Martin Cooke (death Cab For Cutie, Sea Wolf, Chvrches)

Texas native Martin Cooke got his start at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Between 2013 and 2018, he engineered for legendary producer and mixer Rich Costey, working on songs for artists such as HAIM, Phantogram, Chvrches, and Foster The People. Now working as an independent engineer, mixer, and producer, Cooke’s credits include Death Cab for Cutie (Grammy Nomination in 2015), Of Monsters And Men, At The Drive-In, Kimbra, Sea Wolf, and Cathedrals.

Tell us about your current studio setup.

My studio is based around a hybrid setup using a Shadow Hills Equinox summing mixer and select outboard gear featuring UA 1176, Distessor, Magic Death Eye, and Overstayer Audio with ATC monitors. I primarily work in Pro Tools and use all kinds of plugins including UAD, Waves, FabFilter, as well as many boutique brands.

Having worked on so many songs over the past few years, how do you stay fresh and excited about making music these days?

I find the best way to stay fresh when working on music is to try at least one new technique in every production or mix I do. It may not work out in the end but sometimes the path you take will lead you to an even better idea.

How do you typically approach the mixing of a song.

I typically approach a mix from one of two angles: an enhancer or a producer, depending on the client's needs. Typically the client tells me that they either love where they are at with their mix, they just want it bigger and more exciting, which would be the enhancer's job to do. Or they need the mix to transform from where it currently is into something new, which would be the producer's job.

If I am sent specific references, I'll A/B for general sonics and feel. But I try not to do too much comparison as each production is unique in its own way and it can be easy to get tunnel vision if you're constantly comparing to others. The song and production should guide you naturally.