Mixing Engineer

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

A: Mixed song's verse for a few artist collab song, didn't get any requirements nothing at all, and the artist loved it right away when heard it mixed. Feels great to satisfy client's ears.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Currently I'm working with my close friend on his album. Most of the songs are still being recorded and as soon as we're done I'll start mixing it.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: There is not. I only know that a few producers from my home country are using SoundBetter but can't remember exactly who.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I like analog for the colors it can give to the project I'm working on, but have some I plugins that I choose over analog. So I'd say a good in between is the best for me.

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

A: On time delivery, professional quality and satisfied ears.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Getting to know other creative people, clients, their mindset and overall view to music and life. Everybody has different needs in and from music, so making my clients and listeners happy is the most amazing feeling.

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

A: About turnaround time. Typically it's 2-5 days, but if I'm fully booked I always let the clients know that, so if they're in a hurry always have an option to give another engineer's contacts to them.

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

A: That mixing and mastering is getting "irrelevant" these days and that the consumer doesn't mind a bad mix. Engineering is like being a chef and placing all right ingredients on a plate to make an extremely tasty looking food. Imagine you got to the restaurant and they bring you food but everything's messy and all over the place, something is a little too raw and you just won't feel like eating. Same with music consumers, if he doesn't like the way something clashes or just feels to him like it's not in the place and not polished completely he most likely won't listen to the song again.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: About their top 3 artists. Usually a mix between three artists is the sound they're aiming for.

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

A: Well written mix notes and all creative ideas; Reference tracks. And music wise don't overthink stuff and do what you feel like is right for you, new ideas will not be born if you keep limiting yourself just because someone else is doing something not your way.

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

A: SSL Channel Strip; CL1B; DT 770 Pro; Apollo interface; Sony C-800G.

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

A: Started working on music and got to know music quite early I'd say, I was 15. Right now it's almost 7 years since I'm working on, making and creating music. Started producing at first but after a year or so I fell in love with mixing and mastering.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Clean, dynamic and balanced.

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

A: Ye, I feel like he can and could push every single one of us past our "limits". But I also love working with smaller, less known artists, they usually have great and fresh ideas that haven't been done yet.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: DO NOT OVERTHINK STUFF! If you hear it in your head, feel it in yourself, that means you must let it outside of you. The more you doubt and compare yourself to others the more you lose your own vision and who you really are deep deep down. Be you, there are plenty artists who wants to be like one or another big artist. Authenticity always goes a long way.

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

A: Trap, Pop, R&B, hip-hop.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I'd say mixing but it's too obvious, so the next one would be time management. The better I plan my day the more clients get their songs back sooner. Good for me so I can work on more projects like that and it's extremely good for the artists so can work on shooting music videos and releasing music sooner.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Ideas, I know some artists that do not like this but it's fine with me. I like to experiment and bring out the best that can be brought out of a project.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Building the mix from bottom towards the top. Of course I treat the stems first (for pops, phase issues, gain staging) and then move to making a bass/808 sounding good as a base for the whole mix and I work it up from there.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: SSL2+ audio interface; AT2020 mic for demo recordings(my main one broke); DT 990 Pro and DT 770 Pro headphones; CL1B compressor; SSL Channel Strip; And "in-box" plugins (such as Waves, UAD, Slate Digital, etc.); HS8 with a sub. I set up a small, cozy, treated studio room at home.

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

A: If I'd have to name one engineer who inspires me the most I feel like I could not. All of us have a different approach, but personally I like how Bainz, Alex Tumay and Mike Dean approaches each project. Also I'd say the best inspiration for me always been my close circle of friends who are into music too. We keep pushing each other and ourselves in creating new vibes and something unheard of.

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

A: Mixing and Mastering. I rarely produce anymore but if I do it's usually with my producer friends.