Indie/Alt, Bespoke Engineering

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

A: Indie rock, hip-hop, EDM, pop.

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

A: Hot Flash Heat Wave’s first album “Neapolitan.” When I received the stems for this project it was in a rough state. Through dogged pursuit of a specific sonic style (at the time they were going for a “surf rock” vibe so I applied lots of spring reverb and mid-fi processing) and lots of rudimentary cleanup (fixing timing and vocal tuning mostly) I think we achieved a sound that really brought the release together. It’s since done quite well and we all attribute this in part to the very specific style and feeling it conveyed

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I’m more or less “on retainer” for bands Hot Flash Heat Wave and No Vacation. They keep me occupied when I’m not busy with other clients

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Either! Depends on the needs of the project. I’d say typically digital because of cost and efficiency but some sounds really benefit from recording to tape

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Getting to be involved in so many cool creative projects

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

A: I think most people simply don’t know what I do! Not so worried about that here though ;)

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: References! It’s always so helpful knowing the kind of sound a client is looking for. While I pride my self on my more creative mixes, the vision of the client is ALWAYS the guiding principle. Getting good references is essential to this end

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

A: What do you really want out of your mix? Which releases best represent your sound and does it look like this engineer will help you realize that vision?

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

A: A trusty computer with stable software and a monitoring rig that more than anything, I know and trust (an acoustically treated space would be nice too but I’d accept headphones in this scenario)

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

A: Like so many others, my career path began with high school bands. In college I moved onto computer music with a buddy. We found some nice, moderate success and as I slowly moved into a production/mix roll (less songwriting) I realized this was Really where my talents (and joy) lived.10 years later I’ve moved onto engineering work exclusively and have never once looked back. I feel so privileged getting to collaborate with artists at such a special stage in the musical production process

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Vision! Or a taste that exceeds the narrow parameters of an individual mix. I’ve always prided myself on my ability to identify and utilize sonic palates that represent current or future trends in popular and indie music

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Close listening to the stems I’ve received and ensuring good fit is the first, essential step. I like to start with one test mix that I send back to the client to make sure the feeling of compatibility is mutual. If we’re both on the same page it simply becomes a process of steady execution and ensuring Both that each subsequent mix or master is equally well suited to it own individual needs AND that the total project achieves a cohesive sound

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Unapologetically all in the box! I love a classic, outboard setup as much as the next engineer but find that outside of instrument tracking and a few very specific mix visions, big rigs tend to emphasize spectacle more than tangible results

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

A: Mixing and Mastering. Most clients come to me either with self-mixes that need a master polish that can accommodate their unique vision or for mixing work—with an emphasis on mixing tasks that help songs or albums catch listener attention (coloration, texture, ambience, light production work). Basically, giving songs character, not just competence.