Your sound is my passion.
I am a freelance Audio Engineer that specializes in Mixing, Mastering, Vocal Production, Editing, Post Production. I do most of my work remotely and can stream my sessions back to you to listen as long as you have internet.
Send me a note through the contact button above.
Interview with Joshua West
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: One of my most favorite projects was working on a production show with Stephen Schwartz. We did a ton of editing, mixing and tuning the room. The production turned out incredible thanks to so many different people working together in a beautiful way.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Right now I am working on mixing an Indie Pop song with a female singer.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I am new to this site so not yet.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Blend of both. Digital has come so far these days. Comparing the two is pointless. They are just different.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise to work hard and invest everything I have in to achieving the goals we have set out on.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Getting to work with amazing artists who put themselves out there.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: When will you be finished? This always depends on the project but I always try to estimate an answer based on the objectives.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: All I do is push a button and it sounds good.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: How do they define their sound? What are their goals (Album and career)? What is their niche?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Emotion in a song is everything. Find someone who can see that in your music and bring it out.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Guitar, djembe, Macbook Pro, Genelec monitors and a power generator.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: My career path has always been music production. I started playing in bands in high school and experimenting with recording. Then I went to college and earned a degree in the Recording Arts. I officially started my career in 2011.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Laid back but focused.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: SO MANY. Going back to Jack White. I feel like I would learn the most from seeing his process. Especially because he is so involved from the start to finish of an album.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Close your eyes and listen. People get too much into looking at the computer or watching the fancy meters. None of that means anything if you cant really hear what is happening.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Rock, Pop, Indie, Folk, and Electronic.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill in audio is vocal production.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring the energy and balance. I put forth what is best for the song and truly work toward what the client wants.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: My process depends upon the client and the job that they see in their dreams. When mixing a song I generally start with setting up the foundation of the session. Organizing and cleaning up any edits. Then I play the song and try to realize what is special and what deserves to be the focal point of the song. Once I discover that, I mix around that component while staying focused on the point of the song and the idea that the artist or producer is trying to get across to their fans.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Yamaha and Genelec reference monitors, Mac Pro Desktop, Mac Pro MacBook, ProTools, Slate Digital plugins, Trigger drum replacement, Waves plugins, Blue Headphones, assortment of professional microphones.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Jack White truly inspires me the most. What he continues to try to achieve, both in music and audio production, constantly pushes me to be better.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Audio Mixing, Mastering, Editing, Vocal Production and Recording
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $300 per song
- Mastering EngineerAverage price - $70 per song
- EditingAverage price - $50 per track
- Sound DesignContact for pricing
- Vocal TuningAverage price - $40 per track
- Time alignment - QuantizingAverage price - $40 per track
- Vocal compingAverage price - $40 per track
