Mastering Engineer

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

A: That I can turn weak mixes into Platinum records. That's a myth which every mastering engineer has to face. That's why communication is one of my highest priorities when new clients are interested in having their music mastered by me.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What sound reference do you have? Did you bypass all sound processors on the master buss? What do you expect from the premaster? Where is this going to be published?

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

A: Listen to the feedback you get and be not afraid to apply changes if needed.

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

A: An acoustic drumset, an upright bass, an acoustic guitar, a piano and a megaphone. Even if there's nobody who plays those instruments, you would have a lot of shadow to rest in that desert...

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

A: I'm playing in a band since almost 20 years and at some point applied to study musical science in Mainz, Germany. In one of the courses I recognized that I#m more like an engineer kinda guy, thus I went to audio school in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Since then I occassionally worked for German broadcasters SWR and di a lot of live events. I focused on audio engineering since 2010.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: First of all, I bring a non-biased feedback to your songs. Then again I will try to boost the impact, clarity and last but not least the dynamic of the song to get a nice listening experience for a broad audience.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Usually I receive the mixes via Cloud upload (either links or through my wetransfer upload). After a short mix check I get back to the client and ask them what they expect and point some things out which should be changed in the mixing-stage. After all is clear, I start with processing the premaster which always changes depending on the source material.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have chosen my studio setup with one eye on high end sound quality and with the other on flexibility. DAW-wise I'm familiar with the high quality tools I have on hand like the Waves Plugins for smaller Mixing projects and iZotope, Brainworxx and Plugin-Alliance stuff for restoration work and mastering projects. I'm looking to add studio gear when i really need it and am constantly looking to extend the analog end in the near future with some nice Equalizers and another tube-based design.

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

A: As an entrepreneur I mostly have clients and producers out of the Hip Hop and House genre. This is perfect for me, as every project needs me to focus on many different things at once and I really am learning a lot with those kind of projects.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I hope that I do not have too much style as this may kill the vibe/style of the client's work.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Do not listen to all the tips and how to's in social media channels. Though there is plenty of great stuff out there, you may find yourself trying out tricks rather than let your intuition speak. Make music, get feedback, apply feedback or let it go, commit to your sound and go on.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I'm pretty reflecting on my own work and my skills and know when to apply porcessing. Be it a matter of taste or for strictly technical reasons, I try not to overprocess the clients songs, but to understand the mix and to accel the qualities of the production.

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

A: I love all kinds of music, but I'm always hooked to good song writing with tidy productions. Not too much overdubs but wisely chosen words, notes and sound scapes. Those are the three points to achieve a great mix and makes the life of your mastering engineer a breeze. Especially if loud masters are preffered by the client.