Phil Schawel on SoundBetter

50 million plus streams on music i've mixed on Spotify. Mixing all genres. Let’s take your project to the next level together!

My job is to enhance the vision of the artist and producer to its full potential.
I am musician first (drummer, guitarist, singer) which is the foundation of my approach to mixing, guided by the emotion of the song and what it's trying to portray.

Whats my style?
The greatest compliment I’ve ever received from a client was, “When I hear your work, I hear my song, not a mix”.
This is my goal with every project I work on.
It's not about my style, its about making sure your song is speaking and resonating through the mix.

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Phil

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Phil Schawel

JUDAH.
Noah Gundersen
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Judah
Judah
Jon Foreman
Judah
Brandon Grissom
Judah
Judah
Caleb Chapman
Judah
John Van Deusen
Judah
Judah
J. Monty
Judah
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Brandon Grissom
Mainsail
Phil Schawel
Phil Schawel
Patrick Mayberry
Lemolo
Rita Springer
Judah

6 Reviews

Endorse Phil Schawel

by Brandt Miller
Phil takes an intuitive approach, informed by his experience as a musician & multi-instrumentalist, that brings each song's unique beauty to the forefront of every mix. Similar to the way a chef uses salt & spice to bring *just* the right flavor out of raw ingredients, Phil has an uncanny knack for identifying not just the sounds but the textures, moods, and feelings that will turn a song into something greater than the sum of its parts. He is an incredible asset to every project he's involved in, and I will continue to strongly recommend him to anyone looking for mixes of the highest caliber.
by Andrew Kang
I've had the privilege of working with Phil for the past several years. Phil is extremely gifted in the way he thinks, hears, and works with music. He is not only a fantastic mix engineer, but also a talented musician with an amazing ear. I've seen Phil work on a wide range of genres and project types and I can confidently say everything he mixes is unreal. Phil is also one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He is so easy to work with and I will always ask him first whenever I need something mixed!
by Jon G.
Phil mixed my whole last record "Keeper of Days" and it wouldn't have been the same without him. His taste and his decisions are so musical, and so attuned to the individual song. It's like he puts on your ears when he's mixing and gives you what you were going for from the start. He's also a people-person through and through, which makes the experience 10x more fun. I couldn't recommend him more highly!
by Zach Kranz
For years, Phil has been my go-to mix engineer. While many mixers pride themselves in making your mix sound good, Phil makes your song FEEL like a finished record. He has, by far, the most musical approach to mixing of any mixer I've ever worked with. My clients are always blown away by Phil's ability to focus a production into its best version. I will continue to trust Phil to mix my productions for years to come!
by Steve-o
I’ve worked with Phil multiple times with several bands. Every song we recorded with him was absolute fire. His mixes smoked the competition, and gave us exactly what we were looking for. I would recommend working with him 100%.
by Tony Sorrentino
I’ve collaborated with Phil on several projects, including a full length original record which he both produced and mixed. Behind the console, Phil is a relentless technician, a bold artist, and an empathetic guide who helps surface the gold of any project he’s on. Phil constantly pushes himself to get better, wrestling for small improvements that surface the soul of a song when others would have called it “good enough” rounds ago. His ear is world-class, but it’s this ongoing pursuit of excellence that sets Phil apart as a master of the craft.

Interview with Phil Schawel

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: Noah Gundersen, White Noise, and White Noise b sides. I pushed myself so hard with these mixes, had to learn to trust myself and won a mix compitition to get the record! Some of the best songs i've had a chance to mix.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: A few mixes for artists, a live recording for a church, and a couple spec mixes hoping to land some exciting projects!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I will honor your art by always putting my full effort in to the mix!
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Make sure the engineer is a musician, I truly believe the best mixers are musicians.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Sennheiser HD 650 headphones, Protools, Slate Plugins, a desk, and a chair.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Taylor Swift, because I love her songs and production a ton! If I could watch anyone work it would be Shawn Everette, love his mixes and creativity.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Pop, Indie, Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Live Recordings.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: As musician and producer I believe I know how to guide the listener though the track.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Talk to the client about their vision the song, listen to the rough, and then start going at the parts of the song that feel like the core of the song!
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Protools, Avid Control surfaces.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Serban Gehnea, Shawn Everette, Justin Niebank. Just legends to me.. :)
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital, it's how I learned, and its not about gear, its about ear and inspiration!
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The feeling of a song becoming bigger than the sum of its parts. Honestly, it's chasing that feeling I had when I was 13 listening to records and thinking "how do they do that?!" it sounds soooo good!
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Can I get the stems for the mix? My answer: Of course!!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That there is a formula. There is no formula, there is only following the song.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What does this project/song mean to you? What are you trying to get across in this song? What are some of your favorite records/references?
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been making records since I was 14 years old and professionally for 12 years. Grew up in playing music in church and then had a YouTube career that launched my business making records for people!
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Emotion led mixing, not afraid to take risks and push things!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Follow and trust your heart and ear, don't try to be someone else!
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My toughest client is myself!
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: The most common work I do for clients is mixing, from studio recordings to live recording, all things mixing!