Mixing Engineer for Pop/R&B

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

A: Find samples of their work, especially if they have a 'before' and 'after' mix results. Very important to keep in mind, you must FALL IN LOVE WITH THE MIX, not the songs. Not every recording musician is lucky to have top dollar recording equipment and expertise, so its important you find a mix engineer that can still deliver major label results with less than stellar recordings.

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

A: In my circle, I know a lot of vocal singers of both R&B and Pop. Based on that, the type of music I usually work on is R&B and Pop.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Mixing and Editing vocals (tuning, timing, feel, timbre). Since I have a past with professional singing, I know what type of feel a singer expects their vocals to sound. When it comes to tuning and editing, I can fix it in a way that doesn't sound like it was edited at all (via Auto-Tune, vocal choppiness, etc.), and keeps the au naturel feel. But, if its a processed sound a client is after, I can easily do that as well.

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

A: Pro tools Ultimate HD, Genelec Monitors, Manley Massive, Manley NUMU, Kush Clariphonic

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Before I even touch a fader, I like to understand the end goal of the artist. What is the sound your looking for? Samples of songs you like? How do you like your vocal sound? etc. We need to understand that a song can sound a myriad of ways from the mix. If we can agree on a target goal, this makes the entire process more streamlined, and likely we can nail the final sound in the first mix.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: All of the gear I own, I developed through years of hard work and saving/investing. I've bought, sold, upgraded a good amount of my gear at different times in my career. My studio setup consist of selective pieces that produce the end result that I have been picturing in my head. I'm running a Pro Tools Ultimate HD setup with various amounts of plugins. My hardware chain consist of the Clariphonic High End EQ, NSEQ-4 Mastering EQ, API-2500 Compressor, Manley NUMU Compressor, and Manley Massive. Each piece (or a combination of them) gives a certain tone, which allows me the flexibility to do everything I need to do.

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

A: Im a bit old school, as I grew up in the 90's. I appreciate the organic singers and hip-hop artists of those days like Boyz II Men, Blackstreet, Jodeci, 2-Pac, Biggie, Warren-G, and maybe a little N'Sync and Backstreet Boys. The sound of records back then had a type of flow, laid-back, open and natural feel to them. Today's music has changed, as things are bit more forward, bright, and edgy! I like to think of my mixes to be the bridgepoint between the two, but at the same time, capable of delivering at those spectrums.

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

A: My first time on here! I'll let you know later.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both! Digital for ease and efficiency, and Analog for that unattainable 'out-of-the-box' sound. Although digital is getting better and better, analog is still king in terms of overall sound and depth.

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

A: In my experience, the first mix that is sent is never perfect. You may want a volume up here or there, you may want reverb/echo here or there, remove or add an effect, etc. Regardless of what updates you require, each mix I send, I promise will always sound sonically polished and finished.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The outside world is noisy and stressful. When I put my head down and work on a mix, I have a way of being engulfed in the song and everything else just fades away. This is what I love.

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

A: make things loud and slap some 'echo' on it lol.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I like to understand my clients, to know their favorite music, what gets them going, what inspires them, and why? If I can understand my clients, know what music they like, what sounds that capture their attention, then I will be able to produce a mix that is catered to them.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: I don't do music production, just mixing. But If I had to share a tip on music production is "Less is More".

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Usually, younger/inexperienced mixing engineers look to provide a sound signature, but that is not what the client wants. As a mixing engineer, I have to understand that the end goal of this song, is, and will always be, my clients vision.

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

A: Primarily mixing! Also, since I have singing experience, I can add backing vocals/harmonies on the whim.