so, YOU SAY YOUR MIX SUCKS?!

You know the song is slammin’. You can hear it in your head. But what’s coming out of the monitors isn’t matching up.

IT’S NOT YOUR GEAR…YOUR PLUGINS…YOUR ROOM.

It’s a handful of mix decisions that are fighting the song instead of serving it. Fresh ears can hear what you’re missing. That’s where I come in.

THAT’S WHERE I COME IN

Let me give your mix a critical listen. Then we’ll talk about what’s really going on and what it needs to become the bangin’ track you hear in your head.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

Solutions will range from a detailed review with suggested moves to make yourself, me working on your tracks/stems, or a pre-master check to catch issues before you commit. We’ll figure out the right approach for your track.

WHO AM I?

I’m Ema, p.k.a Mthakathi (the “Magic Man”) — musician, producer, and owner/engineer at Ikhaya Studios in Asbury Park, NJ. I’ve spent decades on both sides of the glass: as a world-rock artist/guitarist/songwriter who’s recorded, toured, and collaborated with notable musicians across the US and South Africa, and as the guy behind the console making it all sound right.I work with artists remotely and in-studio, including ongoing collaborations with studios in the US, Europe and South Africa. My ear was built by doing the work — my own work — and investing in learning what it takes to make a recording not just sound good, but feel right.