Dave Fortman: Focusing on the Song Above All Else

In this episode of the Master Your Mix podcast, host Mike Indovina sits down with renowned producer and musician Dave Fortman, known for his work with Evanescence, Slipknot, Godsmack, and Ugly Kid Joe. Fortman emphasizes that the foundation of every great record is a strong song, and he dedicates much of his energy to pre-production—rewriting arrangements, trimming excessive sections, and restructuring songs before entering the studio. He shares real-world examples, such as transforming Evanescence’s 'Bathory Sainthood' from a six-minute epic into a tighter, more impactful track, earning him the nickname 'the song butcher.' Fortman also discusses his meticulous guitar tone process, using dual mics neck-and-neck on amps, baffled cabinets, and multiple amp setups to achieve rich, non-muddy heavy tones. He advocates for studying modern music and reference tracks to stay current, while still appreciating the emotional power of real drum recordings. Ultimately, he believes a great mix is one where the song moves the listener, and the mix is complete when no further changes feel necessary.