Alex Almquist on SoundBetter

I believe that great sounding mixes shouldn't be available to only top tier artists and at insane costs. I want to deliver the best sounding version of your songs, and help you get the sounds you envision into a format people can listen to for years to come.

I specialize in mixing heavy music, from rock to metal and anything in between. I also offer programming and additional production, as well as guitar/bass reamping. To me, these small components can radically change the sonic characteristics of your music.

I started experimenting with MIDI programming when I first started recording, and got hooked on crafting dynamic and impactful arrangements for synths, strings, electronic drums, and beyond. I believe that a lot of artists are looking to add that last 10% to their music, but don't have the time or resources to do it themselves.

When it comes to guitar and bass tone, it's an incredibly important conversation in the rock and metal world. Often times the tools bands and artists need to create their dream sound is out of their hands. I offer reamping, along with mixing services, to provide that opportunity to the artist before their tracks go through the mixing process.

If you feel your songs are in need of any additional production elements, or you'd like higher quality guitar and bass tones, please feel free to chat with me about it! It's important for me to understand the direction you'd like to take your production before we start, and i'd be happy to work with you to make it every bit as exciting and impactful as your music deserves.

Send me a note through the contact button above.

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Interview with Alex Almquist

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Brad Smalling is a mastering engineer here in Denver, and he is truly world class. I recommend his services to every artist, band, or musician I meet. He has had his hands on most of my productions, and they always come out with that extra 10% on top.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love being able to help artists see their vision come to life. If it's a good fit between me and the artist, there is no saying where we can't go musically.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: A lot of people are under the impression that there is a level of "studio magic" that can be applied behind closed doors. I like to have those conversations with people so that we both understand what the artist is going for, and what that means we will need to do at each stage of the process to see that through.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I largely focus on the goals of the recording. The goals of the artist can dictate a lot of the musical decision you can make as an audio engineer. Especially in mixing, certain objectives will let you know how much or how little you need to apply any kind of processing or decision making.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: My best piece of advice would be to go out and actively search for options. There seems to be a level of complacency on both sides of the glass - where any musician will do, and any producer will do. I really love losing a project because of a band who did their research and found someone who fit their objectives even better than I did. I can't stand losing a project to a band who didn't even go out and get quotes or seek out multiple options. The artist has the buying power, and they should exercise their right to choice more often!
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: My style - musically - is very "polished", while maintaining a raw energy that comes from real people playing real instruments with passion. My favorite times in mixing have been helping a real emotion translate through the speakers.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Breaking Benjamin, because they can do no wrong, and after 10+ years they still put out crushing radio rock anthems.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: The best investment in your music you can make is an accurate and reliable tuner.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I work on everything under the "rock" umbrella, but I prefer working on heavier styles. I have had a fair amount of pop/radio rock bands, and it's nice to do those projects every once in a while. I usually find myself working on heavier metal styles or "core" music.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My ability to be honest and communicative with my clients. Apart from that, it would have to be my understanding of the standards in modern music production, and accepting nothing short of it out of myself.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I like to think I bring a strong outside perspective. I'm very rarely passive about how i'm hearing something, or what improvements could be made to the mix or the song as a whole. Artists generally appreciate my transparency and open conversation-style communication. I think I have a good understanding of what bands and artists are really looking for with everything they record, and I want to take that and over deliver for every band or artist that trust me with their material.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I like to start with broad conversations with the artist about their goals and the vision they have for their music. As we get into the mix we will usually do some roughs and talk about the finer details of everything. Communication is incredibly important for me, and I find that having the bulk of the communication before we even start the project results in better mixes and less revisions!
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Right now I run a hybrid mix setup. I incorporate a bit of analog gear into a mostly-digital workflow. I have my few choice pieces of gear, and I have my sessions set up in a way that makes recalls easy and fast. I really value the ability to work efficiently, and my setup reflects that. At the heart of the whole thing is the Antelope Discrete 4, which not only has great conversion, but onboard DSP and super flexible routing - which has been great for my mixing projects. Above all else is treatment, and I take the listening environment of my studio seriously. I know it well and have worked out a lot of kinks in the room over time. I'm happy with the results i'm getting in my room, and my clients love the atmosphere if/when they visit!
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I am most often mixing projects that were recorded at other studios. I think it's important to have a second or third set of ears on your project, and my clients trust me with their music to do just that.