Dana Nielsen - Record Producer, Mixer, Engineer

Hey Reader! 👋 Quick heads-up on an awesome limited-time freebie from the fine folks at Native Instruments & iZotope: It's a STEAL! Regular price: expensive Even if you already have a hardware meter (I still love my trusty TC Electronic Clarity M), you’ll probably find iZotope Insight 2 incredibly useful. My favorite feature? Offline loudness analysis. I use this all the time—select a mix or master in my DAW, hit Analyze, and poof… you get an accurate, detailed readout of LUFS, True Peak, and...

Hey Reader! Quick heads up: I’m hosting a free, super-casual Home Studio Q&A this Friday at 11am Pacific, and I’d love for you to join me. No sales pitch. Just a fun hang with a bunch of music-makers. 👉 RSVP Here If we haven’t connected in a while — hi! I’m Dana, a Grammy-nominated mixer/producer who loves helping home-studio musicians level-up. I’ve worked with artists like Bob Dylan, Justin Bieber, and The Avett Brothers, and I get a TON of questions about how to make great-sounding records...

Just as I sat down for dinner with my wife and daughter last night, an Instagram notice popped up on my phone: the band Mt. Joy had tagged me in a post. "OMG!" I shouted across the table, startling my family, "The Mt. Joy album just dropped– The one with the song I mixed– In The Middle, featuring Gigi Perez!! And they tagged me in their post!" That's me, @danafrio, right there in the comments 🙋🏻♂️ I was floored. Mt. Joy didn’t just tag everyone—they posted a screenshot of all the credits:...

Hey Reader, Just wanted to drop in with a few juicy updates — whether you’re a plug-in deal-hunter, curious about compression, or someone who’s been asking for a guided mixing course, there’s something in here for you! 🎥 Prefer video? Dive deeper with the video newsletter here! 🎓 Sneak Peek: Music Mix Lab (Coming Soon!) I’m cooking up something new: a guided mixing program called Music MixLAB for artists who mix their own music or freelance engineers looking to level up. We’ll all mix the...

March 6, 2025 Hey Mix Protégés! This Faders Forever newsletter is packed with gems—from a time-saving Mac utility to deep-dive discussions on compression, limiters, and file delivery workflows. Plus, there’s a new forum section dedicated to the Music Biz & Freelance Life where we’re talking career paths, engineer rates, and how to navigate the industry. Let’s dive in! ⏳ A Mac Utility That Saves Me Gobs of Time Batch-renaming files used to be a tedious chore—until I found A Better Finder...

Faders Forever newsletter Hey Reader! We’ve got some exciting updates and community highlights to kick off your weekend, including valuable mix feedback, a replay of our recent compression webinar, and the second part of an in-depth interview on vocal production. Let’s dive in! 🌊 👂Compression by Ear: Webinar Replay Now Available! In this 90-minute webinar, I dive deep into the art of setting compressors by ear, focusing on practical techniques that go beyond just the numbers. This session is...

Faders Forever newsletter Hey Reader, Hope your week's off to a great start! 🕺🏻 We've got some exciting content lined up for you, including a special FREE live event TOMORROW at 11am PDT that you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive into the details! 🌊 👂 Featured Event: How to Dial in Perfect Compression Settings by Ear Join us for an exclusive live Zoom event where I'll walk you through my process for perfect compression settings by ear. This event is free and open to the public, but you’ll need...

Faders Forever newsletter Hey Reader, Happy Wednesday! 🎉 We're back with some of the hottest content from Mix Protégé to keep your creative juices flowing. Check out these highlights and join the conversation with your fellow music producers. Let's dive in! 🌊 🎤 My Top Tips for Mixing Indie Folk Vocals Catch the replay of my recent livestream with singer-songwriter (and fellow Mix Protégé) Cammy Kurtzman. Cammy originally posted her song "Tangible" in our Member Spotlight forum seeking advice...

by Dana Nielsen Hey Reader! Ever wondered how I use reference tracks or manage my mix bus before mastering? 🤔 This week at Mix Protégé, we’ve been unpacking these questions with practical insights and real-world examples. Catch up on these vibrant discussions, member achievements, and the exciting new releases I’ve mixed for The Avett Brothers and Nir Felder. Let's gooooo! 👂How important are reference mixes? This burning question in our Mixing Forum got me all fired up! 🔥 Check out my video...