J Mendez on SoundBetter

Mixing & mastering engineer with professional experience working with Veeze. I deliver clean, loud, industry-ready records that translate across all platforms and systems. Specializing in hip-hop, trap, R&B, and reggaeton, with a focus on clarity, punch, balance, and modern sound.

I’m a Chicago-based mixing and mastering engineer with over 10 years of experience working with independent and emerging artists. I’ve had the opportunity to work with artists such as Veeze, gaining hands-on experience mixing and mastering professional tracks.

I’m the owner and lead mixing and mastering engineer at Planet 94 Music Studio, where I handle everything from raw recordings to polished, release-ready masters. I specialize in hip-hop, trap, R&B, reggaeton, and melodic urban music.

My approach prioritizes clarity, punch, balance, and modern loudness while preserving the emotion and energy of the record. Every mix is treated individually — no templates, no shortcuts.

Artists choose to work with me because I communicate clearly, meet deadlines, and deliver professional, industry-ready sound. If you want your music to feel polished, powerful, and competitive, I’d love to work with you.

Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Credits

Languages

English
Spanish

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Interview with J Mendez

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I worked with Veeze on a project where I recorded his vocals. It stands out because capturing the performance cleanly and professionally helped the artist bring his vision to life and gave the tracks a strong foundation for mixing and mastering.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I’m currently mixing and mastering tracks for independent hip-hop and reggaeton artists and creating beats for upcoming releases.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: NA
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital — I use top-tier plugins to achieve professional, modern sound without needing hardware, which allows flexibility and precision.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: Professional, high-quality mixes and masters, clear communication, timely delivery, and respect for the artist’s vision.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Helping artists bring their vision to life and hearing a track evolve from raw stems to a polished, release-ready song.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: “Can you make it louder?” “Yes — I’ll balance loudness while keeping clarity and punch intact.”
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That mixing and mastering is just adding effects — it’s about balancing, clarity, and making a song sound professional on all systems.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I make sure to understand the artist’s vision: the mood they want to convey, reference tracks they love, and the overall feeling they want the final mix to capture. This ensures the finished product reflects their creative intent while sounding polished and professional.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Look for someone with experience, a strong portfolio, clear communication, and an understanding of modern music trends.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Guitar, drum set, flute, ukulele, and a harmonica — with these I could create, compose, and play complete music anywhere, keeping creativity flowing even in a minimal setup.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I’ve been mixing, mastering, and producing music for over 10 years, running my own studio, Planet 94 Music Studio, and working with independent artists and emerging talent.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Clean, modern, punchy, and professional, emphasizing clarity and emotion while maintaining commercial loudness standards.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I’d love to work with artists like NAV, Drake, The Weeknd, Myke Towers, and Jhayco because their music inspires me
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Always start by cleaning the audio and balancing levels before adding effects — a strong foundation ensures the mix translates on all systems.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Hip-hop, trap, R&B, reggaeton, and melodic urban music.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Mixing and mastering tracks to modern, industry-ready standards with clean and punchy results.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Clarity, punch, balance, and professional loudness while maintaining the emotion and energy of the track.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I start by listening to the raw tracks, cleaning and editing audio, balancing levels, applying EQ, compression, and effects, and finally mastering to achieve a polished, release-ready sound.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I work “in-the-box” using FL Studio with Waves bundles, FabFilter plugins, Soothe 2, Bloom, and Jaycen Joshua Orion plugins. I monitor through high-quality headphones and studio monitors for precise mixing and mastering.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I’m inspired by Jaycen Joshua, Noah “40” Shebib, Metro Boomin, and industry innovators who push the boundaries of modern urban music.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I primarily mix and master tracks for hip-hop, trap, R&B, and reggaeton artists. I also occasionally produce beats and provide full production services when needed.