Mixer, Mix Coach, Topliner

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work from home and mix mostly "in the box," but do also have some good analog gear I will use when it's needed. I have a wide array of excellent plug-ins and a top-notch CPU to run them all. My own recordings (if you find me online) were made at home in my home studio using "budget" gear. My older recordings were made before I knew what I was doing, whereas my latest release (Anastomosis) shows my current mixing style for my own songs. Full disclosure: my own songs took a ton of time to get "right," because they were not recorded using optimal gear in an optimal setup. Thus, I built my skills practicing on recordings made in project studios, both my own and others', where I learned a lot. I have also mixed records made in professional studios. Regardless of what kind of studio you used in making your record, I will work to turn the song into a radio-ready release.

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

A: I recently completed work on my album - Anastomosis. I recorded it in my bedroom on budget equipment including a vocal booth made from moving blankets and a wall-mounted pull-up bar. I also mixed and mastered it myself. It's a lot of fun and a particular challenge to try to create an entire album by yourself, and I don't actually recommend it, because collaboration with other artists is part of what makes music so beautiful. Still, working on every aspect of an album is a great way to learn all kinds of new skills, and it's through working on that that I developed a love for mixing other people's work. It's why I started this as a business. I realized that performing and writing is not the only way I can enjoy the creative art of music, and I discovered a whole new realm of combining technical know-how with artistic creativity in mixing and mastering.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I am particularly good with writing catchy melodies and thoughtful lyrics, and I've always first and foremost been a singer. This is why I also offer topline writing services in addition to mixing. As a mixer, my best skills are translating my training and expertise as a singer to carry the emotions of a song to the listener. Vocalists are often tasked with crafting a lot of the emotional weight of a song (though no were near all of it - emotions also lie in the arrangement and in the performance of the band/instrumentalists), and so as a singer/performer, the emotions of a song are highly important to me. As a mix engineer, I also try to bring that passion for emotions to songs that I mix.

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

A: Sefi Carmel is fantastic and a really nice guy. He's an incredibly experienced engineer who produces great work.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I never realized what a difference good mixing made to a song until I started doing it. So, my favorite part is clicking the "print" button for the final mix and then seeing the artist's satisfaction. My second favorite part is adding a good room reverb to sounds. It's like magic to me, how much doing that enhances a sound.

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

A: "Do you like the song?" I probably wouldn't accept a project if I didn't at least like the song. So, if I agree to work on your song, it's because I like it. At the same time, art is very subjective and just because a song doesn't suit my tastes doesn't mean it's not a good song. There are many songs in history that have won Grammys for best song that I don't like, but many other people do. So, I encourage musicians to produce music that THEY like and that THEY are proud of, and to understand that through the creative process, some people won't like their songs. What's important is that YOU like your song. And what's important to me as a mixer is that I help create something that you like better than the original.

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

A: (Let's assume this desert island has electricity). I'm mixing "in the box", so I mostly need my CPU. Still, I'd also grab my Gibson Les Paul Classic, my Rode condenser microphone (its versatile and can record many different sources quite well), an SSL 4000E, and is it cheating to say I'd bring my 500 series rack with all 8 rack slots filled with modules?

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

A: I am primarily a singer by training and interest. I started (private) vocal training at an early age and did my rounds as a teen in several select (regional) vocal competitions for both solo and group/choir performance. I also started writing music at 15, and my first gigs were as a member of my church youth group's worship team. We weren't awesome, but we did okay and it was great to have a regular "gig," playing twice a week for several years. It gave me great experience as a performer and served as platform to test out songwriting. I taught myself piano and guitar to accompany my singing, and bloomed into a more independent songwriter/composer from there. I continued to play shows through college and still love creating, writing, and performing original music. I started mixing more seriously in 2020, but bring 20+ years now of music experience to my mixing.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I have an eclectic musical background and am comfortable in many genres, but my own style is more melodic rock and pop. I like big drums and moving basslines in most songs (where it makes sense). I also like to use creative panning, subtle volume changes, strategically placed FX, and moving EQ curves to create feeling in music.

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

A: Mixing audio recorded in home or project studios.

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

A: That anyone with the right hardware or software can do what I do. The human touch is extremely important in mixing, and though AI software exists that can mix and master your tunes, AI software will never mix as well as a human with the right experience and practice (which takes thousands of hours).

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

A: My favorite band is the Swedish, progressive metal band Pain of Salvation. I love the way they create songs with endless variety and lots of emotion, such that even a 13-minute song never gets boring.

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

A: Pop/Rock music, usually by independent artists, and often recording in home/project studios. I have good experience (and software for) working with music recorded in less-than-ideal circumstances and enhancing that audio to match a professional level. Often, this enhancement process involves the use of mic-modeling software to help audio recorded on a "budget" microphone sound more like that recorded on $1000+ professional microphones. I also use other software to "clean" audio if needed. If you know your project will need this type of cleaning, feel free to contact me for pricing.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I have a good ear for melody, composition, and feeling. So, as a mix engineer, I try to incorporate, when I can, additional highlights to add feeling/emotion to your music. If, as I'm listening to your song, I have an idea that may enhance the emotion of the composition, I will offer that as an option, in addition to just giving you a "pure" mix of your song. Many songs don't need those "ideas," and I can just mix as is. Right now, mixing is my "side hustle," but it's also my passion. Because I'm mixing "on the side," I limit the amount of clients I take at a time, and if I take you as a client, you become my sole focus during my "mixing time." Another benefit of hiring me is that mixing-for-hire is not what I use to pay the bills. I have a stable career that pays my bills, and so I am not reliant on getting as many jobs as I can on here. So, by contracting with me you can rest assured that I am working on your project because I believe in it and believe I can genuinely create for you a finished product that fits what you're looking for. Even though mixing is not my full-time career, I still do mix every day and thus can still offer a reasonable turnaround time, but I also will never "rush" through a song. I also never use "templates" to speed up my process. I find that I do better work when I work from scratch, listening to every element of your song and then deciding what it needs, and adding processing from there.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm remixing some of my old compositions and recordings.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital, because I can afford Digital, and because advances have gotten so good that digital outperforms analog now, some of the time. I've mixed stuff digitally that has come out sounding better than analog mixes of the same mix. Gear is important, but what is more important is having an engineer with the expertise, training, and time to know how to use the gear they have to create the sounds a song needs. I would love to have more analog gear in my studio, if for nothing else than to just have the gear, but I don't currently have tens of thousands of dollars to do that.

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

A: I'll listen to you, respect you, and collaborate with you on the project.

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

A: Talk to several people and find the one who meets your needs best. Paying more does not always give you the best sound for your work. Set a budget for yourself and take the time to find the best match you can for your budget. Also, good mixing takes a lot of time. If someone promises a very quick turnaround (1 day for 12 songs), ask more questions about how they are able to do that. Also, a good mixer will request to hear your songs before you contract with them.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Take the time to learn from others, and train your ears to listen like a mix engineer. Listen to "rough mix" songs before they've been treated by professionals. It will give you a better idea of what your own recordings should sound like. Be kind to yourself.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I first interview the artist to understand their vision for a project. Getting to know who you are as a musician, I think, is key to helping produce a product that fits your needs. After a short interview, if we "match," I take your music and prepare everything to be mixed in my DAW of choice (usually Ableton Live). On average, I spend about 3-4 hours per song mixing and mastering, starting with the key elements of the composition (usually rhythm section - drum and bass) and working my way up to end with vocals. A well-recorded song can be mixed more rapidly, but if you recorded your song in less-than-ideal circumstances, I will also clean the audio when needed with state-of-the-art, high quality software. After I've completed a mix, if the artist wants, I will also go back and grab screen recordings of the final plug-ins I used and will provide commentary about why I chose them and how I set the settings to your song. This is one of my favorite parts of mixing, teaching other artists how to achieve similar results on their own.

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

A: My favorite mix engineer is Andy Wallace. I love his work and aspire to follow his techniques when I can. I also like Howard Benson. My favorite artists/musicians right now are (in no particular order): the Beatles, Pain of Salvation, Ghost, Nothing but Thieves, James Bay.