Mixing & Mastering

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

A: At the moment, I don’t have one specific SoundBetter provider I regularly refer clients to. I prefer to recommend collaborators based on the particular needs of each project, but I’m always open to connecting clients with the right specialist when needed.

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

A: A recent single for an artist with a d4vd-inspired indie-pop vibe. I recorded the vocals and handled mixing and mastering: comped and edited the takes, applied subtle tuning for intimacy, controlled sibilance, carved space for the reverb-washed guitars, and added creative effects like delays, harmonies, and textures. I tightened the low end with sidechain and dynamic EQ while keeping the stereo image solid in mono. The result kept the moody late-night tone and translated cleanly on phones and earbuds. My role: vocal recording, mixing, and mastering.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Currently mixing and mastering EPs and singles for several artists across diverse modern styles—prioritizing vocal production and streaming-ready translation. In parallel, I’m producing new instrumentals/type beats for my online store.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital—100% in-the-box. It lets me work fast with instant recall, precise automation, and consistent results across revisions. Modern plug-ins give me all the color I need, so I can focus on vibe and translation without hardware slowdowns.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: Clear communication, on-time delivery, and release-ready results. I keep vocals front and center, ensure mono compatibility and small-speaker checks, hit appropriate loudness/true-peak targets for streaming, and provide the deliverables you need (24-bit WAV, streaming master, instrumental/TV/a cappella, stems on request) with 2–3 focused revisions.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Helping artists hear their voice sit perfectly in the mix. I love when a track translates on phones, cars, and speakers and the song simply feels finished.

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

A: - How fast is turnaround? Typically 48–72 hours for a single mix/master after files arrive. - How many revisions are included? Up to 2–3 focused revisions; I keep communication fast so we nail it quickly. - Do you tune vocals? Yes—natural and musical unless you want a stylized effect. - Will my mix translate on phones and cars? Yes—every mix is checked for mono compatibility and small-speaker translation before delivery.

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

A: That mastering is just “making it loud,” or that mixing can fix a poorly recorded vocal. Quality in = quality out. Loudness matters, but translation, dynamics, and emotion matter more.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What’s the artistic goal and target vibe? Any references? Deadlines? Do you need vocal tuning/comping? What are the deliverables (instrumental, a cappella, TV mix, clean version, stems)? Sample rate/bit depth? Any label or platform loudness targets?

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

A: Pick ears, not gear: listen to before/afters, not just brand lists. Share 1–3 reference tracks, the song’s key/BPM, and export stems with headroom (peaks below -6 dBFS). Label files clearly, include your vocal notes (tuning/vibe), and align on timeline, revisions, and deliverables upfront.

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

A: Laptop with REAPER and my reference library, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (Gen 4), AKG C214 microphone, A reliable pair of open-back headphones, A compact, honest set of studio monitors (when power allows).

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

A: I started as a producer/beatmaker and then went deep into vocal production, mixing, and finally mastering. I’ve been making music for around 10 years, and I’ve been working professionally with clients for the last 4 years, focusing on mix & master and delivering release-ready records in modern pop and hip-hop.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Clean, vocal-first, and translation-driven. Tight, musical low-end; open mids for emotion; smooth top-end without harshness. Wide but mono-safe imaging, lots of tasteful automation, and competitive loudness that never crushes the groove.

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

A: Billie Eilish & FINNEAS. Their productions live on nuance—quiet details, vocal intimacy, and big dynamic contrasts. That’s where I thrive: preserving emotion while adding clarity, width, and punch that still translates everywhere.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Gain-stage early and keep ~-6 dBFS on the mix bus before mastering. Reference at matched loudness (use LUFS-I), check mono and small-speaker translation, and automate vocal levels instead of over-compressing—clarity beats volume.

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

A: Modern Pop and Pop-R&B, Melodic/Trap, Dark Trap, and Indie Pop. I frequently mix artists seeking contemporary “radio/playlist” sonics inspired by Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Post Malone, Lil Tjay, and 21 Savage.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Vocal production and final polish—bringing out the artist’s character while achieving modern punch and competitive loudness without harshness.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Clear, emotionally present vocals, tight and musical low-end, width without phase issues, and mixes that translate on phones, earbuds, cars, and clubs—plus quick turnarounds and collaborative feedback.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Pre-flight: organize stems, set sample rate, and ensure healthy headroom. Mix: comp/tune vocals, timing clean-up, balance, corrective EQ, dynamic control, tasteful saturation, and creative FX with detailed automation and A/B against references. Master: finalize tone, stereo image, and loudness within platform targets, keeping true-peak control for clean translation. Deliverables include 24-bit WAV, streaming-optimized masters, and alternate versions. Fast communication and 1–3 revisions included.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work in REAPER on a high-performance Windows system, recording through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (Gen 4) and an AKG C214. Monitoring is on Kali Audio IN-8 V2 speakers calibrated with SoundID Reference, plus acoustic panels and bass traps for accurate translation. Go-to tools include FabFilter, iZotope, Kilohearts, and UAD dynamics/EQs.

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

A: FINNEAS & Billie Eilish for minimalist emotion, The Weeknd with Max Martin/Illangelo for glossy pop-R&B, Post Malone & Louis Bell for melodies and vocal production, and Tainy for modern Latin/urban aesthetics. Sabrina Carpenter’s pop teams also influence my arrangement choices.

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

A: I produce custom instrumentals and type beats (Pop, R&B, Melodic/Trap) and I also handle full Mix & Master. Typical deliveries include radio-ready mixes, tuned/edited vocals, arranged song structures, and consolidated stems for release.