D. James Goodwin

producer / mixer / technicolor

D. James Goodwin on SoundBetter

Recordings are a fine art to me, and it's my life's work to do it differently. It's quite simple really...I look at records as if I'm making a film. Lighting choices, camera pan, depth of field... it's all relevant. I like to make new sounds from an old form. The bridge between the technicolor of high fidelity is my goal

Some of my recent records include Bonny Light Horseman (all 3 LPs), Goose, Nadia Reid, Cassandra Jenkins, Anais Mitchell, Bob Weir, Kevin Morby's "Singing Saw", Karen O & Dangermouse, Tim Berne, Craig Finn, Kaki King

Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for D. James Goodwin
  • Anaïs Mitchell
  • Fruit Bats
  • Cassandra Jenkins
  • Cassandra Jenkins
  • The Hold Steady
  • The Hold Steady
  • Hiss Golden Messenger
  • Fruit Bats
  • Fruit Bats
  • Amy Helm
  • Bonny Light Horseman
  • Bonny Light Horseman
  • Elvis Perkins
  • Tim Berne
  • Tim Berne's Snakeoil
  • Blitzen Trapper
  • Muzz
  • Muzz
  • Muzz
  • Muzz
  • This Is the Kit
  • Walter Martin
  • Walter Martin
  • Walter Martin
  • Clare Bowen
  • Clare Bowen
  • Shana Falana
  • Shana Falana
  • Shana Falana
  • Shana Falana
  • Shana Falana
  • Shana Falana
  • Craig Finn
  • Craig Finn
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Heather Woods Broderick
  • Karen O
  • Danger Mouse
  • Kevin Morby
  • Kevin Morby
  • The Steel Wheels
  • Ches Smith
  • David Torn
  • Tim Berne
  • Laura Stevenson
  • Laura Stevenson
  • Laura Stevenson
  • The Hold Steady
  • The Hold Steady
  • Delicate Steve
  • Rhett Miller
  • Bruno Letort
  • Hungarian Symphony Orchestra
  • Sonar
  • Sonar
  • Tim Berne
  • Tim Berne's Snakeoil
  • Craig Finn
  • Craig Finn
  • Craig Finn
  • Benjamin Booker
  • Benjamin Booker
  • Bob Weir
  • Bob Weir
  • Bob Weir
  • LNZNDRF
  • LNZNDRF
  • Donna Lewis
  • Donna Lewis
  • Craig Finn
  • Craig Finn
  • David Wax Museum
  • David Wax Museum
  • David Torn
  • Lindsey Webster
  • Lindsey Webster
  • Tim Berne
  • Tim Berne's Snakeoil
  • Field Guides
  • Landlady
  • Todd Clouser
  • Todd Clouser's A Love Electric
  • Anberlin
  • Yellowbirds
  • Yellowbirds
  • Duane Pitre
  • Duane Pitre
  • The Inner Banks
  • Bobby
  • Bobby
  • Rubik
  • Lapko
  • Lapko
  • Lapko
  • Matt White
  • The Silent League
  • The Silent League
  • The Defibulators
  • The Defibulators
  • The Defibulators
  • The Bravery
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • This Charming Man
  • Going Home
  • Timesbold
  • Timesbold
  • Timesbold
  • Timesbold
  • Search/Rescue
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Baumer
  • Velocet
  • Velocet
  • Velocet
  • Velocet
  • Velocet
  • Hopewell
  • Monument
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Kiss Kiss
  • Saul Ashby
  • Saul Ashby
  • Saul Ashby
  • Pompeii
  • Pompeii
  • Pompeii
  • Pompeii
  • Pompeii
  • And This Army
  • And This Army
  • New London Fire
  • Motion Picture Demise
  • Motion Picture Demise
  • Motion Picture Demise
  • Motion Picture Demise
  • Stiffed
  • Stiffed
  • Stiffed
  • Stiffed
  • Honeycreeper
  • Honeycreeper
  • Honeycreeper
  • The Blackout Pact
  • The Blackout Pact
  • The Blackout Pact
  • My Epiphany
  • My Epiphany
  • My Epiphany
  • My Epiphany
  • The Number Twelve Looks Like You
  • The Number Twelve Looks Like You
  • The Number Twelve Looks Like You
  • Old Scratch Revival Singers
  • Secret Lives of the Freemasons
  • Secret Lives of the Freemasons
  • Secret Lives of the Freemasons
  • Secret Lives of the Freemasons
  • Secret Lives of the Freemasons
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Sleep Station
  • Spit for Athena
  • Emma's Revolution
  • Emma's Revolution
  • Emma's Revolution
  • Voice in the Wire
  • Voice in the Wire
  • Voice in the Wire
  • Voice in the Wire
  • Voice in the Wire
  • Voice in the Wire
  • Oval Portrait
  • Volta Do Mar
  • Volta Do Mar
  • The Inner Banks
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Clare Bowen
  • Amy Helm
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Amy Helm
  • Anaïs Mitchell
  • Amy Helm
  • Rebecca Coupe Franks
  • Clare Bowen
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Fireships
  • Lettie
  • Lettie
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Brooke Annibale
  • The Grape and the Grain
  • The Grape and the Grain
  • The Grape and the Grain
  • The Grape and the Grain
  • Clare Bowen
  • Leverage Models
  • Leverage Models
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Saunder Jurriaans
  • Evan Russell Saffer
  • Evan Russell Saffer
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Camphor
  • Anaïs Mitchell
  • Amy Helm
  • Nova Social
  • Field Guides
  • Field Guides
  • Field Guides
  • Clare Bowen
  • Snowflake
  • Snowflake
  • Snowflake
  • Snowflake
  • Future Wife
  • Future Wife

Interview with D. James Goodwin

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

  2. A: Currently returning from the UK, working on an amazing project with three incredible, groundbreaking, legendary artists.

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

  4. A: How much do you charge....

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

  6. A: That I can fix a poorly composed song. Or that I am simply a technician, though most don't assume that.

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

  8. A: Bob Weir's "Blue Mountain". I tracked and mixed the record. I also took photos that became the record artwork. I'm proud of it, because when I heard the music, I saw the west. I saw the plains and the mountains, and the vastness. I feel like I made that record. A record that paints that picture perfectly.

  9. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  10. A: Both. Both are good. Both are just tools.

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

  12. A: I make no promise, but for the fact that I will put my spirit into my work. I do promise they will feel that, no matter what.

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

  14. A: All of it.

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

  16. A: Too many to list here. Most importantly, what does this record mean.....

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

  18. A: If you are looking for artistry, look in the right places, at the right people. Don't worry about what records they've done. Vision says it all.

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

  20. A: There would be no electricity, so it wouldn't matter! I'd take my old nylon string Martin.

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

  22. A: Began assisting at age 16. Haven't looked back since, 23 years later.

  23. Q: How would you describe your style?

  24. A: Widescreen. Technicolor. High Fidelity with character.

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

  26. A: Any artist I would love to work with has already made records that I love, so no need to worry about that. I want to work with artists who want to do something new and say something new, with a profound respect for the art form we know as music.

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

  28. A: Be kind. Kind with ideas, kind with relationships, kind with interactions. That kindness will always speak through music.

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

  30. A: Most often, left of center pop and rock music. Often, avant garde and experimental jazz and instrumental music.

  31. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  32. A: Making records sound deep and wide. Setting a landscape.

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

  34. A: Again, depends on the music. I like to think on the most basic level, I can light the song in such a way that tilts a listener's head in a different direction, whilst being true to the aim of the music at hand. I want each new listen to be a revelation, an unveiling.

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

  36. A: Depends on the music.

  37. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  38. A: My studio, The Isokon, is setup for my perfect workflow. Ex Machina Quasars, Harbeth P3ESR mini monitors, dozens of odd reverbs, compressors, distortion devices, color boxes, etc..... I mix using digital medium, and analog hardware, always. I have far too much interesting hardware to mix in the box.

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

  40. A: Alan Parsons, Tchad Blake, Rick Hall, The Swampers, Phill Brown, Milestone recordings to me : Miles Davis' Bitches Brew Talk Talk : Spirit Of Eden & Laughingstock Tortoise: Standards Pink Floyd: Dark Side Of the Moon Fleetwood Mac: Rumours Portishead: 3 Latin Playboys Neil Young: Harvest

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

  42. A: Producing. Recording. Mixing.

GenresSounds Like
  • Craig Finn
  • Kevin Morby
  • Bonny Light Horseman
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