PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT ME THROUGH SOUNDBETTER!!!!
I have abandoned this Soundbetter account due to their response time rating system. I don't usually waste my client's precious time by being glued to social media during their sessions, so my response times usually fall outside of the 15 minutes required to maintain a satisfactory rating. Unfortunately, SoundBetter will not allow me to close this account.
Hello. I'm a independent mixing engineer. I specialize in music production, and have engineered numerous projects that have charted all the way up to #1 on Billboard, earned several RIAA gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards, and one that has spawned a Grammy. Selected credits include actual album work for Black Eyed Peas, CAKE, Tesla and E-40.
Send me a note through the contact button above.
Credits
- Black Eyed Peas - Elephunk
- CAKE - Showroom of Compassion
- CAKE - Rarities and B-Sides
- CAKE - Pressure Chief
- Tesla - Simplicity
- Tom Rigney - Swamp Fever
- Tesla - Mechanical Resonance Live
- Keak da Sneak - Counting Other Peoples Money
- CAKE - Vinyl Box Set
- Smashing Pumpkins - Live Non-Album recording
- Explorers Club - Age of Impact
- E-40 - The Best of E-40
- Damian Marley - Non Album Work
- Papa Roach - Anxiety
- Wyclef Jean - Live Non-Album Recording
- Brian Alexander Morgan (BAM) - Miss My Luv
8 Reviews
Endorse Patrick Olguin
check_circleVerifiedPat is an outstanding recording engineer. His turn around time was just right for me. His ears are second to none. Without his help I would be just another chump on the street. The track is loud as hell ...just the way we wanted it! Thank you Pat!
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The work si awesome, thanks Patrick!
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Pat is an incredibly knowledgeable and experienced sound engineer. He was a pleasure to work with. His communication skills are great, he delivered everything ahead of schedule and was always mindful of making the best product possible. I would not hesitate to recommend him and hope to work with him again in the future on another project.
Pat is an incredible engineer and producer! His attention to detail and his musicality mixed with his stellar engineering skills cannot be matched. He's part of a breed of engineer that you don't find a lot anymore - a skilled musician and masterful technician all wrapped into one with equal expertise in analog and digital equipment. He's my go to guy and secret weapon in the studio!
Man, so many great things to say about Pat Olguin and Velvet Tone. Hands down the best studio I’ve worked in in the Sacramento region. Velvet Tone offers top notch gear to get you the best and the right sound you’re looking for. You can expect an overall great session with Pat and receive high quality professional service from start to finish. I highly recommend Pat Olguin and Velvet Tone Studio
Great guy to work with!
When we need sound recordings or something for our events such as the ITSA Film Festival, we know we can rely on Velvet Tone. We know we will always get what we need. We have tried other companies but Pat always does the best work, so we've used him for over 20 years.
We spent several months visiting and touring different studios around the Sacramento region and interviewing engineers to see if it would be a good fit. Making a record is an intimate process and Pat showed extreme professionalism and objective opinions when we asked for them. His vast knowledge pushed us much further along than we could have gone with anyone else. Best engineer in town by far!
Interview with Patrick Olguin
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I like working out of Velvet Tone Studios, in Sacramento. It's a bit of a drive, however, the vibe is unbelievable, the ATC SCM-300ASL monitors are as good as it gets for mixing, and the huge drum room is second to none in Northern California. It also houses one of the largest collections of original vintage studio gear in Northern California, in addition to a large Pro Tools HD rig (48in x 48out). I can also track to analog 2" tape when I feel the need.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: If an engineer has only the artist listed on their credits, ask them which album they worked on for that artist. This is important for two reasons. One, it allows you to verify that all of his/her listed credits are legit. Two, it allows you to listen to the quality of their work.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I'm typically slummin'-it in a t-shirt, jeans and Converse, but occasionally you can spot me in a nice collared dress shirt.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: People think that hit records are made in 3 days.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: ATC SCM-300ASL speakers. RFT CV-7049 vintage (30's) microphone, Neve 1081 preamps, pair of original Pultec EQP-1A tube EQ's, pair of original Urei blackface 1176's. Of course, since I only get 5, I'd need to fabricate some kind of recording device out of coconuts and bamboo.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been professionally employed, full time, as an audio engineer since the early 90's.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: Geez... I'm pretty proud of everything that I do. As far as success goes, the most successful projects I've worked on are Black Eyed Peas 'Elephunk' which spawned a Grammy Award and has sold over 9 million units, to date. The other one is CAKE's 'Showroom of Compassion' that charted at #1 on Billboard on 5 different charts. This was the band's first #1 hit record, and my first #1 hit record that I was the sole recording engineer on the project.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm currently mixing two full-length projects.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I embrace both formats. I come from an analog background, but love the flexibility that digital allows. Instant recall and pitch/time manipulation being digital's main strengths. There are quite a few pieces of analog gear that are far from being emulated in software, so I haven't completely converted to strictly digital. I also love working on large format mixing consoles, where every knob and button is dedicated to a singular function. I find it more inspiring to mix this way.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: You will leave every session grinning from ear-to-ear.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Endless challenges
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Q: can you turn me up in my headphones? A: Yes Q: Is Will-I-Am a nice guy? A: What happens in the studio, stays in the studio. Q: Can I borrow your shoes? A: No
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Who does your hair? Can I borrow your shoes? Why do cars park in a driveway and drive in a parkway?
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Weird Al. He's funny.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Stop using drum samples! Your drums sound like a drum machine dude!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: My major label credits span through several genres of music styles. From gangsta' rap to big band.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I never say "that can't be done". I guess that means that my strongest skill is being able to overcome, and move past shortcomings of the project and persevere through the toughest of jobs.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I like to ensure that the recording/mix represents the song in the best possible way.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Typical??? Work on the song till everybody in the room is bobbing their heads!
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I try not to get caught up in trying to be, or sound like somebody else. My whole goal is achieving what's best for the song or artist.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Most clients hire me for mixing, drum tracking and vocal sessions, although I have plenty of experience in every other aspect of music production.
I was the Mixing/Recording Engineer in this production
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $500 per song
- Mastering EngineerAverage price - $100 per song
- EditingAverage price - $300 per track
- Vocal TuningAverage price - $400 per track
- Vocal compingAverage price - $400 per track
Terms will depend on the scope of your project.
- I own a very large selection of vintage audio gear. Too much to list.
SoundBetter visitors will be charged an extra 500% premium.
- dbx 160X Compressor ProblemJul 24, 2017
The bypass button on my 160X ceased while I was in the middle of a mix. I was bypassing it to match levels, and it got stuck in the bypass position. I disassembled the unit and found that a plastic piece behind the faceplate had warped and was limiting the action of the button. I welded the plastic piece to the front panel and resumed mixing while it was still clamped.
