I go by Touch. I specialize in Rap/Hip-hop and Pop genres. Credits: Fendi - Keith Ape Ft. K$upreme & Okasian Shake - DJ Paul and OG Maco Pew Pew - Yung Gleesh El Chapo - DBanj ft. Gucci Mane Dont Answer - Jrich ent ft. Swaghollywood & Digital Nas Shotty - Jrich ent & Smooky Margiela Wop - Kid3rd ft. Famous DEX
I am a certified audio engineer. I work out of 17 Hertz in North Hollywood.
Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.
Interview with The Touch Mix
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I tracked and Mixed the El Chapo - Dbanj ft. Gucci Mane record. It made me proud because Dbanj was a Nigerian artist and I haven't really gone out of my way to work with international artists as much. The experience definitely broadened my horizons to where work and connections can come from. I was also invited on his South Africa tour to work live sound, which I will be attending.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Gnarly Gang - Yxng Rari
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: The Touch Mix
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I use Analog. I don't have a stick in the fight though. If you can use digital to get the sound you're looking for then do it. There's nothing wrong with it in my book.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise that you will be satisfied
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Mixing someones song, at times, gives me a sort of insight on who they are as a person.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: When will the mix be done? Give me 5 days.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: There is a right way to mix and a wrong way to mix.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Is there any distortion on the raw vocal stems? Where did you record the audio?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: If you want a good mix make sure to only pay a deposit up front to give yourself bargaining tools. I have seen too many people complain about mixes but have already paid for all of the mix and are left to the mercy of mixing-engineer to respond when they feel like it, or just not give their all to the mix.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: BAE 1073 / Tube Tech CL-1B / Sony C800 Mic / API - 560 / Elam-251
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been engineering for 4 years. I want to one day own my own studio as well as a production company.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: My style is Eclectic. Working at a big studio such as 17 Hertz is amazing because I get to meet many engineers and producers from different walks of life that give me tips on audio engineering techniques. I can ask Rock Producers how to place Room Mics to catch the ambiance of drum hits during a drum recording session, and I can ask EDM producers how to design LFO automation to make big drops in a song. The ability to create connections with people that do different kind of music is invaluable.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would like to work with Dom Kennedy because I love his music but I think his mixes are TERRIBLE. I also would like to work with NAO because her vocal tone is amazing.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Mix in Mono first.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I usually work on Pop, Hip-Hop/Rap, R&B, and Alternative Indie
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is my creativity and lack of fear I have to try something different to achieve a better outcome that would've happened originally.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring an element of creativity to a mix that cannot be found anywhere else. I am not afraid to go left field and add or subtract different instrumentation to add a more cohesive journey throughout a track. The mix in my eyes has to have a beginning, a rise, and a conclusion that is apparent to the listener but subtle enough that they don't know whats being done to achieve it.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Once the vocal stems are recieved I sit in front the SSL 9000J and track out each stem to seperate channels in Studio A and listen to the reference track, and at a low volume, I begin the mix.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I am one of the managers as well as an audio engineer at 17 Hertz studio in North Hollywood. It is a 24- hour duplex studio in the heart of the North Hollywood Arts District.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Manny Marroquin, Timbaland, Mike and Keys, James Royo, J-rich, Teddy Riley.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: My most common workflow is tracking and then mixing the artist that I am working with. I do this because more control of the recording almost always means a better mix in my opinion.
