Mastering Engineer & Musician

I'm Michael.
I master records, and I'm also a working musician.

I've been mastering for about twenty years — independent artists, film composers, and broadcast work. I still play and record in my own band, which is probably why I care as much as I do about other people's records.

Master your track — $70 Ask me a question
Michael Venia — Mastering Engineer
5,000+
Artists mastered
The musician side
Being a musician shapes how I work with artists.

I'm in a band called Carbon City Lights here on the Central Coast, so I know what it feels like to spend months on a recording and then hand it off to someone else to finish. I know how much it matters to put out your best work, so I care about every record that comes through here.

Recent recognition
Best Rock/Alternative Song — "Sky Blue"
New Times Music Awards 2024 · Carbon City Lights · I mastered it.
Best Live Performance
New Times Music Awards 2024 · Carbon City Lights
Verified mastering credits on Apple Music, Bandcamp & Discogs
Apple Music · Bandcamp · Discogs
5,000+
Artists mastered
20+
Years experience
24–48hr
Typical turnaround
3
Free revisions included
Selected work
Some of the artists and projects I've had the chance to work on.
Film Soundtrack
Brooke & Will Blair
Mastering engineer on Night Stalker, Rebel Ridge, Sweet Virginia, Hold the Dark, and more — verified on Apple Music streaming credits. Most recently, the Idiots (2026) soundtrack.
Hip Hop
Lil B
Mastering work for one of the most prolific and influential independent artists in modern rap — known for pioneering the based music movement and releasing hundreds of projects independently.
Signed Artist
MAKUTA
Brooklyn pop-rock band signed to Timbaland's Anthem-Bluestone label. Mastering for their releases with one of music's most legendary producers.
Hip Hop
Glasses Malone
Mastering engineer for the 2024 mixtape release Fucc Glasses Malone on Blu Division Records.
Netflix Originals
Night Stalker · Rebel Ridge · Hold the Dark
Music mastering for tracks placed across multiple Netflix original productions and films.
Broadcast
The Final Stitch
Full mixing and mastering for a CBS Sports + Showtime short documentary produced by Stillmotion for Super Bowl XLIX.
See all credits ↗
How I work
Careful listening.

Mastering isn't about turning things up. It's the last step before your music goes out — making sure it holds up on earbuds, in a car, through a club system, wherever people actually hear it. I like to know what the song means to you and where it's headed before I start. It's hard to make the right calls without that.

Hybrid analog and digital workflow
An acoustically treated studio with a mix of analog hardware and precision digital tools. The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor and Dangerous BAX EQ alongside FabFilter, iZotope, and UAD. Each tool is there because it serves the music.
Personal from start to finish
You deal with me directly — not a submission form, not an assistant. I'm reachable by text or phone throughout the process, I communicate clearly, and I follow up when your master is ready.
Three revisions, no rush
Every order includes three rounds of revisions. Most clients are happy after the first pass — but I'd rather take the time to get it right than hand over something you're only halfway satisfied with.
Let's work together

Let's hear what your track can sound like.

Send me your mix and I'll have it back in 24–48 hours. It's $70 a track with 3 revisions included, and if you have questions first, just ask.

Master your track — $70 Ask me a question