Matt Foster: Creating Contrast Within Your Mixes

With extensive expertise in electronic, acoustic, and live music, Matt stands out as a seasoned professional sound engineer and producer. His journey began as a studio assistant at EMI Music Publishing studios in the mid-90s, where he had the opportunity to work with renowned artists like Jamiroquai, Primal Scream, Elastica, Guru's Jazzmatazz, and the Bluetones.Transitioning to freelance work, Matt honed his skills in top London recording studios and became an engineer. He contributed to mixes for artists such as Tin Tin Out, The Corrs, Grant Nelson, Jungle Brothers, and even remixed an early UK Garage hit for Whitney Houston.In the year 2000, Matt took on a pivotal role as the chief engineer at the prestigious UK record label MWA. In this capacity, he was entrusted with the management of two state-of-the-art studios, where his expertise and meticulous approach played a crucial role in ensuring the highest standards of audio production. As the chief engineer, Matt not only oversaw the day-to-day operations of these remarkable studios but also held the vital responsibility of quality control for the label's output, with numerous major label collaborations and joint projects.As the UK urban scene flourished in the new millennium, Matt collaborated with notable artists like Ms Dynamite, So Solid Crew, Lemar, Estelle, KRS One, Big Brovaz, Terri Walker, and worked on projects with Cold Cut, The Gorillaz, Lifford David, and Roebeck. His talent also extended to recording and mixing the BBC 1 Idents, broadcast over 100,000 times.In recent years, Matt has continued to work with top UK and international artists, building a reputation for his exceptional sonic skills. He has maintained his excellence through collaborations with Miloco Studios, writing gear reviews for Tape Op magazine, and teaching an 'Advanced Mixing Course' at the London School of Sound.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:Working in live sound vs. studioBeing an assistant at EMI’s demo studioHow to get big, balanced low-endHow analog recording affects your top-endHow to get your kick and bass to work well with each otherSidechaining low-endUsing harmonic enhancementThe importance of adding mid-range to your bassCreating contrast with EQ and automationUsing sidechained dynamic EQWhy you should always reach for volume and panning before other pluginsGetting vocals to sound clear and focusedHis go-to compressors for vocalsDealing with sibilanceUsing stock pluginsTo learn more about Matt Foster, visit: https://realmix.online/Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/ Want additional help with your music productions?For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/ Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/ Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/ Check out our Sponsors:Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K Subscribe to the show:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej Have questions you’d like answered on the show?Send them to [email protected] leave a rating and review:https://masteryourmix.com/review/ Thanks for listening!