Jakub Tirco on SoundBetter

Let's talk about your vision and turn it into reality – whether it's recording/creating guitar tracks or eventually mixing the song.

I'm an independent artist, mixing engineer, and guitar player for both live and studio. I self-produce, record and mix all my music – be it my heavier progressive metal band "IONS", or my instrumental post-rock influenced solo releases as "Jakub Tirco".

I've been lucky enough to be a full-time live guitar player since the age of 17, but I focus more and more on session work. While I would typically present myself as a "progressive metal" player / mixer, I put maximum attention to detail into any genre, be it simple indie/surf rock melodies, ambient pad-like guitars, washy post-rock background layers, or even basic pop chords.

Despite doing most of the production work myself – I have previously worked with Ermin Hamidovic (Periphery, Devin Townsend, etc) on mastering, Adam Janzi from VOLA (guest on my "Noises & Colours" EP), or Jaroslav Beck from Beat Saber with whom I collaborated on various projects (including the Beat Saber OST).

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Credits

Reviews

Endorse Jakub Tirco

Interview with Jakub Tirco

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: A productive year such as 2020 has left me with a lot of unfinished things, so I'm currently finishing a solo album called "Alaska" and I'm working on singles with my band IONS, as well as doing some random session work for others.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: I would advice to tell me as much as necessary about the project, let me even hear some reference tracks, and in return I'll be honest about what I can or can't bring to the table.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Use your intuition and don't overthink things. Trust your ears and first impression.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Depending on what the artist's vision is, I try to put a little bit of flavour into everything I do. I love working with synths, reverb and ambient layers of all sorts. Of course, everything has its place and time.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I currently use my trusty old KRK VXT6 & Sennheiser H600 for mixing. UAD Apollo Twin Duo. While working mainly in the box, I do use some real amps for reamping (Victory Amps Kraken VX, Marshall JCM900). Strymon Big Sky. Electro-Harmonix Micropog. Earthquaker Devices Plumes. Clone of Klon Centaur. Muff Overdrive. Etc.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I've been hugely inspired by Devin Townsend's production for years. Adam Nolly Getgood did a wonderful job on his Transcendence record as well as on everything he's ever done. Outside of metal, I'm in love with the sounds of Vennart, Bombay Bicycle Club, Glen Hansard, Moderat, to name a few. Pretty random, right?
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Being a guitar player, I mostly get asked to mix or record guitar-oriented music. If the session requires it (and the client agrees), I reamp the DIs to get the mix-ready sound I'm most familiar with. Any kind of editing, comping, tuning, creating, twisting & tweaking is also welcome.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The creative part of it all!
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Solid guitar performance with lots of synths and reverbs!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My Macbook Pro, Apogee One, Audio Technica ATH-M50x, Urban Guitars 7-string, and an iLok (it's easier to carry around an island than amps).
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been playing guitar since the age of five (which makes it almost 25 years), and I started mixing my own records around 8 years ago. I think I won't be the first one to say "I didn't have money to pay someone else, so I learned how to do it myself".
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Progressive metal, technical metal, ambient, post-rock, indie