Craig Bauer

Is a GRAMMY Award-winning mixer, engineer, and music producer. His contributions have been recognized by NARAS consecutively for 14 years and he has been nominated twice for “Album of the Year” for his work on the Kanye West multiplatinum album Late Registration and double platinum follow-up album, Graduation.

A Short History

Craig began his mixing career in 1993 when he opened HINGE studios in Chicago, Illinois. In the early 90’s, Bauer’s clients included many of the top contemporary jazz artists, including; Brian Culbertson, and Dave Koz, and Steve Cole.

In 1997, he began working with an obscure rap group dubbed “The Go Getters”, which included a very young Kanye West. Several of the demos West recorded with Bauer were later built into tracks on the College Dropout album. Bauer later mixed “Heard ‘Em Say”, “Roses”, “Bring Me Down”, “Addiction” and “Late” on Kanye West’s Late Registration Album which was nominated for Album of the Year at the 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2006.

Award Winning Mixer

Craig went on to mix Lupe Fiasco’s debut studio album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, which received four GRAMMY Award nominations at the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards, including a nomination for Best Rap Album. In 2007, Bauer mixed the majority of Fiasco’s second album, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, including the hit single “Superstar” which peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool was nominated in 4 categories at the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards.

In 2008 Craig was again a nominee for Album of the Year for his contributions to Kanye West’s Graduation album. He won a GRAMMY statue that year for mixing the Clark Sisters album Live: One Last Time. 

In addition to GRAMMY nominated works, Craig also mixed the SNL Digital Short Motherlover featuring Justin Timberlake and Andy Samdberg. In 2012, The Live Room on The Warner Sound filmed Ed Sheeran performing 4 songs at HINGE studios, Chicago. Ed Sheeran specifically requested to film with Craig at HINGE as he was a massive fan of the Late Registration album.

In 2014 Bauer relocated HINGE studios to Los Angeles, California and more recently to Denver, Colorado, where he continues to produce and mix major label and independent artist projects in nearly every genre of music.

A Mixer Putting The Song At The Heart

There is an undeniable element present in a Craig Bauer mix. The fundamentals of which are composed of experience, time and skilled music interpretation. Craig’s background as a classically trained pianist, performing guitar player and singer form the foundation of how he approaches a mix, with the integrity for song being the most important aspect.

Always experimenting with the latest innovations, Craig has been an early adopter and early master of the newest technologies in the industry. He is currently mixing on the Avid S6 Control Surface in a Northward Acoustics designed room, one of the most acoustically advanced rooms available today. 

A Mixer With An Enviable Client List

As a mixer he has worked with high-profile artists across multiple genres, including pop, singer-songwriter, electronica, rock, country, jazz, hip-hop, gospel and R&B. 

Past & Present clients include: Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Halo Circus, Justin Young, THE Nghbrs, Anita Wilson, Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, The Clark Sisters, Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Lil’ Kim, Wu-Tang Clan, Da Brat, Brian Culbertson, Richard Marx, 98°, Yolanda Adams, Steve Cole, Dave Koz, Dennis DeYoung, Styx, Donald Lawrence, Destiny’s Child, Public Enemy, Hezekiah Walker and The Smashing Pumpkins.

Craig Bauer Mixes & Production Work

Check out a small selection sound examples of Craig Bauer productions and mixes.

What top names in music say about Craig Bauer

“In this new world where bedrooms are recording studios and laptops are recording devices, the only way anyone can truly compete is by having your project mixed by someone who truly knows and understands what a hit is supposed to sound like. The best thing I can do as a producer is hire the best mixer available. Craig Bauer is always my first choice.”
Matthew Hager - Multi-Platinum Music Producer and Songwriter
Duran Duran, Simply Red, Scott Weiland, Mindi Abair, Mandy Moore, Halo Circus

 "Craig and I met in 1997 at Hinge studios in Chicago. We did some recording and mixing and the results were always as good as it gets. What makes him special is not only his great technical skills but more importantly his musicality. Many engineers know where to put the mic and what gizmos to use but he fully understands the music, the song. This after all is the most important quality in any engineer."
Dennis DeYoung
Founder of STYX

“Craig is a rare shining star in the world of production and mixing. In an era where good enough has so often become an acceptable standard, Craig relentlessly and systematically arrives at much higher vision both sonically and viscerally than you could have even imagined. Oh, and thats EVERY time. World Class.”
Anthony J. Resta
(Elton John, Duran Duran, Collective Soul)

"Always musical and always creative, Craig's mixes are a pleasure to master."
Dave Collins Mastering

“I started working with Craig in 1994 back at the original Hinge Studios in Chicago. I quickly realized how dedicated to his craft he is, always wanting to go the extra mile to get it ‘just right.’ Craig truly believes in the highest sonic quality possible, a virtue lost on so many people these days.”
Brian Culbertson

Mixing, Production, Vocal Recording & Editing