Dereck Blackburn is a recording engineer, mixer, and producer based near Boston, where he runs his private studio, Quiethouse Recording. His work spans recording, mixing, and mastering, as well as podcast and audiobook production. Notable artists he has worked with include Imogen Heap, Dead to Fall, Chainlacing, Ship Burial, Lincoln Durham, Sidewave, Mint Green, and Crippling Alcoholism, among many others.
A voting member of the Recording Academy, Dereck serves on its Producers & Engineers Wing committee and is a GRAMMY U mentor. He has been nominated multiple years for Producer of the Year and Studio Engineer of the Year at the Boston Music Awards and New England Music Awards.
He co-founded the Audio Builders Workshop, has served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Boston Audio Engineering Society, and runs a mentorship program each April and October focused on elevating minority and queer voices in audio and music.
Testimonials
Mary Dumont (Roser) –”Dereck keeps sessions fun yet disciplined, listens deeply to “vibe”-level feedback, and makes my band feel like his top priority from tracking to final master.”
Wyn Doran (Wyn and the White Light) – “Dereck is the most responsive pro I’ve met; his mastering took our album to the next level and I’d hire him again instantly.”"
Muhammed Seven – “Dereck provided excellent mastering and help with issues at the pressing plant, you can stop looking and hire him today.”
Kiara Oliver – “Dereck is my personal mastering engineer. I appreciate his fast turnarounds, hassle-free revisions, and genuine enthusiasm for my music.”
Kevin Kline (Valleyheart) – “Dereck is a rare mix of top-tier quality engineer and openly generous with his time; feedback is honest, culturally sensitive, and always pushes the music forward.”
Ryan Breen (Lucy Spacehead) – “Working with Dereck is the best experience I've ever had with an audio engineer. He quickly produced incredible results - mastering my album in a few days - and provided thoughtful feedback and revisions when asked.”
Quentin Moyer (True Faith) – “Dereck was actively involved in the creative process but not intrusive, which always made the demands of studio tracking much more enjoyable.”
Phil Golyshko – “He really listened to my ideas and was willing do whatever it took until I was happy with the final product. Listen to our record and notice the depth, clarity and low-end punchiness. A lot of the material I track and mix on my own and his knowledge and expertise has always been invaluable to me.”
Meira / Jo Strogatz – “Songs simply sound different when it has Dereck's touch. Dereck has mastered four songs for me, and each one has come out sounding even better than I imagined. Not only that, but he is also considerate, professional, and reliable – something that can be hard to find in the music industry. Working with Dereck has always been such an easy, positive experience.”
Zach Page (Husbands / Candlepin Records) – “I have been a loyal client of Quiethouse Recording for the past 7 years and I couldn't be more pleased with the service and professionalism I have received over the years. The studio has always been welcoming and accommodating to my needs as a musician.”
John Snyder (Ember Wreath / Electronic Audio Experiments) – “Dereck is a warm, highly competent engineer who seamlessly wrangled two years of stems into a cohesive new record. Really happy with the results!”
Eric Blomster – “I reached out to Dereck for critique while mixing an album I was having trouble finishing. Had a lot of self doubt about the quality and felt trapped in a bubble. Upon sending tracks to Dereck he quickly responded with detailed invaluable advice, critiques were constructive and honest. He was able to find technical issues with my drum mix which was something I couldn’t recognize until I muted all other tracks. Impressive! Dereck didn’t just tell me what needed to be fixed but also gave detailed examples of what he thought worked and related the sounds and mixes to other artists and songs. This helped a lot with perspective. Working with him is an inspiring experience and I know I can always count on him when I get stuck.”
June Isenhart (Recording Engineer) – “It was really wonderful getting to take part in Dereck’s mentorship program. Dereck is knowledgeable and patient, always willing to explain any aspect of engineering, artistry, or business to the best of his ability. The fact that he is willing to take time out of his day for 8 weeks to talk to somebody new in the industry should tell you whatever you need to know – Dereck cares about helping to build the kind of scene we all want to be a part of, starting by giving a helping hand to audio engineers from all walks of life trying to break into an intimidating and arcane career. Dereck is now a friend, one that I am still bothering with audio questions, and I can easily recommend his mentorship program to anybody who is interested without caveat.”
Michael Cataldo (Recording Engineer) – "Speaking with Dereck, over the last eight weeks has been drastically beneficial for me. Dereck has helped me by providing a magnitude of insights and knowledge on how to be the best producer I can be and have a successful business recording, mixing, and mastering music. Dereck is a kind, intelligent, and thoughtful mentor who has provided an environment that has helped me get into the right mindset and attitude to advance my career. This mentorship has made a monumental improvement to my mental health and provided affirmation that I can succeed."
Emma Newton (Producer / Engineer) – "Not only is Dereck a deeply knowledgeable and talented audio engineer, he is also a kind soul who cares immensely about the audio and music community in New England and beyond. In the 2023 Mentorship program, I’ve learned a blend of technical advice about engineering, artistic advice, and how important it is to connect with my community. We talked drum recording hacks, building a clientele, business tips, how to make a living doing what you love, DIY audio building, and helping New England’s music scene become more welcoming and diverse. Dereck takes great care to include folks historically left out of the audio industry and invest in their success, and I’m thankful for his advocacy."
Someone you can trust to help make the final decisions
A record that translates
Earbuds, car speakers, a laptop, a club PA, a turntable. Same record, everywhere it plays.
Ears with no attachment
I am removed from the hours and hours you’ve spent tweaking. Fresh ears let you know whats working, and what needs attention.
A first version in days
3–5 day mixing and mastering turnaround. I work quickly and collaboratively with you and your team.
Every format you need
Streaming, vinyl and cassette pre-masters, DDP with ISRC, stems, and instrumentals ready to ship.
Mixing
Remote mixing for artists and labels who want an outside perspective. My background is deep in indie rock; especially shoegaze, dream pop, and dense atmospheric guitar music - but the approach is always song-first: what does this track need, and what's in its way?
— Fresh ears and a defined point of view
— Revisions are never a problem
— Stems and printed mix delivered ready for master
Mastering
The final shape and weight of your record. Full digital masters optimized for streaming, plus vinyl and cassette pre-masters cut for the format. If you're chasing editorial placement, I know what those masters need to do.
— Apple Digital Masters certified provider
— Vinyl & cassette pre-masters
— Stem mastering & DDP with CD-Text + ISRC
— Alt masters: clean, instrumental, acapella
| Artist | Services | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Bear | Mastering | Americana |
| Adam Wolf | Mixing | Americana |
| After Argument | Mastering | Rock |
| Airlift | Mixing, Mastering | Rock |
| Angi Holvig | Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Bikethrasher | Tracking, Mixing, Mastering | Rock |
| Black Hatch | Mastering | Punk |
| Brad Breeck | Production, Mastering | Composer |
| Carsick Cars | Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Chainlacing | Mixing, Production | Dungeon Dream Pop |
| Charming Arson | Production, Mixing | Rock |
| Colours | Mastering | Rock |
| Crablord | Production, Mixing | Punk |
| Crippling Alcoholism | Mastering | Dark Goth |
| Crone Visions | Mastering | Dark Goth |
| Crown of Birches | Mastering | Americana |
| Dalton Moon | Production, Mastering | Rock |
| Daphne Blue Underworld | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Dead to Fall | Recording, Engineering | Metalcore |
| Death by Lions | Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Death Defier | Mastering | Hardcore |
| Death Pesos | Mixing, Mastering | Rock |
| Divi | Production | Singer-Songwriter |
| DKNTL | Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Doom Lagoon | Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Duck Island | Mastering | Punk |
| Einstein | Mixing, Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Eliza Howells | Production | Singer-Songwriter |
| Ember Wreath | Production, Mastering | Ambient |
| Emily Edrosa | Production | Indie Rock |
| Emily Quinn | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Eric Gordon | Mastering | Dance |
| Faces in the Fire | Mastering | Metal |
| God Horse Boxer | Production, Mixing | Rock |
| Graveyard of the Atlantic | Tracking, Mixing, Mastering | Rock |
| Hawthorn | Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Hedgehog | Mastering | Punk |
| Holy Gifts | Mastering | Indie Rock |
| House of Hara | Mastering | Americana |
| Husbands | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Slowcore |
| Idle Pilot | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Imogen Heap | Remixing | Singer-Songwriter |
| INSECTA | Mixing | Hardcore |
| Josh Tarp | Mastering | Americana |
| Kamen Ross | Mixing, Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Kiara Oliver | Mastering | Rock |
| KIPSY | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Rock |
| Knife Tricks | Production, Mixing | Rock |
| Kyr Grace | Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Le Couteau | Mixing | Rock |
| Lewis Morris | Mastering | Hip-Hop |
| Lincoln Durham | Production, Mixing | Americana |
| Long Stares | Production, Mixing | Indie Rock |
| Loopy Bang | Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Lost Dog | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Lover of Eve | Mixing, Mastering | Rock |
| Lucy Spacehead | Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Lurid Purple Flowers | Vocal Production | Rock |
| Luxury Deathtrap | Production, Mixing | Rock |
| M7 and the Spring | Mastering | Americana |
| Maddie Lam | Production | Singer-Songwriter |
| Meira (Jo Strogatz) | Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Memory Lame | Production, Mixing | Punk |
| Michael Becze | Mastering | Ambient |
| Mint Green | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Miss Bones | Mixing | Americana |
| mMoron | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Moulettes | Mixing | Indie Rock |
| Mr. Airplane Man | Live Recording | Rock |
| Mr. Twin Sister | Mixing | Indie Rock |
| Nate Meads | Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Neverless.am | Production | Rock |
| Plumes | Mastering | Americana |
| Quinn Sullivan | Mastering | Blues |
| Redwood Sleeper | Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Rogozo | Mixing, Mastering | J-Pop |
| Roland High Life | Production, Mixing | Rock |
| RoseR | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Rock |
| Sarah Grella | Production | Singer-Songwriter |
| See You At Rogers | Mastering | Rock |
| Shiner | Mastering | Rock |
| Ship Burial | Production, Mixing, Mastering, Drums | Shoegaze |
| Sidewave | Mixing, Mastering | Space Rock |
| Slim Volume | Mastering | Americana |
| Subsist | Mixing, Mastering | Metalcore |
| The Bell and the Hammer | Mastering | Rock |
| The Doldrums | Mastering | Punk |
| The Gemtones | Mastering | Rock |
| The Only Things | Mastering | Punk |
| The Ransom | Mastering | Indie Rock |
| The Reputation | Digital Transfer, Mastering | Emo |
| The True Faith | Production, Mixing | Dark Goth |
| TIFFY | Recording, Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Tunneling | Production, Mixing | Rock |
| Ursonaut | Mastering | Rock |
| Windmills | Production, Mixing, Mastering | Indie Rock |
| Wyn & the White Light | Mastering | Americana |
| Zaid Khan | Mastering | Singer-Songwriter |
| Zoe Firn | Production, Mixing | Singer-Songwriter |
| Quadvium | Mastering | Progressive Rock |
