Session Guitarist & Songwriter

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I released my album 'The Wrecking Joint' on December 5th. I'm particularly proud of this project as I wrote, composed, recorded and mastered the entire thing myself!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working with a couple of local clients to produce podcast/social media intros for their businesses. I'm also working on my third album/EP!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Preferably analogue because I prefer the sound of the room. Practically digital because it's more efficient and easier to work with.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: That they will walk away with a product that makes them smile (or cry tears of joy)!

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: That I have the opportunity to do something I'm genuinely passionate about and to share a little piece of myself with the world.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: How long have you been doing this - playing/writing 15 years, recording/producing 3 years

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: That it's cool! Haha. Just kidding, it is cool, but I don't think people realise that a lot of the job is spent sitting in front of a computer screen rather than playing instruments.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I like to ask clients who they have worked with before (if anyone), as well as what they're hoping to achieve from the project!

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: I think it's really important to work with someone who's style you're actually into, so doing a little research and checking out multiple artists is a great place to start.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: I'd be perfectly happy with an acoustic guitar! But if I had to pick 5 (assuming I didn't have access to power!) - acoustic guitar, foot tambourine, kick drum, glass slide and harmonica.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I have always been incredibly passionate about music, both writing and producing. I have been playing instruments and writing songs for close to 15 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is a fusion of folk, rock, blues and Americana.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Nathaniel Ratelifee, because he is an incredible songwriter.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Keep it simple!

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: My own personal styles include folk, indie-rock and Americana. That being said, I am more than happy to work on music from any and all genres.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Songwriting

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Throughout my years of musical exploration, I have honed in on my own style(s) with regards to vocals, rhythm & lead guitar and songwriting overall. I bring my own unique style into everything I do.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: If I'm working on an original guitar piece, my typical process is to improvise without having anything plugged in initially. Once I have a few pieces that I'm happy with, I hook up either to my amp or directly into Ableton to work on the arrangement in more detail. Depending on the client requirements, I may send them several initial drafts to choose from.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have two guitars (Takemine G Series acoustic // Epiphone Riviera p93), a full drum kit (I'm not a professional drummer but I record for my own tracks), mics and all the necessary equipment to record to a high standard. I run everything through a Scarlett interface into my MacBook Pro. I also have several guitar amps and a selection of pedals (Blues Driver/Loop/Delay/Reverb). I use Ableton for recording & mastering.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: My primary musical inspirations include the likes of Shakey Graves, Ben Howard, Nathaniel Rateliff and The Black Keys.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: I produce original guitar arrangements for podcasts, social media, other musicians and more. I also write original songs for clients and record session compositions, including lead guitar.