Cory "Soundmason" Doan

Music Producer/Mixer/DJ

starstarstarstarstar
61 Reviews (53 Verified)
Cory "Soundmason" Doan on SoundBetter

Grammy Nominated Producer (Lupe Fiasco)/Mixer/DJ. I specialize in bringing out the best of your creative energy and beyond. No shortcuts. Let's elevate your music to heights you only imagined possible!

Cooking up bangers out of the Catskill Mountains, Cory Doan breathes in the serenity of his
surroundings and exhales enigmatic electronic anthems underpinned by hip-hop grooves and bass that could rattle your trunk or the trees. The GRAMMY® Award-nominated producer, mixer, DJ, artist, and composer deftly balances vibes with an acute attention to detail, approaching his craft with intention. Raised in Woodstock, NY, Cory discovered music early on. By six-years-old, he embraced hip-hop wholeheartedly, rewinding and playing his first rap cassette over and over again. In third grade, he picked up trombone and studied music theory. At the same time, his passion took on a much deeper meaning and more profound purpose. “I experienced traumatic loss at a young age,” he says. “Music helped me connect with emotions I didn’t realize I had and directed me to heal those wounds. I want to give this gift to others.” He taught himself production through DJ-ing and remixing during high school. Following his graduation, he created tracks for New York hip-hop royalty such as Uncle Murda and Italian phenomenon Fabri Fibra. Leveling up, he produced “All Black Everything” for Lupe Fiasco’s chart-topping gold-certified Lasers, which garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Rap Album.”

Send me a note through the contact button above.

61 Reviews - 15 Repeat Clients

Endorse Cory "Soundmason" Doan
  1. Review by Angael
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Angael
    check_circleVerified

    Another project down with Cory- totally understood my vision and came up with something epic based on a cool sample I'd found. Everything came so easily and just simply flowed in how we worked together. Super responsive and also just great to get to know and chat.

    Doubt this is the last time we'll work together. In my dreams I could fly over to Woodstock and cook up something in person. Til then this works SWEET!

    Definitely recommend.

    Thanks again :)

  2. Review by Graham M.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Great producer. Has a knack for finding the exact sound you want. Would recommend!

  3. Review by Jaspal A.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Amazing work, Cory did a great job producing my vision!

  4. Review by Rachael W.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    I was scouring the internet looking for a certain sound to make a basic demo I’d written come to life. Cory totally understood my vision and together we came up with something I’m soooo excited about. Super responsive and invested in the project. Absolutely would recommend Cory and look forward to working with him again in the future!! ~ Angael

  5. Review by Domi
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Domi
    check_circleVerified

    This is the second time I've had the pleasure of working with Cory, and I can't recommend him highly enough. Cory is both technical and musical, so he is able to match the aesthetic vision of the project with technical results. He was super responsive and quick to make edits / send new drafts. I've been looking for a long-term partner to take my mixes and masters to the next level, and I think I've found my guy. Thanks Cory!

  6. Review by HOWE
    starstarstarstarstar
    by HOWE
    check_circleVerified

    Cory is fast, professional, and easy to communicate with. i didn’t have any issues when it came to deadlines or responses, and the songs were mixed very well!

  7. Review by Jaspal A.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Amazing work!!! Cory did a great job in mixing, mastering and helping with the overall track!

  8. Review by Santiago B.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Cory is responsive, friendly, competent, affordable and most importantly both technically strong and musically gifted. He really listened to what I wanted out of my mixes and masters and he delivered exactly what I was looking for. I'll be working with Cory consistently going forward.

  9. Review by J. Artiste
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Second time working with Cory but this time, on the mix/master side & he delivered beyond expectations. Since he's also a producer among other things on the creative side, it's extremely easy to communicate & break down exactly what I want done and that's important for my work flow. Looking fwd to the next one!!

  10. Review by Cameron Manning
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Cory has been excellent to collaborate with and a great mentor for someone like me who is starting out fresh with the recording process. He has been a true professional, who has been patient with me and able to translate my vision to the T. I highly recommend his services to anyone, especially in the Hip Hop/Rap genre!

  11. Review by Joseph A.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Perfect Execution of the requested editing tasks!
    Great Communication!
    Deliverables professionally delivered and labeled.

  12. Review by Flo K.
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Flo K.
    check_circleVerified

    Always delivers, great communication, THANKS BRO!!!

  13. Review by Karl Ludwigsen
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Cory really helped breathe more life into my song. He overhauled the drums and added some cool elements to enhance the track. He was patient and understood what I wanted. Thank you!

  14. Review by Chawn Rivers
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    If I were to describe Cory in one word i would have to say "Imaginative".. Together we took our creativity to the next level and created probably one of the most unique beats ever.. can't wait to finish recording the final record for my LP.. Thanks again Cory aka "Soundmason".. Highly Recommend promise you won't regret!

  15. Review by Ethan A.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Great work. Gave me an amazing beat. Very quick.

  16. Review by Max
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Max
    check_circleVerified

    Soundmason did an excellent job with the beat, producing and mastering of my music. He was very easy to work with and very creative in his abilities to coordinate remotely to make sure we get the final product that meets all expectations. His response time was super good too which helped move everything along nicely.

    Definitely recommend his work to anyone making music out there!

  17. Review by Michael
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Always gets the job done! Fully endorse!

  18. Review by EThos Black
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Soundmason has an amazing ear and helped bring my record to a new level through his own special creativity and ability to execute an artist’s vision. Will definitely be back with more records.

  19. Review by Woojeshin
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Was really dope.!

  20. Review by Robert S.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    A solid dude with excellent mix and master skills plus great communicator. Definitely continuing to work with Cory.

Interview with Cory "Soundmason" Doan

  1. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  2. A: Various projects in different stages of development!

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

  4. A: Laptop, MPC Live 2, OB6, UDO Super Gemini, Minimoog Model D

  5. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  6. A: My studio runs on a combination of Ableton, and Logic X. I have Universal Audio interfaces and plug-ins for recording and mixing. I have a Dave Smith OB6 and Behringer Model D. I also use Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, and Arturia synths. For monitoring I have Focal CMS 65s.

  7. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  8. A: My ability to take raw creative energy, simplify it, and then make it sound great.

  9. Q: What's your typical work process?

  10. A: I approach each project with a fresh perspective. I speak with the client and get a good feel for what they want to accomplish, both generally then and specifically with the music. From there I like to generate ideas and see which ones resonate, then start to focus on one or certain ones until we have what we are looking for. I prefer to bounce ideas back and forth, as this creates energy which takes the music to a new level. The best creations come from a balance of using the left and right sides of the brain. A combination of thinking and feeling!

  11. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  12. A: Analog. I feel an analog machine has a consciousness and a soul. Digital has it's own unique energy and vibe as well, and I am starting to see more opportunities to mold the sound with unique, under-the-radar plug ins.

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

  14. A: I produced All Black Everything for Lupe Fiasco. The record went Gold and was nominated for a Grammy, yet I find the actual feedback from the fans the most rewarding. The record really connected with people and created a space for them to expand their thinking and feel new emotions.

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

  16. A: I promise my clients they will be satisfied with the outcome of our work if they are willing to commit to it. I do my best to deliver. I ask the same of them.

  17. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  18. A: The process of creating.

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

  20. A: How can I accomplish my vision? The answer is to visualize, focus, be persistent, and have a flexible mind.

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

  22. A: That anyone with a computer program can do it.

  23. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  24. A: What are you looking to accomplish? Do you have a specific vision for your music? Where do you see your music in 5 years?

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

  26. A: Ask yourself what you want to accomplish in your project. If you are looking to get the best possible outcome and want to push the boundaries of your creativity, I will help you accomplish that.

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

  28. A: I began DJing in 1997, which led to an interest in production. I went to a trade school to learn how to run a studio and began professionally producing around 2003.

  29. Q: How would you describe your style?

  30. A: I would say a mix of classic and progressive. I like to tap into what made music production great in the 80s and 90s while creating a fresh sound that resonates with today.

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

  32. A: I want to work with the next great, game changing rap artist no one knows about yet!

  33. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  34. A: Follow the energy of a session. I find it counter productive to force anything.

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

  36. A: Typically I work on hip hop or genres that connect to hip hop, which are many these days.

  37. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  38. A: I bring a unique energy and talent for maximizing the potential and outcome of a song and it's release. I see the my role as the one who steers the ship and knows when and where to add input and when to just let the process take course.

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

  40. A: I am inspired by most musicians and producers. I appreciate the energy and courage it takes to create and break new ground.

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

  42. A: I produce the best results for my clients. I use many techniques to get the best performance and creativity out of the artist, taking them to a new creative space which opens the door for something special to happen.

loading
play_arrowpause
skip_previous
skip_next
C'est La Vie - Angael

I was the Producer in this production


  1. play_arrow
    pause
    C'est La Vie - Angael
  2. play_arrow
    pause
    By My Side - Cozmic feat. Maney X
  3. play_arrow
    pause
    All Black Everything - Lupe Fiasco
  4. play_arrow
    pause
    Sorry - Kritikal
Terms Of Service

I keep a flexible pricing schedule depending on the demands of the project. The amount of time it will take to complete the project depends on the scope. Message me to discuss.

GenresSounds Like
  • Lupe Fiasco
  • J. Cole
  • Kanye West
Gear Highlights
  • UA Apollo 8p
  • Ableton
  • Logic
  • Push2
  • DSI OB6
  • Korg Minilogue
  • Model D
  • Omnisphere 2
  • Alchemy
  • Splice
More Photos