Mix Engineer, Recording Engineer, Producer
Production, Engineering and Mixing inside and outside the box. The Perfection of imperfection is called soul.
Mark Eckard is an engineer with independent and major label experience.
I can help you bring you vision and project to life. I am here to help you to achieve your goal of having the listener feel what you want your songs to make them feel.
With extensive knowledge of a vast range of musical genres and my ability to work in a friendly and professional manner, I have been lucky enough to be involved with both new, upcoming artists as well as Major label artists, ranging from Hip Hop to Americana. No matter what the project, I give each 100% of my energy to help artists deliver the best possible sound.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch and discuss your project and vision in person.
Clients / Credits / Information
Credits
Too Late May
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INTERVIEW WITH MARK ECKARD
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Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I'm really proud of the work Will Willis and I did together. The record was recorded in multiple locations with many different players and then mixed in one location. We had a lot of fun making that record.
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Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am working on an Record for a Drummer who has written multiple scores covering many different genres of music for a "Drum Record". I am also working with the band Rehab writing and producing some things for a future record.
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Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both the both have their place, strengths and weakness.
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Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise I will dedicate 100% of myself to their vision and project? Other than that, I try not to "Promise" anything.
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Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I can use both sides of my brain, The technical and creative side together.
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Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Customer: How much will this cost? ME: It depends on what you want. Let's talk about your project, what you want as a finished product, your time frame, your budget, and I'll get you a proposal.
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Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: One of the biggest misconceptions i have run into is in mixing. Some believe mix engineers have a Midas Touch. But the truth is we can only do so much. But we can't turn Crap into Gold. I can polish a turd but it will just be a shiny turd.
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Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What do you wanting to have when the mix is complete?
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Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: know what you are wanting to have when the mix is complete, and understand that sometimes you have to break some eggs to make a cake.
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Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: does the desert island have electricity? If so, a 4 track reel to reel, a 2 track reel to reel, a 1073 style pre, a U87, and a Guitar.
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Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Fire Protection (Mechanical) Engineer I have been in the Fire Protection Industry for 31 years. I have also been in the recording business since I was 15 so, 37 years.
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Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Laid back and driven.
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Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Hmm, there are so many, for many different reasons.
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Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Know what NOT to put in the mixing bowl. Just because I recorded specific mics or tracks doesn't mean it has to be in the mix. It's just nice to have options when it comes to the mixing stage.
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Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I have such a wide range of things I enjoy in the studio it would be hard to pic a favorite.
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Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Capturing the best performance from the artist and natural sound from the instrument. Finding the right tone for the parts of a song. If we can't find the right guitar amp for a song I'll build the right amp.
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Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: When I listen to a song in its most basic form I tap into what I like to call Musical Schizophrenia. I hear parts and instrumentation that aren't there. I play or sing these parts and/or discuss them and the instrumentation with the artist/client.
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Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I like to start by interviewing the client to determine what type of record we are going to make. after that determination is made I move to capturing the songs in their most basic form. From there I work with the artist to Build their project much like building a building or painting a painting. Then knowing when it is finished
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Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I use ProTools HD with 48 in & 48 Out, A variety of Mic Pres and Mics, I keep everything in Mobile Racks which gives me the ability to travel and engineer at specific locations for tracking. I believe in catching the best performance possible. Getting the emotion of a song to the ears f the listener is one of the most important things to me.
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Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Producer/Engineer: Nate Pritchard (Dave Matthews, Allison Krauss, Neil Young Producer: Gary Katz (Steely Dan & Donald Fagen) Engineer: Roger Nichols (Steely Dan) Producer/Engineer: Sir George Henry Martin (Beatles)
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Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Most Common is Start to finish, Arranging, Production, Engineering, Mixing, then helping the client find the best Mastering Engineer for their project.
