Classical Guitar and more!

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

A: Laptop, audio interface, large diaphragm condenser mic my main luthier built classical concert guitar and depending on my mood on the day; a steel strung electric or my other luthier built classical concert guitar.

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

A: I did my first studio session in the early 2000's. Much of what I did never came anywhere near the record. I did however learn a lot, and my subsequent session have gone way better! The majority of my career has however been made up of teaching and live work.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: The way I play any kind of music is greatly influenced by my classical training. I rely heavily on the dogma of "tone is in the fingers". If it doesn't sound good, it's on me! Having good gear helps, though.

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

A: Sting! His use of nylon strung guitars as a central part of some of his best songs through his career warms the heart of an aficionado like me. Oh. And he's one of the greatest songwriters ever.

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

A: I self produced a double album with the solo guitar works of Heitor Villa-Lobos, which has been featured on national classical music radio.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: That it never gets boring! Every day I learn something new about my guitars, myself and music.

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

A: Give as much detail on your vision as possible! I follow direction well, and can easily inject my own personality and musicaility into even the most detailed playing instructions. Actually I can't help it!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Doing a great take takes way less time than trying to fix a mediocre one in editing and/ or mixing!

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

A: Any given day usually takes me around the world and up and down through history at least once, musically speaking. I count myself lucky to continually work on such a broad varity of music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: The ability to immerse myself into a piece of music and make it my favourite piece ever - for at least the period I am working on it.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Big ears. The push-and-pull rythm sensitivity of a classical musician, when it adds to the song. My experience as an arranger and conductor has also given me a good sense of when to play to be heard in the mix, and when to play to blend in.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I prefer to live with a song for a few days before starting to record - listening, trying out ideas on my living room guitar if I hear something while spending time with my two boys and my better half. Sometimes I even chart out my more eleborate ideas; writing them down often reveals to me whether or not they are as good as I thought.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work out of a room in a converted garage - all my mics and preferred instruments are within easy reach, so I can move between practising, arranging and recording with ease and fluidity.

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

A: Add flavor with guitars - primarily nylon strung.