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🎧 Featuring: @Noah_Cronin 🎛️ Hosted by: @panorama_mastering
In this episode of LoudAF.Club, Grammy-nominated reggae mixer Noah Cronin joins Nicholas Di Lorenzo to unpack what it really takes to mix reggae at the highest level — from fat, punchy low-end to preserving emotional feel without sacrificing clarity or loudness.
We dive into: - Mixing reggae for both feel and translation - Building trust with artists who self-produce - Navigating demo-itis, revisions, and energy burnout - Touring, mixing, and running a studio — all from Hawaii - Why niching down didn't limit Noah’s career — it expanded it - The philosophies behind breath control, vocal production, and mix taste
Whether you’re an engineer looking to carve out your niche or just love behind-the-scenes insights from some of the best in the game — this one’s for you.
00:00 - Intro: From Hawaii to Grammy Noms 01:10 - How Nicholas and Noah first collaborated 02:21 - Balancing low-end feel vs loudness in reggae 03:59 - When songs are recorded on buses or in hotels 05:09 - What reggae mixes need to feel “right” 06:05 - Choosing feel vs technical perfection 07:13 - Navigating creative trust with artists like Collie Buddz 08:47 - How demo-itis impacts the mix 10:59 - Matching the artist’s headspace before mixing 13:22 - What reggae artists want in their mixes 14:36 - How breaths affect vocal mixing in reggae 15:53 - Vocal breath control trick using RX 17:26 - Mixing philosophy: tools vs taste 18:26 - Why Noah chose to niche into reggae 20:14 - Blending vintage tone with modern techniques 21:16 - Does Noah want to mix other genres too? 22:22 - The global reggae community and its growth 24:23 - Reggae’s emotional universality 25:23 - The emotional role of low-end in mixes 26:47 - Advice for mixers struggling with niching 27:34 - Staying in Hawaii vs moving to LA 29:15 - Bringing high-level mixing to your community 30:53 - What Noah learned from working with new artists 32:31 - Learning from the outside in 33:01 - Noah’s origins as a producer 34:59 - Supporting artists beyond just mixing 36:10 - Building Noah’s website and online presence 37:40 - Balancing studio work, live sound, and touring 39:49 - Saying no: the challenge of scheduling 41:36 - Conserving energy while mixing 43:07 - How many mixes per month Noah does 44:27 - The emotional energy of delivering great mixes 46:33 - Burnout, boundaries, and long-term sustainability 48:00 - Why beginners need to hear more than plugin tips 49:31 - Outro: Collaboration, trust, and gratitude
Aug 12 20251 hr and 9 mins