Mixing / Production

Respected British record producer and engineer David Lord chooses XTC’s ‘All You Pretty Girls’ as a favourite sound from the many he’s recorded.

Taking the decision to follow his instincts has elevated Julian Bunetta to the top rank of contemporary songwriters and producers.

English‑born producer and mix engineer Warne Livesey has worked with a wide array of musical artists from Australian band Midnight Oil to Scottish pop‑rockers Deacon Blue to blue‑eyed soulster Paul Young.

Danny Harle has made a career out of taking pop music seriously, culminating in a key role on Dua Lipa’s hit album Radical Optimism.

What would you hear — and what might you learn — if eight top producers mixed the same project their own way?

Hit‑Boy’s freewheeling production style has made him one of the hottest producers in the USA.

Where better to reinvent the hits of Swedish pop titans Roxette in Dolby Atmos than Stockholm’s legendary Atlantis Studios?

We’ve never had so much choice when it comes to the tools we use to make music — but it’s important that you can choose quickly, and with confidence.

Over the years, David Kosten has helped create many weird and wonderful sounds, and selects ‘Seal Jubilee’ by Bat For Lashes as a favourite.

Casisdead’s Famous Last Words may be one of the best British rap albums ever made — but actually making it was an epic challenge!

When the opportunity came to work with his childhood heroes Judas Priest, Andy Sneap didn’t just engineer and produce — he also mixed, mastered, and became the band’s touring guitarist.

Can plug‑ins ever match the sound of outboard and an analogue console? Our unique comparison recreates a 48‑channel hardware mix using software alone.

Famed English producer and engineer John Leckie gives details about one of his most influential works, the mini‑album 25 O’Clock, a pastiche of ’60s psychedelia.

Hard work and a love of sampling have made FNZ the hottest production duo around.

These audio files available accompany the Mix Rescue article in SOS May 2024 featuring the song ‘The Winds Of Gypsy Moor’ by the Ferryboat Men.

The foundation of a good, engaging mix is a strong arrangement. But how far can you go to improve things at the mixing stage?

Sam Boydell talks us through selecting an orchestral sound library, creating a simple string motif and incorporating more realism into the finished piece.

David Bottrill’s vast credit list includes Peter Gabriel, Smashing Pumpkins and Tool to Muse, Silverchair, Rush and many others. When asked to pick a favourite sound from that catalogue, he chose the drone that underpins ‘Passion’ by Peter Gabriel.

For the Dune movies, Hans Zimmer and his team of extraordinary musicians didn’t just create a score. They created an entire world.

Guts has cemented Olivia Rodrigo’s status as a major star. Her chief songwriting and production partner is Daniel Nigro.

American music producer, songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist Doug Showalter breaks down how he crafted the guitar sound on Harry Styles’ mega‑hit ‘As It Was’ in his Nashville studio.