Carl Small is a Belfast-based music producer and audio engineer celebrated for his eclectic and immersive production style. Working primarily out of Analogue Catalogue Recording Studio, a renowned residential analogue facility in the Mourne Mountains.

Carl blends vintage warmth with modern sensibilities to craft emotionally resonant and sonically rich recordings.

Carl has worked with a diverse roster of artists including Mob Wife, Mark Loughrey, Laytha, and his own alt-rock band Lord Jane. His projects span a wide range of genres, from raucous post-punk to delicate folk, always grounded in a deep respect for the artist’s voice and vision.

His approach to production is collaborative and intuitive, favouring live recording techniques and analogue gear to bring out the most authentic performance possible. Whether shaping a debut EP or engineering a full-length album, Carl’s hallmark is clarity, depth, and a raw, honest energy.

“How have you seen the Irish recording industry evolve post-pandemic?"

The post-pandemic period has definitely brought some noticeable changes to the Irish recording industry. There’s been a big rise in self-recording among artists, largely because they had to adapt during lockdowns. That’s stuck around and more people are comfortable tracking vocals or instruments at home now, and that’s led to a bit more collaboration between artists and producers across distances. At the same time, there's a real hunger for in-person recording again, and I’ve seen more artists eager to get into studios to recapture that live energy. It feels like there’s a stronger sense of appreciation for the studio as a creative space. There's also a growing DIY ethos that’s being met with better access to gear and knowledge. Overall, it’s a more flexible and open landscape now than it was pre-2020

"How has the rise of AI and machine learning tools influenced your production workflow, and where do you see them fitting into the future of audio production?"

They haven’t really touched my workflow to be honest. I’ve seen a few of the plugins that try to auto-EQ or compress stuff for you. I’m not sure how I feel about them yet. Part of me doesn’t really trust it, and another part thinks it kind of takes the fun out of the job. But I can see how it might be helpful for people just starting out, especially solo artists recording themselves without much production knowledge. My worry is that it could make people skip learning the “why” behind what they’re doing. I think they’ll have their place, especially as assistive tools, but I hope it doesn’t replace the hands-on learning that makes this work so rewarding.

"How do you handle the psychological aspects of coaxing the best performance from an artist?"

That’s honestly one of the biggest parts of the job and easily the trickiest sometimes. Everyone's different, so it's about reading the room and adapting. Some people need loads of energy and encouragement, others just need space and a quiet vibe. You start to recognise when someone’s getting too in their own head and might just need a break or to step outside. Other times, it’s about matching their flow and just going with it. At the end of the day, you’re trying to create a space where someone feels safe to really go for it, no matter how vulnerable or weird that might feel. That’s where the best stuff usually comes from.

"What's your strategy for maintaining project continuity when working across multiple locations and DAWs?"

I work mostly in Pro Tools and have a really consistent session layout and workflow, which definitely helps keep things organised. Whenever I’m working with people recording in other spaces or sending me material, I just ask for properly bounced stems and then bring everything into my own setup. That way I know exactly where everything is and can move through the session efficiently. It’s really about standardising your end so that even if the source is different, the way you work stays familiar

"What's your approach to incorporating mobile recording techniques into professional productions?"

I do a fair bit of on-location recording, and thankfully I’ve built up a mobile rig that’s solid enough to maintain a professional standard. You do have to accept that things might not be quite as pristine as they would be in a studio, but there’s usually a rawness or atmosphere that comes with that, which I actually love. I tend to lean into those imperfections because they often bring a sense of place and character to the recordings. The key then becomes making sure the mix still holds up, balancing that lo-fi charm with professional polish.

"As a musician too, what's your strategy for diversifying income streams beyond traditional recording and mixing?"

If you’re working in music full-time, diversifying is pretty much essential. My main income comes from recording and producing, but I also lecture part-time in music production and work as a stage manager or show rep for different events and promoters. It keeps things interesting and allows me to stay connected to different parts of the industry. Plus, it helps create a bit of financial stability in a line of work that can be unpredictable.

"How do you balance investing in new technology versus maintaining reliable legacy systems?"

I’m definitely a believer in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I’ve built up a setup over the years that I know inside out, and it does the job well, especially when I’m recording on location. That said, I’m always keeping an eye out for gear that might add something new or solve a specific problem. But I’m not someone who’s constantly chasing the latest thing for the sake of it. New gear is great, but knowing your tools inside and out is probably more important

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"Which piece of vintage gear in your studio has an irreplaceable quality that modern plugins just can't replicate?"

Plugins have come a long way, and I use a lot of them but there’s still something about touching a physical piece of hardware that plugins can’t quite replicate. The Trident Series 80B EQ has such a warm, musical tone that I keep coming back to. The UREI LA-4 is my go-to for vocals, it just handles dynamics in a way that feels alive. And lately, I’ve been using the Valley People 610 a lot on drums, it has a punch and character that’s hard to match digitally.

"What's your method for testing mixes across emerging playback platforms...are you a fan of the old Car Test?"

Absolutely, the car test is still part of the process for me. There’s something about hearing a mix in a different acoustic space that reveals things you might miss in the studio. I also check on small earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, anything I think people might realistically be listening on. Ultimately, it’s about making sure the mix holds up across different systems, not just in your ideal setup.

"What have you found works for you to stay inspired in an industry that's becoming more technologically driven?"

For me, it always comes back to the artist and the music. The tech is great, but that’s not what keeps me excited, it’s being in the room with someone and helping bring their ideas to life. I try to focus on that human side of the job. If I’m ever feeling a bit stuck, I’ll go listen to something that made me fall in love with music in the first place or watch a studio doc and remember why I do this

"What's your strategy for navigating the intersection of music production and social media?"

If I’m honest, I’m not great at it. I try to post when I’ve got a new project out or just to remind people I’m here and working, but I mostly rely on word of mouth. Most of the work I get is through people I’ve worked with before, or friends of friends. I probably should be better at the whole social media thing, but for now I just try to be consistent and share stuff when I can.

"How do you approach continuing education in a rapidly evolving industry?"

You’re always learning in this job. I watch loads of session breakdowns and interviews with other producers. It’s mad the amount of free knowledge that’s out there now. Even just picking up one little idea or technique from someone else can totally change how you approach something. I think it’s important to keep learning, just to stay sharp and avoid falling into the trap of doing things the same way every time.

"What's your method for building relationships within the Irish music community both in NI and down south? Belfast always seemed to have a rock solid scene no matter the decade?"

Being in a band definitely helps with that, but really it’s just about showing up, meeting people, and not being a dick. Go to gigs, chat to people, be approachable. I think if artists feel like they can be locked in a room with you for 12 hours and still feel relaxed, you’ll do alright. It’s a small enough scene and word travels fast. If you’re sound and easy to work with, people remember that

"Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you were just starting out?"

I’d tell myself to stop worrying so much about what everyone else is doing. Focus on your own thing, develop your skills, and the right projects will come. Everyone works at their own pace and comparing yourself to others doesn’t really help. Just try to enjoy the process and back yourself a bit more. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions, people are usually more open than you think.

"What's the one bit of gear that you felt yourself taking that next jump up in your production work be it a mic or outboard or a deadly coffee machine"

A few years ago I upgraded my portable rig and that was a game-changer. I got the Universal Audio 4-710d and it just made my location recordings sound so much cleaner. It was a real step up. Mic-wise, I’ve got a Beyerdynamic M201 that I absolutely love. It’s a total workhorse! great on snares, guitars, strings, basically anything. And yeah, having a decent coffee machine in the studio doesn’t hurt either

www.aokproducer.com

"What's your strategy for achieving consistent vocal sounds when recording remotely with artists using different setups?”

Anytime I do a writing session and I have limited time with the artist, I’ll always focus on the vocal production and get as many vocal takes as possible. This way you won’t run into the situation of having different mics on a lead vocal. In the case of an artist who records their own vocals, I’ll have a zoom call with them and help them dial in a nice vocal sound for the song (if they need) and leave them off to do their thing! A lot of artists I work with who remote record use the SM7B which is great, it doesn’t pick up a lot of room noise. I’ve also made a pretty simple plugin chain to use for that mic so it’s a simple case of loading up the preset. If all else fails - work with great mixing engineers! Shout out to Mr. Darren Heelis.

"How do you handle the challenge of making samples and virtual instruments feel organic and alive?”

Lately I’ve been re-amping sounds through guitar pedals instead of using plugins. Slap back delays, chorus pedals and flangers are all so good at adding an extra dimension to digital sounds. It’s also waaaay more fun messing with the pedals instead of getting into lots of automation with plugins. Line6 have a good multifx pedal that I use called the M9, it has some cool modulation fx and delays. I’ll usually go for anything that can introduce some wobble or noise to add some texture. I’ve also been getting into ramping sounds through my guitar amp and recording that. Something about getting the sound outside of the computer and into real life things you can touch just hits different.

"What's your approach to incorporating live looping and performance elements into studio productions?”

I prefer to record full takes of parts instead of recording 4 bars and copy pasting parts around. It sounds like an obvious thing to do, but doing it that way allows for so much more magic to happen in the production.
I remember one major breakthrough I had ages ago was when I figured out that looping the same 4 bar guitar loop or piano loop around the song was the reason why my productions were feeling so stiff and lifeless. Little things like transitions between sections become so much more clear when you’re actually building it dynamically and in a performative way, instead of relying on a bunch of automation and fx in the box. I’m all about getting performance elements into songs these days!

"How do you maintain perspective during long mixing sessions?”

I’ll make as many confident decisions in a row as I can till I start to feel unsure of what to do next, then I’ll take a break. Regular breaks are so key for me to keep perspective and fresh ears. I also don’t like to compare my mix to another mix until the very end when I’m dialling in the overall loudness or brightness. I’m always striving to make something unique that I haven’t heard before, I don’t like comparing things when I’m in a creative zone.

"What's your strategy for helping artists find their unique voice in a saturated market?"

I think the key to standing out is authenticity. A friend told me recently: “I’m trying to make our music sound like only we could have made it.” I think that’s the perfect mindset to have if you’re aiming to stand out. Striving for real authenticity is so important. I’d say my strategy is all about making an environment where the artist is comfortable. When you’re comfortable, you’re going to be at your most authentic!

In terms of the production, I try to create a sound that reflects their individuality by experimenting with sounds that could highlight their uniqueness. Sometimes that’s using unconventional sounds or samples, blending genres, or embracing raw or unpolished elements. I want the music to feel genuine to the artist, I think all this leads to music that is both meaningful and memorable!

"What's your approach to building your profile while maintaining focus on the craft?"

I’ll reach out to artists who I really like and see if they’re interested in making some music together! I’ve discovered it’s important to A&R yourself as a producer/songwriter and hit up artists who you genuinely think you would make something class with. I suppose I’m able to maintain focus in the projects because I’m already interested in the people from the get go. I’ve also been pushing myself to build new connections by heading to London for sessions every month or so, some of the music that I am most proud of have come from these trips. Shout out to SISTRA’s new EP!

"How do you handle the balance between commercial work and passion projects?”

Time management is the key for this stuff. It’s important to have deadlines so each project gets the attention it deserves!

"How has the rise of AI and machine learning tools influenced your production workflow, and where do you see them fitting into the future of audio production?”

Apart from ChatGPT helping me reply to emails sometimes, I haven’t found a use for any machine learning in my workflow yet. The things I've tried like SUNO, while very impressive, feel like they're in the infancy stage. It’s such a growing industry, I’m very interested to see what it looks like this time next year.

"Tell me about a moment when everything was going wrong during a session, and how you turned it around?”

Haha stuff goes wrong in sessions all the time but this one happened recently. Most of the week I’m working from my home studio in Wexford, it’s always nice and quiet. On this day, an artist had travelled a couple hours on the train to record vocals with me. Everything was going great, we were just about to hit record when I noticed a large white van pull up right outside the studio window. I was a bit confused at who this could be, but then remembered that today was the day we were getting work done on the roof… absolute disaster. As you can imagine the vibe in the room completely flatlined when the ear-piercing sound of construction started.

I was sooo stressed out that I made someone travel 2 hours to my house for nothing other than to listen to the roof get repaired.

After an hour of this we took a long break and ended up cooking some food together. The food completely turned things around and we ended up laughing at the good of it. The food gods even made the roof repair go by pretty fast so we actually got to record! Food is an unbelievable session saver, can’t recommend it enough.

"We all suffer from wanting the New New gear....How do you balance investing in new technology versus maintaining reliable legacy systems?"

Whenever I feel a bit bored or stuck creatively I’ll go shopping for new plugins or bits of gear. Recently I got a new synthesiser from UDO called the Super 6. It’s killer, but there is sooo much left for me to learn on it… it feels kind of endless which is exciting. I’ve never had a synthesiser that goes as deep as the super 6 and I’m really enjoying the learning curve. I’m always stumbling on some new sounds or ways to use it because I haven’t learned it inside-out yet or even read the manual really. I feel like getting new gear really helps me grow creatively because of the learning curve. For example, I studied guitar in college for 4 years and I don’t often find myself experimenting with it sonically as in depth as I can go with the Super 6. I think new gear is good!

"How has social media influenced your business development strategy?”

It’s a great way to connect with artists and other musicians. Sometimes if I'm making a sketch or an idea I'll share it on my IG story and an artist might reach out and ask if they can use it for their own project.

"How do you handle the increasing demand for content creation beyond just audio production?”

I used to really enjoy posting on Instagram while I was studying in BIMM. It really helped me get gigs, network and find artists. This is all still true.. but because of the fact I’ve gotten a bit older, I definitely feel the cringe and embarrassment of recording myself poorly playing guitar or keys on a track I’m working on, and sharing it online. Somehow IG is still where I get the majority of messages from artists looking to work, so I’ll always devote some time to making content.

"Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you were just starting out?"

Keep making those shitty beats because they’re becoming slightly less shit

"Whats the one bit of gear that you felt yourself taking that next jump up in your production work be it a mic or outboard or a deadly coffee machine"

When I was first getting into audio production at 15, I didn’t know DAWs like Logic existed. I just knew my favourite band at the time The Black Keys had used a 4 track cassette recorder to make their first albums. I bought a Tascam 8 track recorder that could burn CDs off adverts.ie and used that for a year before I found out about Logic. I’ve never felt a jump like moving to Logic from an 8 track to be honest haha its crazy thinking back

More recently though, I bought my first really nice microphone! The Telefunken TF51. It’s absolutely fantastic.

https://www.aokproducer.com/

"What's the most valuable lesson you've learned about managing different personalities in the studio?"

I'm fairly sure most other producers or studio personnel might say the same thing here. As an assistant/tea-boy, I think I learned exactly how NOT to run a session by observing the behaviour of certain producer types, who singlehandedly managed to completely destroy any sense of positivity during recording. I remember thinking "Okay...so that's exactly what I won't do..." But in all honesty, the studio psychology aspect is 90% of the production job, that's what I've learned most. It's important to encourage a cozy and collaborative atmosphere. And to be a diplomatic cheerleader when you hit the talkback.

"What's your strategy for creating a studio environment that fosters both creativity and productivity?"

No real strategy as such, but preparation is important. From an engineering perspective, I like that to be as invisible as possible during tracking, so getting a detailed gear/backline list of what to expect in advance is crucial, I'll have every musician's 'station' totally ready in advance, so that all they have to do is turn up and start performing as soon as possible. Being on the same page as the artists regarding influences and sonic references is up there. Homework, basically! Rehearsal-room meetings and prep can cut out any surprises and potential huffs when recording starts. Sense of humour runs parallel as often as possible too.

"How do you handle cultural differences in communication styles?"

People love to use WhatsApp voice messaging here. Took me a long time to get use to that, and still I don’t like to use it very often. I prefer emails or texts so that I can look back and reference things later, without listing to a voice message again…but that’s just me

"What's your philosophy on allowing interns or assistants to learn while maintaining professionalism?"

I think my philosophy is yes…I’m all for it. I’m not entirely sure how they are related, but having an assistant that knows the studio or an intern that can set up for a big session is very helpful. One fault of my own is sometimes I have trouble allocating work to interns/assistants.

"Post covid and all the new avenues that became popular online, What's your approach to developing new revenue streams in the changing music industry?"

I was reasonably lucky all through the pandemic to be honest, I was able to continue to work on mixing, and I was lecturing via Zoom too. So I've had a bit of an 'educational' backup, you might say. But as a freelancer of course, nothing is to be taken for granted. Perhaps my workflow has diversified somewhat since; I do a fair amount of post-production and podcast work these days, in addition to music mixing. Trying to keep a hand in with Dolby Atmos too.

"How do you handle the evolution of your role as production technology becomes more automated?"

I'll confess to feeling the tiniest bit challenged (threatened?!) by the notion of 'AI / machine-learning', whatever way you wish to label it, regarding music creation. I have been very lucky with the experiences I've had, along with experience gained, and I suppose I'm hoping that will keep me hireable. Really not sure how I feel about it, truthfully. Of course I welcome the idea that the tech can possibly cover long, dull tasks and speed up the process for the producer (Beat Detective!) but I'm concerned about creative blandness overall. I guess I'm a control freak, perhaps. From a compositional point of view, maybe that's where the fun might be, collaborating with AI to write a song. But the craft of producing and mixing...the idea of automating that...yikes.

"What's your method for managing client expectations in the 'TikTok attention span' era of instant gratification?"

Regarding producing singles as such, not very much has changed there at all really. They were always geared to be comparatively short 'grab them & get to the chorus asap' radio-play pleasers. Particularly if there is a record label involved. Stylistically, the 30-second window of opportunity doesn't really apply to my client-base these days to be honest, good old radio edits are short enough for them.

"What's your philosophy on preserving happy accidents in a heavily edited production landscape?"

They are wonderful things, to be featured - when they happen! It takes a fair amount of alertness and vigilance to be able to spot a viable one too. But it's usually during a computer-wobble and it can be tricky to capture...that's where my 2-track tape machine comes in.

"How do you balance perfectionism with maintaining the emotional impact of a performance?"

The latter always wins.

"How has your mix bus processing chain developed over the years....and has it become a key component to your 'signature' sound?"

The main mix bus chain has been pretty much the same as it's been for quite a long time, one or two recent additions in the form of harmonic processing/saturation and compression. I try not to rely on it too much, I prefer to work the multitrack and groups more so.

1. Notch EQ.

2. VCA-style compressor.

3. Additive EQ.

4. Trade-Secret harmonic processor.

5. Trade-Secret 'glue' compressor.

"How do you maintain dynamics in modern productions while meeting loudness standards or have you bought into the LUFS and loudness war?"

Once again, I'm lucky to have a client base that don't necessarily need the RMS of the mix to be 'loud' as such, so if a track needs dynamics - it needs them. For some, I might add some 'steroids' to the listening reference, but I'll never push beyond -14LUFS. Some clients do seem to need to hear your mix pumped up a bit, especially if they are cross-referencing mastered tracks on Spotify for example. Limiting of course is never sent to mastering! I like to leave them wiggle-room for levels. And I'll always let mastering know what LUFS levels the client is used to on the reference copy. I do love compression of course, it can give great energy and excitement to a track, so if a mix feels good that way, so be it. Just don't look at the gain-reduction meter.... I'm happy that the LUFS systems in place on most of the streaming platforms have allowed dynamics back into music overall.

"What's your method for staying connected with international developments while working in Ireland?"

I'm fortunate to have an approximate 50/50 mix of clients from Ireland and also from overseas, so I still get to travel with projects occasionally. Chatting with other studio owners about business and gear in general is very helpful indeed. I subscribe to a few Instagram/social media thingies in order to keep up to date with new products, although I do miss the physical magazine subscriptions, like 'Resolution'. Coffee and a flick through the reviews!

"With the length of time you've been working, what's your strategy for contributing to the growth of Ireland's recording industry?"

I wish I could tell you I had a strategy there...I'm afraid I don't. I tend not to consider what I do in those terms. Ireland of course has been very good to me work-wise, but I prefer to think internationally, really. From what I've seen, everybody is in the same boat since the 'beginning of the end' of the traditional music industry model as we knew it - all just trying to earn a living. Being a commercial studio owner is definitely not for the faint-hearted; it's a very tough business indeed. Thankful that I don't have to run my studio that way. Staying busy and assisting folk to make great art - if that's contributing, then, hurrah!

With many amazing rooms and spaces in Ireland, do you have your method for maintaining consistent sound when tracking across different locations if a project requires it?"

Of course that depends very much on what instruments you are tracking. For consistency in such cases, the budget usually dictates which recording venue suits the instrument(s), and the obvious one is to use a big studio/large space for drum recording. All subsequent overdubs can be recorded in much smaller, cost-effective spaces. For added consistency, I suppose travelling with some favourite mics & preamps would help things too. But I'm not so hung up on consistency as such; you tend to hire certain studios for their character and you embrace it.

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"Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you were just starting out?"

I would probably suggest (or insist!) that I should gain a good understanding of how the business side of our industry works. And doesn't. Accountancy is certainly not what I was put on this earth to do, and there were times when I was perhaps a little naive or 'green' regarding all things financial. Having said that, when you start out, you're driven by pure passion for music creation, that's all there is, and it's important.

"Whats the one bit of gear that you felt yourself taking that next jump up in your production work be it a mic or outboard or a deadly coffee machine"

To be honest, that came with going backwards in the evolutionary sense and acquiring a piece of equipment from the dinosaur age...a 2" 24 track tape-machine. In addition to missing 'that sound' (I trained on it and used it for many years) I came to start using it as a sonic-collaborator of sorts. I find that I use almost half as many plug-ins during the subsequent mix than on a purely digital capture, and it seems to give the music a hug on the way into ProTools! In addition to that, it forces a kind of discipline and economy on the musicians, so if you have a really great bunch of players, you can tell them: "Right, we've got 15mins per reel, so that means three amazing takes, please...". So we work old-school there, doing drop-ins and repairs as a team. Sharing the workload. It also means that I end up with three playlists to comp from instead of the usual 40..."do another? Yeah..."

Life is too short for hundreds of mediocre playlists.

"Being a new son of the island, How do you approach building relationships with Irish session musicians?"

I don’t think it’s all that different from working with players in the US. I always start off by giving them the “When, Where, and How much”. I knew a few people before moving here, so I’ve just grown my network from there.

"What's your approach to creating a comfortable environment for session musicians?"

It’s the same as working with the client. It’s a balance between making sure the vibes are right, keeping the mood light and fun, while also making sure we get the work finished.

"How do you handle cultural differences in communication styles?"

People love to use WhatsApp voice messaging here. Took me a long time to get use to that, and still I don’t like to use it very often. I prefer emails or texts so that I can look back and reference things later, without listing to a voice message again…but that’s just me

"What's your philosophy on allowing interns or assistants to learn while maintaining professionalism?"

I think my philosophy is yes…I’m all for it. I’m not entirely sure how they are related, but having an assistant that knows the studio or an intern that can set up for a big session is very helpful. One fault of my own is sometimes I have trouble allocating work to interns/assistants.

"How do you approach learning about Irish music history and context?"

To be honest, I should probably learn more about it…

"Have you seen the Irish recording industry evolving post-pandemic with a fresh perspective?"

I’ve only been in Ireland for a couple years, so my only frame of reference is post-pandemic.

"What's your approach to incorporating mobile recording techniques into professional productions?"

I use my mobile rig less and less honestly. For smaller overdubs it’s usually okay - a vocal or electric guitar or something. But getting a good drum sound can be hard if you’re just setting up in someone's living room.

"What's your strategy for staying current in a rapidly evolving technological landscape?"

I’m not too worried about staying current. My workflow works for me and gets me good results. I only want to work with people that value my process anyway.

"How do you maintain work-life balance in an industry known for long hours?"

The older I get the more I’ve been trying to have shorter days. I’ve been trying to work 8-10 hours on most sessions. I think people are catching on to the idea that there is a point of diminishing returns when doing a 12+ hour day.

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"Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you were just starting out?"

Don’t take rejection personally. Still have to remind myself of that one sometimes.

"What's the one bit of gear that you felt yourself taking that next jump up in your production work be it a mic or outboard or a deadly coffee machine"

It’s hard to pinpoint an exact piece of gear, but when I opened my first commercial studio in Minneapolis back in 2014 the size of the live room was about 1000 square feet. That room had a dramatic effect on the sound of my recordings.

"What's your strategy for choosing the perfect microphone for each vocalist's unique timbre?"

I think no matter what, there’s always an element of trial and error insofar as you can’t always know what works without testing. However, the first step is to know exactly what the artist wants to achieve, i.e. modern, polished, retro, lo-fi, clean, trashy & all the possibilities in between.

The second step is to identify the mics that fit that vibe & test a few with the artist's voice. It should also be noted that preamp choice is an important variant at this stage too. I’ve deliberately chosen a selection of preamps to have tonal differences for shaping a recording so that plays a major part in the vocal chain as well. I have go-to mics for vocals but there are sometimes surprising outliers.

"How do you deal with room acoustics when recording in less-than-ideal spaces?"

I’d find the part of the room with the least reflections, use a reflection filter & depending on how much of the space you can hear through the mic (on playback), possibly use a dynamic mic like Sennheiser 441 or Shure SM7b. You can also do a little transient work on the vocal once it’s tracked to bring it closer.

"How do you organize sessions to facilitate smooth transitions between tracking and mixing phases?"

I like to colour & arrange tracks into a rough version of my mix template as I’m tracking but not to the detriment of the workflow. Most important is getting things done. I have specific colours & order for instruments that make sense at the mixing stage so I’ll do my best to shape it into this while tracking, so when I move to the mixing stage I can build around that easily.

"How do you handle version control when working with multiple collaborators?"

Everything is usually consolidated & stemmed out before being sent to or from a collaborator, so no matter the DAW, all tracks will import & line up easily.

"How do you help artists push past creative blocks during recording sessions?"

Usually with distraction. If something isn’t working, someone has hit a creative or energetic wall, move onto something else. Otherwise look at the time & if it’s close to lunchtime, finish the take & suggest we have one more crack at it after lunch. That’s usually when the magic happens. I’ll still let them do a few takes before lunch though, that’s the mental preparation needed for the freshly energised take after lunch.

"How do you balance an artist's vision with your own production instincts?"

The artist’s vision is most important. I’ll usually talk it out with the artist early on so I know how much room I have to make creative production decisions as we go. I’ll mostly stay out of the artist's way unless I feel strongly about an idea at any stage of the process. There are creative decisions when tracking, creative edits that can help an arrangement & tonal decisions that can ultimately shape a recording in a positive way & I’ll aim & be as transparent as possible about what I’m hoping to achieve, as long as it fits the artist’s overall vision.

"What's your strategy for building long-term relationships with artists?"

It really depends on the artist I guess. I’ll do my best to be a strong guiding force in terms of their career & achieve what they need to achieve in the studio. However each artist has different needs & I aim to achieve what’s needed. I’ll do my best for them & help them win.

"How do you manage scheduling when working on multiple projects simultaneously?"

Meet deadlines first & foremost. I aim not to jump between projects much daily as you can’t really dedicate your full attention to something if you’re splitting your attention. Focus on most pressing projects first until you’re happy with the result then move onto the next. Deadlines usually dictate your time management & everything else fits in between.

"What skills outside of audio engineering have been crucial to your success?"

I think having come from an artist background has helped immensely. I’m not just seeing it from my perspective, but more from the artist's perspective. The most important thing to me is that the artist is happy & feels we’re achieving their vision. Everything else is secondary.

"How do you balance personal projects with client work?"

Not that well really. I work on my own songs in small moments here & there. I write a lot but don’t release much. If I’m in the middle of a mix for example, & I get a slight resistance to what I’m doing, I’ll go & play piano for 5-10 minutes, it might be something I’m already writing or something new or just noodling. This is where my songs come from, & then when I have some downtime I’ll track them.

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"How do you maintain work-life balance in an industry known for long hours?"

When recording I generally don’t do more than an 8 hour day as there are only so many useful creative hours in a day. Once you go beyond them you’re literally wasting time & achieving nothing, & this will only be apparent when you return to what you’ve done. If you’re recording many days in a row it’s extremely important to stick to the 8 hour window, because you’re literally taking energy from the next day by working late. Your creative energy gets depleted & you need space from what you’ve been working on to have perspective the next day. Take breaks too, like just step outside for 5 minutes to rejuvenate once or twice a day, you’ll know when.

"How do you create an environment where artists feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and authentic in their performances?"

I think it’s important to be as encouraging as possible. Everyone is vulnerable when creating or performing so it’s always something I’ll be sympathetic to. As an artist myself I’ll put myself in their shoes so to speak & see how I can help give them the extra energy needed to get that great performance by being supportive & encouraging. Not taking it too seriously while being efficient & professional is the line & attempt to walk. I get there, mostly.

"Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you were just starting out?"

Nothing beats experience, jump in a get shit done, that’s how you learn & that’s how you improve.

"Whats the one bit of gear that you felt yourself taking that next jump up in your production work be it a mic or outboard or a deadly coffee machine"

I mean for years it felt like every new thing brought a jump up in production level, but the one that stands out to me in hindsight the most was getting a great set of AD convertors, it was like taking a curtain off the mixes. When I heard the Neve preamps for the first time too I was like ‘OOooooh, that’s why’.

"How do you balance maintaining a signature sound while pushing creative boundaries?"

I’m not sure that I have a signature sound or at least I’m not conscious if I do. It’s not something I’ve really considered because my goal has always been to integrate with an artist’s vision and adapt to their process of working first. I don’t want to identify myself in the art of other people if I can help it. Sometimes people want to have a fully creative collaborator through the entire inception of their music or they come to you because of something specific you’ve done. I really enjoy that too, but even then, my philosophy is the same. To that effect, if someone wants to experiment, lets go!

"What's the most unconventional recording technique you've used that yielded amazing results?"

Me and my friend scan worked on a lot of heavy music together over the years. One thing we loved was running multiple preamps into each other to deliberately clip and distort their input stages for this super textural distortion. Very irresponsible but we got a kick out of abusing gear at the time. Haha. Something about multiple overloaded gain circuits layered is so satisfying. Another one I’ve been doing recently is starting a phone call around quiet close mic sound sources. When you put the phones on loudspeaker, they start to feedback next to each other. There’s a natural cellular network time delay and the feedback between them has this AM radio almost sub nautical feeling but it’s in the room with the sound so you can have fun with proximity. I’ve even got singers to hold the phones up to the microphone while doing vocal takes.

"How do you structure your template to maximize efficiency without sacrificing flexibility?"

I use colour coding and a set sequence for types of sounds in my sessions and that doesn’t change. It just means I always know where everything is, especially when it gets crowded. That’s the only thing that’s constant. Everything else I do is kind of a reaction to whatever the music is doing, so new tracks and how I set them up is constantly changing.

"What's your method for documenting microphone placements and equipment settings?"

Generally, if it’s worth remembering, I’ll make a strong mental notes of it.

"What's your technique for capturing 'happy accidents' in the studio?"

There’s so many ways to do that but one of my favourites is to have one or more performers in a song not hear what they’re playing to. They’ll know the key perhaps, but apart from that, there’s no context. You can reach for really primal feelings in isolation and then paint their performance over the track like you would if you were sampling records for instance. You get all these amazing interactions that simply can’t be imagined or planned.

"What's your method for deciding when a mix is truly finished?"

If I’m sending a mix to an artist, it’s because I’m happy with it. Then it’s a case of making sure they are too. That’s it really.

"How do you set clear expectations with clients about revisions and timeline?"

Clear and available communication. The more I understand the more fluent I can be in the work. If I’m working from the recording through to the mixing stage, it’s all about that initial conversation. If everyone involved has a clear sense of the idea at the centre of the process I find that things simply get finished in comfortable time.

"What's your strategy for building long-term relationships with artists?"

I don’t have one. You just end up being great friends with a lot of people you work with in music. That has become the most important thing about it for me. Getting to know different people and learning from them and going on these adventures together is just about as good as life gets.

"What's your strategy for staying inspired and avoiding creative burnout?"

When producing I charge by the song, not by the day. A while ago I realised almost all of my decisions in some way factored in time and money restraints. I don’t want those things to influence the creative process, so I just removed them entirely. Work is more free, more fun, more experimental, more everything. I’ll always have time off between one record and the next, do completely different things and reset myself. In creative pursuits, almost everything you do in life is a type of R&D.

"How do you stay current with new technology while maintaining efficiency with trusted tools?"

Historically I’ve been a developers worst nightmare. I just used whatever worked and tended not to change if it did. I love getting the most out of the least and I’ve learnt that makes great recordings. I did recently buy a new Mac Studio because I had to though. Thought to realisation speed has definitely increased!

"What skills outside of audio engineering have proven surprisingly crucial in your career?"

I can play a few instruments. I guess that helps relate to what musicians are trying to convey physically. Also means I can build full tracks with a song writer. Just the two of us. Two people working is great for staying in the imagination. Three or more pulls things back into the body a bit more. I’ve also found that doing as many things as possible outside of studio activities helps give making records a strong contextual foundation.

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"Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you were just starting out?"

‘Enjoy yourself’

"Whats the one bit of gear that you felt yourself taking that next jump up in your production work be it a mic or outboard or a deadly coffee machine"

Recently acquired a pair of avantone active NS10s and they’re really helping records translate everywhere. I’ve used NS10s for years but the amps in these are really great and the high end is quite extended compared with the older ones. The new Mac is a close second.