Nashville Mixing & Mastering

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

A: Jerry Roe (Drums, Nashville) - dude is a madman in the best way possible Mike Payne (Guitar, Nashville) - extremely talented, versatile, and one of the nicest humans I've been on sessions with both of these dudes and would recommend them in an instant.

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

A: I'm very proud of all the work I've done so far with Nashville- based crooner, indy.. I've handled the mixing, mastering, and contributed some minor production work to his most recent releases: “gone.”, “say.”, and “eyes.”. Working with indy. and his producer is always an involved process, in the best way possible. They are very talented, and they have clear visions for their tracks, but they also trust me and encourage me to take extra creative liberties. We go back and forth a lot, advocating for the ideas/tweaks that we each feel will best serve the song. In the end, we all leave our comfort zones, have breakthroughs, make compromises, and the song is better for it, every time.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: At the moment I'm mixing a few different tracks. One is a heavy pop tune, with trap elements, from Good Bear, that features his usual blend of massive 808s, effervescent melodies and expertly produced vocals.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I prefer digitally-driven systems with some analog spice thrown in via inserts, summing, etc. The convenience factor is just too high, especially if you're moving between studios. Additionally, The digital side of audio technology has really hit its stride, and now boasts some incredibly powerful tools that just cannot exist in the analog domain. That said, the analog world is special, and it has its own bits of magic that digital can’t match, so I always leave the door open to incorporate it into my work.

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

A: I will match your level of investment in the project and work with you to elevate your music. It will be a smooth, collaborative process focused on presenting your creative vision to the world in the best way possible. Also, I will not be a dick.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Probably the fact that I get to work with one foot in the technical camp and one foot in the creative camp. It's just as much fun to nerd out on gear specifics as it is to play with the different emotional energies in a mix. Alternatively, I get to sit in my spaceship everyday and fire the bass cannons. What’s not to love?

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

A: “What's your turnaround time?” It all depends on how many projects I’m juggling at the time. Under ideal conditions, I try to get initial mixes to clients within a week or so, and masters within 1-2 days. If it’s an emergency and you need it ASAP, just let me know and we’ll sort something out. “Can you make it louder?” Always! However, you have to be willing to accept the tradeoffs. I will happily drop you onto the front lines of the loudness war, but it’s important to understand that the loudness gods are hungry gods, and pleasing them requires sacrifices.

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

A: The idea that mixing/mastering can save a bad arrangement. Yes, engineers can work wonders, but the single most important factor in determining a mix's potential is how the song is written and arranged.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What, to you, are the core elements of this song? Is there anything about the current mix that you're not happy with? Conversely, what parts are you most excited about? Tell me about your vision for the track - what kind of auditory space are we trying to place the listener inside of? Mixing is a lot like cooking. What kind of food is your song? What are we serving the listeners? How will this track be released and distributed?

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

A: Chat me up! Let's get to know each other a bit and make sure I'm the right person for your project. If you're preparing to send me material, I encourage you to try to commit to any mixing/ production decisions you've already made, provided you're happy with them of course. For example, if you've drenched your background vocals in effects, and you're into it, print them along with the vocals and send them to me. If necessary, I can always ask you to dial something back or send me a dry file, but at the outset we should try to lean into any engineering moves you've made, especially if they play a meaningful role in the production.

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

A: Teenage Engineering OP-1 (does everything, cool filters) Intersound IVP Preamp (amazing distortion box) EMT 140 Plate Reverb (awesome on everything) Manley Massive Passive Stereo Tube EQ (always useful) SSL 4000 G Mixing Console (keep me warm, OP-1 table)

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

A: I've been working in the industry for nearly a decade now. I grew up playing music (saxophone, hand percussion) but it wasn't until college that I stumbled upon my obsession with engineering and production. Once I graduated, I moved to NYC so I could throw myself into the scene head-first. I spent my first year in the city attending an electronic music school, Dubspot, where I studied electronic musk production, sound design, mixing and mastering. Dubspot was a truly magical place where I learned a ton and met so many talented humans that I work with to this day. The rest of my time in New York was spent grinding, networking, and going to shows at Webster Hall. I left NYC for a brief stint in LA to spend some time producing/ engineering while soaking up a different culture. I lived with a pop band (Radical Something) who was on a meteoric rise in popularity at the time, and being immersed in their world added many layers to my workflow and skill set. I moved from LA to Richmond, VA to take a job as a recording engineer and audio instructor at a university. I was looking for a chance to keep honing my skills while finding a bit more stability and consistency in my life, plus I love teaching, so it was a great fit. During my time there I recorded, mixed, and mastered all sorts of music - everything from local metal bands to Eighth Blackbird, a Grammy-winning electroacoustic ensemble. When I wasn't working, I produced heavy electronic music alongside a close friend, under the moniker Metrix. We wrote a bunch of fun songs, won a few remix competitions. and opened for larger acts such as Krewella, Mitis, and Singularity. After 4 years in Richmond I had outgrown my position at the university and it was time to move on. At this point, I felt great about my ability to work on electronic music, but I wanted to improve my skills when it came to recording, mixing, and mastering other styles, especially in the analog domain. As such, I set my sights on Nashville, TN. I moved to Nashville in the summer of 2016 and enrolled in a studio engineering program taught at the world famous Blackbird Studios. At Blackbird, I rounded out my skill set, complimenting my grasp on digital /electronic engineering with a deep understanding of studio recording techniques and analog signal flow as applied to mixing and mastering. Just like Dubspot in New York, Blackbird pulled me into the heart of the industry in Nashville, and helped me build out my professional network. Indeed, it was through Blackbird that I eventually landed a full-time gig as a staff engineer at Southern Grand Nashville, an absolutely incredible studio, and the home of the Zac Brown Band. I spent the next 3 years engineering and assisting countless sessions at Southern Ground, in addition to my own freelancing. Working at the studio was all-consuming, but I grew tremendously as an engineer, and I met so many special people. I loved it. In March of 2020, Southern Ground was forced to close due to the pandemic. Since then, I've been fully freelance, bouncing between Nashville's many studios and mixing/ mastering out of my personal studio space.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Generally speaking, I love when clients give me a mix and say, "do whatever you think is best," but I truly thrive when clients have a focused vision for the final product and they rely on me to get them there. I have a unique ability to tap into what my clients are already doing in a mix and make it better, but not too different. That said, if you throw a mix or master my way and say "dealer's choice", odds are you won't be disappointed. If we're talking specifics, I would say I excel at making the low end of a track sit in a way that best supports the song. Sometimes this calls for a clean, focused low end, where the bass is so solid you can almost stand on it. Other times, a sinful amount of distortion is the answer, yielding a low end that is raw, audacious, and powerful. Regardless of the direction you're trying to take, if the bass/lower frequency bands play a meaningful role in the production I will zero in on that and make it even cooler. This also applies to synthesizers. I love enhancing ambitious sound design, feed me crazy synth tracks.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Clients send me a multitrack collection, a few stems, or a stereo wav, we discuss their vision for the track, and I get to work sculpting, polishing, and working any magic necessary to enhance the track to serve said vision. When mixing, I like to do a brief assessment of the individual tracks so that I know what I'm working with. It's important not to spend too much time in solo-mode though, because how things sound in isolation doesn't matter at all. Rather, what's important is how the elements sound in context with one another, within the full mix. When mastering, my order of operations is typically: assess/adjust the EQ balance of a track, process the dynamics, manage the stereo imaging, apply distortion if needed, and lastly, loudness maximization with perhaps a touch more EQ. Every project is different. Sometimes, I make several full passes through my workflow and end up with a ton of processing. Other times, the client has absolutely nailed various aspects of the production, so I omit a step or two of my process in order to preserve whatever magic they're already working. The single most consistent factor in my workflow is communication with the client. Projects go smoothly when people trust each other and aren't afraid to give their honest opinions. I find this type of relationship is best cultivated through frequent, regular communication so the artist never feels like they are losing creative agency.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Living and working in Nashville, I'm able to bounce between many incredible studios based on the requirements of the task at hand. My personal mix room is a treated space featuring several sets of focal monitors (CMS50, Shape Twin + sub), UAD + RME converters, a juiced up hackintosh rig, and a stupidly large amount of LED strips/lights/panels. No matter what is happening in there, it looks like it sounds good. My second-most frequented space is a private, purpose-built studio outfitted with Barefoot Micromains, Burl conversion, and a 32-channel SSL G-Series mixing console. I prefer to work mostly in the digital domain, however, an all-analog workflow is possible (for an additional fee) if necessary.

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

A: I'm a big fan of people who use their engineering/production skills to further their artistry. Names like Mick Gordon, Deadmau5, The Glitch Mob, Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Lights...the list goes on. There are just so many exciting possibilities when you combine technical skill with raw creative force. I have also been fortunate enough to work alongside some incredible engineers here in Nashville. People like Brandon Bell, who could use walmart mics and still capture magic, or Gustavo Celis, a man who hears in samples per second and provides clean mixes no matter how many channels you force upon him. Lastly, I would be foolish not to mention my mentor and close personal friend, Mark Rubel. He is the Yoda of the audio community and a force for good in this world.

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

A: I spend most of my time providing remote mixing and mastering services. Over time, I've come to specialize in electronic dance/club music, pop, and, oddly enough, modern country.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Stylistically, I try to be somewhat of a chameleon (in a good way). I find I can typically serve a song best by tuning in to the inherent

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

A: The Glitch Mob. As I mentioned above, I'm a massive fan of artists who weave creative engineering into their songwriting and production. I imagine that a project with The Glitch Mob would be one where we'd have just as much fun in the analog domain, capturing sounds, as we would in the digital one, where we'd mangle and manipulate. Additionally, I love the overall characteristics of their sound/productions - the screaming leads, cataclysmic bass, and their spacious, seismic drums. Their live performances have been some of the most fun shows I've attended, so it would be an absolute blast to contribute to one of their projects.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Commit to your ideas. The world of digital audio production has made it possible for us to defer decisions indefinitely, and this can hurt a project. If you've got a bunch of synth midi parts that sound great to you, bounce them to audio and take away your ability to keep messing with the voicing/programming. If there's a percussion track that you muted a long time ago, but is still in the session because you "might need it later", delete it and move on. Finishing tracks is an art unto itself and that process becomes more difficult if you have the option to tweak every element forever and ever.

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

A: While I work on a wide array of musical material, over time I have come to specialize largely in the world of electronic dance music, and where it intersects with pop and hip hop. I get excited by tracks with huge bass, aggressive drums, complex vocal processing, and the other staples of these styles.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Years of diverse experience, and a lack of ego. I have been working as an audio engineer for nearly a decade, and in this time I have been fortunate enough to cover a wide variety of genres and styles. I've lived/worked in NYC, helping house, dubstep, and trap producers hone their tracks for dance floor domination, and I've spent time in LA mixing/mastering pop and hip-hop acts so that they can compete in an incredibly competitive space. I've spent the past 5 years living and working in Nashville, an industry hub where I am surrounded by some of the worlds most talented musicians and engineers. Like Bruce Lee, I have developed my engineering style by combining practices and techniques that I have absorbed from participating in all these different musical disciplines. More importantly though, whenever I approach a project I leave my ego at the door. I present my clients with a set of skills, tools, and options, but I do not force anything upon them or try to pull the project in a direction they aren't comfortable with. I am here to help the client achieve their goals and all my experience counts for nothing if I'm not using it to make them happy.