HUMAN · ONE-TO-ONE · ONLINE · WORLDWIDE
Meaningful mix feedback for artists, producers and engineers. Built around what the record is trying to make people feel, not simply whether it is technically “correct”.
The mix isn’t a technical exercise. It’s where the heart of the record comes into focus.
NO ALGORITHMS. NO SCORES. NO SECOND-HAND FORMULAE.
The internet is now full of universal rules, instant diagnoses and recycled advice presented as certainty. An entire industry has grown around explaining how records should be made, often led by people who appear to spend far more time producing tutorials, formulas and content than producing records. The same second-hand ideas are repeated until they begin to sound like established truth, then packaged and sold as expertise.
Real records are rarely made that way. A frequency curve cannot tell you why a fragile vocal should remain fragile, why a rough edge gives a performance its meaning, or why the supposedly “wrong” sound is holding the whole record together. What works for one artist, arrangement or performance may be completely wrong for another.
There is no automated analysis or generic checklist behind this service. My perspective comes from thousands of hours spent doing the work, with real artists, in real studios, making decisions that have to survive outside a tutorial. I listen to the whole track, understand what you intended and respond to the music in front of me.
What we can address
01 — Heart & intention
What the track is trying to communicate, and whether the mix is helping the listener feel it.
02 — Balance & focus
What should lead, what can recede, and where the listener’s attention needs to be from moment to moment.
03 — Movement & dynamics
Tension, release, automation and contrast. Keeping the performance alive rather than ironing it flat.
04 — Depth & atmosphere
How ambience, width and perspective can support the world of the record rather than merely separate its parts.
05 — Translation & clarity
Low end, tone and intelligibility across speakers, addressed in service of the music, not as abstract targets.
06 — Knowing when it’s finished
A prioritised route to the final version, including what genuinely needs attention and what should be left alone.
How it works
01 — Send the track
Your current stereo mix, a short brief, your concerns and one or two useful references.
02 — I listen properly
I review it ahead of the call on a full-range monitoring system and prepare focused notes.
03 — We talk it through
A private video consultation, with room to question the advice and work through priorities.
04 — You finish the mix
You leave with specific changes to try, their order of importance and a clearer sense of the record.
A useful second set of ears—not a lesson in doing it the “right” way.
Artists — mixing their own releases
Producers — whose productions are strong but are not translating
Engineers — wanting an experienced, project-specific perspective
Musicians — deciding whether a track needs more mixing or is ready to master
Consultation options
Mix Review — £95
One track · advance listening · 45-minute video consultation
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Detailed Mix Consultation — £175
One track · deeper review · written notes · 60-minute video consultation
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Project Consultation — £450
Three sessions across a single or EP · direction · work-in-progress review · final check
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All prices include VAT where applicable. For larger projects or a full mix, send a brief for a tailored quote.
David Holmes
Producer · Recording Engineer · Mix Engineer · Mastering Engineer
Thousands of hours in the studio, working with hundreds of people across thousands of recordings, have taught me that technically correct and emotionally convincing are not the same thing. I know how to diagnose the technical problems in a mix, but technique is never the destination. The real work is understanding what the music is trying to make somebody feel—and helping every decision serve that.
I won’t impose my sound on your record. I’ll help you hear your own intentions more clearly.
LONDON · LIGHTSHIP 95
Frequently asked
START A CONVERSATION
Stuck on a mix? Send me where it is now.
Tell me about the track, where it is now and—most importantly—what you want it to make people feel.