Audeze interviews producer, engineer and mixer Patrik Majer

Audeze interviews producer, engineer and mixer Patrik Majer

Patrik Majer is a german multi- gold and platinum awarded producer, engineer and mixer. He has moved to Zurich, Switzerland with his Freudenhaus Studio after 25 years in Berlin.
Patrik's career includes posts at such legendary studios as Hansa and Audio Studios in Berlin, as well as Abbey Road and Angel Studios in London. His musical spectrum ranges from Nick Cave to Rosenstolz, from No Angels to Wir sind Helden (for which he won the German ECHO Award for Best Producer in 2006).
Other artists he has worked with include Nina Hagen, Marc Almond, Philipp Boa, Lemonbabies, Drangsal, Tele, Saint Lu and Nosoyo.
With his publishing company as well as his label Freudenhaus Recordings, he has been dedicating himself to artist development for quite some time. In recent months, Patrik has become one of the most sought-after Dolby Atmos mixers.

"The detail is unbeatable with the LCD-5 and I get closer to final mixes so much faster than before."  - Patrik Majer

Here's our chat with Patrik:

Can you pick out any highlights from your work that you're particularly proud of?

I am proud of all the bands and artists I have discovered and built up.
Even though I prefer working as a mixer, helping a new act grow is the most intense but also the most gratifying.

How would you define your main role on most of the projects you work on these days?

Mixer, Dolby Atmos Mixer, Producer, Publisher, Label Owner.

How did you get started in music? What kind of music did you listen to while growing up and how has that progressed?

I started as a musician. Played bass guitar in a band. After school I started as an intern at Hansa Studios and Vielklang Studios in Berlin.
I have followed the classic path from teaboy to engineer.
Growing up with the preferences of my parents, Stones, Queen etc it went on with ELO, The Stranglers and all facets from pop to punk.

Can you name any factors that influenced the course of your musical life? Heroes, role models, moments, interactions, etc?

The early years in the various studios had a great impact on me. The experience of the producers and engineers there was immensely important for me.
Udo Arndt, just to name one, embodied for me the perfection of engineer and producer.
But also the various studio musicians like Peter Weihe, Curt Cress etc. had quite an influence on me.

Can you briefly describe a moment of frustration from your past work, and what you may have done to overcome the obstacles? Would you approach it differently now?

One of my mentors once said, everything I do after 10 hours of work, I do again the next day. I didn't want to believe it at first with my 12 to 14 hour days, but after a few years of experience, I realized how right he was.

Is there any gear you find yourself turning to most when working on a project? What are some of your favorite tools/instruments recently?

Proper monitoring is the most important thing in the studio.
Even if I like my SSL and my whole outboard very much, nothing replaces the right speakers and headphones.
I love my ATC SCM50ASL, so musical and yet so precise.
And I don’t wanna miss my Auratones.

Do you have any words of wisdom for people who might aspire toward a similar path for their own careers?

Never trust your eyes, trust your ears.

How long have you been working with headphones, and how do you typically use them in your workflow?

Headphones have always played only a minor role for me. That was also because I was never really happy with the headphones that were on the market.
That changed when I started listening to the Audeze headphones.
And since I also mix in Dolby Atmos, the headphones are indispensable.

How have your Audeze headphones affected your work?

Since I got the Audeze's, I enjoy working on headphones much more. The detail is unbeatable with the LCD-5 and I get closer to final mixes so much faster than before. The reproduction of the binaural mix in Dolby Atmos also works better than with other headphones.

Can you tell us what you've been working on with them recently?

I'm working with the band Element of Crime right now.
In between, I'm also mixing a lot of songs in Dolby Atmos at the moment.