How do you develop your own style and signature sound in your audio mixing?

The oldest trick is to listen to as much music as you can, possibly going back to the roots of recording starting from the 50s and noticing the development of the sound quality and style. There are 3 albums I recommend having as the "bible of sound engineering" 1 Dark side of the Moon (Pink Floyd) 2 Mezzanine (Massive Attack) 3 In absentia (Porcupine Tree)

Opening your mind to different music throughout our history is a great idea to see what tastes you have. It is depressing to hear that Taylor Swift is now more successful in the music industry than the entirety of Jazz as a genre. In my career I have tried my hand at many different genres, everything from baroque orcheshtral to modern hybrid scoring, from chip-tune music to 1970s African band music. I also have had music played in Japan and Hong Kong, as it has been said my music sometimes has vibes reminiscent of Japanese music. Your signature sound is going to come from the technology you use. Glenn Gould was fully aware of this, as was Berry Gordy of Motown, Rupert Neve, and is Wade Goeke of Chandler Limited.

Crafting my signature sound involves a unique blend of technical and artistic elements. Drawing from my experience at Carnegie Hall, I utilize analog signal saturation, tuning reverb frequencies, and employing preamp techniques. This hybrid approach, especially in stereo mixes, has not only transformed my sound but left a lasting impression on clients. Now, they trust me for a diverse range of audio needs, including podcast production, music, and sound design. Always experiment and document the process that Got the most feedback and reaction. So it doesn't matter what genre I am mixing, It will stay true to the sonic aesthetics with added flavor making it sound rich and bringing depth with an emotional connection to the sound.

My style and signature sound come from a number of factors but most dominant are my own taste in sounds, my affection for certain workflows, and a desire for a bit of spontaneity in my work. I love all music but I have a fondness for a certain type of production which combines my experience in the analog recording space but my desire to simplify my workflow in a modern context. For example. I love using all kinds of outboard gear, but I find that I work faster using plugins - and not just any plugins - I use plugin chains the same way I use hardware. So if there is a compressor plugin I like because its clean and transparent, sometimes I will put a transformer emulation after it to give it a character I can't achieve in analog mixing.

I love using NATS. I didn't know how much life they bring to the piece until I started making documentaries. NATS take the audience to your scene. It creates an environment where they probably can't go but you can create that world for them. I remember working with an audio technician once and saw her add them. Now, I use them in all my films.

Find plugins that work well for you in how they sound and the workflow they have. Look at what is the industry standard and find out what they're missing out on. Now that Reaper has the ability to load containers of FX Chains you can make your own macro'd series of plugins to create your own signature sound. Another thing creatives do is stick to the technology they have. Once it works for them then what is the point of changing it?

Learn good things from other mixers in the business. On a platform like Mix-with-the-Masters it is sometimes baffling to see the disparity between the masters hosting the teaching sessions. I remember seeing two different series on mastering from two separate mastering engineers and I noticed how one of them knew exactly what they were talking about with some absolutely golden insights into the world of mastering, whilst the other seemed to not know why he was there, what he had been doing his whole career, or why anything worked the way it did for him. From what I could make out it was the difference between a very reflective professional practitioner and a person who relied on hyperbole and shamanistic audio practices.

Know your taste and lean into it more. Mixing is a practice. It comes with consistency and understanding the theories to then break out of them and build your own sense of style from there. We're all influenced by many things, that's why we began doing this. To pay tribute to records we grew up listening to. We chase that same feeling, and learn along the way. It's not always about nailing the right technique every time due to the belief that's what would make your mix. But instead, it's listening to what the song needs and then going from there. The most important thing of all is to have fun while doing it.

Desenvolver um estilo próprio na mixagem de áudio é um percurso repleto de experimentações e aprendizados. No entanto, a tentação de aplicar efeitos em todas as produções, independentemente do contexto, é um desafio que enfrento. Reconheço a importância de discernir quando e como usar efeitos, pois seu uso excessivo ou descontextualizado pode obscurecer a essência da música. Para mim, é vital equilibrar inovação e autenticidade, buscando sempre que as técnicas empregadas sirvam à expressão artística da peça, sem sobrepor-se a ela. Assim, busco criar mixagens que não apenas reflitam minha identidade sonora, mas também respeitem e realcem a intenção original da música.