Mixing & Mastering

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Listening first. I like listening to the rough mix and then to any references. It helps me to understand how a song conceptually fits together. This will inevitably lead to prioritizing key elements; Since vocals are typically the main instrument to a song, I'll rough in a vocal sound fairly quickly before working on whatever is instrumentally, the grounding element. It really could be anything from the guitars, keys, bass, or drums. Other times, especially if a band tracks together, I would get a basic sound starting from drums and working everything in. This process is a bit more gradual, but tends to retain more of that band in the room feel. I guess there isn't a typical method - just the method that works best for the song.

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

A: I was called in on a session where a band was reworking their live set into something more acoustic. It was an exploratory campaign into the viability of a tour based on a sound for which they were not known. My role was to record and help shape the new presentation. My perspective was that of a listener, open to this alternate expression. Our collective efforts discovered a new beauty in their catalogue. It was a joyous moment in time, and one that I will always cherish. On reflection, I believe this has little to do with pride.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: The future. As should you.

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

A: Yes, I've had the opportunity to have worked with a few guys on here that I'd happily recommend.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I can do this at a high level all while looking like a short, fat, troll.

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

A: There are limits to what ANY engineer can do. We are all constrained by the quality of the recordings. I personally believe that I can find a sound that works for any recording, but there is a ceiling.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: In general, I'd like to know what music they're into or how they'd like to sound. I suppose timeframe, budget, goals, and expectations are typically discussed. Then tech stuff for delivery (track count, processing, sample rate,etc.).

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

A: If I've never worked with an artist before, my first pass has, at times, been shocking. I've learned to ask for permission to explore an alternative view on a song. If it's too weird, know that I can scrap an idea and get back to getting the song to where you need it to be!

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

A: Water, food, tent, solar power, and a satellite phone. I'll make a call and await my rescue, assuming of course, this was an accident. BUT! If this desert island had a hotel room with room service AND I had to mix a record; I'd bring a credit card, laptop computer, pair of nearfields, headphones, and a UAD Apollo.

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

A: I started as a stagehand during college and worked myself up to a live (FOH) engineer. I along with a good friend met a producer/engineer out of Chicago that eventually brought us out to build and work in a studio in Burbank, CA. That was 25 years ago. I've been working on studio music ever since.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I tend to work on music with grittier sounds. I enjoy hearing music that you cannot really pinpoint when it was made. I want to hear slightly unusual balances work well. These point to some nameless style.

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

A: Maybe someone that isn't here anymore, like a Lennon or a Joplin or a Hendrix... Why? So they'd be alive!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: The space between an instrument and microphone impacts the sound as much as the microphone selection itself. - Confucius (maybe)

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

A: I work on good music. I cannot recall working on anything that I regret. #blessed /s

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I used to think it was focus. I have a great ability to tune out everything and key into a particular sound. This is cool to get rid of some annoying artifact or tone, but now I don't think it's super vital. Identifying elements that work together to make a record feel good turns out to be my most useful skill.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Perspective. I'll see the song as a whole statement. The goal isn't to get the best sounding drums, bass, gtrs, keys, strings, horns, voices, etc. I strive to make all these elements work together to make the song feel right.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I'm pretty much completely in the box these days. It streamlines recalls and gives me the ability to work efficiently between different songs. I work with Focals, Dynaudios, and Tannoys in stereo, but use Tannoys for 7.4.1 ATMOS monitoring.

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

A: The bulk of my work is mixing, but I travel to do some recording from time to time.