Remote Indie / Alt Mixing

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Digital mixing offers precise control, reliable recall, and the flexibility to revise quickly without compromising consistency. I use analog preamplification and hardware during recording when its tone benefits the source, but mostly work in the box (software) with professional plugins.

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

A: The most common question is, “Can you make my song sound more professional without changing what I like about it?” My answer is yes—that is the goal. I use the rough mix and reference tracks to understand the artist’s vision, then improve clarity, balance, depth, impact, and translation while preserving the recording’s character. Clients also ask how to prepare their files. I recommend exporting clearly labeled stems or multitracks from the same starting point, along with the rough mix and at least one Spotify or YouTube reference. My typical turnaround is 1–2 business days, and the standard rate includes one revision round.

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

A: That you need expensive equipment to sound expensive and professional. The only thing that really matters about the quality of the recording is the acoustic treatment and/or the character of the room and a decent microphone.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I ask what they want the song to feel like, which elements should lead, and whether there is anything about the rough mix they want preserved. I also request at least one Spotify or YouTube reference that directs me toward their vision. From there, I confirm the project’s current stage, any specific concerns, the desired deliverables, revision expectations, and the release deadline. If arrangement or production help is needed, I ask how open they are to suggestions before making changes beyond the mix.

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

A: Choose someone whose work and musical taste fit your song—not simply the person with the longest equipment list. Listen carefully to their samples and look for clarity, emotional impact, and whether each artist still sounds distinct. Before hiring, prepare organized files, a rough mix, and at least one reference track. Explain what you love about the recording, what currently feels unfinished, and anything you do not want changed. Clear direction and specific feedback make it much easier to create a mix that genuinely reflects your vision.

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

A: I’d love to work with Fontaines D.C. because they continually push beyond the expectations of their genre while maintaining a distinct identity. Their songs take varied approaches to arrangement, mixing, texture, and atmosphere (sometimes raw and immediate, sometimes spacious, cinematic, or electronic). I admire how production becomes part of the emotional storytelling without overshadowing the performance, and I would find contributing to that kind of evolving, personality-driven sound incredibly rewarding.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Decide what the listener should focus on in each section before reaching for more plugins. Use arrangement and volume automation to guide attention, then use EQ and compression to support that hierarchy. If every element is equally loud, bright, and wide, nothing feels truly big. Let one or two sounds lead while everything else creates the space around them.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring clarity, depth, movement, and a strong sense of what makes each song emotionally distinctive. My background as a drummer gives me a detailed ear for groove, dynamics, and arrangement, while my experience with guitars, bass, synths, and programmed instruments helps me understand how every part supports the whole. I aim for modern, release-ready mixes without flattening the imperfections, textures, and personality that make the recording feel human.

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

A: I’m inspired by artists who build distinct sonic worlds, including Her’s, Kendrick Lamar, Fontaines D.C., Lana Del Rey, Magdalena Bay, Phoenix, Tame Impala, and Radiohead. On the production side, I’m especially drawn to Kevin Parker’s layered psychedelic sound, Magdalena Bay’s inventive self-production, and the depth and clarity that Sounwave and MixedByAli bring to Kendrick Lamar’s music. Across genres, I admire production that feels modern and detailed without losing emotion, texture, or personality.