Music was not a career path for me. As a kid I played and practiced drums every day because it was so much fun. I had many interests as a teenager but no real concept of what I wanted to do with my life. But several music teachers encouraged my playing and the idea of pursuing music professionally. Somewhere along the line the desire to record jam sessions turned into a passion for microphones, recording and figuring out how to make the music and sound better in every way. I still feel that curiosity and drive every time I sit down to work. I have to keep tweaking knobs and faders until it feels like I’m playing in the band and am moving my head and body around in the right way.
WHO ARE YOU? WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?
My name is Justin Peacock. I grew up in the mountains right above sunny Denver, Colorado.
THAT’S A FUNNY LAST NAME.
My college English professor said I had a good name for a writer. I didn’t become a writer, but a client who does children’s music says I have a great name for the liner notes on a kids’ CD.
ARE YOU A MUSICIAN? DO YOU PLAY INSTRUMENTS?
I grew up playing drums and percussion as a kid. I went to college as a performance major but dropped out early because recording music was really fun. At university I studied classical, jazz, and a lot of music theory. Bach pretty much had it all figured out and that learning has shaped my mixing and productions. Along the way I learned a bit of piano and guitar for writing and arranging, but let’s just say I’m not taking any gigs or anything. I do, however, enjoy jamming out on my ukulele in the cozy and private confines of home.
WHERE DID YOU LEARN HOW TO DO THIS?
I started off self-taught, recording bands and jam sessions onto a VHS recorder in my bedroom. I eventually got an internship at a great studio and worked my way up the ladder from taking out the trash and being lunch-errand boy, to working on my own sessions. I’ve gone on to work with and under some great producers and engineers like Alan Parsons, Eric Foster-White, Craig Schumacher, Tom Jung, Tim O’Brien, Tom Lazarus, Tom Bates, Dik Darnell and others. I even went to France to study with mixer Michael Brauer (John Mayer, Coldplay, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, etc).
WHY SHOULD I HAVE SOMEONE ELSE MIX MY RECORD? WHY NOT AT THE STUDIO I RECORDED AT?
By the time you’ve finished recording a song you’ve probably heard it hundreds of times. Losing perspective along the way is really common, even among the best of us. A good mixer brings a fresh perspective and a specific skill set to the music, which can really bring it to life.
YOU DON’T THINK I SHOULD MIX IT MYSELF?
No, not really. Some people can and have done really great mixes of their own material, but they are the exception. Most home studios don’t have the level of tools and monitoring that a dedicated mixer has, either.
WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU TO MIX MY RECORD?
Because I’m good at it and you’ll like my take on things. I don’t try to sound like anyone else, unless you tell me to.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MEDIOCRE MIX AND A GREAT MIX?
An okay, mediocre mix might have a decent balance, frequency spectrum and sound. It might even be hard to say there's anything wrong with it. But it’s probably flat and boring, lacking inspiration. It’s not exciting and doesn’t groove as hard as it could. It doesn’t capture the spirit of the song. If a mix feels awesome and captures the emotion then it’s a great mix.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC ARE YOU GOOD AT MIXING?
Most people probably know me for rock, pop and singer/songwriter genres. But I have mixed and recorded a great deal of all styles. I love working on bluegrass, jazz, classical and world music projects too.
WHO HAVE YOU WORKED WITH?
I’m fortunate to have worked with some amazing bands in many genres, both big names and up and coming. I’ve done sessions and worked on projects and live recordings with artists like John Mayer, The Fray, Devotchka, Maroon 5, Sarah McLachlan, Jason Mraz, David Byrne, Counting Crows and many others. I’ve had clients from all over the US and as far away as Europe and Australia. I’ve worked with independent bands, jazz musicians, classical artists and orchestras from all over. Check out my discography.
DO YOU TRACK/RECORD?
I do! But less and less often these days. I still like tracking, but my schedule keeps me mixing predominantly.
DO YOU PRODUCE?
Yup. However, I’m picky about what projects I take on to produce. It’s a huge responsibility and I want to make sure I'm the right person for the job.
DO YOU DO MASTERING?
Yup. However, when budgets can afford it, I send it out. Brian "Big Bass" Gardner masters nearly everything I do and is really freaking good at it. Check out his discography.
I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU BUT AM NOT SURE I CAN AFFORD IT.
Talk to me and we’ll make it work.
DO YOU MIX “IN THE BOX”? DO YOU HAVE NICE GEAR?
It doesn't matter. You're hiring me for my experience, my taste and my monitoring.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO BREW COFFEE?
This changes and I go through cycles. I alternate between V60, Aeropress, Bee House and Chemex. I use a Baratza Vario grinder. Lately I’ve been drinking coffee from Huckleberry, Corvus and Novo.
¿HABLAS ESPAÑOL?
Un poco. Generalmente yo hablo bastante bien para mezclar y trabajar contigo. Y me encanto música en Español. He grabado y mezclado rock en Español, Norteño/conjunto, salsa y más.
YOU DIDN’T ANSWER MY QUESTION!
Send me an email or let’s talk on the phone. We’ll get it all sorted out.