We were lucky to catch up with Matthew Sim recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Matthew thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

As funny as it may sound, earning a full-time living from creative work requires immense creativity. As a mixer, I had to experiment with different clientele and business models to establish a sustainable income solely from mixing and mastering music. I dedicated years to expanding my client base worldwide and building a healthy ecosystem that offers mixing and mastering services. Additionally, I have streamlined my workflow and started streaming my process to save time and costs, maximizing my profits.

Flexibility is essential for survival in this line of work, especially in the early stages of one’s career. Starting as a runner/intern at The Hit Factory NYC, earning minimum wage, I had to get creative to pay my rent and expenses. Taking on various freelance jobs such as live sound mixing, editing, vocal tuning, production gigs, and musical instrument trading became part of my journey to sustain myself and spend more time in the studio. These experiences accumulated, making me a skilled engineer, producer, and businessman. As my career took off with more credits to my name, I gained the freedom to choose the gigs I wanted and negotiate rates on my own terms. That’s when I truly realized I was making a full-time living from my creative work.

Currently, most of my income comes from mixing and mastering in stereo and Atmos for both indie artists and record labels. However, I have also ventured into finance and investment, allocating a portion of my earnings to real estate, stocks, collectible cars, and luxury watches, aiming for a long term passive income.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Matt Sim, a Grammy-nominated and award-winning mixer/producer (Stereo/Dolby Atmos/360RA), hails from Hong Kong. He embarked on his musical journey after graduating from Berklee College of Music and subsequently made New York City his home. For over a decade, Matt worked as a staff mixer at the renowned Germano Studios/The Hit Factory NYC. Presently, he serves as the in-house Dolby Atmos Music Mixer for Warner Music Asia, and is a pre-approved Dolby Atmos/Sony 360RA Mixer for Universal Music Group and Sony Music on an international scale. Matt Sim has achieved remarkable recognition within the industry, ranking in the top 0.1% of mixing engineers and the top 1% of mastering engineers worldwide, according to Muso.ai.

During his tenure at Germano Studios NYC, Matt engineered for an impressive array of artists including Post Malone, Big Sean, Idina Menzel, Desiigner, Billy Porter, Pusha T, Bette Midler, John Legend, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Thirdstory, Bon Jovi, John Mayer, Nicki Minaj, Ty Dolla $ign, Bettye LaVette, Pentatonix, Joan Jett, Travis Scott, J Balvin, Gucci Mane, John Splithoff, Murda Beatz, Jake Paul, Steve Epstein, Zayn, The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards, Frank Ocean, Mark Ronson, Volbeat, Lil Uzi Vert, J Cole, IAM, Dream Theater, A$AP Ferg, Sheryl Crow, Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Foxx, DJ Mustard, and many others.

As a sought-after freelance mixer, Matt has worked with numerous internationally acclaimed artists, including The Chainsmokers, Illenium, Jon Bellion, X Ambassadors, Hit-Boy, Aya Nakamura, Jackson Wang, A-Lin, Panthepack, Jojo Siwa, G.E.M, BM@Kard, illmind, Karen Mok, Eason Chan, Tia Ray, Thaitanium, Edis, Hua Chenyu, Dee Dee Bridgewater, OBOY, Dayboyway, Dopebwoy, Naezy, Ph-1, Nafla, Changbin (Stray kids), Young Jae, Loopy, Rose Villain, Theo Croker, OSN, Milli, Twopee Southside, Ramengvrl, Benicio Bryant, and many more.

Matt’s contributions extend beyond his mastery as a mixer. In 2017, he co-designed the APS/Germano Acoustic AEON II studio monitor. He has also been featured on the Sennheiser Pro Talk series in 2020 and has received endorsements from industry leaders such as Avid, IK Multimedia, Izotope, Antelope Audio, Blacklion Audio, APS studio monitors, Aria Mastering, Nugen Audio, Sample Magic, and more. Furthermore, he earned certification as an Apple Digital Mastering studio in 2020.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is driven by multiple goals and aspirations. While one of my realistic aims is to achieve financial stability and retire by the age of 40, allowing me to enjoy life to the fullest, I also have numerous artistic goals that motivate me.

Collaborating with a diverse range of talented artists and working on their music is a constant source of excitement and fulfillment. The opportunity to contribute to their artistic journeys and overcome the challenges that come with it is incredibly rewarding.

Additionally, I am ambitious when it comes to receiving Grammy nominations and wins, as well as earning platinum plaques. Although I have already achieved some of these accolades, my hunger for recognition and success remains strong. I firmly believe that the more recognition I receive, the more joy it brings.

Ultimately, my ultimate goal would be to mix an album that has a monumental impact on the culture, much like “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. Creating a timeless classic that stands the test of time and influences future generations would be the pinnacle of my creative aspirations.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative stems from the emotional fulfillment that comes with recognition and validation of our hard work. Whether it’s through award nominations or wins, the acknowledgement of our creations brings deep satisfaction.

Another source of reward is the connection we establish with a diverse audience through our music. Seeing people from different corners of the world resonate with and be moved by our work emphasizes the impact of our artistic endeavors.

Additionally, being part of an artist’s journey, contributing to their growth and witnessing their rise from obscurity to stardom, is an immensely gratifying experience. Seeing their transformation and knowing that we played a role in their success fills us with joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Contact Info:

• Website: mixbymattsim.com
• Instagram: mix_by_matt_sim
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthewsimmusic
• Other: https://soundbetter.com/profiles/7086-matt-sim https://engineears.com/mix_by_matt_sim