Declan Dias on SoundBetter

I am a mix engineer from Sydney, Australia. Graduated from the Australian Institute of Music and working as a freelance recording and mix engineer working with many talented established and up and coming artists from all genres. I specialise in mixing and producing Hip-hop, R&B/ Soul, Jazz and Pop, for a competitive price!

I love clean mixes with depth and movement and am able to adapt and work with clients to best meet their personal, musical and financial needs. I am very flexible, offer multiple changes/ revisions and I mix on Pro Tools Ultimate and Logic Pro X, as well as an SSL 4000 G+ console using a combination of high end plugins and outboard gear.

Check out samples of my work on Soundcloud (link on my profile) to hear what I can offer to your song!

Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.

Credits

12 Reviews - 3 Repeat Clients

Endorse Declan Dias

by AjE
Verified
Declan is the man!! so far the best engineer i've worked with on here. And i'm not just trying to be nice. He brings professional quality to your projects better than most engineers on here. Book him while you still have a chance.
by fybq
Verified
Can create just about any vibe you need!
by fybq
Verified
Great work!
by Victor R.
Verified
Awesome professional to work with. The mix and master didnt take long. I appreciate you sir and will be doing more business.
by Nick W.
Verified
Fast and Efficient when given feedback.
Managed to mix songs really well without even having beat track outs.
Was able to add his own flavour to the songs to elevate my own ideas.
And most importantly, a really nice guy!
by Phillip S.
Verified
Declan has produced the goods, once again in his professional manner. Looking forward to doing the Jazz album with him. Cheers
by Phillip S.
Verified
Declan proceeded to perform his task without fuss, and with lots of energy and professionalism. He offered me to add any input as I required. The end result is an excellent production, very pleasing to my ear, and better than I attained with the three (3) online mixing/mastering companies that I previously tried. I will use his services again. Cheers.
by kate s.
Verified
Declan has proved himself as a very good Masterer. He is great at taking on feedback and is clear on time frames. Would recommend. ☺
by Sander B.
Verified
Quick, patient and professional. Fixes a basic balanced mix in no time and is not afraid to experiment afterwards. Really opened my eyes and made my song exactly sound likeI wanted it too.
by Lawrence O.
Verified
Declan was able to inpret my constant nagging and waffle to produce a wonderful track. Open to my feedback and trying new ideas, he also charged a very reasonable price giving me a good start here at SoundBetter. Highly recommended!
by Matthew H.
Verified
Quality work, very patient, timely and has the knowledge to make your song come to life.
Respect Declan
by David
Verified
very professional, open to suggestions and very patient. Very Good at mixing

Interview with Declan Dias

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: that mixing can fix major problems in a song! while mixing can do a LOT for a record. it shouldnt be the go to solution. artist, recording engineers and producers should fix problems at the source and only if they cant be fixed, they should be left to an engineer. Remember, nothing will make up for bad writing and bad delivery. If the song is strong and the delivery is good, the mix can/ should enhance that.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Know what you want and what sound you want to achieve. Try think about what you deliver on your tracks that makes you standa out as an artist and that will help me know how to work with the project and what to add to make a better mix.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Im a huge believer in ITB mixing so anywhere I can take my laptop, headphones, a midi keyboard, apolo twin and microphone, ill be happy because I can make any music and mix anything with a set up like that.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I began producing, writing songs and recording around 5 years ago with a friend. we made a song and I slowly learned what engineering and mixing was in order to finish the song. From there I immediately fell in love with mixing and went to the Australian Institute of Music to study audio engineering. I have been out of school for 2 years now and have started my own studio and work with many talented local artists and musicians as a recording/ mixing engineer and producer.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital - they are almost if not as good as a lot of analog gear and if used right can do anything you need it to. also.. simply, for recall. If you want changes, I can make them quickly and precisely without missing any details when trying to recall exact settings!
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What vibe are you going for and who are some influences for this record.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Very simple but effective. I like mixing in smooth vocals and punchy drums, yet not doing too much to change the foundation of the track I'm working on!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Usually Hip-hop and R&B but also have experience with Pop, Funk and Rock
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I mix on an SSL console with Adam speakers using Manley Voxbox, El8 Distressor, Lexicon 480L and other outboard gear, plugins running into Pro tools HD
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Dave pensado, Jimmy Douglass, Robert Glasper, Salaam Remi
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Mixing and mastering r&b and hip-hop records