Joel Ward on SoundBetter

As an actively performing GRAMMY-winning musician, I greatly understand what it is to be a musician and how situations between musicians and engineering counterparts should be approached. I will take your art to the next level and polish it to match your musical ambitions to the best of my ability, without compromises or excuses.

I am a Finnish-English audio engineer and classical singer. With a deep knowledge of mastering, recording, and mixing in countless genres, ranging from classical to rock, jazz to pop, and metal to folk, I have gathered a substantial repertoire of different genres I feel "at home" working with. I also constantly seek to learn something new every day to further nourish my craft.

Born into a family with deep roots in Western classical music on one side and traditional English folk on the other, I boast a strong identity as a versatile musician and a professional. As a classically trained trumpet player, later electric bass student in pop & jazz, and currently working as a professional choir singer in the top professional choirs in Finland (with a GRAMMY award with the Helsinki Chamber Choir in 2023), I approach all of my mastering work from an artistic starting point, being it a symphony orchestra or a noise music album. This very personal identity enables me to make the best out of my work as a mastering engineer.

For SoundBetter clients, I offer:

- Unlimited revisions (within reason)
- Free alternative version (usually an instrumental or radio edit)
- Two versions to pick from (usually limited & non-limited)

Send me a message and let's talk!

Cheers,
Joel

Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.

Credits

Discogs verified credits for Joel Ward (2)

Anna Emmeluth Quartet
Emmi U. Quintet
Odd Brew
Moon On Fire
Nathan Francis Ft. Eero Koivistoinen
Nathan Francis
Timo Alakotila & Johanna Juhola Duo
Emmi U. Trio
Lapsikuoro CandoMini
Nathan Francis Quintet Ft. Vladimir Shafranov
Anna Emmeluth Quartet
Chloé Dufresne, Hämäläis-Osakunnan Laulajat
FBB*
Somnium Ensemble
Emmi U. Quintet
Anssi Kela
Jussi Lehtonen Quartet
Odd Brew
Erkki Melartin, Laulu-Miehet Johtaja | Conductor Matti Hyökki
Nathan Francis
Edge Of Haze
Hanna Ryynänen
Yolisa, Elisa Härmä
Timo Alakotila & Johanna Juhola Duo
Emmi U. Trio
Lapsikuoro CandoMini
Kaija Saariaho, Helsinki Chamber Choir, Nils Schweckendiek

Languages

English
Finnish
German
Swedish

2 Reviews

Endorse Joel Ward

by Aleksi Taipale
I sent a single to Joel for mastering. The process went swimmingly, and the quality of the master was wonderful. Moreover, Joel communicated clearly about timelines and other practicalities along the way, which I really appreciate.
by Onni Korhonen
Fast, flexible and reliable! I've sent multiple mixes (genres ranging from EDM to jazz) to Joel for mastering and the end product has been a clear improvement every time.

Interview with Joel Ward

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I balance my days between professional choir singing and mastering and mixing singles/records. I'm also involved in Finnish plug-in developer company Oeksound, makers of plug-in hits soothe2, spiff and bloom.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That mastering requires tens of thousands of dollars in analogue hardware. That couldn't be further from the truth. People who use analogue hardware have their reasons (I myself love the feeling of turning knobs and feeling the equipment with my eyes closed), but in truth, 99% of the time, they won't be a difference between making it or breaking it.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I will ask my clients for feedback on my work and my methods, especially regarding communication. Good communication solves almost all issues.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: If you have the chance, take your time. Rather than picking the first one, go through many options and ask for test masters. I offer free test masters delivered as mp3 for SoundBetter clients, with the final wav-files delivered after payment.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Does the computer count? Are speakers one unit? It probably would have to be these: - My ATC's - Audeze MM500 headphones - Trinnov Nova (assuming that the desert island had a room for me to optimise...) - My Macbook Pro - Manley Vari-Mu, probably the only analog audio processor that I'll never ever let go.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I'm relatively young, though music technology comes down strong from my Dad, a music technology educator in the UK, before moving to Finland to help the Sibelius Academy found their music technology department. Now, 28 years later, I'm one thesis away from holding a Master's degree from the faculty my Dad helped get going, which is crazy. Love you Dad, up there in the Heavens! <3
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: If I had to pick one, that would be Joshua Redman. I admire his sound and timbre, and all of his albums are sonically wonderful. The teenager in me would want to master a Dream Theater album one day, especially now that Mike Portnoy is back in the band! American bassist Janek Gwizdalla is also very high on my wishlist for mastering clients.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Take breaks. Take breaks often. There's nothing more important than refreshing your ears multiple times a day when mixing and mastering. 5 minutes of silence is enough!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I welcome any genre into my room, but so far I have shined with acoustic recordings and especially jazz/blues/rnb.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both, but ever process needs to be justified. I won't use my analog gear "just because", and quite often my masters will be fully digital. If the artist specifically asks for a piece of equipment to be used, I'll try to incorporate that in the chain, but if it doesn't work, I'll make the executive decision not to use it.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise that I'll treat your art with full respect and lots of love.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I get to listen to so much awesome music every day, which is overwhelmingly amazing!
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I don't want to necessarily "bring" anything extra into the song, but rather just wrap everything up. Mastering is the most
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I like to start early in the morning by going through emails while listening to the song or songs that need to be worked on in the background. I'll then open Pro Tools and bring the songs into my mastering template and start the process. I constantly reference the limited rough mix to ensure that I'm staying true to the sound that the artist and/or band fell in love with, and my aim is to bring out those aspects to an even greater resolution.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My studio is located in the heart of Finland's capital city, Helsinki. My room is relatively small, but it sounds incredible good! I've build most of my acoustic treatment myself, but of course I have loads of treatment from e.g. HOFA acoustics, as well as multiple PSI Audio AVAA C-20 active bass traps. My ATC monitors and Neumann subs are optimised with Trinnov Nova.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I am hugely inspired by the output of mastering engineers such as fellow Finns Svante Forsbäck (Chartmakers), Henkka Niemistö (Northsound) and Jaakko Viitalähde (Virtalähde Mastering), as well as Nate Wood (Kerseboom Mastering) who's sound on e.g. Joshua Redman's "where are we" is deeply touching. My biggest musical hero is probably Tuomas Holopainen, leader of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Previously a recording and mixing engineer and nowadays focusing on the mastering side of the biz, I like to work closely with the artist/band to bring their work to life.