Mixing

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

A: The Goodyear Pimps song “Rocket Science” was featured on the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack. We beat Tom Lord Alge’s mix, much to the chagrin of Hollywood Record’s A&R. I did all of the engineering, some production additions, and co-mixed with my mentor, Jimmy Johnson. This was very early in my career, so the experience was a formative one. It proved that I had what it takes to make a viable contribution to the recording industry.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I get to build creative relationships with all kinds of people.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Preproduction for the next Goodyear Pimps record. And also, a pseudo hard science fiction podcast about aliens who are in orbit to study humanity and transmit what they have learned back to the home world.

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

A: I care about every project like it’s my own. I’ll always go the extra mile if it makes the song better.

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

A: Water purifier, ferro rod, cook pot, fishing net, and a bush knife... But all joking aside, I’d bring 5 people who could sing and play percussion well. We wouldn’t have electricity.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. The digital realm offers versatility and workflow advantages that analog devices cannot provide. However, the analog domain adds a complexity and character to the audio that digital processing cannot yet emulate.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What makes you excited about this song?

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

A: I started as an intern in 1996 at The Noise Chamber (Loves Park, IL.) I became house engineer in 1998 and worked as Jimmy "The Johnson" Johnson's exclusive engineer until 2003, at which time I focused on playing guitar and songwriting in a band called "The Snaggs," while continuing to take studio jobs. In 2006 I made my way to Westlake Recording (West Hollywood, CA) where I worked until getting an opportunity in the video game industry at High Voltage Software (Hoffman Estates, IL) in 2009. Ever since 2012, I have been working for my own studio called "The Noise Floor" as a tip of the cap to my starting place and mentor, Jimmy Johnson. In 2020, my wife and I relocated to North Bend, Oregon, where I currently have a studio.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I am casually obsessive-compulsive with an emphasis on creativity. I prefer to laugh, but I need to cry sometimes. If we're talking about clothes, I'm comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, but I own a spiffy pinstripe three piece suit for appropriate occasions.

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

A: Any artist that is passionate about what they are doing.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Objectivity is the key to making efficient progress. Don't beat your head against the wall. Take a break, get some air, and return to the task with a fresh perspective.

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

A: I have worked with rock musicians the most, but my early days as the Noise Chamber's house engineer in Loves Park, IL gave me experience in almost every genre to start my career. Country, metal, hip hop, latin pop, noise core... music is adventure.

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

A: Listen to their work. If the mixes you hear are interesting and inspiring, then you might be on the right track. Next, you should reach out to the mixers you are interested in hiring and have a conversation.