Aaron Chaparian on SoundBetter

Hey! My name is Aaron and I'm a freelance mixing/mastering engineer based out of northern New Jersey. Known for specializing in heavy music, I can sculpt crushing mixes that will set you apart from your peers. With over 500,000 total views on YouTube, I am ready to take your project to the next level.

Writing, Mixing, Mastering, Quantizing, Editing, Programming. With over 5 years of experience in working with artists, Aaron knows exactly what it takes for your music to shine. Aaron is known to take on a very unique role in the process. He allows himself to step into the shoes of the artist and understand their overall goal by looking at the music from their perspective. Once he understands the artists' vision, he immediately knows what the music should sound like and how to get there.

Aaron's work has been praised in various reviews: "Beleive it or not, 'Traitor' is an entirely self produced album, and looking how it all turned out, that's a damn impressive acheivement, making it the best self-production of recent times if not ever" - New Transendence on Sever The King - "Traitor"

Aaron prides himself in working on the project until the artist is truly satisfied.

Send me a note through the contact button above.

5 Reviews

Endorse Aaron Chaparian

by Thomas C.
Aaron chaparian is one of the best engineer's I've had the pleasure of working with. My band has gone to him for every one of our releases and every time we work with him we are amazed with the final product. When you hear a mix done by aaron you can tell that he's behind the mixing board. 10/10
by Alex Puglise
Aaron is always a pleasure to work with, he's very skilled but also straightforward in his approach to musical production. I've been going to him for years now to program drums and record everything else. Producing more technical styles of music is never an issue and the results are always above par. Highly recommend!
by Mindless Vocalists
Aaron is for sure an amazingly friendly and helpful guy and absolutely competent in what he's doing. He did not only an amazing job on my project, even super fast! Need something for your metal recordings done? He's your man!
by Carmen Gumina
Aaron is unbelievably talented and an all around good guy. I have worked with him many times and every single time its a blast and the projects always come out tight! Recording with Aaron is 10/10 experience for sure!
by Nicholas K.
Aaron Chaparian is my favorite audio engineer in NJ by far. With the advance skills and knowledge he has gained from years of experience, he will definitely take your songs to the next level. Giving positive and constructive feedback, working with Aaron is not only a pleasure but an opportunity to make the next big hit song.

Interview with Aaron Chaparian

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: Sever The King - Traitor (Full Length). It was the first full length that I worked on and received almost 150,000 views on YouTube. Every time I listen to those songs, it brings me right back to the good times of the recording process
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm currently tracking a 4 song slam EP for a band from New Jersey that I will also be mixing/mastering. I'm also writing a full length record featuring 2 vocalists, one from the UK and the other from Italy!
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Brandon Ashford!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital. I learned using digital. It's very portable and reliable
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise to never finish a project until the artist is satisfied
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I don't view this as a job. I look at it from the perspective of somebody that loves what they do and is very fortunate to be able to work with others
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: They commonly ask "What do you charge?" After years of experience, I'll tell you that nothing good is cheap but I always have the artists' budget in mind
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: People think I'm angry just because I listen and work with metal. I'm not! Metalheads are actually some of the nicest/calmest people I've ever met
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I always have the artist in mind, even when suggesting ideas. I like fighting for my ideas, but I always respect the artists' decision in the end. So when talking to clients, I always ask how open they are to changes or revisions before taking on the project. If its a mixing project where the song is already figured out, I always ask for some other mixes they enjoy to get a sense of their direction
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: I really try to look at the project from the artists' point of view. I act like a member of that band and try to vision the overall sound the way the artist would
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Peavey 6505 Mesa Cab Sansamp RBI Korg Tuner Superior Drummer
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: It started with me drumming on my dad's paint cans when I was around 8 years old, so he eventually bought me a drum set. After that I picked up guitar and tried writing my own songs and needed to record them somehow. I then started to learn recording software and became obsessed with it. I started recording local bands in my parent's basement in high school, which eventually led to me pursuing a degree in Music Industry/Audio Production. I'm currently finishing up my Bachelor's Degree with over 5 years of experience
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I always loved trying to get the mix to sound like the artist/band, rather than using a specific "formula" for everyone I work with. Each session starts with a blank screen, so the final mix will definitely be unique
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: System of a Down, they are incredibly unique and would be a great time to work with
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Don't try too hard, have fun
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Metal/Heavy Music
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I can really step into the shoes of the artist and look at the project from their perspective. The second I understand what that is, I have a vision in my head of how I want the music to sound
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I always try to think outside the box and say "what would everybody else NOT do"
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I try to understand the whole song and get a feel for the ultimate goal before I dive into the mix
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Very efficient for mixing. I bounce back from New Jersey to New York, so my set up has gotten more portable over the years
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm inspired by the big guys: Chris Lord Alge, Andy Wallace, Michael Brauer. Within the metal genre, I love the work of Machine, Will Putney, Jason Suecof, Jordan Valeriote, Adam Nolly Getgood, and Brian Hood.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I mainly focus on mixing/mastering. I also write/rearrange a ton of drum parts for artists.