I have been an enthusiast and fan of metal and the art of producing metal for a long time. There is nothing better than picking a producers brain to see a mix or production through their eyes. Sharing ideas and techniques with one another is something that I truly value and find unique in the production community.

Ermin from Systematic productions is one of the great guys in this community willing to share his knowledge and ideas. Many of you may know him from the Andy Sneap forum as “Ermz” or as the author of the “The Systematic Mixing Guide.” I have admired Ermin’s work and effort he has given to help the metal production community for a long time now. I find it flattering the amount of effort he gives back to aspiring producers. I recently contacted Ermin to gain some insight into his productions and techniques. The full interview can be found below.

Fletch: How long have you been producing and how did you get involved in it?

Ermin: I’ve been producing since 2005. I got involved in it accidentally through playing guitar quite a lot as a teenager and getting to that inevitable phase where I wanted to record my performances. Wondering why all my recordings sounded so terrible was what sent me down the engineering and production rabbit hole. After that it was a snowball effect, starting to analyze production as the delivery mechanism of a record, wondering why I vibed with certain records and didn’t with others, when most musical factors between them were equivalent. Turned out that production played a much greater role in a listener’s acceptance of a CD than I knew, and it was something I became quite interested in.

Fletch: How or where would you say you learned most of what you know?

Ermin: It would be a combination of scouring the internet for information, mixed with trial and error in person. It was a good system because you’d pack yourself full of information and tips, apply them, see which stuck, see which to discard, and move on from there. It’s a great platform for growth as an engineer.

I absolutely have to plug the Andy Sneap forum, as without it I’d very likely not be doing this full time. The wealth of information about engineering on there is unsurpassed, as far as I’m aware. The place has forged a number of very good producers over the years, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the man himself freely offering his own techniques. I hope to continue that spirit of transparency in the audio industry, dispelling the ‘hidden tricks’ and elitism, equipping people with the tools and letting their own ability set them apart from others.

Fletch: Give us a brief overview of your studio

Ermin: My studio is a essentially project set-up in my house. It’s very bare bones and makeshift in nature, effectively only being a mixing and DI tracking room. I’m still very much a freelance engineer, and I take the project to whichever facility it needs to go in order to achieve the best results.

The set-up is fairly run-of-the-mill, aside from being one of the few producers around who isn’t an Apple user.

The centerpiece of my studio has to be the Event Opals, which are a set of monitors I fell in love with the moment I heard them. From there we have some RME ADI-8 converters, Millennia Origin, GSSL, 1176 A & D, Distressor, Overstayers, DBX160, PSA-1 etc.

Recently been on an amp collection binge, and we’ve now got a Marshall JVM, Peavey 6505, Laboga Mr Hector, ENGL Blackmore and a Dual Rectifier. Tons of pedals and all the usual junk to go with!

Fletch: You recently released a book titled “The Systematic Mixing Guide.”  What inspired this?

Ermin: The need to give back to the community and offer engineers a good reference handbook to accompany their mixing exploits. It was something dearly missing when I was learning to mix, so I tried to funnel all my needs and desires from that period, combined with my accumulated knowledge to create the most direct, practical mixing handbook I could conceive.

It was very vital for me to do this now, as the industry is rapidly being encroached on by short-cut methodologies, and ‘quick fix’ tools. My desire is to see solid, core engineering knowledge pass through the mainstream, so that artists and engineers alike will actually think about what they’re doing, and not just blindly slap on magic black boxes onto their work and call it ‘good enough’.

Fletch: Can you give us an overview of what’s included in the book?

Ermin: You’ve got 10 chapters, starting from basics such as session layout, gain structure, compressor and EQ basics, all through the instruments you might encounter in an average pop/rock/metal song, and finishing off with some global mixing tips and musings.

It is not the longest book you’ll ever read, and that’s entirely intentional. The whole mindset behind it was to trim the fat and give you the most direct, practical information to grow as a mix engineer. If, for instance, you have a mix going on where you’re fairly happy with most of the balances, but the bass guitar is giving you grief, then you can easily jump to the bass chapter and get immediate advice on how to tackle your problem. The same holds true for most other instruments.

Fletch: How much influence do you have on the creative process of an album when a band brings in their material?

Ermin: It depends how keen the band are on going through the pre-production process. For some projects I’m happy to just confine myself to the role of engineer, only pulling out production and musical advice when needed. For other projects, particularly the ones I feel connected to as a listener, I will go in depth and tackle the construction of the songs with the bands. We’ll generally run through some demos, and I’ll write down a list of points which describe elements of those songs I feel work, and others which don’t work. We take it from there until we’re happy, and then start building the record, piece by piece.

Fletch: The role of the producer is so vague now days.  What role do you take on as a producer?

Ermin: The word ‘producer’ these days seems to characterize the archetypal owner/operator who is engineer, producer, assistant, manager, admin and janitor all rolled into one. I’m no different!

The original definition for producer has been diluted a lot over the years, but if you trace it back you’ll find it generally describes the person who holds the creative control on a project, who makes sure all the deadlines match up, and gets the best product made, with both creative and technical visions in mind.

Fletch: How would you describe one of your sessions?

Ermin: Like a night out on the piss, except a hell of a lot more productive.

Fletch: What band or album have you produced that you are most proud of the outcome?

Ermin: That’s always a tough one – it’s the same as asking a parent which child is their favourite. I’ve done a number of CDs, many of which I’m proud of for varying reasons. So long as I have fond memories of the process, and feel like we overcome our hurdles then any record will hold a special place in my heart.

Fletch: What do you think is the most important part of good sounding metal mix?

Ermin: Energy. A lot of engineers get caught up in the balancing act, trying to make sure that every element is as clean and clear as possible, not realizing that in the process they may be thinning and sucking the life out of every track. A ‘perfect’ mix is rarely the one that listeners connect to the most. What they want to hear is an energy that complements the music itself, whether most of them realize it or not.

Fletch: How do you approach getting a good guitar sound?

Ermin: From the source. With guitar there really is no substitute. You’ve either got a killer player with a killer rig, or you’ve got nothing. There are too many variables which can go utterly south on guitar to compound them by getting things within your own control wrong. It’s definitely all about getting the basics right – muting technique, tuning, aggression, pick angle and location etc. From there the rest usually sorts itself out.

Fletch: How many guitar tracks do you typically record (quad track, double track, etc.) ?

Ermin: Usually double tracks, possibly with quad tracked choruses if the music welcomes it. I’d like to quad-track more CDs through and through, but I don’t think either I or my clients have the sanity reserves for it.

Fletch: Do you always record a DI for reamping later?

Ermin: I do.

Fletch: Tuning can be a real issue with guitars how do you manage to constantly keep the guitars in tune?

Ermin: By tuning them – constantly. When recording chordal sections, we’ll usually tune each chord to itself, record then move on to the next chord. For fast, aggressive parts we drop the strings flatter so that the initial pitch spike doesn’t make them sharp. The rest is mostly down to instrument quality and playing technique. You have to be really pedantic and stick with it, constantly telling yourself that the end result will make the effort worthwhile. If it doesn’t feel like you’re pulling teeth all the way through the process, odds are you aren’t tracking intently enough!

Fletch: What are your favorite amp/cabinet setups in the studio?

Ermin: The one set-up which has to work for more modern metal projects than any other in existence must be the Peavey 6505/6505+ into a Mesa Boogie Rectifier Standard cabinet. It’ll get you where you’re going 90% of the time.

Having said that, I love what all my amps add to the right projects. I’m always up for experimenting, and will try as many options as possible before committing to the ‘safe’ route.

Fletch: I notice that drums are my favorite part of all your mixes, how do you manage to get such a powerful sound from the drums?

Ermin: Much like electronic producers I do a lot of sample stacking on kicks and snares in order to maximize their punch. I like to have the samples do the majority of the EQ work for me, so that I can minimize my processing and get to where I’m going quicker.

Beyond that it’s just a matter of really mastering one’s approach with equalizers and compressors. Drums have many interacting elements, so it takes a lot of foresight and perspective to know what you want to emphasize from each track. Having that flexibility, however, allows you to craft some pretty unique and expressive sounds.

Fletch: In your book you mention having three tracks for bass with separate processing.  Can you give us a brief overview why you like this technique?

Ermin: Flexibility. This way you’re able to get your distortion, grit and low-end in proportion without needing to take out an equalizer. You’re controlling the innate balance of the bass sound with your faders. It also helps keep your low-end intact, as you aren’t adding unnecessary harmonics and mud down there.

Fletch: Do you handle every part of the production process from start to finish?

Ermin: I certainly like to, but it’s not always possible. Many bands these days want to track most of their CD themselves and get me involved in the mix only, which can really bring its own set of challenges.

I sometimes outsource editing if the budget or schedule is really tight, and I always suggest that a band source 3rd party, professional mastering for the CD. While I’m perfectly capable of mastering projects myself, the outside perspective can really help bring the project to light.

Fletch: If a band is coming to you to record what do recommend them having ready to enter the studio?

Ermin: Everything written in this checklist: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/285689/Systematic%20Productions/studio_checklist.pdf

Fletch: So what do you have coming up for the rest of 2012?

Ermin: Several CDs, and hopefully a lot of Diablo III playing!

The nearest release is the Knightmare debut album, which we’ll be wrapping the mix for in a few days. We’ve worked really, really, really hard at this one, and the music is something very special. In fact it’s the most challenging mix I’ve done in my life, simply because there is so much going on musically. I’m very keen to see how the scene reacts to something so fresh, intense and different.

There are a number of other CDs on the line for bands such as Untruth, Vanishing Point, Pandorum, Harlott, xXXx, Rising Storm, Dialysis, Mason, Naberus, Eye of the Enemy, Lazarus Mode and we’re even in preliminary talks for the next Orpheus record. If our schedules line up, I may even get involved again on Ola’s upcoming Feared record, but nothing there is set in stone.

Fletch: Now that you have one book under your belt do you think you will ever release another book or something outside of producing music?

Ermin: At the moment I’m considering the viability of following up the book with some video tutorials, linked to the subject matter of each chapter. It would be an accompaniment of sorts.

Beyond that I’m thinking that a ‘Systematic Recording Guide’ may be warranted down the track. Far, far down the track.

Fletch: How can people get in contact with you?

Ermin: They can find a contact e-mail on our official site at: www.systematicproductions.com

Furthermore they can stay in touch with any developments on the official Systematic Productions Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Systematic-Productions/123065227758305

Fletch: Anything you want to plug?

Ermin: If you’re interested in grabbing the Systematic Mixing Guide, it can be had here: http://www.systematicproductions.com/mixing-guide.htm

If you’re after the best resource for producing metal music on the web, hit up the Andy Sneap forum at: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/andy-sneap-151/

Thanks for your time and interest. All the best in your mixing adventures!

End Interview

If you haven’t had a chance be sure to check out the The Systematic Mixing Guide.  It has a ton of valuable information to help you along the way.  We look forward to hearing from Ermin in the future.

-Fletch-