Matt Arthur on SoundBetter

I passionately believe that great music is really nothing more than a form of magic. And despite what you might have heard all over YouTube and elsewhere, this magic has virtually nothing to do with ‘production hacks’, fancy gear, plugins, AI and software shortcuts or any other kind of formulaic or rule-based approaches.

I believe that great music only happens when the conditions are right for magic. But I also believe that those conditions are not difficult to create, with the right people, some clear intentions and a little perseverance.

Making your music be the best it can be is my only priority. In fact, my mission is to help you sound better than you knew you were even capable of. This is the passion that drives me and that I bring to every project I engage with.

Having studied sound engineering and music production at The Abbey Road Institute in London, I bring with me a wealth of technical knowledge, flexibility and the ability to work in any kind of recording or mixing environment. However, what I believe sets me apart is my extensive experience as an independent artist, songwriter and performer, and my fresh and unique perspective on what this whole game is all about.

Get in touch and let’s have a chat about your project; every scenario is different but I strongly believe we can find those magical conditions together.

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

Credits

Discogs verified credits for Matt Arthur (3)

The Coo

Languages

English

3 Reviews

Endorse Matt Arthur

by Gabi G.
I loved working with Matt, his approach produces a productive and creative environment in the studio; I could confidently try new ideas and Matt's knowledge of which mic to use, how to position it, and how to process the sounds, captured the lead vocals and other arrangements in a rich and vibrant way. His attention to the finest detail along with his ability to craft intricate and cohesive sonic landscapes through his mixing techniques really brought the songs to life.
by Pierre Catherine-Buffet
It has been a great pleasure to work on a recording with Matt, his expert skills and good musical ears made the session running perfectly. More than satisfied and looking forward to the next one!
by Luke Hasler
Matt was absolutely great. From the first step into the studio I felt right at home and he put in a lot of effort to make sure we were comfortable in the recording booth (fairy lights were provided!). Matt took so much care with the placement of microphones and cables and lighting in the studio that I cant imagine it could be possible to get a better sound quality and atmosphere in the studio. The professionalism and structure provided during the session helped us to record our best record yet!

Interview with Matt Arthur

Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Music sets me free; pure and simple. It is the great love and obsession of my life. In particular, making records gives me an incredible sense of belonging.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: "What do you think?" - and I answer them as a music fan. Also, having worked with a lot of very creative people, I often get asked whether I can make something sound a certain way. I always say anything is possible!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: The biggest misconception out there is that technology, of any kind, is what makes great sounding records. It isn't. It is 'the spook'.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Again it depends on what we are doing. If it is mixing I'd definitely like to know if they had any specific reference points when they were making the record. In general, all bets are off really... I want to know about who they are and the message they are trying to convey. I want to know about where they come from; why they make music in the first place. I want to know the moment when they first realised they had to be a musical artist and what happened.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Find someone who speaks your language; it is not so much about how much experience someone has, but whether they understand where you are coming from as an artist.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: That's a tough one... I would take an SM57 and an SM7 as microphones, my favourite 12 string acoustic guitar and a four track recorder with a set of headphones.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been an independent artist and songwriter for over 20 years, releasing music under various project titles. I have been mixing and producing for at least 10 years and I recently graduated from the famed 'Abbey Road Institute' in London with a distinction in music production and sound engineering.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Emotional and precise
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring an excellent track record of experience as an artist and as an engineer who has worked in a hug variety of different contexts. I believe I am firmly in touch with what makes me unique and I have the sound to prove it.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: It depends what I am working on! But the thing that always guides the beginning of my process, whether I am mixing or writing or doing production, is what Neil Young called 'The Spook' - what is goign to make people's hair stand on end?
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have an excellent small studio setup with acoustic treatment and room-tuned EQ to enable the best listening environment for my work. I have some nice pieces of analogue gear and a massive selection of plugins.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: The Coo - 'A Different Life' album. I am particularly proud of this one because I had so much involvement and I think it really turned out as we intended at the beginning - we wanted to make something organic and real, but that could stand up sonically next to modern artists such as Mac Demarco, Andy Shauf and Big Thief. I co wrote all of the songs, performed guitar and vocals, co produced it and mixed it.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am mixing an album for Jack Broadbent and I am doing early stage pre production for some other independent artists.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Sam Wheat
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: They both have their benefits, so it is project dependent.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That I am here to help them make THEIR record. It's not mine.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would like to work with Nick Cave and Warren Ellis because... well, they'd have so much to teach me and I think it would be a lot of fun.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Keep everything.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I usually work within the indie field. That could be anything from indie singer songwriters to indie rock bands. I also have good experience working with folk and blues.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is empathy. As an independent artist myself I understand exactly what it is like to have a vision and a dream for a recording or mixing project; I make people feel comfortable and at ease and enable them to enjoy the process of making their creations come to life.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I particularly love the work and approach of Sean Everett, Daniel Lanois and Nick Launay.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I provide anything from overall production and vision, to studio engineering, down to mixing and editing services. My work is purely focused on the client and how they can sound the best they have ever sounded.