Max Cave on SoundBetter

Mix engineer, producer and composer for artists and multiple award winning films

Storytelling is at the heart of everything I do. Whether writing songs, mixing, producing, or composing, I aim to create immersive audio experiences, leaving lasting impressions on the listener.

I encourage each client to provide an open and detailed brief, allowing me to tailor my services to perfectly align with their unique vision.

I'd love to hear about your next project! Feel free to hit the contact button and get in touch.

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Credits

1 Reviews

Endorse Max Cave

by Pedram S.
Verified
Max delivered a deeply atmospheric, emotionally rich score for my short film Dokhtar’am that elevated every scene. He was professional, intuitive, and a true creative partner—sensitive to feedback, great with deadlines, and always focused on serving the story. Even through multiple rounds of adjustments and creative exploration, he remained calm, enthusiastic, and fully committed to what served the film best. I couldn’t have asked for more and would work with him again in a heartbeat.

Interview with Max Cave

Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: By far, my favourite thing about my job is the fact that each project is different. Particularly in film scoring. One day might call for an orchestral arrangement, the next might be a pop tune.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I am particularly proud of a film by director Anni Fan called Plenty Of Dogfish. It was one of the first films I worked on, but I still refer new clients to the music I made for it.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Ana Lua Caiano. Her production and vocal arrangements are amazing.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I have just finished a short film about MMA called Live Dog. My brief was the question: What does a weight cut sound like?
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That my experimental approach to sound design means I make only ambient music...although I do sometimes make ambient music
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: I would take my Neumann KM184s, my Korg MS20, my Chase Bliss Mood pedal, my classical guitar and my charango.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Everything is about arrangement. In my opinion, this is far more important than even EQ or compression in a mix.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Who cares. How does it sound? That is the more important question.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Mostly, I work on film scores. But I work on pop, folk, electronic and rock music for my mixing clients.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Resampling and manipulating audio. Ableton is a wonderful tool for this.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring both clarity and energy to my mixes. No matter what genre, I try to be as creative and unconventional as possible with the sounds I use in a production.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I love experimenting as much as possible with the sounds I will use in a song or film score. At the start of my process, I usually layer a load of processed sounds without being too picky about what I capture, and then I work backwards. Sifting through until I land upon an arrangement I feel is both unique and effective.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I work out of Faith Restored Studio in London. We have everything from analogue synthesisers, valve microphones, wacky guitar pedals and an old broken banjo which is great for horror films.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I could write an essay to answer this question. At the moment, I am really enjoying Cristobal Tapia De Veer's experimental approach to sound design and film scoring. But to name a few others, I am incredibly inspired by Colin Stetson, Daniel Lopatin, Emile Mosseri, and of course, the late great Ryuichi Sakamoto. From a mix perspective, I think Nigel Godrich is a genius.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I divide my time between composing film scores and mixing tracks across a wide range of genres.