MIXING all formats/ Consulting

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

A: Kanye West's "MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY" I worked on 5 songs. My favorite role was producing and creating the horn section for "All Of the Lights." I sang on it too.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I can't actually say, but recently released works include Vybz Kartel, Alicia Keys, and BTS.

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

A: Brent Kolatalo is a beast. He's been my production partner for over a decade and he's worked with a ton of incredible artists.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: BOTH!! OK, ATMOS is all digital as 12 speakers is too much for an analog console to route. But I've mixed on SSL and Neve my whole career, and I have mixed multiple Grammy Award winners completely In The Box. It's about the song, not the format.

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

A: I promise to deliver you a final mix that you love. I take pride in my work and in delivering for my clients. I revise until you love it, and I have no ego at all about the direction of the song. Give me your vision and let me help you make it the biggest, clearest representation of you.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I mean, it's music. Every single day. Even the worst day is still a music day. It's like having your favorite dessert for every meal, and never getting tired of it.

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

A: Can you make it sound like...........? Look at my resume, if I can't, then who? :-)

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

A: It's the $10,000 hammer story. People don't seek me out because I have the gear, or because I know how to make the gear work. Anybody can mix music and learn the gear. People hire me because of how I interpret and assemble music into a final mix or production.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Do you have a clear vision for this song or shall I go with my gut, then we adjust? If you could put this song on any playlist of your choice, what's the playlist? What song comes before it? What song follows it? If you could tour opening for any artist, whose fan base do you think would connect with you the most?

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

A: 1. Sony c800g Microphone 2. Apple AirPods Max Headphones 3. My best acoustic guitar 4. Is a laptop considered a piece of gear or a vessel? (solar charged of course) 5. SSL AWS 900+ Mixing Console

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

A: 30 years for major labels and everyone else. Broken glass, I've walked it. Rivers of shit, I've swam em. Started from the bottom (school, intern), now I'm here. I can draw upon more experience, in more facets of this industry, than most people alive.

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

A: Reach out, I'm surprisingly normal. I even do my own grocery shopping.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Nerdy

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

A: How much time ya got? Diplo

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Not every producer is meant to work with every artist. Find the artist(s) you truly connect with and build together.

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

A: Whatcha got?

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Chameleon. Ninja. JEDI. Wait, that's 3.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: TRULY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. Other people have better resumes and stronger individual talents, but nobody else on Planet Earth has a resume as high level diverse, across as many roles and genres, with as many marquee artists as I have. My super power is that I incorporate all of my talents into my work.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Fast then slow. I subscribe to the Michael Brauer "Mixing Is a Performance" philosophy, so I try to get everything into the mix quickly, then I just keep asking the song to tell me where to take it and I go.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: ATMOS 7.1.4 (full speakers & headphones) Pro Tools Ultimate Every plugin known to mankind

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

A: I'm a sponge, so that changes constantly. As a mixer, I get to see the full sessions of so many brilliant producers and artists that I have mixed for. All of that educates me as a producer and a creative with everything that I do. I'm lucky to have inspirations from all over the world to bring into my own work.

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

A: Smile creator. I make records better, whether its as a producer, mixer, writer, arranger, musician or vocalist. If I take it on, expect smiles. I know what a Finish Line sounds like and how to get there.