Mixes you'll feel in your bones. Clients including Cartel, Marty Friedman (Megadeth), Paul Gordon (Dionne Warwick, Alanis Morissette), Marcelo Zarvos (Ray Donovan, The Affair), Steve Conte (New York Dolls, Cowboy Bebop), and Andrew Hollander (Carly Rae Jepsen, Lea Michele) and the Chainsmokers. Sync’d on Empire.
A mix engineer with an ear for production, I will bring my love of arrangement and songcraft to your art.
Whether this is your first single or you’ve already racked up a streaming discography, I’m here to guide you through the mixing process—smooth and effortless. You bring the bangers, and I’ll ensure that you have everything you need to go straight to New Music Friday. Rest easy knowing your bases are covered, and your audio is first-rate.
I hear you. I want to know what makes you tick. To get inside the song and understand it the way you do. The initial mix pass is only the beginning. I’m gonna go all in and show you how I believe your song is best presented. But it’s when we put our heads together that the real magic happens.
And not only am I listening to you, I’m hearing your music in stunning detail. My studio’s acoustics and PMC monitors are dialed in so I’m confident that what I’m hearing is the truth. You’ll have no doubt that your work will translate in all listening environments, from the studio to the car, earbuds, and even phone speakers.
It’s not up to me to second-guess your vision. My role is to execute it—no excuses. Analog and digital tools, whatever it takes to best serve the music. Whether it’s a single or an album, I’ll see your project through until everyone involved is proud of what you’ve created.
Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.
Credits
AllMusic verified credits for Will Melones- Alex Prezzano
- Alex Prezzano
- Alex Prezzano
- Sherri Robbins
- Molly Garrett
- Molly Garrett
- Molly Garrett
- Danny Garrett
- Danny Garrett
- Danny Garrett
- Melon Farmers
- Melon Farmers
- Melon Farmers
- Hundred Yard Smash
- Hundred Yard Smash
- Hundred Yard Smash
- Will Melones
- Will Melones
9 Reviews
Endorse Will Melones
check_circleVerifiedWill is a dedicated to achieving the desired mix and making the song sound the best possible way. Highly Recommend
check_circleVerifiedWill is the real deal. I have to say, you won't find a more dedicated person to take care of your project. He's incredibly creative and on top of every little detail. He has a great ear for understanding of where the songs needs to go. I like how he took calculated risks on the project. My song turned out great...this is a guy you must give a shot. You won't regret it.
Will was recommended through a good friend and did not diaappoint. Sounded just like I imagined it would when I wrote it. Thank you Will. 💙💯😁
Will is exceptional at what he does!! He follows notes meticulously and also adds his own unique creative flair to the song. He welcomes you to collaborate and share ideas and has such a warmth to both his mixes and his personality. I have had a wonderful experience working with him and look forward to working with him again soon!
Will is the only mix engineer I use. He knows how to make my songs MAKE SENSE to the listener. Not to mention, all the gear he uses adds some nice color to the sound. Highly recommend
I've known Will for quite a while now, and beyond being one of the nicest, coolest person I've ever met, he is the definition of professional. What I really like about Will is he truly seems to like to educate, which is good for someone as tech-deficient as myself. We've worked together in post-production for film, TV, and he's also mixed and mastered my own music. In every case it's been a delight, and I always feel like I learn something from him. Looking forward to working with him again very soon.
Working with Will was such a pleasure! He took the mix of my song to the next level and was extremely professional, communicative and attentive. Moreover, he worked with me on a quick turnaround and treated my notes with care. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for above and beyond mixing work.
Will is the definition of a professional. When I worked with him on my first 4-song E.P., he was able to understand and capture the sound and essence of my music, and was able to bring the vision I had for it to life. He created a comfortable space that promotes creativity and collaboration, and the end result was a recording that seems to get better and better with time. His expertise and leadership in the studio was beyond valuable, I have since worked with him on various projects where the experience always ends in success. Oh, and he plays a mean bass as well. I cannot recommend enough!
High-quality service at a very affordable rate. Will goes above and beyond to bring his client’s songs to life in a timely manner, and makes sure they are completely happy with the final product. I really appreciate that he is a trained musician, which I feel gives him an edge in bringing out the musicality of a song. He is professional, knowledgeable, and super-easy to communicate with even if you aren’t well-versed in the technical jargon. Best of all, he’s one of the nicest and most genuine dudes you’ll meet who truly cares about making your song the best that it can be. A rare gem!
Interview with Will Melones
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I loved producing and mixing Alex Prezzano's (Ep)isode 1, and I hope there is more to come. Alex went from being a talented classically-trained guitarist to one of the most innovative songwriters with such a unique perspective. I don't know if he'd ever sung a note before we started recording, but his voice is so expressive and nobody sounds like him. Plus, he and the other musicians on the project were just a blast to hang around with!
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Right now I'm mixing singles for artists in the US and UK, preparing for a film musical, and producing a remix album.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: How should this song make you feel, and what does it mean to you? What are some similar style songs that you love the sound of? What are your goals for this song?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Hire someone who is willing to understand your song and get inside the lyrics, and also someone who actually listens to the kinds of music you write and enjoy. But most importantly, find someone who will listen to your concerns, treat your notes with care, and work with you to achieve the best mix possible. It sounds a little bit like dating.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Other than a computer and interface, and out of the things I actually own, 1.) PMC twotwo.6 monitors, 2.) Avid S3 controller, 3.) Empirical Labs Distressor, 4.) Summit TLA-100A, 5.) Warm Audio WA76, That's really what I end up using on most mixes. But plugins sound amazing today. I'm using Plugin-Alliance, Softube, and FabFilter on a constant basis. Whose music am I mixing on a desert island anyway?
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: At the moment I'm really inspired by Lizzy McAlpine. My favorite thing is to work with up and coming artists who take their art seriously and show something unique. It feels like discovering or breaking the next big artist when someone has potential like that. Even if you don't know their name yet.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I've studied and worked as a producer, so I have that perspective to draw from when I'm mixing. I understand how to enhance a song with arrangement choices, and how to guide the listener's ear to the most important thing during any particular moment.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: The most important thing is collaboration. I'm not just mixing for myself, so feedback is an integral part of the process. I want to make the whole process as comfortable and satisfying for the artist or producer I'm working with, so they can walk away with a song they're 100% confident in releasing. That being said, I like to envelop the listener in a wide, immersive soundstage. My sound is often tight and modern, but can be anything that serves the message of the song. Artists often comment on the clarity and separation they hear in the mixes.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: We'll have a short conversation about your vision and your musical influences, and find a reference track that inspires you. I'll start by importing your multitrack and rough mix into Pro Tools and organizing the tracks in my mix template. Then I'll get a static balance for the song before beginning to make space for each element. After everything is sitting together just right, I'll begin automating and riding the faders, which is where your mix suddenly comes to life! I'll send the mix to your for your feedback, and we'll work together to tweak it until it's ready for release. I'll provide a sample master but recommend one of my vetted mastering specialists to do what they do best.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: What is mastering, and is it necessary? Yes, you absolutely need mastered tracks to be competitive on streaming platforms, CD, or anywhere online. We will work with a qualified and specialized mastering engineer for your project, at no additional cost to you.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I'm happy to see my good friend Danny Garrett (Danny Garrett Harmonica) is now on SoundBetter for all of your mouth organ needs! Also, Sam Moses at Moses Mastering is a stellar mastering engineer.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Focused, clear, and spacious. Always in service of the song!
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I work in my own personal mix room, fine tuned to my workflow. My home studio puts a handpicked collection of my favorite analog gear and a few cherished instruments within arm's reach.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm a huge fan of the incomparable Al Schmitt, mixers like Serban Ghenea and Tony Maserati, and producers including Max Martin and Jack Antonoff. I probably got my earliest notions of how a rock mix should sound from Tom Lorde-Alge, Jerry Finn, and Brendan O'Brien.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: These days I spend most of my time mixing songs for clients anywhere in the world, though I am also known to produce a record every now and then.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Anything from top-40 pop to rock, indie, and hip hop.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. Analog sounds wonderful, but we live in a digital age, and that has lifted infinitely more barriers than it has imposed.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: It's going to be the best you've ever heard your music sound, or my job isn't finished yet.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Comparing the final mix to where we started, and seeing the astounded look on an artist's face when suddenly it sounds 'like a record'!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: You need a lot of fancy gear or plugins to make a great mix. It just takes years of experience and developing your ears.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: A little over a decade ago, I started recording and mixing my own bands, and moved on to record other artists in my home town. After graduating from Berklee, I worked for a number of years engineering and eventually mixing film scores for some very successful Hollywood film composers.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Keep it simple. You don't need 100 tracks and tons of layered kick drums to get a big sound!
- Mixing EngineerContact for pricing
First mixes turned around within one week. Please deliver consolidated audio tracks. Revisions and mastered streaming-ready file included. I'm committed until the job's done.
- Cartel
- Lizzy McAlpine
- Anderson .Paak
- PMC twotwo.6
- Avid S3
- Summit TLA-100A
- Empirical Labs EL8-X Distressor
- dbx compression
- Doc's Basement Custom Cables. Endorser
- Michael Tobias Design Basses.
Mastering included with every mix.
