As an artist/engineer who has done two stints on major labels and had my records mastered by the top names in the business, I can say with some authority that John is the bomb. It’s one thing for him to say he’s not cookie-cutter — this is eminently true — but he also brings the gear and the ears necessary to make that description truly impactful. He worked hard with us over several days to get it right, to solve problems that I honestly thought were unsolvable (with several unrecallable, pre-mastered mixes) and to forge our album into a coherent whole. He went above and beyond my expectations and even my hopes. 

His masters are, first and foremost, transparent. They don’t twist the mixes. And he brings tremendous care and skill towards the paradoxical job of a mastering engineer:  bringing out the best in all of the individual song mixes while melding them into a single listening stream. He turns a bunch of short stories into a fat, warm novel, at a fraction of the cost of a big name. 

Paul Durham - Black Lab

Everything sounds fantastic - It’s magic, what you do!

(Capitan) Robert Brown - Abney Park

Holy s**tballs - It sounds great! Looking forward to working with you again!

Don Graham - Tyranny of Hours

John is the only mastering engineer I trust with my clients projects. He always does the best job.

Jason Walsh - Farview Recording

Just that one little tweak. Everything else sounds great.

Tony Buenger - Guest House Studios (Jess Meuse, Carissa Lee, Jessie Lynn,
Zack Daniels, Vernon Rust, Federal Expression, etc.)

Hey - Anyone can post just the great sounding pull-quotes… But sometimes, “everything else sounds great” is just the ticket. :-)

I've been trying to write a few sentences that you could use as needed, and I'm still struggling to put things into words. You should know we were both speechless hearing the mastered version (Lullabies, Loves Songs, and Laments). I wish every musician could experience this feeling.

Your work is just extraordinary. Thank you for treating our music with the same respect as we do...again, the tracks just sound phenomenal. I have few to no words to thank you for this.

Valentine Wolfe

Your handiwork is once again in the Grammy® first round... Best Folk Album and Best Rock Album. Thanks so much for always making us sound even better.

Soona Songs (Independent record label)

You’re my hero.

Dave Rudolf — Grammy® nominated singer / songwriter

I only know maybe a half dozen truly exceptional mastering engineers — and John is three of them.

Bill Karambelas - Chicago Broadcast (Paul Harvey, Chicago
Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, Notre Dame Football, etc.)

HELL yeah! This sh*t sounds great!!!

Russell Craig

[John is] the only mastering engineer for four states in any direction who is worth a darn. Don't tell anyone I said that.

Name withheld by request

Exactly what we are after.

R. Jardine

You always just get it right.

Mike O’Brien - Lucko Sound Studio

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