Major Label Mix Engineer

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

A: I am most proud of my work on the Song of the Year at MAMA Awards a few years ago. As the producer and songwriter for the song, being recognized as a top composer was very special to me.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I use both depending on what the individual tracks need. There are certain things that one side can do that the other cannot. However, I find myself staying in the box and pulling up plugins more these days due to the pandemic.

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

A: I can promise that I will work with integrity and will prioritize the client's needs. I take great pride in my credibility in the industry and showing my results based on my taste. It is very important to me that I can build lifelong trust with my clients, and that they will be happy with the work we accomplish together.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love that the music we create makes people feel something, and sometimes songs become a part of their life journey. Music has allowed me to meet new people around the world, and help tell their story. When songs become soundtracks is when I find my job most rewarding.

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

A: I get asked if I can pitch their song the most. My answer depends. But if my job is to improve the song during post-production, I generally keep my focus there.

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

A: A major misconception is that engineers can fix bad recordings and performances. If the audio is recorded poorly, there is only so much that we can disguise before we have to start compromising the quality of the presentation. Please keep in mind that once the cake is baked, you cannot separate the egg!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I ask my clients to have their vocals tuned and aligned the way they want it before sending them to me. Secondly, I ask for a ruff mix to help me create a roadmap of the final mixdown and vision from the client. Lastly, I ask for references that will help me create the landscape and details within the imagery of the song(s).

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

A: My advice is to work with people that cares more about your success than their own. We work in an industry where egos get in the way of great opportunities. Best thing to have is good people, good vibes, and good energy towards the art that we create together, while checking our egos out the door.

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

A: My 5 island gear would be my Universal Audio Apollo Twin, Shure SM7B, Neve 1073, Tube-Tech CL 1B, & IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor.

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

A: I started my career as an audio engineer in Chicago. I moved out to Los Angeles and started working with Dave Pensado as an assistant shortly before producing K-Pop records. I became the CEO & Founder of a publishing company, and multi-platinum songwriter & producer that has composed for various #1 singles and albums around the world working with artists like Christopher, Marcus & Martinus, TWICE, f(x), Stray Kids, SHINee, ITZY, and many others, including winning the MAMA Song of the Year Award in 2017. I helped build a global network with the largest media outlets and companies in Asia. You can find me on shows like China’s “The Next Top Bang” season as a celebrity judge, and featured at KCON as a star guest panelist. Today, as one of the top producers in Asia, I work with some of the largest names in songwriting and music releases worldwide; creating the bridge for the major gaps in culture and expectations that we find in music publishing and creatives overseas. In 2022, I launched a joint venture partnership with Warner Bros to elevate the publishing culture worldwide.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is modern, punchy, clean, and upfront. In addition to my mixing taste, I work with a lot of A&Rs and we reference songs that we believe will be the next wave. I believe that can be a layer of advantage as I prepare for mix/mastering.

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

A: I would like to work with artists that value team. Everyone brings different sets of skills and ideas, but a great team that loves working together can create art that is bigger than the individuals.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: My favorite advice to give is.. In order to find success in anything, you have to create the right environment for your goals. Also, the gear is only good as the person behind it. Taste is what people pay for. Develop your taste early and use failure to build your success.

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

A: I like working on music where the vocalists are the main instruments. Genres that allow great spacing for vocals, like Hip Hop and Pop, is an area I enjoy working in. I am not a fan of overproducing.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is in vocal production and producing records. I spent over 10 years as a chart-topping producer for artists around the world. That has helped me to understand the needs from the creative side, and the necessary components to make a record great.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: My success in K-Pop helped me to understand the importance of culture and the universal language we speak through music. As an engineer, it is important to me that I deliver the mix that translates to the lifestyle and color of each community. For example, an engineer in the States may reference their mix in the live room with loudspeakers and subwoofers to make the songs appealing for the club scene; while a particular mix can focus more on the high frequency information for countries that have a faster pace lifestyle where music is heard mostly by passing through markets and on public transportation. This would mean the sound sources are generally mono, and it would be critical to pay attention to those details before the song is released.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I usually request a ruff mix from the client so that I have a roadmap for the vision of the song. After some time in studying the ruff, I clean up and prepare the individual tracks for mixdown. By this time, I generally have a plan and have become much more familiar with the song and direction. After the mixing process, I make sure to monitor the song(s) through different audio speakers and rooms. My goal is to bring the art into a life experience for the listener.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I mostly work in the box with high-end plugins and converters. My studio set up is designed to accommodate mix notes and tweak adjustments for my clients in different time zones. However, I am also a fan of analog color and depth, which is something that you will hear from my the outboard gears at my studio room.

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

A: Artists like Drake and Dua Lipa are an inspiration and shaped my taste. Many of my records have translated well overseas in genres like K-Pop, where #1 singles and albums have led me to winning the Song of the Year award at the MAMA ceremony in Asia.

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

A: I am offering vocal mixdown to a stereo instrumental track, and also stem mastering service now exclusively on SoundBetter. Many artists and A&Rs want an alternate mix, especially for better clarity and high-end shine over their vocal performance. When you pair premium quality vocals with stem mastered instrumentals, you will find a more defined sound for the music that you create.