Produce, Mix, Edit, Master

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

A: A project I hold especially close to my heart is Love Imagined by Israel Sims — a Jazz/Soul record you can find on all streaming platforms. It was my first time working with a live jazz ensemble, so I had to trust my instincts and let intuition guide me through uncharted territory. The album was recorded live, with only two overdubs across the entire record. The level of musicianship was inspiring and demanded my full focus — there’s no room for hesitation when the band is ready to roll. It taught me to make bold decisions quickly and trust my ear. The results remain some of my favorite work to this day.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Each has its place. Follow your ears, follow your heart, and follow what the song needs.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I love most is how sound—something as simple as vibration—can move us in ways we don’t fully understand. My job is to shape those waves to make people feel something, and that still amazes me every time.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I like to start by understanding the scope and the story behind the project. I’ll usually ask: • What tasks are you hiring me for? • How many songs or tracks are we working with? • How long are the songs? • Will you be sending multi-tracks or stems? • What’s your total budget and timeline? • Can you share a few songs that inspired this project? • And finally, what are a few commercially released tracks that capture the sound you’d like your music to sit beside?

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

A: Don’t let doubt or “what-ifs” stop you from moving forward. Every great record starts with a simple idea and a bit of trust. Send me a message and let’s bring your vision to life.

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

A: Maybe I’m overthinking it, but first I’d need power—so a solar generator tops the list. After that: my MacBook Pro, a large portable hard drive, my Audeze MM100 headphones, and my iPhone. With those, I could do just about anything and stay inspired while waiting for rescue.

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

A: Music has been a part of my home life from the very beginning. That early exposure made me curious about the craft, so I’ve made music in one form or another for most of my life. It started with drums and bass in middle school, and over time I picked up more instruments and learned to express myself through recording. Like many engineers, I began by maxing out whatever gear I had. In high school, it started with GarageBand on an old iPod, then an iPad with an Alesis preamp dock. More than ten years later, I find myself in a fully outfitted studio designed around flexibility and feel. Today, I work as a Recording Technician at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music—engineering sessions, live events, and studio productions while continuing to produce and mix for artists independently.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Focus on the emotion first — this is your compass. Every technical move should bring you closer to what the song is trying to make you feel. If you ever lose direction, return to that feeling.

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

A: Most of my work lands in rock, pop, R&B, and jazz. I love anything with energy and intention—music that blends organic performance with modern production.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is listening—both to the artist and the song. I focus on understanding what the music needs emotionally and technically, then make deliberate choices that help it feel alive and complete.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I aim to bring a balance of technical precision and emotional intent. My goal is to enhance what’s already there, revealing more of what makes the song resonate. My job is to help the artist’s vision sound as alive in playback as it does in their head.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Whether it’s mixing, mastering, editing, or arranging, every project starts with reviewing references, notes, and rough mixes to understand the artist’s vision. Once the emotional center is established, every part of the process is guided by that core purpose. I’ll send a first pass within a few days, and we’ll refine together until it feels right.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio is designed for creative flexibility and feel. It’s a hybrid analog/digital setup centered around an M4 Mac Mini and a Malatchi M-20 summing mixer, supported by a healthy cast of outboard preamps and compressors. I work primarily in Pro Tools and Logic, using plugins from UAD, Plugin Alliance, FabFilter, and more. For tracking, I have a wide selection of instruments available—from guitars, basses, and ukuleles to drums and percussion. And my favorite part: a versatile mic locker ready to capture any tone, featuring dynamic, ribbon, condenser, and tube condenser microphones.

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

A: Honestly, this is a tough question to answer—it deserves to be much longer. But to name a few, I draw inspiration from engineers and producers like Steve Albini, Eric Valentine, Rob Cavallo, Andy Wallace, and Sylvia Massy—people who balance tonal and emotional honesty with a drive to push boundaries. Musically, I’m inspired by the innovations of Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, Pixies, The Sex Pistols, My Chemical Romance, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, Death From Above 1979, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Gorillaz, CAKE, Ozomatli, Curtis Mayfield, Otis Redding, Herbie Hancock, Kamasi Washington, and Miles Davis.

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

A: Big Fun

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is driven by feel and honesty. I like productions that focus on movement, tone, and emotional arc, so the listener feels connected from the first note to the last.

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

A: Most of my work centers around mixing, editing, mastering, and arranging. Each process helps shape the emotional clarity and polish that make a song feel complete.