Mix and Master

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am the lead engineer in a recording studio in Carlsbad and I am on developing the sound of many local artists. I am in service of music and the community

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

A: Make sure that the provider you hire understands the aesthetics of your music.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Make decisions, and move on.

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

A: My passion is working with audio, songs performed on real instruments by real musicians. For this reason, 90% of the time I am working with full bands with organic drums, guitars, bass, keys and vocals.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I have been a performing musician and a band leader for many years. I have a music degree in Jazz Guitar and Songwriting. All this elements converge to give me a unique set of skills to serve my clients.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I run Amplified Studios in Carlsbad, California. It's a fully functioning commercial facility that with a big live room that allows large band recording. We have no shortage of outboard analog gear from the best brands (Trident, Rupert Neve Designs, Universal Audio etc...) and a state of the art collection of digital plugins.

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

A: I have directed a few live recording with local songwriters using the session musicians that work with the studio. it is great to work in such creative environment, and se a song blossom from an idea to a full mix, these artist are releasing their hard work soon, and I am so proud of what we ended up making together.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: It depends, they are two very different beasts and allow for very different kind of processing to audio material. I use almost exclusively analog for tracking; and that gives me the right amount of flavor to start with when mixing. Digital allows for a more precise and surgical type of intervention on sounds without adding unwanted coloration. While mixing, I tend to use analog processing for the most important parts of the production (i.e Vocals, Snare, Kick, Bass other lead instrument), and digital for general clean-up and special effects.

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

A: I won't stop until you are 100% happy with the outcome.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: It's my artform, I want to be able to convey feelings by manipulating sounds over time, Isn't that fun? Yes it is, but also comes with challenges and troubles that needs to be solved. Mixing is like a jigsaw puzzle for the ears.

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

A: They asking me about the gear I use. and I say that I like to use a combination of premium analog and digital gear, depending on what the song needs. It really isn't about the tools that you have at your disposals, but it's what you are listening for and how you use those tools.

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

A: Many people nowadays, think that mixing is a time to select best performance and correct tuning and timing issues, so they will defer all those decisions and then mixing really becomes "fixing". From songwriting through mixing, every step (arranging, rehearsing, recording) is all different stages of the same process, and, if one start making decisions early in the process, the final product will be much more authentic.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are your favorite records, and what do you like about them?

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

A: I started as a songwriter and band leader in a touring band when I was a teenager. I always had a true passion for recorded music, so when we hit the studio to record our albums, I couldn't get enough of it and I would spend all my time shadowing the producers and engineers. as years gone by, I refined my skills by completing a music degree in songwriting and jazz guitar, right after my degree, where I obtained outstanding recording and mixing skills by producing my own band, I started to run the audio department at Amplified Studios in Carlsbad, CA. here is where i record and mix band full time.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my style punchy but clean and soulful.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Listen first, Consult with the customer to fully understand the vision, most likely ask for a reference or two, and then work towards it.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: when I am working on a song, I want to make sure that the sonic landscape supports the story.

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

A: Ultimately, I am inspired by the sound of of my favorite albums in my record collection, there really are too many to list. I tend to really enjoy records that have been performed by real musicians on real instruments.

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

A: I mostly record, mix and master bands. My extensive background as a Songwriter/band leader in a touring band gives me a unique perspective over making records and performance. I usually get hired to record and mix my clients' songs, but my contribution often extend beyond the simple tracking, and I end up helping the artists with song structure, arrangement, tones and other creative aspects of the production.