Ben Challenger. on SoundBetter

Multi-skilled and highly competent guitarist, drum programmer, and mastering engineer available for immediate hire!

My name is Ben Challenger, multi-skilled guitarist, drum programmer, synth composer and digital mixing/mastering engineer based in Australia and UK.

I aim to offer the quickest and professional sound to your projects from anywhere in the world, whether it's through guitar tracking, drum programming, adding synth layers, or enhancing the sound of your recorded music through mixing and mastering, ready for release.

My main priority is having a turnaround that is quick and efficient, while maintaining the utmost attention to detail, ensuring you're getting the perfect outcome for your project and music.

Get in touch and let's make music together!

Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.

Credits

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Interview with Ben Challenger.

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I am especially proud of my latest song 'Gateways' as it is the first song I added my own vocals to, weaving it in and out with melodic hooks and guitar layers.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am working on bringing my own vocals into the original music I make using a plugin called 'Mantra' by Neural DSP.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I do not know anyone on SoundBetter at this time.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital, as it is the quickest, efficient and most portable way of completing jobs - I love sitting in a cafe working on mastering and audio design.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise to give your music the time, effort, and high quality sound it deserves, ready to be released for your audiences to experience.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love the hands on nature, listening to all kinds of music and getting inspired by the music I work with.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Q: Are you limited to working in the genres you list? A: Not at all. I am a graduate from one of Australia's leading music universities where I studied many different styles and genres of music.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That I can't get a studio quality production without a million dollar setup - plugins are extremely advanced and offer near the same as a professional studio.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: How to you want your music to sound to you listener? What emotions do you want your music to evoke?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Keep sticking to what you love doing, your music deserves to be heard by all.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: It would be my current setup - guitar, Quad Cortex, Laptop (with plugins), microphone and studio monitors.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been making music and producing since 2021 and mixing/mastering for friends and acquaintances projects since 2024 - it is my biggest passion and my dream to offer my services to many others across the world.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: It is a style that is very modern, with hints nostalgia. I am constantly open to forward thinking and always ask myself "what can be done next".
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would love to work with Plini one day, as his music would be an amazing experience to dive into the layers and stems of his recordings seeing how much effort he puts in to creating his compositions.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Taking a couple hours break helps refresh the ears and recharge ideas to further add on to a song, project, or final master.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I usually work on my own music, which is becoming a multi-project career of metal, electronic, and ambient style music. I have also carried out work for other bands around Sydney,
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is learning music by listening to it - I have an extremely well-trained ear for melody and chords that I have also adapted into the mixing and mastering I do, bringing out the most ear-catching sound for any song I work on.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring a fresh set of ears, and a professional manner. I am a client-first oriented person, needing to make sure my services will align with whoever I am working alongside. I also bring new idea's to the table and suggest changes for improvement.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I process is firstly identifying the task at hand, what I'm being asked of by a client to the finest detail, understanding the clients own influences and sound they're trying to achieve. I then carry out the service quickly and efficiently, making sure the song matches up to those influences. I then present the results to my client, open for all feedback. After that, I revise the work to match the updated needs of the client.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a portable studio setup that allows me to work from different locations around the world, ensuring I can complete jobs and recordings at all times.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I am inspired by bands, artists and producers including, Metallica, Plini, The Midnight, Intervals, The Prodigy, Pendulum,
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: The most common type of work I have done in my career is mixing/mastering and recording guitar solo's over songs.