I'm a metal drummer turned mix engineer. That's not a fun fact, it's the reason your drums won't sound like samples pasted to a grid. I started playing in local bands with way more ambition than talent, took my first shot at recording in high school, failed pretty hard, and loved the process enough to keep going anyway.
That failed-but-kept-going energy is kind of my whole thing.
I've toured North America and Europe as a front of house engineer and tour manager, tracked sessions in world-class studios, worked as a production manager, and taught audio production at the college level. I've been in the van, behind the console, and in the classroom. I know what it takes to make a record and what it takes to actually survive as a working musician.
I'm not going to talk down to you. I'm not going to steamroll your vision. I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers. What I will do is show up, dig into the problem, and figure it out.
I see us as equals on different parts of the same journey. You bring the creative direction. I bring the ears, the experience, and the obsessive need to make your kick drum feel like a punch to the sternum.
Reason 01
I spent years behind a kit before I ever touched a fader. That means I understand how important it is to not just make things sound good, but to feel good. Capture the energy that makes you, you. The way a kick locks with a bass line. The way a snare cuts without killing the vocal. For drum-forward genres like metal, metalcore, and pop punk, that physical instinct is everything.
Reason 02
I've heard the horror stories. The engineer who ignored your input. The guy who made your record sound like his record. That's not how this works. Give me the problem and trust me to find the solution, but the vision is always yours. I'm transparent about what I don't know and excited to figure it out together. No one has time for assholes, and this is supposed to be the best part.
Reason 03
I don't just make your tracks louder or cleaner. I add subtle sonic textures: atmospheric layers, sound design elements, harmonic details that elevate your song's world without stripping its raw energy. It's the difference between a good mix and a mix that sounds like your mix.
Reason 04
I've been a touring FOH engineer, a production manager, a tour manager, and a professor. If you've got questions about life beyond the mix (touring logistics, industry navigation, next career steps), I've probably been in that exact situation. You're not just hiring an engineer. You're getting a team member who's been in the trenches.