Hi, I'm Matt, an audio engineer and singer/songwriter based in Northumberland, UK. I have been involved in the music industry since I was 17 and have performed both around the UK and abroad. I recently graduated York St John University with a BA (hons) in Music Production where I worked in various capacities on a wide range of projects.
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Interview with Matt Dunbar
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I would say that, coming from a performance background, I bring out the performances within in a song more than anything. Whether that be a great guitar riff, great vocal line or a great drum part. I like to use subtle techniques like harmonies or doubling to emphasise the best parts of a track.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I like to talk to whoever I am working with and understand their vision for the project, then I plan out how we can achieve and expand that vision. I will then communicate with them throughout the project, making sure they feel part of the process and that they are happy with the direction of the project. Once we have a mix that we are both happy with I will send multiple versions of it to them so they can repurpose it however they wish.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I mainly work "In-The-Box" as this allows me to make the most out of the space I have. I mainly use Pro Tools to mix and record but sometimes use Ableton for more composition based projects. I also have a a wide range of plug ins and vst's at my disposal, I particularly like using FabFilter, Waves and Lexicon plug ins as I love the variety they offer! In terms of hardware I keep things pretty simple. My interface is the Focusrite Saffire Pro 24, I have JBL LSR 305s plus several different headphones that I use as my monitors. Im always looking to add to the gear that I have though, I have my eye on a couple of nice mic pre amps as my next purchase!
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I love artists and music producers who really stick to their beliefs, people like Jack White, Brian Fallon, Prince, Martin Levan, Ted Hutt, people who have a certain style that they bring to their records.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: My main speciality is mixing however I do a lot of lyric and song writing too.
