dontpanic.

Audio Engineer / Producer

dontpanic. on SoundBetter

Explosive mixes with exquisite taste. Any genre we work in will be delicately handled and will be shaped into the best possible form it can have. With over 10 years of producing and engineering experience, dontpanic. is the engineer for your next single or project.

Raised in Fort Worth, Texas, dontpanic. has been playing drums since the age of 3 and producing electronic music since 12 years old. By 15, he was dabbling in engineering, slowly but surely finding his cause for life. Since beginning engineering, dontpanic. has worked for dozens of local artists in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex but has yet to make his debut in the mainstream world. dontpanic. is primarily a hip-hop and RnB style producer, but is willing to work in any genre and with anybody serious about their music.

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Languages

  • English

Interview with dontpanic.

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

  2. A: A project I am extremely proud of is "4604" by Chxxmpa. I produced, mixed, and mastered the whole record. I am proud of it because it is a story of severe heartbreak and the roller coasters of emotions that are felt after a toxic relationship. The whole album from beginning to end is innovative, fresh, and a new spin on hip hop that no one has ever heard before.

  3. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  4. A: I am working on a couple albums and singles in the rap and hip-hop genre.

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

  6. A: I do not know anyone on SoundBetter as of right now.

  7. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  8. A: Either is fine, haha. I personally use digital, but analog is great too!

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

  10. A: I promise I will dedicate as much time to your project as I would my own. I understand your needs as an artist and I am here to fulfill them.

  11. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  12. A: I love bringing the songs I work on to life. Not they don't have a personality to them, but I love just adding the polish and sheen to a track to really make it breathe and have the right vibe.

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

  14. A: "can you make me sound like this person? can you mimic this type of sound?" Yes I can, but you're hiring me to create YOUR sound, aka OUR sound. We can make a replication, but in my totally honest opinion, we should experiment and see what you like best. You don't need to sound like anyone else!

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

  16. A: Engineers are often looked down upon in the music world unless you engineer a #1 hit. We aren't even mentioned at the Grammy's and we even have our own specifically for engineering. Engineers are just as important in the artist because they determine the delivery and packaging of your song. This is the man who paints your car the color you want, and it's the first thing people see when they see your car.

  17. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  18. A: Are you willing to invest in your career? Are you willing to spend hours everyday to dedicate yourself to your craft? How much does the sound of your music matter? Who do you strive to be like the industry?

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

  20. A: Always look for somebody who has the same purpose and struggles as you as an artist, whether it be creatively or having to do with life. If you can connect as people, it's more than likely that you will work great together.

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

  22. A: Does drumkit count as one piece? Lol Laptop hard drive electronic drum kit interface headphones

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

  24. A: My career path has always been to be a musician, playing music and educating myself on music and the industry since I was 3 years old. I am now 24.

  25. Q: How would you describe your style?

  26. A: My style is anywhere from evil and demonic, to heavenly and ethereal. I pride myself in having different moods for all of my beats, but what they all have in common is punchy drums, hard-hitting bass, and undeniable groove.

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

  28. A: I would LOOOVE to work with any Dreamville artist including JID, J. Cole, Earthgang, or any of them. I also really wish to work with Brockhampton as they have amazing and unique production and music.

  29. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  30. A: Do what sounds good to you, period. Not everybody has a perfectly clean and punchy sound, but this can create character and a unique tone if done correctly. If you like the sound, you will learn how to make it translate with time and practice.

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

  32. A: I usually work on hip hop and trap music, but I have been diving much more into pop and electronic music as well as indie pop. I love the new sound of a lot of pop songs and want to include this type of music in portfolio.

  33. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  34. A: My strongest skill is that I am a problem solver. Whatever is needed to have the record sound the best it possibly can, I will do everything in my power to make it happen. Whether you need a string part pronto, or you just need someone to fill an adlib for you, I can produce fast results through audio manipulation and physical contacts.

  35. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  36. A: I feel that I bring a certain energy and crispness to a song that a lot of engineers fail to achieve. I also bring "color" to any mix as I focus intensely on the energy and presence in the mid-range, an area that is often overlooked in mixing relative to high and low end.

  37. Q: What's your typical work process?

  38. A: I typically start my day with breakfast and then I start right on mixing and producing for the day. I like to produce first to get my creative juices flowing then I move onto mixing for my clients.

  39. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  40. A: My studio setup is pretty quaint right now, but that does not mean my quality is lower by any stretch of the means. I reside in a 20ftx12ft room, acoustically treated with homemade panels. I run no external hardware, but I use a Scarlett 6i6 and a set of KRK Rockit 5's. I have been able to get more than professional results from years of practice and determination.

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

  42. A: Of course I have my drummer idols such as Tommy Lee, Matt Gartska, Spud, Buddy Rich, Louis Cole... but many of the engineers and producers that inspire me are Kato on the Track, mixedbyali, Kenny Beats, Dylan Brady, and of course the great Rick Rubin.

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

  44. A: The most common type of work I do is typically audio engineering and producing, making a record from scratch and making it sound as good as possible.

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This Ain't Real

I was the Producer, mixer, mastering engineer in this production

Terms Of Service

3 revisions allowed total. Additional costs will be placed for vocal tuning, timing of instruments, and any pitch correction necessary. Typical turn-around is 3-4 days, not including revisions.

GenresSounds Like
  • Dreamville
  • BROCKHAMPTON
  • Mac Miller
Gear Highlights
  • Waves Plugins
  • Arturia V Collection
  • Arturia FX Collection
  • SSL Software
  • Oxford
  • Native Instruments
  • Ozone Advanced
  • Neutron Advanced
  • RX9 Standard
  • Tape Saturation
  • Analog Emulations
More Photos
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