Audio Engineer with over 20 years of experience in Hard Rock. - studio mixing - vocal tuning - editing Specializing in hard rock and metal. https://soundcloud.com/user-792077189/sets/jim-simmons-mi
Massive walls of guitar, earth rattling drums and crisp, present, in your face vocals are the name of the game. I am a passionate audio engineer dedicated to delivering mixes that rival top studio mixes with power, dynamic, punch and depth - a mix that that will evoke reaction from your fans and something you can be incredibly proud of. Let’s make your next masterpiece come to life.
Check out the recent mixes I completed.
*Where Were You by One Less Reason* - Please note that I am not the hired engineer for this track - This is my mix.
Send me a note through the contact button above.
21 Reviews - 3 Repeat Clients
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Jim is as nice as he is talented, which makes working with him on every project such a breeze! I love that we've gotten so comfortable working together that he's not shy about hitting me with his production notes and ideas. It really helps having someone with his vision on my team!
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Jim is very, very good at what he does! I threw him a curveball with this one and took him well outside of the traditional rock we typically do together, but he handled it like a pro and it sounds fantastic! I always enjoy the work he does and would absolutely recommend his services to anyone needing a great mix from a skilled engineer.
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I feel incredibly luck to have found Jim here on Soundbetter. He has such a great approach to mixing & turning my songs into something better than what I brought to him. He's very creative & I appreciate hearing his ideas. He hasn't been wrong yet!
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I love working with Jim! He is so good at listening, but also confident enough to offer suggestions (which are usually right!). In the end, we always wind up with something even better than I'd hoped for!
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Plain & simple, Jim does amazing work! He's so good at listening to my rambling notes & translating what that actually means as it pertains to a mix. The Dad jokes he offers are just icing on the cake!
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Jim is an absolute professional! Jim's work ethic is impeccable, and he's willing to put in as much effort as needed for your project. Excellent job, thank you again!
Hire Jim for your project, and you won't be disappointed.
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Jim did an amazing job putting together a high quality mix within the time frame I needed it. He's extremely creative and patient with his clients, and I recommend working with him whole-heartedly!
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Cannot say enough positive things about working with Jim! Not just about the exceptional work he did, but for his invaluable feedback on what the song needed to take it up a notch. I wouldn't hesitate recommending Jim for your mixing needs, and I'm already looking forward to working with him again!
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Jim is a world class professional who has now mixed and mastered 16 songs for my band across two different projects. He is a great guy to work with, and really took the time to get the sound right ... going through several versions when needed, and inserting his owns ideas to make the final production sound perfect. Highly recommended!
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Jim is an awesome guy- you're lucky if you get to work with him.
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I can't praise Jim enough. There were things I didn't love about my first mix, and so Jim worked tirelessly and persistently on my track, not stopping until I was 100% happy with the final product. He is hardworking and takes pride in his work and that's all you can ask for!
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Jim is very professional. He communicates well and listens to feedback. He is a perfect engineer.
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Jim mastered 12 songs that he previously mixed for us. Can't say enough good things about Jim ... his knowledge, skill, effort, and professionalism. Would rehire him for the next album in a hearbeat. No hesitation ... thanks for everything, my friend!
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Jim is an excellent musician.
He delivered the job on time.
I enjoyed it and will work with him again. - check_circleVerified
Another 2 songs in the books, another enormous privilege to share the accolades of Jim Simmons. I will try to make this really simple for you. Don't overthink it. Hire him to mix your hard rock song. You will love what happens next.
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Jim is the man! Great product, great talent, great collaborator!
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You will not find a mix engineer that cares more about the music that he's mixing than Jim! And his passion shows up in his work. Combination of technical skill, artistic sensibilities, and enthusiasm that lead to a great product. He mixed one song for us, and based on that wortk we've asked him to mix the entire album!
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Jim was very professional and prompt. He did everything we asked and more! We are definitely going to be working with him in the future. This dude is the real deal!
Played a show that Jim mixed at a church. We never sounded better. Thanks Jim.
Jim was hired to run sound for a concert my band performed at. It was a festival with 6 bands in total. Jim helped set up, and sound checked everything got the stage all prepped, and all instruments properly mic'd and into the system. The sound on stage was crisp and clear, and in taking to audience members, he did a fantastic job when we were on stage. I was in the lobby of the church where the event took place during the other 5 band's sets, and occasionally popped into the main hall to hear a band or two, and the mix was very clear from both aspects! AAA+++ Highly recommended!
Interview with Jim Simmons
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: My self produced album. It was an incredible experience that took a lot of time and energy but I am really proud of the fact that I was able to record the entire album myself aside from a few tracks from some friends along the way. I performed and recorded guitar, vocals, bass, drums, keys, synth, strings, and mixed the entire album as well.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: One tip?! Oh, so many to choose from... Always strive for the best recording possible and don't overthink it. What I mean by this is, don't hold back on recording or overthink the process. Just because you don't have a vocal booth and $10,0000 mic, doesn't mean you can't get a great vocal track. Just because you don't have the best guitar in the world playing through a $3,000 boutique amp running into a top of the line ribbon mic in the best recording room in the world, doesn't mean you can't get a killer guitar track. You need to be creative with your space. Use pillows and towels and moving blankets. Find ways to get the room to sound good. When recording guitar for example, put pillows up in the corners of a full closet. Run the mics on the amp and drape blankets and towels over the mics to kill some of the sound bouncing off the walls. Above all, recording comes down to PERFORMANCE. Get the absolute best take you can. Especially vocals. The song needs to showcase the power and emotion behind the lyrics.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I am an artist myself and write and record my own material as well. I know how to get the song to have more "guts" more "feel" more dynamic. It's about taking something you hear and turning it into something you FEEL! Many can build a great mix, but a great mix is not enough. The song has to memorable and it has to stand out in some way. The greatest hits are memorable. Example: remember the first time you listened to Nirvana's Nevermind? The opening drums on Smells Like Teen Spirit? Just putting the CD in for the first time gave me goosebumps. That song goes beyond a good mix. It takes the music to a whole new level. The initial drums had to be HUGE. It set the tone for the entire album. There's a reason it earned DIAMOND status. That's what we're going for here.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Collaborate with the artist first... I first get to know about the project itself, than I want to know about the artist. E.g. what are your goals with the project, what are your goals beyond, etc. What is the sound you are looking for and get some mix examples of your favorite mixes. Then I will review the recording and a reference mix. Then it's off to work. Client sends the multi-tracks, I run a first draft mix and once I feel comfortable I will send back to the artist for review and feedback. At that point, it's a matter of polishing and making adjustments and corrections based on the artist's feedback. Ultimately, it's about getting something that everyone is happy with.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a commercial space for mixing these days. Everything is mostly done "in the box" digital mixing with countless plug ins. I run Pro Tools into a Universal Audio Apollo. I have countless plugins and virtual instruments including along with great amp emulations. Just about anything you could need. My room is completely treated for mixing purposes.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Mixing your next album!!
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started playing guitar 23 years ago and never looked back. I have been writing and performing music ever since. I have played in rock bands, and worship bands. I am a vocalist and play guitar, bass, drums, keys, and write and record for every instrument. I have been mixing for over 20 years in both live and studio. I worked for a concert promoter for 8 years and also ran my own concert venue and designed and installed the sound system from the ground up. I feel like music and recording is really in a great space and this is the best time ever to be making music. There are so many resources at our disposal that were not available even 10 years ago.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Hard rock and metal. That's it.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: At this point, I mostly do producing and studio mixing. I used to do a lot of live mixing but have scaled back on this in favor of studio mixing. I have done some system development and install, but mostly running front of house. I've always produced and mixed my own material in the studio as well.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I cannot say that I know this one personally, but he is really a great engineer and a personal acquaintance worked with him for years and has a lot of great things to say. J. R. McNeeley - https://soundbetter.com/profiles/41867-jr-mcneely
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: For recording platforms, digital. It's so much easier to punch in and out and copy and paste (sparingly of course). I love the sound of a great analog mixer, but emulations have come a long way and frankly, it's way more affordable.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To do what I say I will. I will only commit to what I know I can accomplish. If there's something I am not comfortable with I can refer you to someone.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love the transformation that takes place from initial recording to polished mix. It's great helping something come to life.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That you just 'plug and play' and that mixing is quick and easy, that you just turn knobs until you get the right sound. It just isn't that easy. How do I know? That's what I thought at first until I started mixing. Knowing what your mix is missing and how to get it fixed is the toughest thing to learn and takes tons of practice. Once you know how to identify the issues and more importantly know how to fix them mixing does become easier.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What is your plan and goal for the album / song and ultimately the mix? What is the sound you are going for? What is one song with that you feel is most similar to your song? Which song do you feel has the greatest mix ever?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Recording on your own has never been easier, but don't be afraid to ask for help. Mixing your own music is daunting and very time-consuming. More importantly, it is extremely specialized. If you don't have the heart or stamina, it's better to pay a pro. There are so many "tricks" that your audio engineer will know that you may not. They probably have more gear and more tools as well. Many times, I would've much rather paid someone to mix my album, but because I am stubborn I did it on my own only to eventually give up and hire someone anyway. Not to mention, you hear your music one way, and your engineer will hear things you won't. Like how you missed the mark on that high note by 20 cents and you need additional vocal tuning. ;)
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Vibrant and colorful. I think of the mix as colors. Which colors do I need and how vibrant do those colors need to be? Where do those colors need to be in the spectrum to sound the way the artist wants, and feel the way it should.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Foo Fighters. Still an all time favorite. I just really want to meet those guys because I respect them and their music.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strength has always been mixing for the feel of the song. Every song is different and should be mixed differently. Some songs, guitar needs to be subtle, others the guitars need to drive the song. Some parts of the song need the snare to jump out and punch you in face. Some kicks need to feel like you are getting kicked in the chest. Mixing is about width and depth and placement of each instrument. I believe in breaking the mold to take the mix to the next level.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Kane Churko is my favorite dude in the world of mixing rock albums. I love the sound he achieves, especially with the use of synth and his guitar mixing. Look him up, he's fantastic. He's worked on Ozzy, Skillet, Disturbed, HELLYEAH, Papa Roach and so on. Really great mixes.
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $100 per song
- Mastering EngineerAverage price - $30 per song
- EditingAverage price - $50 per track
- Vocal TuningAverage price - $50 per track
- Electric GuitarAverage price - $100 per song
- ProducerAverage price - $150 per song
- Live SoundAverage price - $200 per concert
No max revisions! We mix until we get it right! (within reason)
- Skillet
- Soilwork
- Disturbed
- Pro Tools
- Slate Digital
- East West Instruments
- Universal Audio Apollo
Always free consultations and quotes. Ask about "Pay as you go" pricing!