Benjamin Schäfer on SoundBetter

.... Get validated as an artist having a sound with rough edges and always a surprise or two in store.

I am glad you are visiting my profile. I will help you creating mixes that stick out. With a sound full of richness and detail beyond any musical mainstream.
My name is Benjamin Schäfer and I am a long experienced producer, engineer and mixer.
In the last several years I have been working with artists all around the world with one consistent goal: creative use of the present moment in capturing a timeless musical document.
In the spirit of believing there is no such thing as a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ sound, I am open to use any kind of technology / methodology that yields my desired result: namely, the expression of emotion, tension and relief which lives and breathes through music.

I believe that every album in an artist’s career should be a statement that remains true forever. This sentiment holds emphatic value for any artist’s debut. I especially enjoy working with new bands and solo artists, helping to craft debut recordings that meet the values and standards that both their clients and fans alike come to expect.

Regardless of what stage an artist’s career currently finds itself, I strive to create albums full of excitement and surprises, which will ultimately be celebrated for their timeless sound.

Don´t hesitate to click the contact button. I would love to have a discussion on your project.

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Benjamin Schäfer

Stephan Thelen
Stephan Thelen
Thomsen
Long Distance Calling
Long Distance Calling
Long Distance Calling
Engrained
Engrained
Engrained
Eloy
Eloy
Dada (Ante Portas)
Subway to Sally
Eloy
Benjamin Schäfer
Markus Reuter
Markus Reuter
Omega Lithium
Omega Lithium
The Crimson Projekct
Stick Men
Stick Men
Stick Men
Stick Men
Stick Men
Stick Men

6 Reviews

Endorse Benjamin Schäfer

by Johannes W.
Verified
Benjamin mixed two songs for me and I'm more than happy with the result. He is a super creative und professional engineer and the tracks were mixed super fast. Looking forward to work with him again!
by Eivind Lorentzen
Benjamin Schäfer (and Markus Reuter) did a wonderful mixing job on Gentle Knife's second album (https://open.spotify.com/album/4oez9dr6s2DICoKTtBToH8). Not only by connecting the various threads in an album with a huge number of tracks for each song, but by providing a warm and full sonic picture which made our ideas stand out. Creative while loyal to the intentions. In addition he is a breeze to work with.
by Johannes W.
Benjamin mixed and produced my Album and I was more than happy with the result!

Especially his ability to make my sound unique in a way I haven't thought before was priceless! His creativity concerning sound design is outstanding
What I also enjoyed to the fullest was the nice atmosphere while working with Benjamin. I always had the feeling that he is giving his very best and and the collaboration is on eye-level.
I experienced Benjamin as an A-level professional when it comes to the technical skills in mixing and producing. His work flow is quick and makes you feel very comfortable.
by Stephan Thelen
Benni mixed my solo album "Fractal Guitar" and did a fantastic job. It was by no means an easy task to fit all the guitars, drums and sounds into a mix that sounded atmospheric, transparent, dynamic, massive and powerful at the same time, but he pulled it off graciously. Listen to the album on some good headphones and you will be amazed how three-dimensional it sounds, like sitting on a mountaintop and watching the weather and life on ground level unfold before your eyes. He reacted well to all my inputs and ideas, always had some good suggestions of his own to make and never lost patience.
by Markus Reuter
Benni is one of the great mixing engineers and I'm very lucky to be working with him for over 10 years already. He has immaculate taste and a clear vision for what makes a great sounding production.
by Juan Dahmen
Benjamin does everything he wrote and more.

Working on music, I obviously hear the songs thousands of times, yet every new mix I receive from him makes me smile and feel dumbly happy.
He truly has a musical mind and works not only in making you sound better but also making your music more interesting, more alive.

He worked in wrong-music.com and did more than I can credit him for.

Absolutely happy and grateful with the results and the ones to come.

If I could I would send him every tiny idea I had everyday to make it into something awesome.

Interview with Benjamin Schäfer

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Zed Smon
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: In german the word audio also means "clay". Some people think I am into pottery...
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Artist with a strong perspective on what they want open to ideas I contribute to achieve that.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I listen carefully through the song trying to identify the 3 main elements that are essential. Based on these fundaments a built a basic roughmix. I try painting in broad strokes at the beginning... Now I start the reamping process which is crucial to my work and delivers that sound I love so much. I run a part of the signals through a large collection of stompboxes like distortion, reverbs, grain delays etc. to bring more detail, excitement and some sort of edge to the sound. This gives me the opportunity to shape the sound without touching an EQ or Compressor first. I have no fixed setup and every turn of reamping is improvised so to say. I trying to prevent static sounds. Everything needs to have a flow.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Tent, sleeping mat, firesteel, pot and knife.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I run a hybrid setup consisting of a Pro Tools 12 HD system, Antelope Audio converters, analog outboard and a Studer C279 console. My room is acoustically treated by engineer Sven Pirschel from Hamburg.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What style of music? What DAW are you working with? Whats the song key, tempo and meter? What do you want to express? What´s the budget?
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Mostly doing mixwork. Internalizing the artists vision and trying to express it in the way his music sounds.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started out studying audio engineering at SAE in Frankfurt/Germany. Followed by some years assistance in a renowned german studio called Horus Sound Studio. During that time I started producing bands on my own and working more and more as freelance engineer. Since 2014 I run my own mixing studio in Berlin.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Unpredictable even to myself.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: There is more than one way to skin a cat. The question is how, not why.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am working on a Stick Men Live Recording from 2018.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: Be validated as an artist with dignity and passion for the best result.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: It´s like playing couple of chess matches at the same time.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Is it common to do it that Way? No!
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Don´t be afraid of trying something different, uncommon.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: There is no wrong sound - only music.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I work mostly on (progressive rock) and independent pop music. Ambient music and contemporary music as well.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Never giving up.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I add an additional layer of sound. Something that gives room for imagination and creates a subtle movement.