Composer, Songwriter

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

A: "No Exit" for Speaking Ring Theater in Chicago (2002). I composed a score a recorded a quartet of two violins, a cello, and a piano (with a flute on one cue) and mixed it to be in surround, around the audience viewing the show inside the walls of the actor's "cell". The music and sound effects would move around six audio locations as they played in the room, causing a bit of unnerving feeling of moving in their seat.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A musical of my own inception and a concert classical piece inspired by the very unfortunate but deliberate practice of the US government detaining families and separating children from parents

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

A: Not yet, I'll get back to that

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital - freedom. Changes can be made, things can be adjusted. And in film/TV/Gaming that is extremely important.

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

A: I promise to "Do my best not to suck". We may not be on the page to start but I will work my hardest to be sure we end there.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The ability to be mostly free with my creativity. Use my need to produce something artistic to tell stories and bring enjoyment to others.

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

A: Can this sound like *blank*? I(it) can, but is that what we want for sure? Let's try and find our voice for this, if it falls into the world or realm of the original request, that is likely a bonus.

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

A: I'm unknown and therefore, unproven. Which is a dangerous circular problem of not getting attention or recognition for consideration, due to the lack of proof.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your "REAL" timeline? What is you end game? What's the Budget?

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

A: Don't let location get you hung up... There are tools out that can make it seem like we are sitting next to each other and working in the same room.

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

A: Loaded Laptop, 61+ key Midi-Control Keyboard, Guitar, solar power generator, wi-fi satalite

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

A: I began my artist journey as a ballet dancer at the age of six. I progressed into a professional dancer with the Grand Rapids Ballet and Joffrey Ballet. In the formative time of life, I joined plays and musicals when the ballet schedule would allow, sand in school choirs, picked up the guitar, taught myself basic piano. I went to college as a double major in Music and Theater at Loyola University - had some hard times and took a school break, whilst still reading and researching music theory and theater techniques as much as possible. In the "break" I score a short film, some theater, and one feature. I returned to songwriting, then back to college, this time with Berklee College of Music, picked up a Banjo, a Mandolin, a Ukulele, a new piano and keyboard, practiced piano a lot more often while studying high level composition and theory at Berklee and learning how to write music for film, TV and games. Currently, I'm constantly in search of media project I can help with my music.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Flashy orchestra, combined with simplicity. It's not minimalism, but it isn't punch you in the face melodrama.

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

A: Michale Giacchino- he is the "Guy" right now in film music. He is quickly filling in the shoesd of John Williams and Hans Zimmer

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't over produce of overload the orchestration/arrangement. Let the point/story come through.

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

A: Ensemble to Orchestral Film music and musical theater to rock to singer songwriter songs

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Aside from high level knowledge of music theory and writing it is understanding the beats and needs of a score and scene. Following the Narrative to produce an amazing story and fill in the subconscious levels for the audience.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I prefer to examine the story through Script and footage if available, write down and record my initial reactions. Then I research the appropriate history, locale, cultural influences. Initial themes get written, harmonic progressions and tonal beds. When putting audio to picture it is greatly helpful to have the final edited footage to avoid shiftsx in audio and tone of the scene.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Professional studio, MacBook Pro (top of the line), Custom Built Windows Rig, in my home. Sterling Microphones, M-Audio Midi control keyboard, M-Audio BX8 monitors, Steinberg UR I/O. DAW Software - ProTools, Logic, Reaper, Reason Composition Software - Sibelius Ultimate Virtual Sounds - Full East/West Composer Cloud, Heavyocity, Natural Forces and Gravity, Native Instruments Kontakt 5, UVI Prepared Piano, Logic Core Sounds, AvidAir, Reason Core Sounds

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

A: Ramin Djawadi, Alan Menken, Lin Manuel Miranda, Alex Lacamore, Pasek and Paul

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

A: Film and gaming scores... Loops for mobile games, trailer music, short films, feature films, score narrative film and TV and games.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: A full pallette of orchestration and arranging, as well as the basics of chords structure and melody.