Who is Michael Makowski?

I am an experienced music producer, mix and recording expert. I have over a decade of experience on both sides of the microphone, as a published recording artists and as a producer. I have been fortunate enough to win 13 Grammy awards and fully intend to win more!

I am primarily a mix and recording specialist but within the last six years I have expanded my repertoire to include mastering singles, albums and mixtapes. I also have been doing a lot of artist development which I find particularly satisfying.

Music and the musician

I love the entire creative process and like to spend time working on the artist as well as the music. It’s important to me to make the artist feel at home and relaxed. Only when you’re happy can you perform at your best and that’s what we both want.

I have a minor in psychology which I use as much as my audio engineering skills. The one thing people always say about working with me is that the music and the artist comes first, second and always. Creating great music isn’t about me as a producer, it’s about you the artist. That’s the way I always work. I have great ideas but you will never be forced to use them!

A little more about me

I left college early to become a world famous MC. Like most dreamers, it didn’t quite pan out that way but fortune favors the persistent. I fronted JEDI for a while and almost opened for Run DMC before Jam Master Jay was tragically killed, stopping the tour. I then moved to Florida to expand my influences and experience.

I attended FullSail University in North Orlando where I graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Audio Engineering. I moved to New York City and took an internship at Chung King Studios. I worked for free for seven months while holding down a chef’s job to pay the rent. It was there that I was part of a team that has 13 Grammy awards.

Highlights of working at Chung King were many, but a few in particular spring to mind. Working with Tom Soares (Erykah Badu), Brian Stanley (Usher, Chris Brown), Tony Maserati (John Legend, B.I.G., MJB) and Ian Cross ( Janet Jackson, Usher) were just a few of the many high points of my time there.

I was part of a team that produced 13 Grammy-award winning albums:

• Amy Winehouse -Back to Black won 5 Grammys
• Maxwell -Black Summer’s Night won 2 Grammys
• Common – Finding Forever won 1 Grammy
• Usher -Raymond vs. Raymond won 2 Grammys
• John Legend & the Roots -WAKE UP! won 3 Grammys

Besides being in the same room while Amy recorded her vocals, working alongside WILL.I.AM when he wrote and produced “OMG” for USHER were two moments I will never forget!

After leaving Chung King, I worked freelance for a while before landing the chief engineer job at a local studio in NYC. I got involved with Taj Jackson, Lionel Richie “They call it Love”, Eliot Yamin-“Wait for You”, Mario “How Do I Breathe”, Joe” If I was your Man” and Autumn Rowe with Leona Lewis ” Collide”, Alexis Jordan “Happiness” & “Good Girl”, Cher Lloyd’s first single “Swagger Jagger”.

I then moved on to LivinLiveStudios where I got involved with emerging talent. It was here that my love of nurturing stars of the future was born and where I helped blossoming stars such as STORI (Universal Motown) and Amanda Holley (Tommy Boy Records).

I went on to being awarded “Top Service Provider for 2015 with freelance website Thumbtack.com and launched RoyalTmixes.music Inc. RoyalTmixes is my own company and my own vision that builds upon everything I have learned in the previous years.

Contact me today to book studio time, inquire about mixing, recording, mastering or any aspect of music production. I would be more than happy to help!

Gear Rundown

After working for some top class studios and with some amazing artists, I have gathered a collection of pieces that you will find in almost every professional studio anywhere in the world.

I regularly use:

• Antelope 10MX Atomic Clock
• Bowers & Wilkins 805 D3 Diamond Series Speakers

Ask any professional audio engineer or experienced artist about the equipment they like to work. These pieces will either be in their studio or on their wish list. I have been fortunate enough to be able to use this equipment to deliver awesome sounds and will continue to do so into the future.

I use a very portable studio setup using some top quality equipment. To get the best out of an artist, you need the best kit on the market. I have some of that. My portable setup includes a Macbook Pro laptop with 16Gb RAM and a 500GB SSD as my main drive. The CD/DVD Superdrive has been replaced with a 1TB DataDoubler drive to store recordings.

I also use a Thunderbolt-2 Hub, Slate Raven MTi, Antelope 10MX Atomic Clock, Antelope Orion32+ AD/DA convertors, UAD Octo8 Thunderbolt Satellite Ultimate4-83 Plugin bundle box, Bowers and Wilkins Diamond Series 805 D3 Speakers and a Velodyne Sub.

While it isn’t all about the gear, if you have the right equipment and use it in the right way, it can do some amazing things with music. My results speak for themselves!