Rock/Pop Mixing & Mastering

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working with the LA-based band "Yvon Rene." I'm blown away by what they're doing, and it's a pleasure to work on their music.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. I was raised in an analog world, and I'll always have love for the color and character that comes from it. But the restrictions placed on me when I work solely in the box bring out even more interesting and beautiful results.

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

A: I promise you will be surprised and delighted. I will always work in the best interest of the artist's vision, and I will solve problems within a track in ways you might not have thought of. I will make your tracks sound like the best version of themselves, and that oftentimes means finding unconventional solutions to problems that come up.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I get to listen to music for a living, and make it even better.

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

A: I am more than an audio engineer. I'm an artist by trade, and I understand the fundamental desire for emotionally impactful music. In my role, I don't just make tracks sound "good," I make them sound like themselves.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your end goal in hiring me?

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

A: Expect flexibility on my end. Whether it's a tight deadline, a complex arrangement, or otherwise, I'm not one to fold under pressure. I'm hungry for a challenge.

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

A: A MacBook Pro M3, Pro Tools, a UA Apollo Twin X, any Neve 1073 variant, and a Neumann TLM 103 microphone.

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

A: I started my freshman year in high school. I was lucky enough to have a friend whose dad worked in a recording studio, and I took every chance I could get to visit him and glean any amount of knowledge from him. I worked from my small basement in Portland, Oregon to mature my ear and develop my skills behind the board--oftentimes visiting local studios to sit in on sessions and watch professionals. This allowed me to get a grasp on analog workflow and signal flow, skills that helped me understand the DAWs I was using even better. By the time I graduated high school, I felt like I was miles ahead of my peers. I joined the Los Angeles College of Music to study composition and audio engineering, and that experience taught me to be a flexible, creative engineer behind the console. From there, I've begun my journey in freelance, picking up as much work as I can physically handle to further my love for the art of audio engineering.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Tasteful and dynamic. I want my final product to sound professional yet emotionally charged.

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

A: Big Thief for sure. Their arrangements are so interesting, and sound like a treat to work on.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Stay organized.

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

A: Rock/alternative, pop, and alternative folk.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Creative problem solving. You won't hear a lot of what I do in other people's mixes.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a unique set of skills and a fresh way of hearing mixes. I have years experience mixing with an analog workflow, but these days I prefer to work in the box in Pro Tools, as the limited toolset feels more creatively freeing.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My typical mixing and mastering process starts with understanding the artist’s vision and the track’s mood, usually by speaking directly to the client for guidance. I listen carefully to the raw tracks to look for important elements that need to be brought out or emphasized. Then, I find a general level balance, dial in rough EQ's, and put my session in mono. From there, I fix clashing or masked frequencies, balance irregular dynamics, and streamline elements otherwise divorced from the artist's vision. I then flip back to stereo to dial in elements like panning, reverbs, and delays to bring the artist's vision to life in creative fashion. For mastering, I focus on enhancing the overall cohesiveness and loudness, ensuring the track translates well across different playback systems. Throughout, I keep communication open with the artist to make sure the final result matches their expectations.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work from my apartment in Highland Park, CA. I use a variety of DAWs, but I prefer Pro Tools or Ableton (although I use Logic from time to time). I use reliable interfaces like the Focusrite 18i20 (in previous studio setups) and the Behringer 1820 (my current interface) paired with the sweet sound of PreSonus preamps. I use a pair of JBL 305P MkII's as my main monitors, and Mackie CR3-X's as reference. For headphones, I have a set of ATH-M50x's. I have a Behringer X-touch control surface for writing automation and other functions. My setup is streamlined and perfectly conducive for quality audio engineering.

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

A: I generally do mixing and mastering work for my clients, as well as songwriting.