Nicky Howard

Music First Mastering & Mixing

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183 Reviews (165 Verified)
Nicky Howard on SoundBetter

x11 Platinum 💎 Hot Since 82, Misha Miller, Ben Böhmer, WUGD (Jax Jones), Franky Wah, Anjuna, !K7, Afterlife (Tale of Us), Hannah Laing, This Never Happened, and many more...

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Hi, I’m Nicky! Since 2010, I've helped renowned artists and independent creatives elevate their music.

I've credits on all major labels and every influential dance music outlet imaginable. I regularly collaborate with Grammy-winning artists, producers, and mixers and have amassed billions of plays. x11 Platinum (Muso.ai).

My collaborative service empowers YOU with the confidence to compete at the highest level.

Here's what I'll do for you!
- Provide a friendly & collaborative service.
- Listen to you and your music with razor-sharp focus.
- Be the 2nd set of experienced ears you can trust.
- Empower you with the confidence to compete.
- Help your music to stand out and gain recognition.

Here's my process!
- Listen carefully to your vision for the project.
- Ensure your music sounds better, not just louder.
- Enact a meticulous QC protocol and data backup.
- Provide deliverables on time, on budget, and release ready.
- Turnaround revisions swiftly without fuss or charge.

✪ New clients! The first single master is discounted. ✪

Sounds good? OK, let's make some music. 👌

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

183 Reviews - 41 Repeat Clients

Endorse Nicky Howard
  1. Review by Conor W.
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    Had a great time with Nicky, worked together to get a nice sound overall and he’s a very good mastering engineer. See you for the next one man 🤙🤙

  2. Review by luca j.
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    Nicky is great at what he does really made my house track punchy and crisp highly recommend and will be using again also a very quick service 🌟🎶

  3. Review by Matt M.
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    Nicky delivers the goods, every single time!!

  4. Review by Serge J.
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    Another fantastic job by Nicky! Always a pleasure working with him! His attention to detail and dedication to the final result are top-notch. I ended up sending over a new mix after he had already finished mastering, and he was more than happy to do a fresh master. Super professional and easy to work with. Highly recommend!

  5. Review by Peter
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    by Peter
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    Wow wow wow!!! This guy's a genius! He's delivered a master that'll knock you off your chair, not for the first time either! Perfect work, and see you next time!

  6. Review by Verstreift
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    Absolut outstanding results as always.
    We've been mastering with Nicky for pretty long time now and have never been disappointed nor needed any revisions.
    10/10 recommendation

  7. Review by andrew
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    by andrew
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    Awesome mastering work completed by Nicky, he did an awesome job, very responsive and easy to communicate with. will use again and highly recommend.

  8. Review by Matt M.
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    I've been going to Nicky for mastering for nearly a year now. Amazing results every single time.

  9. Review by Kyle M.
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    5 Starts in every way. Nicky is very responsive and professional. His work truly speaks for itself. The final results were beyond our expectations.

    Would highly recommend to anyone looking for mixing and/or mastering. We will definitely be working with Nicky in the future.

  10. Review by Kling A.
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    Working with Nicky has been an absolute game-changer for my music. His mastering work brings clarity, punch, and warmth that elevates every track to a professional level. Turnaround time is always fast, communication is smooth, and he’s got that rare blend of technical skill and musical sensitivity. Highly recommend if you want your sound to truly stand out.

  11. Review by Therum
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    by Therum
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    Nicky did a fantastic job adding that little touch my track still needed, and I would recommend him to anyone.

  12. Review by Serge J.
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    Nicky is an absolute pleasure to work with and the masters sounds amazing! I look forward to working with Nicky again in the near future!

  13. Review by Noah K.
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    Nicky has done an amazing job on my latest project. He took the essence of the production and brought it to the highest possible level. Highly recommend!

  14. Review by Alex D.
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    Nicky has been a very reliable mastering engineer!

  15. Review by Benjamin W.
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    I recently switched my sound from festival progressive house to a more quiet progressive/chill house. I'm still looking for people to support me in this journey and I'm happy I found Nicky here with a solid mastering expertise. Can't be happier with the final result.

  16. Review by Matt M.
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    Nicky does the best work, consistently!!

  17. Review by Owen G.
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    Nicky understood the assignment. Delighted with the end result. Quick and efficient. Excellent communication. Top notch.

  18. Review by Connor O.
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    Thanks Nicky!

  19. Review by Rob
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    by Rob
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    It is always a pleasure to work with such attentive and knowledgeable professionals as Nicky. I will definitely work with him again for future projects.

  20. Review by Alex D.
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    Nicky does a great job in little time and is a pleasure!

Interview with Nicky Howard

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

  2. A: Monitors (Kii Three + BXT), Headphones (Audeze - LCD-X), Chair (Herman Miller), Room (Custom Designed), Bobby (My Studio Dog).

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

  4. A: That we simply look to make music louder. Loudness and playback levels are an important part of my job, hitting the perfect zone where any increased maximisation is bringing a positive enhancement and a certain density to the sound is part of the skillset of an experienced Mastering Engineer.

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

  6. A: Calvin Harris. Back at the very start of his career, he interviewed me as part of a Pete Tong show. It'd be great to come full circle especially given the phenomenal success he has achieved.

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

  8. A: I work my magic throughout a diversity of modern styles, from Pop chart mega hits to underground Dance anthems, from Rap & Hip-Hop monster beats to eclectic Electronic.

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

  10. A: I've been working as a professional mastering engineer for 18 years, 11 of which running my studio, The Fat Mastering. As a teenager, I had two passions, one for music and the other for technology. While at university, these interests become entwined into the pursuit of understanding how audio equipment operated. Graduating with a Masters Degree in electronic engineering with a dissertation on my design and build of a VST controlled analogue compression unit. While studying, I became heavily involved in the Sheffield (UK) dance music scene, producing and releasing music that would lead to my first mastering gig for one of these record labels. By graduation, an internship in a local production and mastering facility was already in place. I spent the next seven years learning my craft while furthering my knowledge with a Diploma of Higher Education in music, sound and technology. By 2010 I was handling the senior mastering work and decided that it was time to establish my own company, The Fat Mastering. Shortly after this, I became a member of the professional body Music Producers Guild and started to work closely with a broad range of industry professionals. Into the present, I continue to look to improve every aspect of my work and business. I'm always on the pulse of new and emerging technologies and looking for new and exciting clients.

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

  12. A: As a dedicated Mastering Engineer I'm responsible for the final stage in the production process prior to release. I'm the fresh ears and ideas that take a project across the finishing line. This involves enhancements to the client's audio and also ensuring that all of the required levels are optimally set before delivering correctly formatted media that's ready for distribution.

  13. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  14. A: I'm a fresh set of ears. I can confidently push a project over the finishing line and equally breathe life into one that requires a new perspective. I'm in a different studio space. The final Mastering stage includes quality control. Moving a project into a new space can help illuminate any areas of the mixing space that may be less than perfect.

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Klangkarussell - Sonnentanz [Universal Music]

I was the Mastering Engineer in this production


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    Klangkarussell - Sonnentanz [Universal Music]
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    Ben Böhmer - Sprich [Bade Records]
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    Chris Luno - Those Days [This Never Happened]
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    Braxton - Chiaroscuro [Anjunadeep]
Terms Of Service

▪️Unlimited Revisions
▪️Alternative Edits $25 per/edit
▪️STEM Mixing $15 per/STEM
▪️DDP Image for CD $50
▪️Vinyl Sequencing $50

GenresSounds Like
  • Ben Böhmer
  • Hot Since 82
  • Franky Wah
Gear Highlights
  • Bespoke Studio Space
  • Kii BXT Reference System (Custom)
  • Lynx Hilo
  • SPL Hermes
  • Thermionic Culture The Phoenix
  • Bettermaker Darthlimiter
  • Gyraf G14-S
  • Elysia XFilter-ME
  • TK-Audio BC2-ME
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