A music producer, composer & mix engineer with 11+ yrs experience. Working with clients including Prime Video, Disney Star, & Sony Music, I can work with clients every step of the way; from pre-production to mastering. I regularly work with film, ads, & artists.
ABOUT ME
I began my career in 2010 as an artist manager & tour manager working with a number of music festivals & venues. Some artists include Megadeth, Imogen Heap, and T-Pain. Now working as a producer since 2014, I have worked on a range of TV ads, films, and songs, helping bring the artists' visions to life. My work has featured in various press including Rolling Stone Magazine, Buzzfeed, and national newspapers. Plus I'm a founder & host of India's first mental health podcast, Marbles Lost & Found, that's featured in Vogue Magazine & the the BBC Cultural Frontline.
You can find more about my work & team at www.horsegardenproductions.in
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
The approach is always collaborative; your vision is the focus. As I've been blessed to work in countless contexts with different artists & genres, our working experience will always allow for creativity & openness. I'm remote-work ready so you can be involved in every step of the creative process. Communication is key from the artistry to the deadlines.
SERVICES
Pre-production (songwriting, demoing, experimentation)
Production (arrangement building, performance enhancing, programming)
Vocal Production & Editing (delivery, processing, layering, clean up & tuning)
Mixing & Mastering
Let's create something fresh and unique together!
Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.
16 Reviews
Endorse Zain Calcuttawala
Zain is a true professional and musician but also a fantastic collaborator. He really understands the artists vision and brings this to life. I once had Zain master a track of mine that had a big orchestral sound as well as electronic elements and a killer bass and beat. The track sounds gorgeous. I seriously still wonder how he gave justice to all those many elements! He is my absolute GO TO for anything production, mix and master, including to learn!!!
Had the pleasure of working with Zain on a bunch of projects over the years, getting valuable inputs from him as a drummer, writer & a music producer. His insight into what a song needs as well as the professionalism & temperament that he brings to the table is invaluable. I would highly recommend Zain for any studio or live project.
I’ve worked with Zain on a couple of tracks. For example - ‘Blue River’ and ‘All I want’ were produced and mixed altogether by him. Watching him take the bare bones of a song from your first session together, to helping you conceptualise where it needs to go - was an incredible experience.
He works with you to create pieces that reflect your vision, works hard, takes input and also surprises you with bold choices.
It was a privilege to work with him and I look forward to doing it again.
I vouch for his professionalism, creativity and ability.Zain is one of the most hard working and dedicated producers and mix engineers I have worked with. His ears are as reliable as his willingness to adapt to any studio setup and music genre. Working with him is always is incredibly easy and extremely efficient.
Working with Zain has been a pleasure from the first day. I love his method of working - he takes time and makes an effort to understand the feeling behind a song and acts accordingly. He's extremely patient during the 'mix' phases and especially so in the studio. But beyond everything, he's such an easy person to work with! It's fun, wholesome, and he knows what to extract from an artist while in the studio, too. It's a no-brainer to work with him time and again because he always surprises me with his musicality and suggestions.
Would highly recommend working with Zain any day!
Zain’s musicality and instincts as a composer are truly next level. He’s incredibly patient, emotionally tuned in, and brings so much depth and clarity to everything he creates. Each piece he worked on for us feels distinct and true to the story, with consistently world-class production. He is grounded, kind and deeply sensitive, especially when handling emotionally complex projects. Zain is a genuine collaborator and a joy to work with.
Zain is a great music producer and mix engineer, and a great human, which is the most important. He made sure to understand what we were looking for in our song, and then he delivered exactly what we wanted! Zain was also extremely patient with us during the mix process and he took into account even the smallest things we were asking for. 10/10 would recommend working with Zain on your music!
Zain is an amazing producer and mix engineer and very easy to work with. I have worked on a different projects as a bass player with Singer Songwriters like Short Round and Aarifah Rebello along with some other commissioned work (eg. The colonial cousins cover). He has a clear vision and great work ethic and the final product really brought the songs to life! I highly recommend working with him. He has a great temperament and really knows how to bring out the best performances from musicians.
Zain produced my debut single and made it such a special experience. Other than his technical knowledge and musical sense, he actually sat down with me to understand the lyrics and what the song really meant. He’s sensitive to what the artist wants, while using his extensive knowledge and experience to make it sound the best it can.
Working with him was inspiring, fun, and honestly kind of therapeutic (given the theme of my song) and his sense of humor made recording sessions go by fast.
He’s genuinely one of the best people to work with, and I couldn’t recommend him more.
Zain worked on my short film and did a fabulous job, but that only scratches the surface of how good he is. As a music producer and composer, he brings both talent and sensitivity to every project. He has a real gift for understanding the emotional tone of a story and translating it into music that feels true and memorable. He’s also incredibly reliable, thoughtful with feedback, and always delivers exactly what’s needed. Working with him was easy, inspiring, and fun. I can’t recommend him enough!
Working with Zain has been one of the most seamless and rewarding experiences of my music career. He’s not only incredibly talented at what he does bringing clarity, depth, and polish to every track but he also carries a level of professionalism and punctuality that’s rare to find. Every mix he delivered felt intentional, clean, and emotionally in tune with the heart of the song.
What truly sets Zain apart is his work ethic. He listens carefully, communicates clearly, and goes the extra mile to make sure the artist feels heard and understood.
I've had the pleasure of working with Zain for my debut EP. He's a super sound person with incredible talent. Is open to suggestions while also bringing his expertise to the table to the fullest. Definitely a reliable person.
Zain has been such a great collaborator - timely, professional and amazing at what he’s done. He’s produced, engineered, mixed over 10 songs for me and I’m so happy that I started working with him years ago! A true collaborator in every aspect and I’m just glad to have met him!
Being a sessions drummer I have worked with Zain as a producer and mix engineer on a few projects. He's super easy to work with and always manages to get a great drum sound while making sure it's serving the song.
Zain is one of the most incredible producers and musicians I have worked with. He makes you feel super comfortable and supports your creative vision without judgement which is HUGE for me as a singer. Also bonus points for his sense of humor, that really adds to the experience.
Zain’s an absolute gem to work with! He understood what the song needed and did it justice - which in my mind is the highest praise I can give any producer/mix engineer. Efficient, understanding and very talented’
Interview with Zain Calcuttawala
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That we can be replaced with AI
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What's the vibe? The intention? Your references, if any? Are you clear on what you're going for or do you want to experiment? What do you see my role as here? What are your timelines?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Come in with the intention of creating something that's *yours.* If you're looking for something fresh & unique that we can achieve in a collaborative way, let's do this!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: I'd honestly spend my time swimming and learning how to cook various coconut & fish based dishes over open fires. But fine, if I had to choose (aside from my computer), my DT 990s.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started as an artist manager & tour manager working with venues, promoters, and festivals in Mumbai. The artists I've worked with include T-Pain, Megadeth, Imogen Heap, Angelique Kidjo and various others. I worked in this part of the business for a couple of years before shifting gears to music production and engineering in 2014. In that time I've produced, composed, and engineered music in various contexts, created & consulted on podcasts, taught music production, and played drums from time to time.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Versatile
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Alan Menken. That man made my childhood (and anyone who watched Disney films back in the 90s). To be in the studio to witness magic happen, and to feel that you were part of something that special. I'm getting goosebumps just typing this out.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Philosophical: the producer's job is to bring out the best in the artist and the song. It's not just about how good your chops are. What can *you* do as a human to bring out the best performance in an artist? Technical: when figuring out what mic to use for a vocal, set up a few with the diaphragms as close together as possible facing the sound source. Have the singer sing in all mics simultaneously. Level match in your DAW by getting as close to phase cancellation between each mic as you can. Only then A/B to figure out which mic complements the vocal. Separate takes on different mics have too many variables (change in performance, levels, placement) to make an informed decision.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I typically work with singer/songwriters, folk, rock, orchestral, neo-soul, and pop. I've in the last couple of years been releasing hip hop as well. In the world of ads, however, you need to adapt quickly. Whether the brief is cinematic, jazz, or Bollywood dance, you need to figure it out.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I'm a good communicator. Artists feel comfortable voicing their opinions and experimenting with musical ideas when we work together.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Humility. Checking my ego at the door, and giving the song precedence.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: With artists, I usually like the first meeting to just be a hangout. It helps build rapport, makes them feel more comfortable. Then we get into the songs, the story and intentions behind the project. The process shouldn't feel like work, but natural and free flowing. I've been told by my clients that I made the recording & songwriting process much easier. Films & ads are slightly different as they boil down to my rapport with the director from the get go, and timelines are much tighter here. So it's more straight to the point, and trust is built through the process.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My own setup is simple and completely in the box: Mac Studio, UA Apollo Twin X, Neumann KH120A monitors, dual screens, Novation Launchkey 61, Pro Tools Studio, Logic Pro X, Beyerdynamic DT 990 headphones, AT2035 microphone, various VSTs & plugins (Waves Mercury, UAD, Fab Filter, Valhalla, NI, iZotope, GForce, IK Multimedia, EastWest. I typically work out of various studios in the city if we need to record.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: How much time do you have? Off the top of my head: Rick Ruben, Hans Zimmer, Joe Hisaishi, Butch Vig, Max Martin, Bruce Swedien, Quincy Jones, Al Schmitt.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: With artists I typically produce their music, which in my context means they come to me with a demo and we look at everything from the structure, lyrics, melody & vocal delivery, harmony & chord/structure and most importantly, the intent. From there we start building the arrangement -- either in the box or analogue -- till we get a production we're happy with. Vocals are typically recorded last. Finally we get to mix & master. With ads, it's typically a time crunch, and delivery is typically a couple of days for a full production. I'm given an edit and a brief. I create two to three rough sketches, once an idea is approved, I develop it to work with the ad (pace and sync points). With film, it's similar to ads but more elaborate. We'll have spotting sessions and theme ideating, and we're constantly in touch with the director to ensure we're all aligned.
I was the Producer & Mixer in this production
- ProducerContact for pricing
- Ghost ProducerContact for pricing
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $400 per song
- Film ComposerContact for pricing
- Mastering EngineerAverage price - $70 per song
All projects need a 50% advance (non refundable)
Production: Number of revisions/tweaks are project dependent. Publishing split.
Mix: 3 free revisions, Mastering included
- John Mayer
- Adele
- Jungle
- UAD Apollo Twin X
- Neumann KH 120A Monitors
- Mac Studio
- Logic Pro X
- Pro Tools
- Waves Mercury
- Antares
- Native Instruments
- IK Multimedia
- Fab Filter
- iZotope
