mixer, producer

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

A: I mixed a live recording that took place during the pandemic without an audience. It was challenging to achieve the effect of an emotionally charged concert without a live audience. The acoustic concert featured two classical and western guitars, a warr guitar, and two vocals. Overdubs included tambourine and solos. The album was released on CD and vinyl in 2022, titled "Black and White Traces."

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Travel Band. Americana with James F. Darfus

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

A: Not that I know.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Digital for the recall possibilities, but also due to the budget I have, I would never have a fully analog studio. Analog because music is analog, and it will always be that way... until GPT starts to play.

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

A: The mix will never be mediocre.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The creative power and the fact that something is being created to move someone's emotions.

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

A: Question: Can you make the snare drum a bit louder? My answer: Yes I can, but why? On a serious note, I am often asked about the turnaround time for mixing, which is typically 48 to 72 hours. Sometimes, I am asked if the number of tracks affects the price, and my answer is, "Not within reason..." The rest of the questions usually come up during revisions and involve aspects of the mix, such as whether to make it more wet or dry, etc.

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

A: One common misunderstanding among aspiring artists is the confusion between production and mixing, and occasionally between mixing and mastering

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Do I have creative freedom? How deep do we dive into drum editing? What are your musical influences, and how would you like the final product to sound?

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

A: Limit the time from the first inquiry to delivering the session for mixing. Provide a clear rough mix and a few links with examples of how you envision the final result.

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

A: Solar panels Phone with access to a streaming service Audeze headphones Laptop equipped with VST instruments and plugins MIDI controller keyboard or Ableton Push

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

A: I started my musical journey back in 1993 as a guitarist in a reggae band, and later, I played in a punk crew. Around 1997, I began working in the live music industry, where I still occasionally work to this day. Over the years, my primary focus was on front of house sound, but recently, I've been mixing monitors more frequently. Since 2010, I have my own home studio where I work in-the-box. I'm involved in music production and tracking. My latest project was with an electro-pop band, where I was responsible for producing, recording, and mixing their entire 9-song album.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is a unique reflection of my experiences and passions, making it truly my own. The bold sounds of King Crimson, the messages of Zappa, Gabriel, and the perfectionism of David Sylvian and Bowie have had a significant influence on your musical identity. In summary, my style revolves around attention to detail without losing sight of the bigger picture, which is the entire song. Boldness and sometimes even eccentricity is in my approach to music.

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

A: As a guitarist, I would love to work with Les Claypool because I would be freed from all harmonic responsibilities and could play whatever I want in great groove... I would like to collaborate with artists who understand the power of cooperation and know what can be achieved by mutually inspiring each other and working as a team.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Absolutely, make sure to leave time for experimentation and exploration. Do not listen too much in isolation (on solo). Better is the enemy of good. Expectation is a jail.

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

A: I enjoy working with diverse musical genres, especially those with which I haven't had much contact in a while. For instance, I've recently completed several productions in the realm of metal and industrial music. However, I'm eager to explore and delve into pop and electronic genres, as they present exciting opportunities to showcase my creativity and versatility as a sound engineer and producer. Adapting to different styles and crafting unique sounds in these genres is both challenging and fulfilling, and I'm enthusiastic about taking on new projects that expand my musical horizons.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My own sensitivity to music and musical taste are invaluable assets. Additionally, I possess a fast-working workflow. As a musician, I quickly pick up on tuning imperfections and am good in groove and drum editing.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I want to bring out the song's essence, ensuring that I can listen to it through the ears of the listener. My goal is to avoid anything that overly captures my attention or distracts me from the listening process. Breathing life into the music. Absolutely, everything revolves around emotions.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: The typical process unfolds as follows: Upon receiving the multitrack session, I organize everything in my mixing template, following the principle advocated by Andrew Schoeps that audio flows from top to bottom, starting with drums and concluding with vocals. I meticulously arrange each element, paying close attention to the details. Sometimes, I begin the mixing process without listening to the rough mix first. I find that starting with fresh impressions often yields excellent results. My background in live sound allows me to quickly lay down a basic mix within 1-2 hours, making sure it appeals to my taste. Afterward, I prefer taking a break from the project, engaging in activities like cycling or running. I find working on another song until the end of the day most refreshing. The next day, I review my intentions and compare them with the rough mix and references provided by the artist. The rest of the session revolves around modifications, automation, and fine-tuning. When I'm confident about my choices or as making subtle adjustments of 1 dB to the vocals and do not hear a great difference, I proceed to print the mix. Then, I either sleep on it or send it to the artist for feedback and further revisions.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work with Pro Tools and Apollo systems, equipped with a vast library of samples and an extensive collection of plugins from Waves, Universal Audio, Soundtoys, Plugin Alliance, Crane Song, U-He, and many others. Additionally, I have a selection of boutique outboard gear, such as the 1176 and Distressor, along with several useful microphones and a variety of guitar amplifiers for creative reamping of guitar and bass. My monitoring setup includes NS10 and Auraton speakers.

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

A: The musicians who have had a significant impact on me include, above all: Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Tony Levin, Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Buddy Rich, and Tom Petty. As for producers and mixers, I draw inspiration from the works of Rick Rubin, Tchad Blake, Quincy Jones, and Andrew Schoeps. Their creativity and expertise have greatly influenced my approach to music production and mixing.

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

A: My work primarily involves mixing individual tracks, which are then released as singles online. However, I also occasionally mix entire albums, but not as frequently. Often, the production requires minor drum or instrument edits, vocal tuning, and sometimes selecting the right vocal take or vocal comping. Together with the artist, I seek the appropriate expression for the song, sometimes in a very classic manner, and other times, boldly and uniquely.