Japan Mixing & Mastering

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

A: For my own Lo-fi album project, I handled all mixing and mastering. I focused on sound design and audio refinement, achieving a consistent and emotionally expressive sound throughout the album, which I’m especially proud of.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: At the moment, I’m working on mixing, mastering, and sound design for tracks across a wide range of genres, including Lo-fi, Chill, City Pop, Rock, and Pop.

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

A: I don’t personally know anyone on SoundBetter, but there are many talented professionals here, so clients can choose with confidence.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I mainly work digitally, but I also use analog gear when needed. Combining the precision of digital with the warmth of analog allows me to create emotionally rich and natural sound.

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

A: I promise to deliver high-quality, emotionally expressive, and groovy sound that aligns with the client’s vision.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I enjoy most is bringing out the emotion and groove in a track and turning the client’s vision into reality.

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

A: Clients often ask whether the final sound will match their vision. By sharing reference tracks and a clear idea of their expectations, I can deliver results that closely match their intent.

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

A: A common misconception is that mixing and mastering are just about making the track louder. In reality, it’s a creative process that brings out the emotion, groove, and spatial depth of a song.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Before starting, I check the track’s style, reference material, revision preferences, and deadlines, so I can work flexibly and meet the client’s needs.

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

A: When requesting a 2-mix track, it’s helpful to share your vision and reference materials as clearly as possible. I can assist in bringing out the emotion and groove of your music through mixing, mastering, and sound design.

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

A: If I could take only five pieces of gear to a desert island, I’d choose Nuendo, Cubase, iZotope RX 11, WaveLab, and a Universal Audio interface. Of course, I’d need a PC, but with these, I could handle mixing, mastering, sound design, and audio restoration for a wide range of projects.

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

A: I am contracted with a creative company in Tokyo, working on a project basis as a dedicated mixing, mastering, and sound design engineer.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style focuses on emotionally expressive and groovy sounds, adding depth and a unique character to each track.

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

A: I would love to work with artists who have emotionally rich music and a unique artistic vision. I aim to enhance their tracks with immersive mixing, groove, and emotional expression.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: To enhance the groove in a track, carefully adjust the timing and dynamics of rhythm tracks and melodies. This creates a natural and engaging flow.

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

A: I work on Lo-fi, Chill, City Pop, ROCK, and Pop tracks, adding meticulous mixing and mastering, groove, and emotional expression to each piece.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is mixing and mastering tracks. I focus on fine details to fully bring out the client’s vision and emotion.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: In addition to mixing and mastering, I focus on sound texture, sound design, groove, and emotional expression, adding depth and a unique character to each track.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I start by discussing the client’s requirements and reviewing their materials or reference tracks. Then, I use tools like Nuendo, Cubase, and iZotope RX 11 for mixing, mastering, and audio processing. After revisions and client approval, I deliver the final product, focusing on high-quality sound that aligns with the client’s vision.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I primarily use Nuendo, Cubase, iZotope RX 11, WaveLab, and a master audio recorder, handling a wide range of tasks from mixing and mastering to vocal separation, sound design, and audio restoration.

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

A: I am inspired by Japanese artists such as Eve and Yorushika. I am particularly influenced by their lyrical worlds, melodic structures, and spatial sound design.

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

A: As a Japanese music creator, I specialize in mixing and mastering tracks. Regardless of genre, I focus on bringing out the client’s vision and maximizing the appeal of each piece.