Mixing // Editing // Drumming

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

A: I'll only send a mix I'm 100% happy with myself. I don't send "halfway done" mixes!

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Hearing new music that people put their time, effort, and soul into!

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

A: It's probably imposter-syndrome, but the idea that I know exactly what I'm doing. I still feel like a student and am always figuring things out, so I feel far from a pro, although I know I have the skillset to get a competitive, professional result.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Can I have a demo of the song you want mixed?

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

A: Just check out my mixes, if you dig them lets talk!

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

A: 1) Acoustic Guitar 2) Macbook with nuclear never-ending battery 3) Drums 4) SM57 5) Coffee

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

A: I've wanted to work in studios since highschool. I ended up going to college for computer science, and have held "office jobs" mostly since then. But I've always retained my passion for not only playing music and being in bands, but also diving deep into audio. I've been learning to record/mix for about 12 years now, and trying to always get better.

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

A: Any artist I can get along with who cares about their songs.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Try not to have the attitude of "we'll fix it in the mix". Make a point to get the best takes possible! Don't overthink it, but don't settle either. Tracking is the most important part of the process.

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

A: I typically work on heavier genres of music, but have experience with more pop styles as well.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Communication, and not being a d*ck. Audio professionals ("sound guys") have gained the stereotype of being curmudgeons (which I honestly understand, from some of my experiences). It's very rare I feel the need to be blunt, or not give reasoning for a decision an artist may not understand. So yeah, just being cool about stuff. This is all supposed to be fun after all, right?

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I feel getting drums to really hit hard and sound great is my specialty. Mixing drums is probably the most challenging part, and it's taken years to really nail it down. I'm also a drummer of over 10 years, so that probably helps.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Tracking: Focusing on the tracking phase is most important - its also the easiest to overlook and want to rush through. I aim for takes that sound as close to the final outcome as possible, whether it's mic'ing strategies or not settling for sub-par takes. That being said, I have plenty of experience working with tracks that are not ideal or perfect, and getting them where they need to be. Editing: Once I have the final recorded files, I edit them to a professional standard, without sounding robotic. Editing correctly can be time consuming, but it's necessary to get a competitive mix. Mixing: Once the tracks are edited, it's time for my favorite part: Mixing! This usually takes about a day, and I always make a point to listen to my mixes on different speakers and in the car to make sure they translate. I don't send a mix for approval until I'm 100% happy with it. I don't put a limit on revisions, so any and all revisions are welcome. Mastering: I don't do my own Mastering (usually). I find having a dedicated, experienced mastering engineer is more than worth it, even though I understand if artists prefer I master my own mixes to save costs. I'm happy to do so, but I also have an awesome mastering engineer who's rates are incredibly affordable, and 100% worth it.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a fairly standard home studio setup: I work in Pro Tools running on a Mac, and monitor through Adam A7Xs. I also have a variety of preamps, microphones, and instruments for in-person sessions.

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

A: Will Putney is one of my idols, as well as George Lever, Daniel Braunstein, and of course Nolly.

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

A: I mostly work with clients who have enough expertise to record on their own, but need that professional edge in the mixing stage. Editing is another huge hurdle for musicians, so that's where I'm also able to help get artists song to a professional standard.