Charles Hoffman on SoundBetter

You have a vision, and I have the equipment and skills to help you achieve that vision. I'm a producer, mixing engineer, and mastering engineer that specializes in EDM, hip-hop, and pop.

Since 2012, I've been producing, mixing, and mastering music. I now run an educational website called Black Ghost Audio, with over 50,000 monthly readers, that teaches musicians and producers how to create professional-quality music.

When you work with me, the focus is on your project and your goals. I identify areas in which your songs can be improved and help you to fill in the gaps.

Clients choose to work with me because I provide:

• A fun and creative collaborative experience.
• A goal-oriented workflow.
• An extensive assortment of gear.
• A sound-treated listening environment.
• A deep understanding of music production and audio engineering.

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Credits

12 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client

Endorse Charles Hoffman

by Nathan Bankston
Verified (Client)
Charles was very easy to work with and great commutation on his vision and what he wanted!
by Anthony
Verified
Charles is my go to guy and secret weapon for getting my songs to sound how I envision them. Very talented, and very knowledgable.
by Anthony
Verified
This is my 3rd time working with Charles. He is exceptionally good at delivering the result you want. I was hyper specific in the last one he mixed and mastered, and Charles wasn't even phased. I'll be working with him every time, and you should too.
by Anthony
Verified
Charles is a wizard. He finished my song ahead of schedule and was extremely responsive and offered his insight and direction. 10/10 would use you Charles again!
by Dan K
Charles is a professional, extremely talented engineer. No matter what style of music or how many tracks, his technical know-how and keen musical sensibility have turned many of my tracks up to the next level. His turn-around time is extremely quick, and he's more than willing to work with the artist to achieve the best possible sound! I am a singer-songwriter, and he has given me some great advice on recording, as well as really made my tracks shine. Highly recommend!
by Jay Jay
Charles an unreal engineer! Super easy to work with and delivers super high quality work. Gives great feedback on music. Very professional and over the top knowledgeable. I think I’ve learned more from him than anyone else. What a gem!
by Music by Mark M
Charles is one of the most professional mastering engineers that I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I love his outstanding communication, his quick turnaround time and a quality that is second to none! I don’t send my music to anyone other then Charles.
by Mack
This guy is a wizard! There isn't a paid or free service I've used that can compare to the quality of work Charles does. Every time he touches one of my tracks I'm blown away at how good he makes me sound. Not only is he highly proficient in his craft, but he's very professional, he turns projects around quickly, and will work with you to ensure you're happy with the final product. I can't see myself ever going anywhere else for my mix/master needs!
by Adam M Persky
I have yet to deal with someone as professional as Charlie. He is the best mixing engineer I have had the pleasure of working and he continues to amaze me with each new master.
by Jorel
Charles is my secret weapon. He’s insanely knowledgeable and has a solid work ethic. He’s both a teacher and mentor to me. Excellent communication and client relationship skills.
by Alyssa
Charles is probably one of the most knowledgeable and professional people I’ve ever submitted a track to. He keeps to a timeline and helps you achieve exactly what you’re looking for. I don’t think I’ll ever send my tracks for mastering to anyone else. He’s the best!
by Joel
Great final product every time. Charles has always delivered mixing & mastering of the highest quality, in a timely fashion. I have yet to encounter another mastering engineer who could offer this level of quality for such a great price. Highly recommend

Interview with Charles Hoffman

Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I like being able to work on different genres of music every day and getting the opportunity to meet wonderfully creative and unique artists.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: You can't fix everything at a mixing or mastering level. Arrangement and sound selection heavily influence the trajectory of a mix. I'll very often recommend that clients modify their arrangement or make different sound design choices.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Find an engineer that will give you pushback. Surrounding yourself with "yes" people is like living in an echo chamber and does nothing to breed creativity. At the end of the day, my clients always have the final say, but I make sure to provide them with an assortment of creative options.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Versatile. It's quite common that I master a few EDM tracks in the morning and then pump out a pop mix in the afternoon.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Most of the mastering work I do is for EDM artists, while most of the mixing work I do is for rock and pop artists.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My studio has been professionally sound-treated and sees 8-12 hours of heavy use every day. Analog-modeled plugins play a big part in my mixing and mastering workflow, most of which are Universal Audio emulations; these are some of the best analog-modeled plugins on the market in my opinion.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm incredibly inspired by artists like Excision, Post Malone, and Calvin Harris; their production quality is top-notch, and the gold standard within each of their respective genres.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I mixed and mastered "Alpha" by Vincent. We grew up in the same hometown; his music project blew up and I had the opportunity to mix and master a track for him.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm currently editing and extending the course curriculum for Icon Collective; a music production school in Los Angeles.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise that my clients will be satisfied with the final product, and enjoy the process along the way.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: "I need to send a master to a record label tomorrow. Are you able to have this song back to me by then?" I absolutely can, but 24-hour turnaround costs extra.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I prefer digital because, with the current state of technology, analog emulations are almost indistinguishable from their analog counterparts, cost a fraction of the price, and don't take up space. This allows me to deliver a high-quality product to my clients at a fraction of the cost of my competitors.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I grew up in Winnipeg, MB and started producing music in 2012. After graduating from university with a degree in English Language and Literature, I moved to LA to attend a music production school called Icon Collective. Three years after graduation, I quit my day job and have since been working full-time in the music industry as a writer, producer, and audio engineer.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I'd like to work with Post Malone. He seems like a really nice and genuine person.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Mix with your ears, not your eyes.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is that I can, in one way or another, turn budget bedroom productions into radio-quality tracks.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring a solution to all of your mixing and mastering problems.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What's your goal? This determines the entire trajectory of a project and allows me to create a step-by-step formula that will provide results.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My computer, Apollo x8, Shure SM7b, MIDI keyboard, and my ATH-M50x headphones.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: It's very important that I speak with my clients and gain some insight into their artistic visions before mixing their projects. More often than not, clients know what they want, but they just don't know how to do it. I'm here to provide my clients with the technical tools they lack and help them break through creative blocks. Mastering is all about achieving goals. I ask all of my clients for reference tracks and use them to provide clients with mix feedback that will ensure the highest quality master possible.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I mostly do mastering work for clients since many of them are producers and like to mix their tracks themselves. Most of my mixing clients are musicians looking for a more comprehensive evaluation and overhaul of their work.