Audeze sits down with producer and songwriter Patrick Collier

Patrick Collier is an Atlanta-based Producer, Songwriter, Mixing Engineer, and Studio Owner. He's worked with Carly Rae Jepsen, Trey Songz, Kate Pierson, and many others.

"The LCD-Xs manage to identify certain nuances that might be overlooked in even the finest studio settings." - Patrick Collier

Here's our chat with Patrick:

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

When I think of things I’m proud of in my career I don’t stress the accolades and status. I'm always chasing a feeling of love and joy for my craft and helping artists. The friendships and family built throughout my career are what are important to me, but don't get it twisted I'm aiming for hits always.

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

These days I find myself in the position of more of an executive producer and songwriter. When I first started my career my mentor would see the songs through to completion and I was more of a beatmaker or producer in training.

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

My journey in music creation started from two different paths. I’ve always found myself singing and spent a lot of time in my youth being a vocalist and choir for fun. Second, as a job and hobby, I would DJ weddings and parties and got into music production to create tracks for moments throughout the night that I could play that were exclusive. Those two skills have progressed into pretty much what I am today and I feel like I lean on those two studies of the art. Since I was DJing I had to be informed about all genres of music so I found myself liking a bit of everything.

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

I think I owe it to the house I was raised in and how supportive my family was of my musical career and interests. I was always encouraged to apply 100% and see-through where this path and music would take me. Attending Hampton University allowed me to build so crucial relationships that got me into the business. My mentor Christopher Henderson attended a few years before me and spent time teaching me how to monetize my talent and become valuable in the business. I also spent a lot of time working with Dallas Austin and being able to shadow him for several years taught me how to understand producing and Songwriting on a deeper level to where you understood what the labels demanded of you as a professional.

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?

I used to get frustrated with the music production process when it switched from being very producer driven and a producer having the responsibility of delivering something amazing. I’ve had to come to realize that this new industry that is mainly artist focused now and supporting the artist in some ways is more important than a producer putting his or her foot down for the best product.

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

Creative ideas and a fast computer are the most valuable parts of the studio now. These new M1 MacBook Pro‘s are so powerful that it’s hard to think of anything else that creates as much of an impact in the studio as the computing power today. You almost have endless possibilities when you open up Ableton and start sorting through ideas. When I first started it was all about having the dope as keyboard or drum machines.

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

Some words of advice I would have for someone starting a career and music is to figure out a way to make yourself so valuable to a team or organization that you create opportunities for yourself. If you come in with skills that are so strong you will eventually find a door that swings open for you to apply yourself and make a difference.

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

When I’m stationary in my studio I use headphones for the last 15 to 20% of my mix just to check the translation and also placement of vocals and instruments. I’ve also mastered an EP that I produced mixed on headphones and a pair of Yamaha speakers while I was traveling.

How have your Audeze headphones affected your work?

Initially, my intention was to incorporate the LCD-Xs only into my travel routine. However, after using them, I discovered their indispensable role in my everyday workflow. The LCD-Xs manage to identify certain nuances that might be overlooked in even the finest studio settings.

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

I've been working on several projects using the LCD-X headphones and Apogee Duet 3 interface, as I frequently travel among Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Miami. These headphones serve as a reliable reference point, offering a consistent listening experience. Currently, I'm producing and mixing an EP for two artists, Bridge and Jordan Bolch, and also mixing another upcoming EP for Blake and Miles using these headphones.