Matt Dougherty

Mixing & Production

starstarstarstarstar
1207 Reviews (1175 Verified)
Matt Dougherty on SoundBetter

Over 1,000 reviews on this site. Has worked with many nationally and internationally successful multi-platinum artists as well as countless local and independent talent, in a variety of genres. Worked on multiple #1's at radio.

Born and raised in Chicago, went to school at ASU and then CRAS, and currently based back on the NW side of Chicago. Worked under Johnny K at Groovemaster for 7 years as an engineer, with artists such as Disturbed, Megadeth, Staind, 3 Doors Down, Pop Evil, Sevendust, Red Sun Rising, and countless others. Lately I've been focused on producing and mixing more indie, alternative, and pop stuff.

Terms:

- I always allow for as many revisions as needed; I will keep refining until everyone is happy. To keep things efficient I do put a time limit of 15 biz days from delivery of first pass. After that, $25/pass. Also, after 10 passes add $25/pass, and after 15 passes add $50/pass. Usually good in 4-5 :)

- Rate includes final 44.1k 24b WAV master & unmastered full-res mix with headroom. Can include 2 alt prints (inst + acca) free of charge; additional mixes incur cost. Can provide stems for $50/song.

- Song length over 5:00, add $25. Over 6:00 add $50. Over 8:00 add $100.

- Track count over 75 add $25. Over 100 add $50. Over 150 add $100.

- Can typically get to a first pass in 5-10 biz days from booking.

- All passes sent with my mastering on there, so once we're done - we're done.

- Open to discounts when booking and working on 3 or more songs at a time.

- Happy to send more relevant examples of my work, I can only put four up here. Just ask :)

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

1207 Reviews - 265 Repeat Clients

Endorse Matt Dougherty
  1. Review by Jake B.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt is the man. 11/10 communication and always knows exactly the sound I'm going for.

  2. Review by Alexander W.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    I had Matt mix a track for me. He delivered an excellent mix extremely fast. I had a few notes for him and he carried out those exactly as needed in an expeditious manner. I would 100% positively work with Matt again in the future.

  3. Review by Aaron B.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt Dougherty got my live drums to sound amazing. He achieved an amazing sound for the live snare and kick. My song also had a section with hip hop drums and he made that part sound amazing too. He's an expert and you can expect him to go above and beyond!!

  4. Review by Psychedelic R.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Another lovely experience! So much soul!

  5. Review by Cherry V.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt is easy to work with and provides a quick turn around. He truly showed why he is a professional. The quality of work he provided is unmatched. I can't overstate how great the end results are. 10/10

  6. Review by Jaron E.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt is the man!! He did a great job on the mixes and his communication is fantastic. He went through all of my notes until I was satisfied. Look no further!

  7. Review by Gabriel G.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Working with Matt was an absolute pleasure! He heard the direction I wanted for my song and knew just what to do to get there! He was also very receptive to tweaking things in the mix and was incredibly kind about it. I would definitely recommend working with him if you are looking for a super solid Mix and Master!!

  8. Review by Psychedelic R.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt is life. Matt is awesome.

  9. Review by Dom C.
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Dom C.
    check_circleVerified

    Awesome as always!

  10. Review by Kai W.
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Kai W.
    check_circleVerified

    It's always a pleasure working with Matt. I just compared my original rough mix of the song to the one he did - it's like night and day!

  11. Review by Ethan W.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt goes above and beyond. He is fast, does the job perfectly, and goes above and beyond.

  12. Review by Camille
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt is such a joy to work with, easy communication, quick turnaround, was so professional with both mixes. Super appreciate his attention to detail and would highly recommend!! :)

  13. Review by Yoed Nir
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    a wonderful collaboration with Matt, It was an absolute pleasure!!

  14. Review by Carrie R.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Love working with Matt! This is my 4th song I have had him produce, mix and master. He puts great care into the project and does an awesome job bringing a rough demo to life. I especially love the guitar parts he records. Looking forward to working with him again in the future!

  15. Review by Rhenard C.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Working with Matt was a breeze from start to finish. He totally nailed the vibe I was after, took every bit of feedback on board. The final mix sounds huge, the instrumental is super clean, and his communication stayed friendly and crystal-clear the whole way through.

  16. Review by Nicholas O.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt is an outstanding mixing/mastering engineer.
    He was so patient and listened to all of my notes. He made my song sound very professional. I highly recommend Matt if you’re looking for high quality work.

  17. Review by Kai W.
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Kai W.
    check_circleVerified

    Only good vibes with Matt 🔥
    This guy is the one!

  18. Review by Steven K.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    So... Matt is a pro. He took our songs to a whole new level with his mixing/mastering. Someone close to me told me it was like when color was added to the Wizard of Oz for the first time and you can see all the detail and vibrancy. That's what Matt did to our music. He was also very patient with me as I slowed down a few times during the process, and I'm grateful he was professional the whole way through. We look forward to working with Matt on the remaining half of our first album. Cheers!

  19. Review by Cliff L.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    If I could give Matt 10 stars out of 5, i would. Absolute best at what he does, he really brought my entire album to life. Many more to come!

  20. Review by TheKinzies
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Matt’s innate ability to get the song where it needs to be, through both comments and creativity, is one of the many reasons we will continue to come back.

Interview with Matt Dougherty

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

  2. A: Krysta Youngs if you're looking for female vocals. Daniel Salcido / Commandspace Audio if you are looking for a place to record in the Los Angeles area. Nate Barnes if you need drums!

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

  4. A: I'd say try to get a rough mix to a point that you're at least excited about it - whether that's you yourself figuring that out, or pushing your producer or engineer to get it there. It might not be technically perfect but it should at least be something you can be proud of. I can pretty confidently say that there isn't a single big major label hit song out there where everyone thought the rough mix sucked and then a mixer magically turned it into a hit.

  5. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  6. A: Both and why not? All that matters is that the song kicks ass, so I've never really cared too much about the whole analog vs. digital thing.

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

  8. A: That I get to help people in some small way realize their own dreams or ambitions...and in doing so, I realize mine.

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

  10. A: Whether or not to send things "dry" or "wet" I would say is the most common question. To which I always say: send it so that I can spend the least amount of time trying to just get things to where you already had them, and spend more time pushing the mix forward and making things better! Vocals are usually best sent "dry", but everything else I'd say send "wet" - the creative vibe that is there when producing / making the actual music shouldn't be underestimated, and should be left as intact as possible :)

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

  12. A: I'd say as a mixer, there is a big misconception that all the magic happens when you go to mix. I would say that magic should be there from the moment you push record - the vibe and idea should be there all along, and my job as a mixer should be to preserve and clarify what is already happening there. Don't save anything for down the road or fixing it later, that rough mix should get people excited! And then when you mix it for real it can take a true step forward technically and sonically.

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

  14. A: What mixes/productions out there do you like / want to emulate aesthetically?

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

  16. A: Hmmm.... if I'm being honest probably a generator, microwave, hunting knife, flashlight, and cell phone, so that way I could actually survive :) But if I'm taking this question at face value, I'd say: Pro Tools (lame I know) Chandler Curve Bender Distressor Neumann M149 Barefoot MicroMain27

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

  18. A: I started out in an experimental rock/indie/hiphop/alt band in high school. I was playing drums, so it made sense for me to get a Pro Tools rig and some mic's since I had the most stuff to record. Then, bands at my high school found out I had some gear and asked if I'd be down to record them. Over time I found I was more into the art/science of recording than I was into the idea of trying to make it in a band and everything that goes with that. Then, at the last second I decided I wanted to go away to college and did the 4-year business school thing at ASU. Kind of put music on the backburner but always knew I wanted to get back to it. I went to CRAS after I graduated ASU, and then moved back to Chicago and secured an internship at Groovemaster Studios working for producer Johnny K. I moved up from unpaid intern to "main" intern and then started getting paid to do editing and basic assisting. After awhile I started handling full sessions and main engineering duties and ended up working there as an engineer for about 4-5 years full time. At that point I started getting more into my own production things and became more freelance based, working out of multiple studios. Currently I spend about 75% of my time mixing out of my home setup, and the rest engineering/producing around Chicago (and around the country).

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

  20. A: Manchester Orchestra - their latest offering was just ABSOLUTELY killer. Also, Biffy Clyro just because they rock so much...and then maybe #TBT Silverchair (probably the most underappreciated rock act of the last couple decades).

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

  22. A: It seems to go in waves, but I'd say I'm currently pretty well split between pop and rock stuff. Overall I probably track and engineer more heavy stuff and rock stuff, and mix and produce more pop/indie-type stuff.

  23. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  24. A: I would say my sense of musicality - I play drums, guitar, bass, and keys and have a fairly advanced grasp of music theory as well as a very strong sense of relative pitch. I can VERY quickly familiarize myself with the chord progressions and melodies of the songs I am working on, and very often contribute creatively to what I am working on, even when it is just "mixing".

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

  26. A: I think I bring a very strong sense of musicality and utility - by that, I mean that I can take a client's stated goals with a particular project and help determine a good sense of how to get from point A to point B. For example, if they are trying to make a radio-friendly single in whatever genre they may operate in, I can offer a fresh perspective on how their song stacks up against industry leaders and what specifically they are doing differently or similarly.

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

  28. A: I work in stages. I always start by getting any file maintenance / organization out of the way first thing; basically, all the boring stuff. Then I'll come back and try and get the mix as far as I can in about 45 min to an hour and see where I'm at. I'll usually step away at that point and move to a different project to keep my ears as fresh as possible, creatively speaking. Then once I come back I try and "beat" my own mix and see how much further I can take things with a fresh perspective. Once the mix feels about 80% there and the overall vibe is starting to come together, I'll usually send a first draft to the client to get there general impressions and make sure I'm not drifting too far from their creative intention. Then I take their feedback along with what I'm hearing and refine from there. I always operate in an open-ended fashion and am willing to do as many revisions as it takes until everyone is happy. I find that I am usually happy after 2-4 passes - clients' input is invaluable to me when refining and pushing the mix as far as I can.

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

  30. A: The list would be too long to fit in here, but some mixing engineers that inspire me would be Andy Wallace, Serban Ghenea, Manny Marroquin, Andrew Scheps, Neal Avron, CLA, Rich Costey, Noah Shebib, and on and on... Production-wise I'm a big fan of Jeff Bhasker, Joel Little, Benny Blanco, Greg Kurstin, Joe Barresi, David Bottrill, GGGarth Richardson, Max Martin / Shellback / Cirkut, Jack Antonoff, Alex Da Kid, Ryan Tedder, Rick Rubin, etc...

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

  32. A: Overall I would say the most common type of work I do for clients on this site is mixing.

loading
play_arrowpause
skip_previous
skip_next
Shoe Strings - Olivia Grace (ALT / INDIE-POP)

I was the Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Instrumentalist in this production


  1. play_arrow
    pause
    Shoe Strings - Olivia Grace (ALT / INDIE-POP)
  2. play_arrow
    pause
    I Get Around - Adelitas Way (ROCK)
  3. play_arrow
    pause
    You Didn't Mean It - NYRE (URBAN)
  4. play_arrow
    pause
    Butterflies - Haley Gold (INDIE POP)
Terms Of Service

- Editing is NOT included in mix cost. Happy to quote things upfront.

- I work in Pro Tools; send stems/tracks or a clean PT session.

- Acceptance of proposal is an acceptance of my terms.

GenresSounds Like
  • Lana Del Rey
  • Disturbed
  • Lorde
Gear Highlights
  • Pro Tools
  • ADAM monitors
  • Apollo x16
  • Neve Master Buss Processor
  • Louder Than Liftoff Silver Bullet & Chroma+'s
  • UAD
  • SoundToys
  • fabfilter
  • Waves
  • Slate
  • Softube
  • Brainworx
  • Valhalla
  • etc.
More Photos
More SamplesMixed everything on there. Mastered or produced a fair amount as well :)
SoundBetter Deal

Willing to work with new clients and earn your business, open to first-time discounts if budgets are tight. Nothing is set in stone, I'd love to negotiate and earn your business!