process is, what the project image is, what do they want to highlight in their project. The first meetings is(are) very important for my process. Then I need some alone time with it. If I run in to doubts somewhere I will communicate it with them through out, otherwise I will finish the project and I am open to as many as revisions as needed with respect to time.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: It really depends on the project. Every project is unique and needs a different set of gear. Aside from collecting a bunch of gear over the years, I really enjoy creating new instruments, pedals, programming my own effects and accessing high-end gear through renting studios and sharing gear with friends. So, I guess sky is the limit these days. However I enjoy having limitations and finding creativity within those set limitations. This varies from project to project.

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

A: There are many great ones out there but the ones that stand out the most to me, are the ones who try to grow and learn and the process is an important part of production/writing for them. I really enjoy the work of Jonny Greenwood, and of-course Radiohead as a whole.

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

A: I mostly produce, mix and master. By production, I could mean, anywhere from consulting/chatting about the production approaches for the project, all the way to the fun stuff such as creating an instrument or a specific pedal or programming an effect for that specific project. I basically become the next band member of the band/project for the duration we are working on the song, depending on how open the client is to creativity in this step. Wether big or small, I always try to add to the project without over doing.