Realphones at Work:
Interview with Composer and Sound Engineer Ricardo Wheelock
Interview with Composer and Sound Engineer Ricardo Wheelock
From Nicaragua to worldwide recognition - Ricardo Wheelock is a composer, producer, mix engineer, and sound engineer. Two-time winner of the Neumann International Mixing Contest, he worked on the soundtrack for an Amazon Prime Video mini-series nominated for Emmy 2023.
"My mixes have never translated better in my life, and I've been doing this for 25 years — that's no joke." - Ricardo Wheelock
"My mixes have never translated better in my life, and I've been doing this for 25 years — that's no joke." - Ricardo Wheelock
Here's our conversation with Ricardo:
Can you pick out any highlights from your work that you're particularly proud of?
Sure! I was the recording engineer for the acclaimed album "grae" by Moses Sumney. I composed and mixed the music for the Amazon Prime mini-series "Good Rivals," which was nominated for the Emmy Awards 2023.
I mixed all the discography of Kris Piña, a new alternative artist from Lebanon who I think is amazing. I also worked with most of the discography of Colombian singer and songwriter Daniela Arredondo, who has, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful voices in Colombia.
The song "Call Me" by bedroom pop band SOAP has reached 10 million streams — that was the first song I ever mixed and mastered in that genre.
How did you get into the industry? What inspired you to pursue mix engineering?
I started as a musician who wanted to learn sound engineering in order to record and produce my own stuff. Over the years, I became more of an engineer and less of a musician.
Mixing became my full-time job during the pandemic. Now I mix for artists from Norway, Iceland, Mexico, Russia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Puerto Rico, United States, Spain, France, Syria, and Lebanon. The diversity of the music I mix is what makes me love this profession — I truly never get bored.
You've won the Neumann International Mixing Contest twice. Did you use Realphones?
Yes, both times I used Realphones. For me, mixing on headphones was a long-time struggle — I tried this for many years, tried many brands, systems, and specialized software.
After many years of trying, I settled with the Audeze MM-500's and Realphones, which got suggested by a Canadian friend and producer. The first time I tried it, I knew there was something special about it. Now I can't mix without it. My mixes have never translated better in my life, and I've been doing this for 25 years — that's no joke.
What was your most memorable session with an artist?
Without doubt, recording for Moses Sumney's "grae" album. It was extremely tiring — many 15-hour sessions in a row!
Moses is the only artist I have ever worked with that is quite ahead of his time. I remember working on a song that I thought was amazing, and after a while he said "erase everything, I will start from scratch." I had to do it, although I didn't want to. In the end, he was right — the new version of that song was way better. The song is now called "Cut Me."
Describe your ideal mix in three words.
Invisible, organic, and emotional.
What's more crucial for success in audio: perfect acoustics or the ability to adapt?
After 25 years in the business, I have only once heard a single studio with near-perfect acoustics, so it's definitely our ability to adapt.
Can headphones replace studio monitors?
Oh yeah, I have been mixing on headphones exclusively for the past 3 years. I would even argue that my mixing combo sounds better than 95% of the mixing studios out there... at least to me it does.
When and why did you start using Realphones?
In 2022, after two years using another known software that always sounded phasey to my ears, a fellow Canadian suggested I should check out Realphones if I wanted to take mixing on headphones seriously. I haven't used anything else since then.
Which Realphones presets are indispensable for you?
For me, the Music Studio I Set C Far Field with a Balanced Studio target rules my world. I have another known Belgian friend who also uses Realphones, and he is constantly asking for updates on my personal preset which I have fine-tuned myself.
Can you pick out any highlights from your work that you're particularly proud of?
Sure! I was the recording engineer for the acclaimed album "grae" by Moses Sumney. I composed and mixed the music for the Amazon Prime mini-series "Good Rivals," which was nominated for the Emmy Awards 2023.
I mixed all the discography of Kris Piña, a new alternative artist from Lebanon who I think is amazing. I also worked with most of the discography of Colombian singer and songwriter Daniela Arredondo, who has, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful voices in Colombia.
The song "Call Me" by bedroom pop band SOAP has reached 10 million streams — that was the first song I ever mixed and mastered in that genre.
How did you get into the industry? What inspired you to pursue mix engineering?
I started as a musician who wanted to learn sound engineering in order to record and produce my own stuff. Over the years, I became more of an engineer and less of a musician.
Mixing became my full-time job during the pandemic. Now I mix for artists from Norway, Iceland, Mexico, Russia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Puerto Rico, United States, Spain, France, Syria, and Lebanon. The diversity of the music I mix is what makes me love this profession — I truly never get bored.
You've won the Neumann International Mixing Contest twice. Did you use Realphones?
Yes, both times I used Realphones. For me, mixing on headphones was a long-time struggle — I tried this for many years, tried many brands, systems, and specialized software.
After many years of trying, I settled with the Audeze MM-500's and Realphones, which got suggested by a Canadian friend and producer. The first time I tried it, I knew there was something special about it. Now I can't mix without it. My mixes have never translated better in my life, and I've been doing this for 25 years — that's no joke.
What was your most memorable session with an artist?
Without doubt, recording for Moses Sumney's "grae" album. It was extremely tiring — many 15-hour sessions in a row!
Moses is the only artist I have ever worked with that is quite ahead of his time. I remember working on a song that I thought was amazing, and after a while he said "erase everything, I will start from scratch." I had to do it, although I didn't want to. In the end, he was right — the new version of that song was way better. The song is now called "Cut Me."
Describe your ideal mix in three words.
Invisible, organic, and emotional.
What's more crucial for success in audio: perfect acoustics or the ability to adapt?
After 25 years in the business, I have only once heard a single studio with near-perfect acoustics, so it's definitely our ability to adapt.
Can headphones replace studio monitors?
Oh yeah, I have been mixing on headphones exclusively for the past 3 years. I would even argue that my mixing combo sounds better than 95% of the mixing studios out there... at least to me it does.
When and why did you start using Realphones?
In 2022, after two years using another known software that always sounded phasey to my ears, a fellow Canadian suggested I should check out Realphones if I wanted to take mixing on headphones seriously. I haven't used anything else since then.
Which Realphones presets are indispensable for you?
For me, the Music Studio I Set C Far Field with a Balanced Studio target rules my world. I have another known Belgian friend who also uses Realphones, and he is constantly asking for updates on my personal preset which I have fine-tuned myself.
Ricardo's Selected Works:
TV Commercial (arrangement, orchestral recording, mixing, mastering):
TV Commercial (arrangement, orchestral recording, mixing, mastering):
Lebanese Artist:
Bedroom Pop Band from Costa Rica:
Girls Band from Mexico:
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