Mixing, Mastering, & Magick

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

A: Tim Palmer and Darrell Thorpe 100%

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both! Why limit art?

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

A: You will be happy with where we end up.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The people and the creativity.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Tell me the story of the song. Tell me the inspiration for it sonically. Make me a playlist of your influences.

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

A: Go with your gut feeling?

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

A: A solar power generator A computer with every plugin and DAW imaginable Starlink for internet access An interface with a channel strip built-in A Shure SM58 microphone

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Delicate yet bombastic.

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

A: I’ve worked with most of the artists I’ve wanted to, and now I’m focused on working with the future of music, not the past.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Edit your drum samples based on how they feel when you hit the pad, not how they look visually on the screen at the edit points.

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

A: I work on all kinds of music and have grown up loving a wide variety. Having hippie parents exposed me to everything from Miles Davis to The Rolling Stones to Kraftwerk. They owned head shops when I was a kid, and I got to meet all sorts of artists and even visit studios with them. That early exposure gave me a deep appreciation for different genres. I’ve had success in pretty much every genre.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: It’s probably my ability to interpret what the artist is saying they want and what I hear coming out of the speakers, then translating that into something cohesive—something they couldn’t achieve on their own.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a vision based on what I’m hearing, informed by years of consuming culture. That includes albums I’ve listened to, live shows I’ve experienced, and visual arts or other creative moments that have shaped my understanding. My goal is to mix the song in a way that feels right to me because if I like it, the artist usually does too. If they don’t, we adjust it until they do.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I usually send out a document asking for files to be delivered in a specific way, depending on the DAW. My assistant or I will prep the session to match how I like to work. Once the session is ready, I start mixing. After I get the mix to a good place, I send it to the artist for notes. We’ll go back and forth until it’s perfect. At that point, I’ll send the finalized files off to mastering and provide the artist with stems or WAV files from beat one of the finished mix.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio setup is a hybrid analog-digital setup, equipped for surround, Atmos, and stereo mixing. I use JBL and Barefoot monitors along with NS-10s and Auratones. I’ve curated a collection of select analog pieces that I’ve kept over the years, though plugins are now about 99.9% there in terms of matching analog gear. If I need something specific, I’ll rent out a studio for an hour or two to use a console, specific outboard gear, room chambers, or a live room.

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

A: When it comes to mixing, you can't beat Bob Clearmountain, Andy Wallace, Neil Pogue, or the Lord-Alge brothers. Rich Costey and Joe Barresi are also incredible. These are the people I pay close attention to sonically. You also have to mention Serban Ghenea—he's untouchable. For producing, Mike Dean, Daniel Lanois, Rick Rubin, and Andrew Wyatt are the bomb!

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

A: It’s 70% mixing album and singles, 20% mixing film and TV scores, and 10% production.