Mix Engineer

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: In today’s world, the speed of music production and consumption makes digital the better choice for mixing and mastering sessions. The quality of digital has now reached a level where it is no longer inferior to analog. However, this doesn’t mean we should abandon analog; on the contrary, I believe it still makes a lot of sense, especially in recording and production.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I love most about my work is that every day is an opportunity to work on new music and keep learning, discovering new aspects and continually refining my skills.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: The questions I typically ask my clients focus first on their artistic identity, the emotions they want to convey through their music, and, if available, their previous tracks or albums. These elements help me better understand who they are and what they want to communicate. Then, I focus on more technical aspects, such as the BPM, the key of the track, and whether they have used any references during the production.

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

A: I believe a client should choose me for my broad musical background, which allows me to approach each project with a more comprehensive perspective than many of my peers. Additionally, I guarantee the delivery of the mix within one business day and work in an acoustically treated room, using high-quality monitors and high-performance converters to ensure professional, detailed results.

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

A: Such a fun question! If I had to choose, I’d definitely bring a computer with my favorite DAW, Pro Tools, along with an audio interface, a quality pair of headphones, and my favorite plugins. With these tools, I’d be ready to mix anywhere!

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

A: My professional career as a mix engineer began about five years ago, when I started as a self-taught enthusiast, offering my services to local artists. Over time, I began collaborating with labels and producers, an experience that inspired me to pursue academic training at the Conservatory, where I am currently studying in the “Sound Engineering” program. Additionally, I have attended advanced courses and masterclasses to further refine my skills and elevate the quality of my mixing and mastering services to a professional level.

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

A: I enjoy mixing any musical genre, seeing it as an exciting challenge to test my skills and expand my cultural horizons. However, I have a particular fondness for ambient, classical, cinematic, jazz, pop, hip-hop, and indie pop music, which deeply resonate with my artistic sensibility.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is undoubtedly my background as a musician. I started playing drums at a young age, learning entirely by ear without any formal lessons. Later, I decided to study music seriously by learning classical piano, which gave me a deep understanding of harmony, music theory, and music history. I believe these experiences greatly enhance my mixing and mastering sessions because they provide me with a broader and more in-depth perspective on the music I’m working on, taking the final result to the next level.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My service begins with analyzing the received stems to fully understand what the artist or producer wants to convey and to identify any necessary corrections, such as quantization or vocal tuning. Then, I move on to the mixing session, starting without any reference to give the mix a personal touch. Finally, I perform a series of checks and refinements to ensure the track is competitive and meets the standards of today’s music industry.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work entirely in the box, aiming to maintain the warmth and depth characteristic of an analog mix. To achieve this, I rely on a Kali monitoring system, high-performance converters, and most importantly, an acoustically treated room. This last aspect is the real strength of a mix engineer, ensuring precision and consistency in the final result.

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

A: I love to describe my work as the art of amplifying the emotions that the artist or producer wants to convey through their music. With my skills in editing, mixing, and mastering, I strive to turn every track into a sonic experience that fully reflects the creative vision behind it.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: A trick I always use is that, in addition to activating the mastering chain from the beginning, I love putting a nice equalizer on the mix bus (usually the Maag EQ 4 from Plugin Alliance) to give the entire song a clear lift. This way, I musically equalize the track, avoiding the need for numerous equalizers on each individual track, which could alter their sound.