Howard Willing (Smashing Pumpkins, Doves, Ok Go)
Howard ‘The Bear’ Willing is a Grammy-winning producer, mixer, and engineer who has worked with artists such as The Chicks, Gavin Degraw, Stevie Nicks, Tupac Shakur, Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick, Ok Go, Counting Crows, Sheryl Crow, The Wallflowers, Kris Kristofferson, Snoop Dog, Sara Bareilles, and Macy Gray. He’s been a collaborator with the Smashing Pumpkins, and frontman Billy Corgan, for decades.
Having mixed and produced so many songs over the past few years, how do you stay fresh and excited about making music every day?
I approach every day with the idea that my job is to do my best to make an artist, the producer, and the label (if there is one) happy. I remind myself that I only have to live with this project for a short time but the artist has to be able to look back in 20 years and be satisfied.
Tell us about your current studio setup.
Right now, I’m using Pro Tools and Logic, PMC twotwo 8’s for monitoring, and have a quasi hybrid thing. My outboard choices are simple because I love all the options that ITB plugs offer. That said, I have some Chandler REDD preamps, Retro Sta-Levels, Maag EQs, Chandler RS 124’s, Inward Connections compressors, Overstayer, Spectrasonics, Standard Audio, Capi EQ and Pres, pedals, and a few other esoteric pieces for fun.
How do you typically approach a mix: what's your process for setting it up? How often are you making big editing decisions in your mixing?
Typically, a mix for me begins with prep and clean-up, and while that’s happening, I’m listening to the rough mix. Once that is done, I get a general balance and see if I need to do any augmentation or fixing and then I’ll just start mixing. I don’t really have a template, though I do have routing and effects that I start with.
As far as editing is concerned, my position is that the artist and producer have given me what they want mixed. I’ll usually have a discussion about how far they want me to take things and if they are comfortable with me doing edits, muting, or moving things around that may make the song build or groove better.
Tell us a little about how the mixing work comes to you these days.
A lot of it for me is word of mouth or connections from A&R at a label. My only suggestion or comment for people coming up is to go out and see live music and meet bands and artists. This is a people business and being friendly goes a long way.
What's one piece of advice you can pass on to aspiring mixers and producers looking to get better at their craft?
Listen to music. Don’t stop. Listen to music that you love, but especially to music that is outside your scope, outside of what you record, produce, or mix. Really pay attention to how different genres put things together, such as balances and effects used. My second piece of advice is to ask questions - then listen.