Dan Overholt on SoundBetter

I'm the son of a Luthier and a Composer from Wichita, KS. Need a composer who will craft a piece of music to fit your vision, then produce it for you using only instruments handcrafted by himself and his father in their home workshop? I'm your man.

I started studying music before he could walk with his parents (an instrument maker and a composer) in Wichita, KS. I studied cello performance through school, culminating in my time in Chicago learning from a student of legendary cellist Janos Starker. I studied composition from his mother starting at a young age, and carried those studies through to the university level.

When I was 12 I fell in love with the Beatles, picked up the guitar and bass, and started a rock band with my friends. I learned music production like many do, from books from the library and internet videos.

Out of school I began teaching and working in the field of digital media, producing films and film scores, composing commissioned orchestral pieces, collaborating and producing with local artists, and founding studio collectives to share and build resources in my community here in Wichita for artists and creatives.

I specialize in strings: composing, playing, producing string instrument content; particularly string quartet, string orchestra, guitar, bass, and solo cello sounds and pieces. I will create organic, lush, vibrant string sounds to fit into your music, film, or sound design project.

I also specialize in direction and production at a high level. If you need a collaborator who will work with you to direct the vision of your project, shoot me a note and let's talk!

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

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Interview with Dan Overholt

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm tracking a hyper-local folk album dedicated to the small neighborhood the artist lives in. We got connected because my studio is also in the neighborhood and they're using 100% neighborhood musicians - it's an awesome concept for an album and it's been amazing to work on!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Have goals for every sound you're trying to create. The received wisdom for tracking guitar might not be how you want YOUR guitar to sound on YOUR record - know what you want and experiment until you get it.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Small music, brought forth by people working for their own passion and joy.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Close listening.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: A long history of multi-disciplinary exploration into music of many genres, an ear for rhythm and harmony, a keen eye for detail, and a love of problem solving.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I like to take a lot of takes, running over and over through songs and parts and just seeing what happens. My favorite thing about the digital era of recording is how limitless it is - you can stack up 100 cellos and make an orchestra without breaking a sweat. I tend to obsess a bit over details, and I like to try and find the last 1% that is the difference between just "ok" and "great."
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My studio is split between my home and the church where I work - at home I have a small cozy space for recording intimate, small sounds, and my church is a big(ish) room that's great for drums and ensembles...as long as a bird doesn't get in the attic and cause a ruckus
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I wish I could download Brittany Howard into my brain like in the Matrix
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Production work, cello performance, and education are the main areas in which I do musical work these days