Roy Recklies is a mastering engineer whose work sits at the final, often most sensitive, stage of music production — where emotion, loudness, translation, and trust come together to shape the finished sound of a song.
The Interview
Introduction
Q: For people who don’t know your work yet: how would you describe what you do as a mastering engineer, beyond the purely technical explanation?
Roy: I try to figure out what matters most to the artist in their work. Many people can create a technically flawless master. It also has to resonate emotionally.
Q: Your work begins when a song already feels almost finished. What still excites you about entering the process at this very late stage?
Roy: I find it exciting to bring a fresh pair of ears to the project. I might notice things that slipped through the cracks during production. But sometimes I don’t lift a finger. I think it’s important to be able to take a back seat and support the production.
Mastering as Dialogue
Q: When you receive a mix, do you see your role mainly as refining and enhancing what is already there — or do you sometimes enter into a deeper dialogue with the artist or label about the production itself?
Roy: The most fun part is, of course, being able to take a mix straight to the next level. But sometimes I also seek out dialogue to ensure the production sounds its best. My clients often produce on the tour bus, and in those situations, a programmed kick drum might sound too long, or certain frequencies might not come through clearly. That’s when I step in.
Q: Are artists and labels usually open to feedback from the mastering perspective? For example, are there moments when you say: “Mastering can help, but the real solution is still in the mix, arrangement, or production”?
Roy: Absolutely. I think mastering starts with feedback, not at the mixing console. Many of my clients are very happy with this service.
Q: How important is trust between artist and mastering engineer? Does an artist need to let go a little for the final master to really work?
Roy: That’s an interesting question. I was just talking to a client the other day about when a producer needs to let go — especially today, in an era of endless revisions. I have clients who completely hand over the wheel, and others who often go back into production — even weeks later — to swap out sounds. I think the most important thing is that the artist can connect emotionally with the master in the end. Whether the whole thing has a bit more of a high-end feel or not is completely secondary. They usually trust me most in the typical bass range. You usually only hear that properly in a good control room.
Creative Approach
Q: Mastering is often described as a technical final step. But how much of your work is actually about strengthening the emotional impact of a song?
Roy: I usually look at the mix, and even the smallest adjustments to the master can give the track a completely different impact. Whether it’s just lowering the pre-chorus so the chorus hits harder, or opening up the low-mid and bass ranges, which gives the track a new sense of three-dimensionality. So I’m always striking a balance between what’s technically necessary for a medium and what I can do to make the track simply work better.
Q: When you listen to the emotion of a track, what are you listening for? Is it dynamics, warmth, depth, transients, space, energy, balance, or something more intuitive?
Roy: That’s exactly it. But I try to trust my instincts. Sometimes a track doesn’t need any more space, or maybe you don’t want to pick up on every little detail. The charm often lies in something that is a little “technically inferior.” I think that’s why we all love vintage gear.
Q: What options do you have in mastering to support the emotional intention of a song without changing its identity or pushing it into something it is not?
Roy: Sometimes frequencies can also connect with, for example, the lyrics of a song. Should a song titled “Schlummern ist gesund” by Samuel Breuer have harsh “s” sounds and high mids? Or should the track sink into a soft bass pillow with gentle transients?
Q: Where is the line between making a song translate better and interfering too much with the artist’s original vision?
Roy: You’re doing too much when the track loses its groove and feel. I’d rather have a house track that’s a little too thick than one that doesn’t make my foot tap along anymore.
Loudness, Dynamics & Feeling
Q: How has your relationship with loudness changed over the years? Do you feel the conversation around loudness, dynamics, and streaming has become healthier?
Roy: No, it’s the same. There are genres and record labels that want -5 to -6 LUFS, while others place more emphasis on impact and storytelling.
Q: What can happen emotionally when a song is pushed too hard — when it becomes loud, but loses depth, movement, or feeling?
Roy: I think every song has its own sweet spot where it still feels good. As soon as we cross that line, we lose groove and clarity. From that point on, I often find tracks hard to follow and can’t really connect with them anymore.
Q: Are there moments when a master does not need to become louder or more impressive, but rather more open, honest, or natural?
Roy: Absolutely. But of course, that depends entirely on the genre and vibe of the track. A punk record, for example, thrives on loudness, distortion, and energy, whereas your music, for instance, would completely lose its charm if you pushed it too far.
Listening & Perspective
Q: Many artists spend so much time with their own music that they lose perspective. What do you often hear immediately from the outside that the artist may no longer notice?
Roy: Too much bass. Upper mids that are too harsh. A pre-master that has gone off the rails.
Q: What does “good listening” mean to you? Is it mainly experience, technical knowledge, room acoustics, or also a form of empathy?
Roy: I think it’s a mix of everything. Of course, a studio needs to have great acoustics and monitors so I can trust my decisions. But I think getting a feel for the track is just as important. I listen to a lot of different music and try to figure out what makes those mixes and masters special to me, and I hope that these listening habits will help me assist my clients.
From Silence to Sound – Creative Identity
Q: I often explore how personal decisions shape a musician’s signature sound. From your perspective, how much of a song’s identity is already fixed in the production — and how much can still be shaped in mastering?
Roy: Its identity is already fully formed. I’m just trying to strengthen it.
Q: You work across many different genres and formats. How do you avoid putting the same mastering aesthetic onto everything, and instead find out what each song truly needs?
Roy: I listen to a lot of different genres in my free time, too. I try to respect the unique characteristics of each genre and not impose my own style on them.
Closing
Q: What do you wish more artists, producers, and mixing engineers understood before sending a track to mastering?
Roy: Less is more.
Q: When is a song truly finished for you?
Roy: When I can lose myself in it.
Q: Finally, what keeps mastering exciting for you after working on so many different songs and productions?
Roy: Music is always different. Every day presents me with new challenges, and I’m always excited to see what I’ll encounter.