Shaping Soundscapes: Kauner Michael’s Approach to Modern Audio Production
At Rareform Audio, we take pride in celebrating transformative figures in the audio production world. Today, we turn our spotlight to Kauner Michael, the Audio Producer-Lead at Super Hi-Fi—a company pushing the boundaries of modern radio technology.
Redefining Audio Production
Before taking on his current role at Super Hi-Fi, Kauner honed his skills as an Audio Production Engineer. This early phase saw him collaborating with creative teams on music curation and executing quality control for audio assets, reviewing them from both technical and creative standpoints.
Since joining Super Hi-Fi in mid-2022, Kauner has been pivotal in evolving how we experience audio. Starting his journey with a love for music and sound design as a teenager, he navigated roles in lives sound and digital media, gaining valuable insights along the way. This unique background gave him the expertise that’s helped shape his successful career in audio production.
Kauner’s Work on “You Only Live Once”
In addition to his groundbreaking work, Kauner completed the audio mix for a standout project—Land Artist Jim Denevan Crafts a Monumental Testament to Adventure. Part of Lexus’s You Only Live Once campaign with Artnet, this project showcases the all-new 2024 Lexus GX in an exhilarating video featuring renowned artist Jim Denevan.
This captivating video captures Denevan carving an enormous number “1” into the desert landscape of Harper Lake, California, using the Lexus GX as his brush. Stretching 1,500 feet across the dry lakebed, the piece is a meditation on the fleeting nature of life, with the colossal “1” symbolizing the singular opportunity we all have to shape our lives as we choose.
Kauner’s role in the project went far beyond traditional music mixing. The post-production soundscape demanded meticulous synchronization between the visuals and sound design. One of the unique challenges was matching the sound of a gardening hoe being pulled from the trunk of the Lexus with its visual movement on screen. The sound’s tonality needed to shift seamlessly as it transitioned from the trunk to the carpet. This level of precision is essential in post-production audio, where every sound effect must not only match the action on screen but also work harmoniously with dialogue and music.
The result? A rich, immersive mix that balances the natural sounds of the desert, the mechanical hum of the Lexus GX, and the artistic vision of Jim Denevan—all while keeping the viewer fully engaged in the experience.
Insights from Kauner Michael
We had the chance to talk with Kauner and dive into his journey, the exciting projects he’s working on, and his advice for aspiring audio engineers who want to make their mark.
RA: Can you share the story of how you first got started in Audio Engineering and what inspired you to pursue a career in mixing?
KM: I got my start in audio engineering while in college in 2017. I was three years into finishing a Quantitative Biology degree, on the pre-med track, when I had a change of heart. I had already been working toward a music minor, and had decided to start looking for opportunities to break into the creative world professionally. I found a job on my college campus as a stagehand, and from that opportunity, found my way into live sound and theatrical sound design. I quickly fell in love with audio, and was shortly thereafter promoted to Audio Department Head, overseeing all things audio for all five performing arts venues on my college campus. I absolutely loved my work, but wanted to expand my career into studio recording and music production. In late 2019, I attended Berklee College of Music to obtain my Master’s Degree in Music Production, Technology, and Innovation. I felt that the program would help fill some important gaps in my knowledge in order to transition from live sound to studio sound.
I moved to LA in the summer of 2020 following graduation, and started looking for recording studios to intern at. I wanted to get into recording studios as soon as possible. After about 2-3 months of reaching out to various studios, I finally got a bite at Westlake Recording Studios to become an intern. I was promoted to a full-time Runner about 2 weeks after that, and then eventually ended up becoming the Senior Studio Runner a little less than a year later. I had started to work in the tech shop as well as assist where needed, but I came across an opportunity to assist a mix engineer, and left Westlake to do that in late 2021. While assisting my mentor, I slowly worked on building up my own clientele, and eventually I became busy enough with several clients that it made sense for me to go fully independent.
RA: How did you get involved with Radio Production & Engineering, and how did you become Lead Audio Producer at a radio production company? What were the main challenges and big moments for you?
KM: In my career as a freelance mix engineer, the breadth of my work has expanded. I have been blessed with opportunities to work in two major veins of the music industry - music production and radio production. About two years ago, I began providing audio production and engineering services to a radio production company. Although the source materials that constitute a radio program are slightly different than those of music production, the fundamentals of production are largely the same. Both music and radio aim to tell a story, to capture a feeling, or to reflect on our experiences. While there were challenges with working in a new medium, I was able to adapt my skillset and incorporate my own musical flair. I have since started working full time with my client to continue to support their mission to produce incredible listening experiences.
RA: How has AI changed the way you do audio production and radio work?
KM: There is quite a lot of noise, hype, and fear surrounding AI these days, especially generative AI. That being said, it will be quite some time (if ever) before Skynet takes over. In the meantime, AI has drastically improved the efficiency of my production work, mainly in the form of AI-assisted plugins. For years, engineers have battled microphone bleed, degraded/poor quality audio, and a myriad of other issues in their efforts to provide pristine audio to listeners. In just the past few years, plugins like Accentize's dxRevive and Logic Pro 11’s Stem Splitter have emerged in the music production marketplace, employing AI to restore degraded dialogue recordings and separate songs into their constituent stems, respectively. Both of these tools, in conjunction with others, have saved me (and others) thousands of dollars in re-recording, and hundreds of hours in editing, mixing, and mastering.
RA: Could you walk us through your typical process when mixing a song? What steps do you take from the initial listening to the final mix?
KM: The overall steps I take to mix a song are as follows: session prep, ear warmup, first listen, "rough-in", car/AirPods check, touch-up, print, and lastly, mix delivery to my client.
Session prep is typically performed by my assistant engineer, Syd Tagle, who combs through all of the multitrack files and the rough mix, confirms that all of the elements are identical between the two, and sets the session files up according to my mix template. Once that is complete, I listen to 5-6 of my favorite songs to cleanse my hearing palate. I’ll then put my computer monitor to sleep, and listen to the rough mix in full, to get a sense of what is working great, and what needs to be “remodeled”. I’ll then perform what I affectionately refer to as the “rough-in”, where I’ll set rough levels and panning, apply processing and FX, and apply any surgical repair where needed (see Accentize dxRevive above). I’ll then listen to the current mix in my car and AirPods, where I’ll get brutally honest feedback as to whether the mix is cohesive. With my notes from the car and AirPods, I’ll return to the mix, make any final adjustments, and write level and plugin automation. From there, I’ll print and listen to the mix, and then deliver it to my client.
RA: Can you discuss a particular track or project that stand out as a defining moment in your career? What made it significant for you?
KM: While the majority of my mixing work is music, I recently completed a post-production mix for a Lexus x Artnet commercial. Crafting a mix to match content on screen is a new and unique challenge I have developed an affinity for, and hope to do more of in the future.
RA: What are some common mistakes you see less experienced mixing engineers make, and how can they be avoided?
KM: Many young mix engineers, myself included, make the mistake of over-processing, or “overcooking” a mix. We live in an age of media production with infinite choice of plugins and software. This has enabled and perpetuated decision paralysis, which in turn leads to what I refer to as “circular mixing” - the mix is never quite finished, and is over-processed beyond recognition. To avoid this death spiral, limit your toolset (plugins), and learn them inside and out. Once you’ve mastered your toolkit, mix with intention. Ask yourself, “what am I trying to do here?” Identify a problem (the vocals are muffled like they have a blanket over them) and pick a tool for the job (EQ to add highs and remove low mids).
RA: How important is creativity in your job, especially when you have to balance it with the technical side of things and AI tools?
KM: The technical aspect of my work is the means by which I achieve creativity. As a mix engineer, it is my responsibility to understand the technical, in order to translate the intention of the artist to the recording medium. The gap between technical and artistic is bridged by creativity, which is why it is of the utmost importance to me.
RA: What do you think the future holds for radio and digital media platforms? How do you see the industry changing in the next few years?
KM: While the decline of radio and physical media in the 2000s/2010s is often pointed to as a signpost of a dying (or dead) music industry, I see monumental opportunity in the digital media landscape. The film & television streaming bubble is in-process of bursting, and a window of opportunity appears to be emerging for small and independent film distributors. I predict a similar change taking place in radio and music streaming - the story of the media industry, like many other industries, is one of boom and bust. Consumers continue to sour to the subscription-based economy, and I foresee a resurgence of physical media, as well as the advent of alternative streaming models.
RA: For the track "Jealousy", what were the key challenges and highlights in mixing that track?
KM: Jealousy was challenging in that it is a feature. Mixing a feature is always a challenge, because you need to present both artists in their own unique ways, while maintaining their cohesion as part of the overall song. The song’s energy also evolves drastically from section to section, which also posed a unique challenge in getting the mix to transition cleanly without “feeling” it. The highlight for me in mixing this song was both artists' and the producer’s satisfaction with the mix. My clients’ satisfaction is my North Star.
RA: Looking back at your career, what advice would you give to aspiring mixing engineers who want to make a mark in the industry?
KM: Stay true to yourself, know your worth, and enjoy the journey - the music industry can quickly become a rat race of social climbing and burnout. The key to a sustainable career in mixing and engineering is to treat it like a marathon. Rest, take time off, and make sure you’re contributing regularly to your savings and to your retirement account!
Looking Toward the Future
Kauner Michael's innovative approach and deep understanding of sound production have positioned him as a key player in shaping the future of audio technology. His ability to blend creativity with technical expertise ensures that Super Hi-Fi continues to lead in delivering seamless, premium listening experiences. For aspiring audio professionals, Kauner’s journey is a testament to the impact of passion, collaboration, and continuous learning. At Rareform Audio, we look forward to seeing how he continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in the audio world.
Let’s Collaborate!
Need help building the tone for your production? Hit us up – the Rareform Audio team would love to help you create the perfect soundtrack that speaks to your audience and enhances the power of your visual storytelling to new heights!
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