Mix Engineer, Hip-Hop Producer

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

A: My partner had an idea of toying with the idea of her singing the verse to Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz. After she took me to my first NAMM event, I realized I needed to get to work. We had been stuck on the guitar loop and her vocals, the notes in the loop matching the original Clint Eastwood omnichord sound. She stepped back and let me do my thing. I turned it into something completely different but still recognized as a cover for the track. We released it in March. My mixing and production has improved since working on that track, especially after sitting on it for a year, but it is still one of my favorite listens today. You can find it under the profile "The Primordial" featuring Lindy Day

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Currently talking logistics with an artist requesting me as a producer for either an album or a track - more on that another time. I am also making a sample pack, one for Hip-hop and another for DnB. Finishing a project with an artist from Czechia. Making new lesson plans as I also teach online production. My personal work, but that's for another time.

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

A: I actually know of someone in real life who visits my place of work, whom I believe has a soundbetter profile. He's got more experience than myself, and actually travels places for work. If i wasn't so unsure about using his name on here, I'd disclose it, but I prefer to respect the privacy of someone's name.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I can enjoy both for when they are needed. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. But analog for the imperfections. Digital for a fun time.

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

A: A dynamic mix with presence and clarity

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The understanding behind how it all works - more particularly the technical nerdy bits. Most people can feel vulnerable about their voice. It feels good when they feel good about it after I've given it the necessary care.

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

A: "Can you make this sound like this?" - I can bring out the best of what you've given me, but I cannot make you sound like someone else.

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

A: I am a mix engineer - I am not a miracle worker. I can technically fix an unworkable recording but at the cost of the potential it could have reached in your vision. If you give a chef rotten food, he can still make the dish, but there is still rotten food in the dish. The cleaner the material is to work with, the better the result.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What mic are you using? Is there any excessive compression or limiting on your mix? What is the mood/feel you're going for?

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

A: Please provide clean workable material. I have gone great measures beyond my bandwidth to "fix" a poorly done recording to the best of my ability, however a cleaner source will get the job done much faster. All stems to start at bar 1/beginning of the track Export and fidelity context : Exported .wavs (16-24 bit) - any sample rate is fine Volumes matching reference and no clipping, leaving enough headroom on master fader Vocals to be dry, but creative effects on instrument parts can be kept I can make you sound your best based on what's given to me and what the recipe calls for - expectations should be simple such as a mood or feel, using a reference that captures said mood and feel.

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

A: (1) solar powered bank to provide energy for my (2) Laptop and (3) Monitors (monitors can be used to ward off potential dangers), the obvious (4) Zoom H1n Field Mic for sample collections and my midi keyboard (5)

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

A: I started off as a bedroom producer, just playing around with a midi keyboard and with no recordings or understanding. I moved into the city for a couple years and met some people that guided me along the way, taking their wisdoms with me once I moved on. I believe I'm 6 years into this, which I know isn't a long time, but I have come a long way

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Atmospheric, textured, sometimes cinematic, eerie and dystopian. Imagine a dimly lit cavern with a small running stream. Muted colors of brown earth, green moss and grey sediment gently highlighted by a vaguely idyllic lustrous neon glow, spotlighting a large stone in the centre of the scene, bathing in a steady mist, and perhaps a large amphibious creature croaking as it sits at the foot of the rock. Take that visual, and apply musical elements of a track to each description.

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

A: No specific person comes to mind - but as long as they love in ways beyond the average person, and not just in it for a quick buck, then I'm all in.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: A "Less-is-more" approach will bring impact weight to your musical statement, and a consistent flow of energy doesn't always have to sound the same - practice automation and let that become your paintbrush.

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

A: Hip-Hop, Drum and Bass, R&B, Dancehall

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Identifying the issues in your track, then finding the solution

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Movement, to say the least. Usually I'll go for balance first as long as the material I am working with can allow for more comprehensive mixing methods that can help me predict a clear shape of the sound in the end - lately that end has consisted of imaging automation - making sure that correlation is preserved for consistent sound on playback systems that may be in mono, as well as giving your track some movement with the subtle use of the method

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: This depends on what's requested. Mixing - Set up my metering for all necessary channels, analyzer on the master, and ensure the new project has all parameters set to the necessary average settings before loading trackouts/stems/.wavs I'll look at the downloaded material sent to me before dropping it into the project and ensure a matching sample rate. Once loaded, I will also make sure each track is in its correct place, usually reminded before a client sends them. Gain staging and finding the balance is my first step before adding anything that changes the sound

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Fairly modest room with treatment provided, as well as a backup sanity check with VSX by Steven Slate for checking efficiency. Main monitors are a pair of Focal 80 near-field on stands, measured in the respected triangular distance, and tuned to the rooms needs.

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

A: Joel Zimmerman, Alva Noto, Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Webb

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

A: Mostly falls under mixing, with mastering if also requested. Depending on what's sent, I may also do vocal processing, in tandem with a full production.