MixMatched Socks Productions on SoundBetter

If you're in need of warmth and expressiveness for your track with voice, songwriting, or guitar, your socks have landed in the right drawer! I am well versed with lyric and melody, and specialize with playful and sensitive emotional delivery. I can bring out the heart and magic in your song.

Services I provide:

-Topline/Songwriting
-Vocals and Background Vocals (editing, and tuning)
-Acoustic/Electric guitar
-Custom Songwriting
-Cello
-Record Production
-Demos - both stripped down, and full production
-Mixing
-Artist development, mentoring, songwriting workshops

Send me a message to discuss your project and let's see if I’m a fit for you!

Ownership/Publishing for songwriting

*50% Topline

*Please specify if you're looking to do a "work for hire/buyout" in your proposal.

Usage of my artist name depends on the project. If not a fit, an AKA can be used.

Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.

Credits

Languages

English

11 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client

Endorse MixMatched Socks Productions

by Susan B.
Verified
Michael was professional, quick, communicative, and responsive, and provided more than I expected. I gave him minimal guidance for what I wanted, and he thought through what I might need more than I had done. I'm really happy with the arrangement he sent and am excited to get my song finished!
by Katie Dwyer
Verified
I hired Michael to play cello on one of my songs. I gave him minimal guidance and let him work intuitively, playing what he felt like fit well in the song. He did a fantastic job, and I couldn't be happier with the tracks that I got back. He played with a lot of emotion that really fit this particular song. Thank you, Michael!
by Cilisound
Verified
Got amazing guitars AND mandolin this time! Michael overdelivered, as always :) He is just so easy to work with, and sooo much fun! And the result blows me away, every time!
by Cilisound
Verified
Another AMAZING job done by Michael, who, again, brought his A game and gave me lots of fantastic guitar tracks!!!
by Cilisound
Verified
WOW. I'm just blown away by with Mikael's ability to deliver at such a high level, so quickly and so professionally yet make it seem so effortless!! I absolutely love what he has done with my song, both guitars and vocals sounds AMAZING. I feel blessed to have found him and I'll never even consider hiring someone else when it comes to recording guitars again. (M, please be available, like, ALWAYS!!).
by Amber
I cannot tell you how amazing my experience was working with Michael! He was so easy to talk to. Before having the meeting I didn’t feel confident I had any information that would make a great song. But somehow he pulled it off and in an absolute record time! It’s amazing how talented he is. He was able to ask just the right questions to get the best facts to be in the song. I just couldn’t have asked for anything better. I would highly recommend Michael for any custom song needs and I would ask him for his services again in the future. Thank you again, Michael!!!
by Aoife O'Leary (PoppyMoth)
Working with Michael Averill of MixMatched Socks Productions is a delight! He is absolutely gifted musically, and he has an innate understanding of the small details and changes a song needs to really elevate it to something special. He kept in communication with me all the way to make sure I loved the music he was creating and his final production on my vocals and on the song was just perfect. I 100% recommend Michael as a wonderful producer and I very much look forward to working with him again.
by Kim C.
Michael from Mixmatched Socks is amazing to work with! He is a true open minded creative and is one of those people who instantly makes you feel at ease. He absolutely nailed the production and mix on my latin song. The production quality is fabulous and I really love how the mix highlights the subtleties in my vocals. Looking forward to working with him again!
by Cili
Working with Michael from Mixmatched Socks was such an amazing experience!
He is soooo talanted, have the best (and sometimes craziest!) ideas, he’s also really openminded, responsive and creative which makes working with him just really fun and easy! Such a great songwriter and guitarist, I´d say his musical skills are far from what most people possess and I can’t wait to work with him again!
by BoomFox Productions
Michael from Mixmatched Socks Productions is one of the most creative, unique, and gifted producers/songwriters out there. He's also very professional and easy to work with. Can't wait to work with him again!
by shera
Michael has a gift for putting you at ease as a creative and bringing out your strengths. Over the years that I've known him, and the projects that I've worked on with him, I've come to think of him as one of those rare musical coaches that can truly help to set you on a path of musical fulfillment.

Interview with MixMatched Socks Productions

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I am currently working with an author who is helping elders in the writing community translate some of their life experiences into songs. I am helping her craft the stories and poems into songs, and am producing them as they come. The reaction from the elders receiving their transformed inspirations is so rewarding, and feels like very special work.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: 5 songs over the next few months for an artist for a TV pilot they are creating (Pop/Rock/Hip Hop influenced), as well as a couple of artist EP’s.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Definitely - BoomFox Productions, particularly for modern pop projects, and Kimera Morrell as a vocalist and songwriter. Both are exceptionally skilled, professional, timely, and wonderful human beings.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: The fusion of the two is a magical place for me if possible. A lot of what I do is in the box, but matched with organic instrumentation wherever I can. It brings a feel and personality that is exciting to the sound.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That communication will be easy, and the process will be fun!
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Getting to hear and understand my client’s story with the song, and witnessing the magic of their vision coming to fruition.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: “Is this project too crazy or out there for you?” No joke! I get this often. It’s often this uniqueness that makes me excited to work on it. However, if a project feels out of my lane to do justice to, I would happily refer out to help find a match.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That I only do comedic or quirky projects, which isn’t the case. As long as there is a special connection between the client and the song to be, I’m happy to chat!
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What do you want this song to do for you? What do you plan to do with this song?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Be prepared to tell me background story of your project. It matters a lot to me to know where it’s coming from, and why it’s important to you. Providing reference tracks for sound and style targeting is high encouraged, so have those puppies ready if possible.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Assuming there was no power - a solar panel, laptop, interface, mic, and a good knife (something to make interesting instruments with)
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I’ve been a performing artist for 19 years. I played a Dispatch cover (The General is amazing!) at a college coffee house as a result of peer pressure, and that lit the fire! Shortly after, my Dad bought me a small multi-tracking recording box, and he was my first client. I decided to pursue my artist career full time in 2011. I self produced my first 3 albums, did a 4000 mile walking tour of Canada, and have been building community on a regional, national, and international scale with music ever since. I have mentored hundreds of artists with the goal of helping them write and share songs they love, which is one of my life’s greatest joys. The pandemic led to deepening my growth as a producer, and here we are.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Playful, heartfelt, and most at home in Singer/Songwriter and Pop realms. I do love unusual quirky styles though…the wackier the better!
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would love to work with Jack Johnson for so many reasons. His approach to life and family, his innovative community focused mindset, and his genuine easy going nature with his music have greatly inspired me over the years. Anyone who can bring a song about love and pancakes to the global scale is someone I’d be thrilled to work with!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Expression in the vocal or instrumentation is more important than being technically perfect. What’s the point if you can’t feel it?
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I tend to work on a lot of Singer/Songwriter and Rootsy material, or projects requiring a quirky and expressive edge.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My playful demeanour and ease with communication. It helps my clients express their visions and needs more comfortably, which in the end results in their project goals being realized the way they wanted.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Heart, warmth, and varying degrees of quirkiness! I am skilled in a variety of organic instrumentation, which helps bring a human played richness to my work and productions.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Whether doing vocals, guitar, songwriting, or full production, I always start with wanting to know the intention, story, and goals of a project inside and out. This informs the process going forward, and helps me bring the special sauce to the work.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I record in a rustic space in the woods in western Canada - literally saw a deer being born outside my studio window once! Otherwise, I work with Logic Pro X, Universal Audio Apollo Twin X interface, Komplete 13 Ultimate, Sound Toys, Waves, and lots of organic instruments. I’ve got a great open room with a baby grand piano as well.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Artistically I have been heavily inspired by Dispatch, Jack Johnson, John Butler Trio, Dire Straits, Jason Mraz, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, Ray Parker Jr., and many more. As for production, Kris Bradley of BoomFox Productions, Robert Carranza, Daniel Lanois, Danny Elfman, Finneas O’Connell, Warren Huart.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Lately I have been doing a lot of custom songwriting with clients to bring their vision to life, and then producing those tracks for release. One was an author needing a theme song for the character of her children’s education book series. Another I just started working on is with someone creating songs music for a TV pilot character. Otherwise, working with songwriters on artist releases or sync focused material has been the most common. I love the variety!