Planet-friendly Mastering

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

A: So many over the years, it's impossible to single anyone out, but generally every time a team came together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. I'm grateful to be able to participate in very rewarding remastering projects of classic albums by the likes of José Afonso along with working on successful new releases during the last couple of years.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: As usual, there are many projects simultaneously happening during any given week from different clients all over the world. Normally, I am working on a handful of albums, EPs and various singles in between, of which I am not at liberty to talk about specifics (since discretion is also warranted in this job).

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

A: Yes, there are many talented engineers on here! One example would be Hannes Eils, a great mix engineer and producer from Hamburg: https://soundbetter.com/profiles/423216-hannes-eils

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: All hearing and reproduction is analog, so it's always both. My audio processing however is done exclusively in the digital domain (aka "in the box"), this is where I am most comfortable and creatively flexible to work in. Beside any advantages regarding workflow and recallability, in my experience it offers a lot of options for different sonic approaches to a song. Also the fact that music is almost exclusively delivered in a digital form to mastering as well as to the consumer is a fact that should be considered.

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

A: To work until everyone involved is happy with the results! I do not stop before this is achieved, as well as to be clear and communicative about all aspects of the process. I'll treat your project with the same passion and dedication as I would do with my own.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The variety of different kinds of music in combination with the challenge to function within diverse teams and circumstances. To get to listen to music most of the time of day is also not too shabby.

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

A: Q: What's the preferred peak headroom/masterbus treatment/LUFS measurement/...? A: Whatever sounds the best to you, try to mix as creatively as possible and don't get bogged by numbers.

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

A: That mastering is synonymous with processing. This is what automated services and software presets are suggesting in their marketing, but traditionally mastering is the process of creating a production master, not necessarily changing the sound on the master bus. This type of "mastering" completely leaves out crucial parts of the process like quality control (restoration of possible defects inherent in the recording,...), feedback regarding the mix and communication before and after the mastering to make sure every avenue is explored towards the best result. Which sometimes can result in no processing of the sound at all. Since every studio works differently, there is no way to generalize every aspect of the process.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What sort of art gets you inspired? What type of music, books, movies and so on do you like? More specifically, how did your production process go up until this point?

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

A: As with everyone in your creative team, try to find a mastering engineer that enhances your project with a suitable workflow and fitting attitude.

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

A: - my laptop - my headphones - enough solar panels to power all of that as well as a functioning internet connection - a comfy chair - sunscreen, and lots of it

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

A: I've been fortunate enough to do mastering full time since starting as a staff mastering and production engineer at Soundgarden Mastering in 2016. Before that, my journey has brought me from being a touring musician to running a recording and mixing space to doing electronic music and remixes while taking on the odd mastering gig when my job at a music software company allowed it.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Nearly impossible, as I am way too subjective and biased to assess my own style. In theory, I try to give a recording a fighting chance to sound unique with intent while complying with our contemporary technical boundaries.

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

A: Anyone who is looking for a mastering team mate who is willing to go the extra mile. Artistry is not limited by genre or my own personal taste in music.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't be afraid to be creative, break the "rules" and follow your ideas confidently and honestly. Don't stop to push for your vision to pull through. Why? Because it shows in the end result.

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

A: Usually as diverse as possible. As vast as the musical landscape appears, as unique are the challenges and I am willing to take on anything (as long as its content is not supporting extremist/hateful propaganda).

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Listening. Whether it's to the music or to the client, attentive listening is most crucial skill during the process. Patience, reliability, discretion and the willingness to try out unconventional ideas further the chance of a unique outcome.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Generally speaking, the goal is to add what is needed whilst not doing any harm to what was given. Reaching that goal varies from project to project, from song to song. In order to determine what is needed, we rely on our experience, taste and musical background. Besides the creative contribution to the sound, there is also the technical expertise to create production masters in various formats.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Typically, we start the process by discussing the project (sound, expectations, release specs, schedule, budget, etc.) to get the ball rolling. After the appropriate files are transferred, we start reviewing and processing the mixes individually. Then the masters are sent for review by the client (artist, producer, mix-engineer, label, ...) with the option to revise and refine if necessary. Upon final approval, we deliver files in the formats ordered and your music is ready to be released.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: While I honed my craft in a traditional mastering environment (hybrid combination of analog and digital outboard with plugins), my approach recently transformed into a more contemporary, flexible mobile setup. One of my main concerns is keeping my environmental footprint as small as possible without sacrificing quality or customer service. Audio engineering and the music industry as a whole needs to rethink its approach as far as I am concerned.

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

A: Mostly the inspiration is spurred by the client's vision, combined with a great admiration for the work of producers and engineers from around the world. Special shout out to my mentor Chris von Rautenkranz whose work is still inspiring me to get better.

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

A: Mastering music, 100% of the time. The overwhelming majority of that is done in stereo, some work is based on stems and released in immersive formats (e.g. Dolby ATMOS).