Remote Mixing and Mastering

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

A: I am especially proud of Jacob Perez's debut record "Get Well". Jacob is a fantastic songwriter, and initially, he hired me just to engineer the tracking process. In the first session, he decided we would co-produce, and by the end, it had become a full cooperative event. I had the pleasure of session playing drums/percussion, electric guitars, keys, and tracking some backup vocals, as well as producing it out with Jacob, and mastering the record for streaming. He is now a close friend of mine, and we collaborate regularly. I look to create this kind of creative comfort with anyone who hires me.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently working on my band Kin & Company's 5th LP, as well as mastering the debut record for indie rock band Edgar Lee Island. I am also enjoying some live gigs and mixing the raw stems from live audio events.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I love analog warmth, and the beautiful saturation colors you can achieve with analog gear. The sound is classic for a reason. However, digital gear is starting to emulate that very well with an extreme boost in efficiency and ease. I currently travel with a Line 6 Helix, which I never thought I would do as an analog guy- but the versatility, ease, and great modeling options make it more than worth it. So in that regard, I am leaning toward digital.

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

A: I promise that I will give everything I can, however you want me to, to your project. I have fun, but I take your work seriously.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love meeting other creators and cooperating on cool work. It is always exciting, and we get to watch the track come to life in real-time.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are your tangible goals, both for this project and for your art as a whole? What do you like about your favorite records? What were you listening to when you started working on this track?

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

A: My main advice would be to find someone you can speak easily to. Comfortable communication between two artists is crucial to the success of a project.

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

A: My career path has always been based in the creative process. I have freelanced as an audio engineer and session player for almost a decade now, and have supplemented those jobs with my own bands (currently Kin & Company) as well as technical work in higher education.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My performance style is a blend of genres with elements of blues, jazz, rock, and funk. In that way, I feel my style works in the current "post-genre" world of music production.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: When developing dynamics and trying to progress a track, the best addition may not be the most complicated. Sometimes a simple rhythm and melody shift is all it needs to feel a clean growth.

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

A: I usually work on indie and rock music, as well as worship music and ambient pop.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring fresh eyes and genuine interest to each song. I bring a willingness and ability to experiment and find the best additions possible for each song. I am a strong and personable communicator and an experienced songwriter who focuses on an enjoyable creative exchange.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I typically begin each project, no matter my role, by reviewing what is set thus far and comparing it to what the artist or producer has communicated as the vision. From there, if a session player, I find creative and interesting additions to the track, taking care not to add only what supports and improves the track. When mixing or mastering, I'll start with my typical signal chain and edit from there to best meet the needs of the track.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I mix and master the majority of tracks in the box, though I am a big fan of certain analog coloring, and will utilize different outboard gear (Comp 2A, Warm Audio's 1176 clone, a Technics Reel to Reel player to name a few). I mix and master on KRK Rokit 5's and Yamaha HS8s in Logic Pro, Ozone 9, and Ableton.

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

A: The most common work I do is remote mastering for streaming and CD, and session work as a bass guitarist.