Production, Mixing & Mastering

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

A: I am committed to maintaining clear communication with my clients to ensure that I fully understand their desired sound and the end-product they are envisioning. When mixing a track for a client, I make it a priority to send them demos of the current state of the mix to receive feedback and make adjustments throughout the process. Additionally, I offer up to five revisions to ensure that the final product meets the client's expectations and they are satisfied with the end result.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I make it a point to communicate with the client about their vision for the track and the genre they want it to fit into. When working on a mixing or mastering project, I always ask for reference tracks that can provide examples of the sound the client is aiming for. This helps me to understand their specific needs and create a final product that meets their expectations.

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

A: I would bring my laptop with Ableton Live 10, my JBL 4410 studio speakers, my Yamaha NS10MX speakers, my Focusrite Scarlet 6i6 audio interface and the Melodyne VST plugin.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: When working on a project, I prioritize maintaining the intended style of the song while also striving to create a polished and focused sound. I aim to highlight the most important elements of the track and support its dynamics to ensure a compelling and impactful listening experience.

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

A: My primary focus is on pop music with influences from a variety of genres, including electronic, disco, soul, and rock. I have experience working with a diverse range of musical styles and have developed a keen understanding of how to blend elements from different genres to create a cohesive and compelling sound.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: To ensure that I deliver the best possible outcome, I prioritize clear communication with my clients regarding their needs and desired sound for their track. I make a point of requesting reference tracks from them to gain a comprehensive understanding of the exact style they're aiming for. Additionally, I actively seek feedback from them by sharing demos of the audio-edit, mix, or master, throughout the production process. If the client isn't completely satisfied with the final product, I am committed to making revisions until we achieve the desired outcome. My aim is to ensure that every client is thrilled with the end-product and that their expectations are exceeded.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I have a strong focus on the sonic details and textures of a song, using my expertise to bring out the most important elements while staying true to the original direction and vibe of the music. I specialize in refining the sound and feel of a song, paying close attention to critical elements and making sure they are precisely refined while maintaining the overall character and style of the piece.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When it comes to audio editing, I begin by lining up all the given tracks in a way that is easily accessible and accurately positioned in time. Then, I listen through the tracks and select the best takes, editing the pitch, timing, or gain staging as needed to ensure that the relevant tracks sound as pristine and professional as possible, ready for mixing. For the mixing process, I start by warming up my ears with one or two reference tracks, which help me become accustomed to how the song should sound and what to aim for. With a fresh perspective, I listen through the song and take notes on any issues or areas that require attention. I begin by leveling all the elements and mixing the most important parts, such as the vocals, drums, and bass, ensuring that the mix is brought to the desired level. I then set up a few reverb and delay sends to be used on relevant elements and mix the rest of the song. For mastering, I follow a similar process, starting with reference tracks to warm up my ears and get them accustomed to the desired sound. I listen through the song and take notes on any issues that require attention. I begin by adding a limiter at the end of the master chain to bring the loudness of the track to around -2 dB true peak and -14 to -6 LUFS. I then make small tweaks to enhance and smooth out the sound while regularly comparing against the reference tracks. As soon as I have something presentable, I send a WeTransfer link to the client so that they can provide feedback, and I can make sure that I am heading in the right direction. After editing, mixing, or mastering, I send a WeTransfer link of the final product to the client. They are then given up to five revisions to provide feedback and request any necessary tweaks and changes until they are satisfied with the final product.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a well-equipped home studio with excellent sound treatment, where I conduct audio-editing, mixing and mastering work. For neutral and transparent playback, I rely on a pair of JBL 4410 studio speakers. To evaluate the translatability of my mixes and masters to smaller, less neutral playback systems, I listen on a pair of the famous Yamaha NS-10MX speakers.

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

A: I find inspiration in nearly every type of music around me, especially the refined sound of many pop song mixes. I'm constantly listening to the work of others, analyzing how a particular sound is achieved through mixing, and identifying which techniques and effects are utilized. Among the producers and mixers/masterers that inspire me are Mark "Spike" Stent, Ian Kirkpatrick, Josh Gudwin, and Andrew Scheps. These individuals excel at processing tracks in a way that brings out the most important elements while preserving the original musicality of the song.

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

A: Most of my time is dedicated to meticulously comping, editing, and tuning vocals for clients, as well as mixing entire songs ready to be mastered. I have developed exceptional skills in comping and tuning vocals using Melodyne, ensuring a seamless blend of different vocal takes that goes unnoticed by the listener. Over the years, I have also fine-tuned my ability to hear precisely how to enhance different musical elements through mixing, and how to shape the overall dynamic progression of a song.