Kit Taylor

Piano/keyboards/songwriter

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9 Reviews (7 Verified)
Kit Taylor on SoundBetter

Award-winning songwriter, pianist and producer with a solid pocket and beautiful chord structures. Layered and luscious backing vocals. Berklee alum. Strong sense of musicality.

Pianist, singer, songwriter and producer with impeccably high standards. There is far too much mediocrity out there. I will not let anything out the door until it is at the absolute highest level I can presently reach.

My primary offering is rhythm/comp piano and/or rhodes tracks for your tune. A beautifully structured piano/rhodes/DX part can fill out any song and offer a thickness that gives it that radio sound. I also have a thick and rich baritone which I use to create layered stereo backing vocal parts to add to and widen your mix. Songwriting/toplining is a specialty as well. Ariana Grande, Doja Cat, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Ava Max.

Have won or been nominated for 12 songwriting awards thus far, including The John Lennon Songwriting Contest twice, The Independent Music Awards, The Great American Songwriting Contest (six wins), The Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, and The USA Songwriting Competition.

Toured with AWOLNation and Lifehouse, and have worked and learned from Bob Stark (Esperanza Spalding), Jennifer Batten (guitar; Michael Jackson), Mark Barry (3x-platinum selling singer with BBMAK), Craig Carothers (songwriter; Trisha Yearwood), Marv Ross (platinum songwriter; Quarterflash), George Mitchell (keys for Diana Ross), Jon Asher (songwriter; Britney Spears' "Mood Ring") and Cliff Goldmacher (Grammy winner; Keb Mo).

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

9 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client

Endorse Kit Taylor
  1. Review by Danielle H.
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    Not only is Kit a phenomenal musician but he was also an absolute pleasure to work with, and I am in awe of his ability to capture and portray the exact emotions that I was looking for in the piece I wanted. It's just incredible and I am so happy with what I was given. I cannot recommend him enough.

  2. Review by Sylvain J.
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    Kit understood my song. He did no more no less than what the song needed. Even though he is capable of playing really technical stuff like some of the greatest piano players... I gave him a very simple piano line to play on a real acoustic piano.
    It was all about the right intensity and the right feeling at the right moment. And he nailed it! The recording sounded clean with high quality. Also very kind and professional in his conversations. Go ahead and give it a try ;)

  3. Review by NechamaMusic
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    Kit is an amazing musician and really talented at his craft! He patiently did as many revisions as needed, was willing to talk at length about the project and showed so much enthusiasm and heart for what he does and what my goals were for my song. I truly appreciated working with him on the piano for the foundation of my song, and gained a lot from his insights and expertise. I will surely be back for more of whatever he has to offer! I would HIGHLY recommend Kit for any of your musical needs.

  4. Review by Andrew D.
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    Kit delivered a great piano track and applied every specific instruction I gave him. I gave him a demo of a Christmas song, and he made a beautiful piano arrangement in the style of Brad Melhdau. Would love to work with Kit again. It felt like working with a musician, composer, and friend.

  5. Review by Caitlin C.
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    Awesome! Great communication, fast turnaround and a wonderful talent.

  6. Review by Tani P.
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    KIT IS INCREDIBLE!!!! firstly, he's a musical genius, understands not only how to make a song musically interesting, but really how to add the emotional depth to the track. Secondly- he's an incredible guy and all around a pleasure to work with. When he says flawless tracks he means it, he worked extensively to make sure each element was perfectly done until it was perfect. Will definitely be back for more. Cannot recommend enough, you won't be disappointed.

  7. Review by Tabon
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    by Tabon
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    Great vision! Very responsive! 10/10 recommend.

  8. Review by Xavier Lazennby
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    by Xavier Lazennby

    I've been acting as a consultant for Kit for the last year as he moves his career forward. Watched him win two independent music awards in the last year alone, as well as oversee and direct one of the best pop albums I've ever heard. He's also one hell of a piano player. Hopefully this review helps.

  9. Review by Carol Peterson
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    by Carol Peterson

    Hired Kit to write a short jingle for a commercial I'm co-producing. I had heard from a couple folks in town that he was the guy to go to for pop... and he was great! Production sounded great and was catchy as hell too. Just an aside, he's a freakin' amazing pianist and singer too.

Interview with Kit Taylor

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

  2. A: There have been a few. I toured with platinum band AWOLNation for awhile, and have contributed piano tracks to several award winning songs. I sang backup vocals on Christopher James' debut album. He is a former high level exec. at Universal Records. That was pretty cool. I'm still young, and have only recently honed my skills, so I suspect the project that I will be most proud of is still out there.

  3. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  4. A: Several things. I always have a few clients that need piano tracks for their tunes, so that is one of my focuses right now. Other than that, I've been working on my own album since Summer of 2015. Using both my studio and Bob Stark's studio in Portland, OR. Songwriting is what I do in my spare time, and what I would love to do full time someday. I also perform regularly for weddings and high-end corporate events, and have a couple voiceover jobs for commercials in the pipeline.

  5. Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

  6. A: There are several talented dudes on the homepage, no one that I know personally yet, just know of them and their work. The best producer in Oregon is named Bob Stark, and he is my mentor and co-producer on my upcoming album. I will be recommending this site to him as well.

  7. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  8. A: Digital, because I'm 36 and grew up using Vision, then moved on to Logic. All I've ever known is primarily in-the-box plugins. I've used analog compressors, EQ's, and reverb units several times and to my ears, digital is just as good, and much easier and more efficient to use. The emulators now are incredible. That said, there are still times when a saturation effect calls for an analog unit.

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

  10. A: If I work for you, my tracks will be flawless, because I don't settle for anything less.

  11. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  12. A: Freedom of schedule, can wake up at 2AM if I want and work for a few hours before getting a nap in. Can set my own prices, and don't have to report to a boss if I want a bathroom break.

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

  14. A: Do your hands ever get tired? I answer "no, sometimes my brain does though which is when I take a break."

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

  16. A: That pop music is easy to write and produce. I hear musicians on Facebook complain all the time about artists like Taylor Swift, and producers like Dr. Luke. I've been doing music in Portland for over 20 years and the closest I've ever heard to that level of production is my own stuff. Last year I spent 6 months on a single song, trying different lead singers, guitar solos, and different mixing chains. Producers of todays Top 40 are the equivalent of Oscar winning filmmakers. Masters of their craft.

  17. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  18. A: What kind of vibe are you going for? What is your end goal for this song/project? Can I have a reference point for how you want this to sound (i.e artist, song, commercial, etc.)? What is your favorite style of piano music? There are too many questions and too big a possible spectrum of projects to list all the questions.

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

  20. A: Don't always look for the cheapest price. Mediocrity is a plague upon society. Settle for only the best in whatever you do and it will raise the bar for everyone.

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

  22. A: Macbook Pro, Nord Stage EX 2 88 for analog and midi, Manley Gold Condenser Mic, Apollo Audio Interface, and Logic Pro X.

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

  24. A: Started playing piano at 5, wrote my first song and started singing at 12. Got my first paying gig at 17, and started a boy band at 19. Wrote game op music for the Blazers while in college, then helped found a band at 23 and toured the world. Almost got signed by Blue Note Records but the band fell apart. Went solo, improved my piano skills, started getting my name out there, and work picked up. Kept working and improved my mixing and production skills as well, and now I am considering moving to L.A to take it to the next level.

  25. Q: How would you describe your style?

  26. A: Perfectionist, but easy to get along with. I will listen to a track on repeat for hours if necessary just to make sure a single note or line is correct.

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

  28. A: Probably Michael Bolton. I write big beautiful ballads, and I would love to write him a hit song that could refresh his career with the younger crowd. Adele would be second.

  29. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  30. A: Don't be afraid to layer multiple types of the same instrument, specifically drums. Many people (even musicians) hear a song like "Firework" by Katy Perry and think it's just keyboards, drums, and a few tracks of vocals. The dirty secret is that song has around 140-150 tracks. Just the bass drum alone might be 4-5 different bass drums subtly mixed together. That's how modern pop music gets it's thickness.

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

  32. A: Lots of R&B/soul, as folks like my rhodes sounds. I use AIR's Velvet usually, or the built in rhodes sound on the Nord. Lots of pop, since my hook-writing ability fits in well with that style. I can really work on anything though.

  33. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  34. A: Ability on piano (30 years now), followed closely by songwriting.

  35. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  36. A: A big, sexy hook, tight and flawless piano or keys, and beautiful and luscious backing vocals.

  37. Q: What's your typical work process?

  38. A: Depends on the job. If it's piano for a track, then I need either the track, sheet music, or just an idea, to start. Record the track and get it to the client when it's perfect. Same with backing vocals. Many times they have slight tweaks or sound adjustments, so I will re-cut a couple versions for them. The order in which I do things can vary slightly regarding plugins and workflow. I'm very spur of the moment, which enhances my songwriting ability since I think on the fly. But I don't let anything out the door that is sub par.

  39. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  40. A: 27" fully loaded Mac Pro with an Apollo Audio Interface and two Yamaha HS80M Studio Reference Monitors. Nord Stage EX 2 88, Yamaha Motif, multiple other keyboards for sound ideas. Waves Platinum package, Native Instruments Komplete 11, Arturia V-Collection, Antares, Lennar Digital Sylenth 1 and many other plugins. Multiple condenser microphones including a Rode NT-1 and an Audio Technica AT4033.

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

  42. A: Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Sting, Jamiroquai, D'Angelo, Chaka Khan, Michael Bolton, Michael McDonald, Diane Warren, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Dr. Dre, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Joe Satriani, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones just to name a few.

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

  44. A: Piano session work or performances is the most common. I'm a very skilled sight reader and improviser, and one of the most in-demand pianists in the state of Oregon. The second most common hire is background vocals for sessions. I have a very tender baritone, and can create harmonies and layer parts easily. I also write music, primarily adult contemporary, R&B, and pop, so I am often hired to write hooks or choruses. I have done quite a bit of voiceover and mixing work as well, though on a lesser scale than piano/keys or vocals.

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Intervision - "Gravitarium"

I was the Pianist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, songwriter, co-producer in this production

Terms Of Service

- unlimited revisions
- typical 7 day or less turnaround (if you are on a deadline we can work something out)

GenresSounds Like
  • Ariana Grande
  • Ed Sheeran
  • Max Martin
Gear Highlights
  • 27" iMac
  • Yamaha baby grand C1
  • Apollo X8 interface
  • Logic Pro X
  • Nord Piano 5
  • NI S61 MK2 (special edition)
  • multiple MIDI boards
  • Sennheiser e935
  • Telefunken M80
  • Rode NT1A
  • plugins of all shapes and sizes.
More Photos
More Samples
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