Music Engineer

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

A: I worked with a band on a cover of Cherish by Kool and Gang but the Papa Bear version, its was really tricky to create that feeling they had in it but I am proud that we got there with great sounding vocals too. I arranged, mixed and mastered the song.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently working on a cover song for a band, and RNB track for rapper, and a guitar based pop song. Also currently creating sample packs to sell.

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

A: Aubrey Whitfield

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I use a hybrid studio set up so I like digital for speed and analog for its colour.

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

A: To deliver the mix on time and with passion, I mix from the heart.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The creative process, and working with different clients visions.

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

A: Can you make it the master louder, I say I master to commercial standards, and please remember that spottily etc will reduce the loudness to -14 dB LUFS.

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

A: That it takes five minutes to finish a song.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Timeframe, budget, what they want to archive, sound they are going for, have you practised the song, set the amount of revisions, payment terms royalties etc.

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

A: Please provide a clear path and sound you wish to archive with good examples and also provide good takes of vocals and instruments, as a bad take is always a bad take and will never sound as good as a passionate well delivered take.

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

A: My Mac, Apollo x16, Monitors, Key broad, SSL fusion.

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

A: I now am full time music engineer, I was in bands before so have been in music and production for 20 years. My path is to build up my client base and get more commercial releases this year then last, and to gain more credits.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Commercial with creative spice for clever reverbs and delays, using compression and EQ correctly to create space in the mix.

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

A: Ed Sheridan, would give to write a song with him, his top lines are great.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't use compression on every channel only compress where needed.

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

A: Pop, RNB. Synth pop, Hip hop, Soft rock, Rock, Country.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Mixing / Stem mixing Mastering Vocal tuning and FXs Creative flair Creating top lines.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Passion and creative flair to keep the listens attention across the hole track

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Song production and writing Song arrangement Creating song melody and top line Vocal and instrument recording Vocal and instrument editing and tuning Mixing FXs adding Mastwering Testing on different speakers and devices to make sure the tracks sounds good across all platforms

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a full professional set up running from my business offices with a fully acoustically treated space set up, I can cater for all types of mixing and mastering, I also have a full band room and vocal recording set up, I use the following equipment - Mac Studio M2 ultra 64GB, Apollo x16, Audient asp 880, HM-800 headphone amp, Drawmer MC3, Neve 8816, SSL Fusion, Motu Midi, Focal studio monitors and Avantone reference monitors, Thy 333 board, Launch pad pro, Novation impulse 49, AKAI MPK mini, CLARITY M. I have many mics to name a few, Neuman TML 103, SM57 and 58. The studio is controlled by a Signex patch bay.

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

A: Aubrey Whitfield, Quincy Jones, Max Martin.

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

A: Mixing and mastering, full song production, vocal editing, songwriting.