Measured Audio

Good audio doesn't call attention to itself — it just gets out of the way and lets the conversation breathe. That's what I aim for: clean, natural sound that holds a listener's attention for the long haul.

For 15 years, I worked as a recording engineer in Nashville. During that time, I worked closely with artists such as Amy Grant, ZZ Top, Chris Knight, Dan Baird, and Poco. That background shapes everything I do to this day.

Podcast mixing

In 2016, I moved from Nashville to Connecticut to work in publishing. I've been mixing Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking's podcast, ever since — and since 2020 I've also mixed Luthier on Luthier, Michael Bashkin's podcast on guitar making.

Podcast mixing is its own craft. It's not about making something sound produced — it's about removing what gets in the way: room noise, mouth sounds, inconsistent levels, bad edits. The goal is a listen that feels effortless.

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Before After

While this doesn't tell the whole story, you can see the difference between the waveforms of properly mixed audio — no dips in sound to struggle hearing, and no sudden bursts to turn your listeners away.

With so many podcasts recorded over Zoom these days, hosts and producers have little control over the quality of guest audio. I can't make Kevin sitting in a stairwell, four feet from his laptop, sound like he's in a treated room with a quality microphone — but I can get it a lot closer, and make sure bad audio doesn't pull listeners out of the conversation.

Podcast consultation

Often times you need the advice of someone who has been doing it for a decade. If you're confused about any aspect of making and distributing a podcast — from recording to distributing — I've probably worked out the answer long ago. Maybe you need a better microphone, or you need to change your settings on Zoom, or you're not sure how to export a usable audio file. Sometimes the answer is simple if you know who to ask.

Audio restoration

Got a recording that didn't go as planned? Hum, hiss, clipping, a noisy room — these are solvable problems more often than people think. I work with dialogue, archival recordings, and field recordings that need a second chance.

Rates

All audio work is billed at $65 per hour.

There's no flat per-episode rate for podcast mixing — there are too many variables. In my experience, a well-recorded hour of program material takes roughly two hours to mix. But editing, video versions, recording issues, and audio restoration all add time. The more work the episode needs, the longer it takes — and I'd rather be upfront about that than quote a number that doesn't hold.

If you're not sure what a project might run, just reach out. I'm happy to talk through the scope before anything is committed.