Jeff Knowler

Mix Engineer

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3 Reviews
Jeff Knowler on SoundBetter

Mixing for 20 years

Jeff is a mix engineer and composer based in London, UK. He started in 1997 at the prestigious Eden Studios in Chiswick, London, working with many high-profile artists (Blur, Elbow, Goldfrapp, James, Lamb, Beth Orton, Suede,Super Furry Animals, Paul Weller, etc) and producer/engineers (Dave Bascombe, Gareth Jones, Alan Moulder, Steve Osborne, etc).

As an established mix engineer, his clients include Universal, Warner/Chappell, APM, and artists have included Clinic, Erasure, FM, Guillemots, New Order, Red Hot Chili Peppers, DJ Food, Francesca Lago, MAPS etc.

As a composer he has written many titles for film and tv, which are regularly broadcast on programmes in the UK and worldwide (titles are listed on the Universal Publishing Production Music website).

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Jeff Knowler
  • FM
  • Blur
  • Anthony Phillips
  • Andrew Skeet
  • DJ Food
  • DJ Food
  • DJ Food
  • FM
  • Engineers
  • Maps
  • Albert Lee
  • Albert Lee
  • Albert Lee
  • Albert Lee
  • Guillemots
  • Guillemots
  • Guillemots
  • Erasure
  • Erasure
  • Maps
  • Maps
  • Battle
  • Battle
  • Space Cowboy
  • Clinic
  • Shakin' Stevens
  • Shakin' Stevens
  • Clinic
  • Beverley Knight
  • Lamb
  • Super Furry Animals
  • Beverley Knight
  • Beverley Knight
  • Beverley Knight
  • Cherise
  • Lamb
  • Lamb
  • Natalie Imbruglia
  • Blur
  • Blur
  • Blur
  • Was Ist Was
  • FM
  • FM
  • FM
  • Children's Music
  • Riopy
  • Romeo's Daughter
  • Romeo's Daughter

3 Reviews

Endorse Jeff Knowler
  1. Review by JASON BAVANANDAN
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    by JASON BAVANANDAN

    Jeff Knowler is the person I call when I want to achieve the impossible. His approach and workflow ensure that the vision of a project is always executed with artistic flair and technical fluency. His mantra of "it'll be fine!" - always offered when the impossible seems to loom - is testament that nothing is too broken to fix and that nothing is to difficult to mix; on time and on budget. In fact, the only area where he is excessive is the manner in which he supersedes expectations. He's also the only person I know who is busy mixing for clients nearly all day, every day!

  2. Review by Roberto Borzoni
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    by Roberto Borzoni

    Jeff is a consummate professional and one of the best mixers you'll likely to work with. He's got a great attitude towards music and is a really positive influence within a studio session. His calming demeanour allows you to concentrate on the vital detail. I wholly recommend you try his skills out!

  3. Review by Merv Goldsworthy
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    by Merv Goldsworthy

    Jeff is a very big part of the FM sound, he has mixed our last 5 albums, combines clarity with power, We have 2 new albums on the pipeline, he is currently mixing....genius at work!

Interview with Jeff Knowler

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

  2. A: Constantly listening to new music every day. Mixing is the perfect blend of art meeting science of course.

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

  4. A: What are your influences? What's your favourite album at the moment? When do you need it by? Is there anything in particular you'd want me to look at?

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

  6. A: Q : "Can you fix this bad [something]?" A: "Leave it with me, I do like a challenge....!" Q : "When can you start?" A: "To be honest, it'll probably be about a 4 week wait...."

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

  8. A: A DVD mix for FM, a new album for Mike Marlin, a few bits and bobs with my old mate Barry Blue, a production music library for Warners. Not much time for sleeping at the mo!

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

  10. A: Probably! I'm still checking the site out.

  11. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  12. A: Recording, analogue. Mixing, digital. I started working when 2" tape was very much the norm so it's something I'm very comfortable with. But I do love the unabashed power of ProTools.

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

  14. A: That anyone can do it with the right plug-ins.

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

  16. A: I'd probably be dead within days! But If I could only have 5 pieces of equipment in a studio they would be: U67, 1073, 1176, a super powerful MacBook Pro with a half-decent soundcard and ProTools. Am I allowed a coffee machine?

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

  18. A: I prefer working with things that have "real" instruments recorded as they're the most interesting and challenging to mix.

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

  20. A: Depending on the size of the project and the budget, try and get the same song mixed by 3 separate, unrelated engineers. You can never be sure which one will be the best for the whole project until you've heard how different things can sound.

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

  22. A: Trevor Horn was the big one in the '80s of course. When I started working in studios I got to meet/work with a lot of my producer-heroes such as Nigel Godrich, John Leckie, Steve Osborne, etc. Brian Eno is still unsurpassable. I always like checking out new music - Christine and Queens, Wolf Alice, Macca's latest. I can bore people for hours about The Beatles.

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

  24. A: Depends on what the client is after, but with a free rein I would go for punch, warmth, clarity, and depth.

  25. Q: How would you describe your style?

  26. A: Deep and crisp and even.

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

  28. A: David Bowie. Too late now....

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

  30. A: Get the vocals right!

  31. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  32. A: I have a very good sense of pitch, to the point that it can kind of freak people out sometimes.

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

  34. A: I have a pretty robust system that's evolved over the years: secretarial (sorting tracks etc), getting a "fader up" balance, and then working on all tracks from there. Sometimes I'll save things like vocal tuning for later in the day. I'm not really someone who uses the solo button much once the mixing's underway....

  35. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  36. A: I now work in a treated room with a very powerful computer running thousands of pounds' worth of plug-ins and a few small choice pieces of outboard, monitoring mainly through the PMC AML-1s.

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

  38. A: Mixing mainly. Which also usually involves a fair degree of tuning, comping, timing, etc.

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FM : comparison between monitor mix and final mix

I was the mix engineer in this production

GenresSounds Like
  • Super Furry Animals
  • Guillemots
  • Richard Hawley
Gear Highlights
  • PMC AML-1s
  • ProTools HD
  • Neve 1073
  • UREi 1176
  • etc
More Photos