Music Producer, Audio Engineer

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

A: One project I'm especially proud of is “Au” by Murdered Doubt, released in 2022. I handled the production, mixing and mastering, taking the project from its musical foundations through to the finished release. It was rewarding because it brought together the different sides of what I do — production, engineering, arrangement and musical judgement — into one complete body of work.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently developing new LVT8 productions and electronic projects while continuing to work across music production, mixing and mastering. I'm particularly interested in pushing further into heavier electronic sounds while bringing my hip-hop, turntablism and sampling background into the production.

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

A: I'd keep this one personal rather than manufacture a recommendation. If there are SoundBetter professionals you've personally worked with or trust, this is the place to name them. Otherwise, I'd leave the answer blank rather than give clients a recommendation I can't personally stand behind.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Digital gives me incredible flexibility, precision and recall, while analog and hardware bring a physical, imperfect character that can be difficult to recreate. I'm not loyal to a format — I'm loyal to whatever makes the record sound and feel better.

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

A: I promise to treat your music like music, not a file. I'll listen carefully, communicate honestly and make decisions based on what serves the song. My goal isn't simply to give you a technically clean master — it's to give you something you're genuinely excited to put your name on.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The transformation. Hearing a rough idea become a finished record is incredibly satisfying. I love the moment when the artist hears the final version and suddenly the song feels bigger, clearer and more exciting than they imagined. Customer satisfaction is exceptionally important to me as well being proficient in luxury retail.

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

A: “Can you make my track sound professional?” Absolutely — but professional doesn't mean removing everything that makes your track unique. My job is to improve the record's impact, clarity and translation while preserving the personality that made you want to make it in the first place.

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

A: That mixing and mastering are about making everything louder and brighter. Great engineering is about balance, emotion, dynamics, translation and knowing what deserves attention. Sometimes the biggest improvement comes from making one element quieter rather than making everything louder.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I want to know what the artist is trying to achieve, who the music is for, what references they love, what they feel is currently missing and what they absolutely don't want changed. Those answers tell me much more than simply asking what plugins or sounds they want.

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

A: Don't just hire someone because they have the biggest gear list. Listen to their work. Find someone who understands the music you're making, communicates well and knows how to bring out your identity rather than imposing their own. The right engineer should make your record sound better while still sounding unmistakably like you.

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

A: Akai MPC2500, laptop running Ableton Live Suite, audio interface, studio DJ headphones and a pair of Technics SL1210 turntables. Give me those five and I can make, sample, arrange, mix and perform music pretty much anywhere.

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

A: I started DJing and turntablism in 1998, eventually moving into music production, audio engineering and mixing/mastering after graduating from SAE. Along the way I've worked in music education, DJ technology, creative marketing and digital media, while building LVT8 Studio as my own creative platform. I've now spent more than 25 years around music and DJ culture, with formal training in audio technology, music theory and music production.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Musical, punchy, detailed and character-driven. I like productions that have movement, blends well for clubs and personality rather than feeling overly sterile. Whether I'm working on a hip-hop record or an electronic track, I want the finished product to feel exciting, translate everywhere and still sound like you.

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

A: There are honestly too many to choose from because my influences span several worlds. Eminem and Drake would be incredible opportunities from the hip-hop side, while AraabMuzik would be a dream collaboration for his insane MPC-driven production style. On the heavier side, I'd love to work with Sleep Token or The Devil Wears Prada, especially exploring the space between heavy music, atmosphere and modern production. For hardstyle, I'd jump at the chance to work with Sub Zero Project, Phuture Noize, Bass Modulators, Audiotricz, D-Block & S-te-Fan, Sephyx or Devin Wild. What connects all of these artists for me is that they have a distinct sonic identity — they aren't afraid to push their genre forward while still making music that hits hard.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't mix against the song — mix for the song. A technically impressive sound isn't necessarily the right sound. Before reaching for another plugin, ask whether the arrangement, performance or sound selection is actually the problem. Fixing the source often beats processing it to death.

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

A: My roots are in 90s rap and hip-hop, which heavily shaped the way I approach rhythm, sampling, drums and bass. Today, I work across rap, R&B, trap, rap rock, metal, post-hardcore, emo and hardstyle, as well as other electronic and bass-driven styles. I enjoy music with attitude, energy and strong dynamics — whether that's a hard-hitting rap record, a wall of guitars or a 150+ BPM hardstyle track. My taste is broad, but the goal is always the same: make it hit hard, sound exciting and keep the artist's identity intact.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is probably knowing when something needs fixing and, more importantly, when to leave it alone. Production and mixing are full of opportunities to over-process things. I focus on getting the emotion, balance, punch and personality of a track right.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring musicality, technical knowledge and perspective. After more than 25 years as a DJ and turntablist, I naturally listen for groove, movement and how a track will actually work for a listener — not just how it looks on a meter. I’m interested in making records that have character.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I start by understanding the artist, the reference tracks and what the song is supposed to make people feel. From there I clean up the arrangement and sonics where necessary, build the production around the strongest elements, then mix and master with translation and impact in mind. Communication is important throughout — I want the artist to feel involved, not simply hand over a file and disappear.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: LVT8 is built around a hybrid approach to production: Ableton Live, professional mixing/mastering plugins, hardware sampling and a deep understanding of DJ and turntablist equipment. My background with the Akai MPC2500 and years of working with professional DJ systems gives me a very hands-on approach to rhythm, sampling, sound design and performance.

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

A: I’m inspired by producers and engineers who have a strong identity rather than simply chasing trends — people like Dr. Dre, J Dilla, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Rick Rubin, DJ Premier, DJ Shadow, Araabmuzik and Tony Maserati. I’m especially drawn to people who understand that great production is ultimately about making the song feel right, not just making it technically perfect.

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

A: Most of my work sits at the intersection of music production, mixing and mastering — helping artists take an idea, rough demo or almost-finished track and turn it into something polished, powerful and ready to release. I also work heavily with electronic, hip-hop and bass-driven music, where impact, groove and sound selection really matter.