Island/Urban Sound Architect

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

A: A project that I am especially proud of is: Skillibeng ft Bobby Shmurda - Crocodile Teeth. I was the mixing engineer for this project and I am very proud of the end result. I always wanted to work with both artist individually and I just happen to receive the opportunity to work with them simultaneously. It was my first mixing gig with them and I was really nervous about the mix, fortunately for me they both loved it !

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently working on a E.P. with Mexican local celebrity INVT. The project will contain a mixture of Dembow, Garage, Minimal, Dubstep, Kuduro, Reggae and Dancehall. I am also working on a couple other mixing and mastering sessions at the moment.

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

A: To be honest, I am fairly new to the platform so at this time unfortunately, no.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both Honestly. I believe both has its pros and cons. Truthfully I was taught digitally but I honestly love the texture and the characteristics that the analog gear provides.

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

A: 100% Satisfaction. I will keep doing revisions on the track until the client is completely happy with the product.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The thing I like most is the sense of pride and joy I receive after completely a project especially if its sounding more amazing than expected. I am especially happy when the client is happy !

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

A: What Do You Need to Start Mixing and Mastering My Track? I need the full tracked out stems for the song, preferable dry (without effects and processing). I also typically ask for demo mixes and a musical references if possible. Do You Offer Bulk or Package Deals ? I definitely do ! Please message me so we can talk more about group rates and discounts. What is the Best Way to Send the Song Stems to You? Wetransfer ! Just upload the stems as a zip file on the website and share the link with me. Google Drive also can work. What is You Turn Around Time for Mixing and Mastering? 3-5 Business Days

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

A: I believe the biggest misconception in music production is that audio engineers are not actually considered apart of the production team but mostly considered work for hire. Whereas we only get a one time payment upfront and there is no points or royalties coming in from the back end. This is highly controversial to me as producers are not seen in the same light and I honestly believe audio engineers contribute to a musical piece just as much as producers do.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: The first set of questions I always ask my clients after receiving the stems are; What is you vision for the song? What do you want the song to sound like? Is there a specific artist you would like to base your sound world off of? What is the mood of the song? Based on the answer, I can get a better understanding of how to approach the tracks and how to create a product I know the client will be satisfied with. I also ask the clients general questions about the project like how quickly they would need the finished mix and other relevant information that can help with the work flow and the creation of the product.

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

A: If you are looking for an audio engineer that is extremely fast that can mix and master your work in 1/2 hours, unfortunately I am not the right audio engineer for you. I say that unapologetically because I like to spend time on my mixes to make sure I'm producing the very best quality for my clients. I believe in quality over quantity and I try to reflect that in every mix I take on. So I might take 3-5 business days to complete a project but in those 3-5 days I am working perfusely to create a product that I know my clients will be 100% satisfied with.

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

A: 1) ADK Custom Shop Hamburg 67-T Custom FET 2) Universal Audio 6176 Tube Channel Strip 3) Apollo Twin X 4) Yamaha Hs7 / ADAM AUDIO A77H 5) 16-inch MacBook Pro

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

A: My career path has always been music. I knew I wanted to be a musician from I was 11 years old. Since then I have sought after it wholeheartedly and I can honestly say I have been doing it professionally for about 8 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my style as tropical and urban with a hint of modern and exquisite.

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

A: I would love to work with Smino in the near future, just because I love his music and I believe he is just as passionate about creating listening experience and sound concepts, just like me.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Every musical element in a mix deserves its own space to shine. So create space ! Also simple is better. (Less is More).

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

A: I usually work on songs that fall in the genres of: Reggae, Dancehall, Drill, Afrobeats, Hip Hop, Trap, Reggaeton, R&B & Pop. Most of my work is singer/songwriter/vocalist concentrated.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Customer Service.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring the opportunity to expand and create an entire soundscape / sound world from a regular song to an immersive experience that ultimately provides quality, dynamics and creativity that will not only captivate, but also hook the listener.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My work flow in full stem audio mixing consist of 5 key components; 1) The Clean Up 2) Basic Processing 3) Automation/Effects 4) Summing and Bussing 5) Final Touch Up The Clean Up - This is where I would listen to every track separately and thoroughly while removing any unwanted noise or breathing as well as naming and organizing the track files. I would also check the audio for any phasing issues and setup markers and the tempo as I go through. I also like giving the song its first pass by just controlling the volume of all the tracks. In this process I also cover all the audio editing requirements before moving on to the processing phase. Basic Processing - In this process I would start implementing my EQ's, Compressors etc. to give the musical piece it's second pass and by the end of this process the song should be already sounding radio worthy. Automation/ Effects - This is where I would start sculpting the sound world of the song by adding my special sauce to the mix. I would carefully and creatively automate the different tracks while adding audio effects to give the mix the life, color and dynamics it deserve. Summing and Bussing - After automation, I would further organize and process the tracks into buses. This is when I would add another layer of processing so that the song can be *glued* together. The aim to allow the overall piece to be cohesive with all its elements while still retaining the dynamics and excitement of the mix. Final Touch Up - In this process I would be listening carefully and in-depthly to the entire mix while adding my final processing, if needed. At this point I would be referencing the mix on several speakers and headphones while checking the mid/side frequencies and making sure the mix sounds amazing in mono and stereo. This is where I leave every stone unturned and immerse myself completely into to the sound world to obtain the best quality for the mix.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My home studio setup consist of a 16-inch MacBook Pro equipped with Protools and all of the latest plugin bundles; Waves, Soundtoys, Antares, Izotope, Etc. This is then connected to my Behringer U-Phoria UM2 Interface which then runs to my Yamaha HS7s. I also have an Origin Aston Condenser Microphone and an ADK Custom Shop Hamburg 67-T Custom FET Microphone which completes my small studio setup. My commercial studio setup consist of a IMAC 24-inch equipped with Protools and all of the latest plugin bundles; Waves, Soundtoys, Antares, Izotope, Etc. This is then connected to the Apollo Twin X Interface which then runs to the KRK Classic 8s. The studio also contains a fully isolated recording booth equipped with a ATH-M50X Headphone, a headphone amplifier and the Neumann TLM 102. This microphone is then connected to the outboard gear within the studio rack. It first runs through the Avalon Design AD2022 and then through the Universal Audio 1176LN Classic Limiting Amplifier and then back to the Apollo Twin X. This then completes the commercial studio setup,

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

A: I am truly inspired by creative recording artistes like "Travis Scott", "Kanye", "Chronixx", "Damian Marley", "Agent Sasco" etc. However, I gain even more inspiration from the audio engineers like "Mike Dean" & "Derek Ali" that works along side with the artistes to create these musical masterpieces.

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

A: The most common type of work I do for my clients is: Full Stem Audio Mixing. In this process, I would be enhancing different components of the musical piece to bring out the best in the multi-track recording. This involves adjusting levels, pitch correcting, equalizing, compressing, panning, and time-based audio effects (chorus, reverb, delay etc).