Mixing and Mastering Engineer

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

A: Every project I work on is special in it's own way. But I guess if I had to pick one, it would be the Colamp debut album called Tape. I mixed and mastered the entire album.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm mixing several artists at the moment. Some are my second and third projects with them.

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

A: At this moment in time, no.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both! I love analog, but I definitely prefer digital now when it comes to mixing. I'm strictly in the box as a mixer but I love using analog for recording.

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

A: That I'm there for them and that I will work harder than any other engineer they've had. There may be engineers who work just as hard as I do, but no one will work harder for you than me.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Helping people. That feeling of seeing them happy and confident that they can go out and say this is me.

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

A: What's your rate, is the most asked question. And my answer is always the same, depends on the project. Every project is different.

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

A: That anyone can do this which is so far from the truth.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What do you look for in an engineer and what are your goals for the final project. What are you trying to achieve with your music at the end of the day.

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

A: Find someone who you vibe with and understands your goals. You guys are going to be spending alot of time together and it helps to have someone who knows and understands your vision.

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

A: My MPC, Turntables, Bass Guitar, Congas, Cajon.

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

A: I started making beats around 1994, then started djing around 1999. I released a record in 1998 and had someone else mix and master it. I was pretty unhappy with the result and it made me more interested in that process instead of the creative part. After a while, I realized being in the studio recording and mixing is where I felt most at home.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is adapting to the artists sound and respecting that sound.

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

A: There are so many artists that I would love to work with. Nas, Khraugbin, Pete Rock, Outkast, Ky-Mani Marley, Sade, D'Angelo, Bonobo just to name a few. These artists seem to really have an understanding that the music comes first. Once you achieve that sound you want, all the other stuff falls into place.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't over produce music. Music is not a complicated art. Great music is meant to evoke emotion, whether that is sadness, happiness or even anger. If you achieve that with just a few tracks, let it be. Many times, some of our insecurities as an artist keep us from walking away and saying it's done. Good music is good music and some of the most timeless classics and are real simple. Less is more.

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

A: Hip Hop, from underground to mainstream stuff. But I definitely want to work on other generes. I love Salsa, Reggae, Funk, Jazz, Electronica

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Besides making the song sound good and feel good, I believe my strongest skill is understanding that I'm here to help. At the end of the day, it's the artists vision, not mine. It's their baby, not yours. I am there to help the artist achieve their goals, not mine. You can't mix from a place of ego. They have to go out into the world and present this art and say, this is me. So you have to want to help, and in a genuine way. I believe once the artist knows you're there for them genuinely you'll earn their trust and respect and that's a great place to be for both parties.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I believe I am the last piece of a very important puzzle in helping the artist reach their goal, which is to make the best song possible. Understanding not only how things should sound but also making sure instruments aren't fighting for space in the mix.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I go over the reference track, if one is provided, and try to get to know the artist vision and what they are trying to present to their audience. I'll then spend some time cleaning up the tracks for any harness and unwanted frequencies that can come back later in the mix and become an issue. It's very important to identify those issues and get them out of the way so you can start mixing.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work out of Studiobeat 3 in Pasadena Ca. A state of the art facility built from the ground up with the acoustics in mind. When I walk into most studios, getting to know the room, especially the low end, can be a little challenging. At Studiobeat 3 I feel that the low end is so accurate that I'm sitting in the low end and it's not going over my head.

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

A: As far as music production pros that inspire, there are so many. From Quincy Jones, to Pete Rock, Dj Premiere, Danger Mouse, Bonobo, Prince, the list goes on and on. Engineers who inspire me are Bob Power, Russell Elevado, Jaycen Joshua, Bruce Swedian, Guru, Tchad Blake and Irko Sera just to name a few.

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

A: I mix and master songs for artists who are looking for that professional touch.