Guitar-Driven Song Mixing

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is to identify and recognize your style. It's your unique character that I want to craft into your song. Ultimately, I invest genuine intellectual and artistic energy into every project I collaborate on in search of your signature. My style is also empathetic: I care deeply about your experience in this process, so I meet each project with the intention of "getting it right" technically and humanely. Pouring myself into each and every project, I will not be satisfied until my client walks away happy.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Communication is my strongest asset. You can count on consistent and reliable communication from me throughout the project. I want every artist to know that I am in their corner and that our interests are aligned. I demonstrate this through direct communication so that I can help the artist can understand my process, and I can understand theirs.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Having spent considerable time working at a variety of commercial studios around the greater Seattle, Wa area, I have experience with a vast array of recording equipment. If a client is in need of a truly analog mix, I am capable of doing so on a vintage SSL console with a variety of additional vintage processing hardware. For remote mixing, I work exclusively in Pro Tools in an acoustically treated space with tuned monitoring.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Hybrid? Don't get me wrong, the warmth and grit of analog is difficult to replace. On the other hand, call me new school, but the processing power of a digital workstation provides for capabilities beyond that of analog consoles and tape. Plus, digital can emulate analog, but the reverse cannot be done. I prefer a hybrid environment where I can work in the DAW but also utilize analog outboard hardware to capture that mojo.

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

A: Yes, Robbie Houston has been a colleague and friend of mine for quite some time. He is an excellent engineer and an amazing person altogether. Plus, he can shred.

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

A: Often times, I'm asked how quickly I can deliver a mix, revisions, etc. A lot of that depends on the client, really. If there's delays in getting multitracks or something needs to be resubmitted, that can lengthen the amount of time needed to turnaround a mix. Communication, too, can sometimes delay delivery because we may not be working in the same time zones... or hemisphere, for that matter. It can be a bit of a dance between me and the client, but nothing has ever gotten in the way of delivering on my promises.

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

A: With the proliferation of home studios and the accessibility of DAWs, a lot of musicians today have a go at mixing their own music. I think that that's an admirable undertaking, but it's easy to get lost in the sauce, as they say. The misconception is that there isn't enough value in utilizing a professional mixing engineer. My counterpoint is this: An author doesn't edit their own book. It is beneficial to a project as a whole, any project really, to have a second set of expert eyes or ears lend their input.

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

A: Mixing is the beating heart of Audio Mixology. The mixing process transforms ordinary audio recordings into impactful works of art that move souls. Emotion is wrought from a cacophony of sonic elements, order is given to chaos, and a beautiful song emerges. I am passionate about this process to say the least!

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

A: I once recorded and mixed music for my fiancé's band. I was a ball of nerves going into the recording session because I wanted everything to go smoothly for them, as always, but with the added pressure of cohabitating with the guitar player! Oh my, would I have to hear about any major mistakes or foibles on my end. Fortunately, the session went well, and we had the unique opportunity to make music together.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Myself.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I subscribe to the acronym BEDA: Balance, EQ, Dynamics, Ambiance. These are the four fundamental details to getting a compelling mix. So, my mixing process somewhat follows that pattern, but there's always room for creativity. Sticking to a "routine" of sorts, however, lends itself to consistent results and an efficient process. As a result, clients value my attention to detail, quick turnaround, and ability to solve sonic challenges.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: A song should blossom, should move from verse to verse and chorus to chorus in a way that builds momentum. Adding instrumental elements or bits of ear candy to second and third verses and choruses is one way to do that.

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

A: I promise to represent and honor the artist's vision to the best of my ability while exercising my skillset to best serve the project. I want every artist to know that I am in their corner and that our interests are aligned.

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

A: Joe Reineke (Lady Gaga, Andre 3000) has been a massive influence on my career and skillset. Lending me his expertise has paved the way for my own journey.

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

A: Go with your intuition. There are many professionals that can help bring your project to life, but who will best represent you, the artist, in this process? Who will best honor your vision? Consider the person behind the console, and go with your gut.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: It's important for me to understand an artist's project through and through. My preliminary questions will help sort out the timeline, budget, intentions, and reference material for an artist. In order to imagine a new project, it is helpful to ask clients about their previous experiences, too. I'd like to identify any prior pain points so that, together, the artist and I can craft the best possible experience moving forward.

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

A: I toiled in a corporate office for many years before I said "enough is enough." I am blessed with duality in my brain: I possess both analytical and creative skillsets. The corporate lifestyle was sucking my soul from my body, so several years ago I up and left. To find my peace, I knew that I must exercise the creative part of me. I turned my passion for music into a journey and a career, and I never looked back.

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

A: Slash. He has always been my favorite guitar player, love his style. It would be an honor and a thrill to work with Slash.

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

A: Hailing from the grunge capital of the World, Seattle, Wa, rock is of course a big part of what I work on. However, I excel in a variety of genres. From Folk to Metal to Country and so on, I am comfortable with virtually any mix down project that's thrown at me.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love being creative. There is truly a dichotomy in my brain, and producing music rewards both halves. The hardware and software of music production is quite technical, but the product is highly creative and subjective. This duality fuels my enthusiasm for making music.

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

A: 1. MacBook Pro 2. Starlink 3. Headphones 4. Interface 5. SM57

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: When working on any project, I bring intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm! I'm genuinely interested in and invested in my clients' work. Each project is unique, and I love the process of learning about a song and its creator. When I understand the artist's emotions that went into song writing, I can best transfer that emotion into the production.