Producer, Mixer

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: https://soundbetter.com/profiles/70302-toni-mateos

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: Producing an award winning Chinese pop rock album in Beijing stands out as quite an achievement - Best Rock Album and Best Producer awards! More recently I enjoyed personal satisfaction helping AMOS realise his vision by transforming a traditional live band production into a contemporary...uhm..masterpiece!

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I started DJing as a teenager and became obsessed with production, consuming all the information I could - no internet so I read magazines by the 100s! By 20 I had written and produced a #1 track in my home city, Cape Town. I hooked up with a local studio and started to programme and assist, learning about live recording. At 24 I moved to London and hustled until I got a job at Battery Studios as in house engineer. Battery was closed down two years later and I moved to A&R at Jjive Records then BMG as assistant to the head of A&R. Though a great insight to the major label process, I had to return to the studio! I trialled as assistant to producer Marius de Vries which lead to 5 years working as his programmer and engineer as well as many sessions working under mixer Andy Bradfield. I simultaneously began working freelance, with artists such as Lisa Hannigan and The Basement Jaxx, recording, mixing and producing. My client list grew and I started to travel a lot more, New York, Cuba, Ireland, Belgium...at 40 I'm still at it, so 25 years in music now!

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I've arrived at a compact setup that gives me just what I want. Pro Tools and Reaper running on a Mac. I work on headphones a lot (Sony MDR7506's) as it allows me to complete jobs practically anywhere. I've packed away most of my monitors, all but a trusty pair of NS-10s powered by a classic British Quad amp. Conversion is handled by Apogee and Schiit Audio (a fantastic DAC manufacturer from the US). I have plenty of plugins with a penchant for distortion! Kush Audio, Brainworx, Unfiltered Audio, uhmm, Slate, Waves etc.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I just finished the production and mix for an artist/band called Colourshop. I also have an ongoing project called Lemote which releases new material weekly.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital because I can be incredibly efficient.

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

A: I won't stop until I'm satisfied I have challenged their expectations.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Nailing a mix and receiving a message from a client that reads, "You're a genius!!! I absolutely love the mix!!!!"

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

A: Will you take a listen to my track and tell me what you think? A resounding yes!

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

A: That equipment leads to great results.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I like to understand a clients motivations and influences. Questions like, what do you plan to do with the music, and which artist or song has a sound that inspires you?

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

A: Communicate first, ask questions and get comfortable before committing. The magic only happens when a provider's ideas are in line with the customer's.

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

A: Uhm, do I have electricity?! Laptop, interface, headphones, satellite wifi and a midi keyboard!

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Energetic and somewhat aggressive.

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

A: I want to work with artists who feel they are missing something, whether they are established and successful or just getting started.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Distortion is key for me. Break a song by exploring the improbable, then rest your ears regularly whilst slowly putting it all back together again until balance is restored, balance is everything. And pay attention because the magic is fleeting, don't blink!

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

A: I tend to swing between a more traditional band or acoustic aesthetic and a sound that is more far reaching, layered, with programmed drums and synths all over the place!

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Both in music and in life I naturally make things work with what I have available. I see the potential in everything. In music, I've refined this instinct to a skill that enables me to add value, often in some very unexpected ways.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Energy and a fresh perspective. I'm not very comfortable with "normal" so I love to emphasise character, the distinguishing element of a voice, arrangement or song.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I listen to a song once and assess my initial feeling. I quickly note what's missing and commit that sensation to memory. Then it's time to talk to the artist! Here I discover their ambitions and put forward my ideas. If it's a production I tend to create a sketch, a lot of which becomes the final product! When mixing I receive parts and create a first pass that get's us 80% there and demonstrates my intention. Then it's time for the details.

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

A: In the mixing world the I've always admired the work of Spike Stent and Toni Maserati, UK vs US! Paul Epworth is total class

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

A: Definitely mixing. If I produce for an artist I tend to mix too so it stands to reason I mix more!