Session Guitarist

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

A: I produced an EP for a well-known drag queen from Ru Paul's Drag Race. I've watched the queen perform the songs live, and seeing the audience roar over music I produced is incredibly rewarding.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Doing a note-for-note recreation of an old Vinnie Moore song, and putting together a live "shred" show comprised of 90s guitar hero covers (plus one original).

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

A: I have my "baby", the guitar I've had nearly my entire life. Probably just it. Since I can have 4 other things, I would take a couple other instruments.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Guitar Shredder lol. Yep... I'm one of those guys. I play very fast and very articulate guitar, but without sacrificing feel.

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

A: Dimmu Borgir LOL! Their live shows with a full orchestra, choir, and that female singer, look like the most fun you could possibly have on stage. I LOVE the epicness of those live shows. I live for high impact like that!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Hmmm... Not sure I'm the guy for music production tips. Record guitar direct and reamp later. Spend time editing drum velocities. It makes a huge difference in "humanizing" drum loops. To that end, drag drum loops into a track lane and analyze the velocities in the piano roll. It gives great insight into how to edit your own programmed drum velocities.

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

A: For clients... whatever they want. For myself... I have gone back to my roots (like my bio says) and am focused on the fast "guitar shreddy" stuff. Some people mock or make fun of it, and... that's my superpower on the instrument. I wish instead that I cranked out albums like Devin Townsend. But I don't. I play amazing guitar.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Guitar playing. Above all other things. It is at a mastery level. Also transcribing. I have great ears for detail. I started transcribing some pretty detailed stuff as a teenager. As such--and perhaps oddly--I can things like make amazing replications of tracks, and even drum parts.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Business sense and great guitar playing and tone. I have spent most of my life in business (for better and for worse). I "get" what business-minded music producers think and are trying to achieve: Is the product that is getting created the appropriate product for the intended demographic? If you're just in it for fun, then that's a different agenda. As for guitar, I have always been known for amazing tone. I have great ears and know what I'm looking for.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Depends on the project. For guitar work, I prefer to record through a direct box and reamp. This gives the most possible options for myself or the client. For an entire track, I typically throw together some rough rhythm tracks and scratch vocals. Then I'll get deep into drum programming, then guitars and bass, then keys and percussion last. Once the backing track is complete, I'll do final vocals.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Currently, my studio setup is paired down and minimalist. I have a wall of guitars behind me (quite literally guitars hanging on "slat wall", like in a music store), my Rivera half stack to the side of that, with a microphone setup 100% of the time. I go into either an Avalon 737, or first into a UA Solo 610 then into the Avalon, then into an Apogee Rosetta for high-end AD/DA conversion. I have 2x 24" monitors in front of me with a 56" TV above, and reference monitors to the side. I have studio lighting and a Shure SM7B on a desk clamp; basically a "broadcast" setup. I use Radial reamp boxes for reamping, when necesarry. When creating a song from scratch, I use drum sample libraries, then live track everything else. I prefer to play keyboards and adjust for any errors, rather than program keyboard parts, but it ultimately depends what I'm recording.

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

A: Davin Townsend. That man has released something like over 40 albums. When you look at the history of music, very few artists (even the most famous and legendary) have hit those numbers. I have been fortunate to meet him several times, and he has releasing music down to a science. I wish I pumped out music like he does.

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

A: Either recording a guitar track, reamping, or occasionally producing a full song for another artist.