Mixing Engineer | Producer

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have finished tuning my studio some months ago. I'm really into acoustics so I needed to have a very good-sounding working place. The last couple of years have been working hard and investing money in professional gear. As for monitors I use the Neumann HK120, which gives me the clarity and power I'm looking for. The audio interface is an RME Fireface UC. The mixer Allen & Heath 24 receives all the signals from the instruments. My favorite DAW for excellence is Cubase. Regarding sound design, I have different tools to work with. The main drum machine, receiving a clock signal from the DAW, is the Elektron Analogrytm. With this amazing piece of gear, I create the drums and rhythms, completely analog. This machine sends at the same time clock signal to my modular synthesizer, which I use to make from fat sub-bass lines to glitchy high percussions, or even drum hits. Apart from this, I have a few analog drum synthesizers that sound completely fat and warm. To create melodies or pad sounds I have the polyphonic synth Blofeld from Waldorf. My guitar is a rare Epiphone from 1976 which I amplify with a vintage Fender. In the section above you can see some part of the gear in the pictures of my studio.

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

A: The most requested task is mixing their songs. They like my taste in music and my skills to make their tracks sound decent. They either need me to do the mixdown from cero or they feel stuck in some part and I finish the work. Mastering their mixed song is something as well a very common type of work I do. I'm also asked to create drumbeats or rhythms for their productions, from pop to even trap music. I often record guitars also for different kind of projects.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both, but, mainly analog just for the fact I love how it sounds. If I need to make a kick drum it will be 101% analog!

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

A: Pair of good monitors, the best audio interface, a huge piece of the modular synthesizer, a guitar, and cables!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Yes, focus on creating a good-sounding working place where you can actually listen to what's going on, get a good pair of monitors (or get to know yours as the palm of your hand), and use references!

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

A: As I said before it is not easy to say one specific genre as there are even tracks that are hard to categorize. However, I work a lot with electronic music, I mean music made mostly with machines and not necessarily in a recording studio with a whole band. I rather handle each project from how they sound and what they need. As an artist (Shacq), though, my music is based in dark, percussive minimal/experimental house.

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

A: They will just not be satisfied with the last product, but they will also enjoy the whole process together with me.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: - In which part or aspect of your project you have an issue? - What would be your thoughts/ideas for approaching that issue? (To get to know your aim and taste)

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

A: Ricardo Villalobos, because he is my idol to follow regarding sound design.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: What people ( I have worked with ) say is that my strongest skills are my perception of music and my success to create interesting ideas and make them sound properly.