Mic, Mix, Play, Produce, Save

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital recording with analogue front end tools is my preferred method. But if a client has cash, has good musicians, and understands what tracking on tape brings to a session...then hey, i'll track on tape. From an sound engineering point of view there is no debate about quality between tracking on tape or digitally. Digital easily matches/exceeds the frequency range of tape (despite humans only being able to hear between 20Hz and 20khz) without the hiss and degradation of the medium.

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

A: "How long will it take to...?" Also, "My son has a band. Can I book and hour or two to record the group's songs?" I understand and have patience for their naivety. My response is simply a number of questions to clear up what I NEED to know – then an elucidating reply to clear up what they NEED to understand. Some people want to know how to become famous or get a record deal - that's a whole other discussion.

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

A: Avoid people that drop names as a means to entice a relationship. Having the luck to say you worked with a famous person or project is awesome but it does not reflect the details you (the client) needs to know about how a person works and what they know. As to hear samples of what they have done. Talk to people, pick up the phone, shoot them an email, find out if what you want meshes with the vibe they project. Ask hard questions concerning money, work flow, openness, and objectives.

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

A: I've been recording for 30 plus years (since i was a kid). I've always loved the sounds of instruments, voices, and how notes can be arranged to create wonderful melody and harmony combinations. From a young teen I've only wanted to work with the creation of music (as a songwriter, performer, producer and engineer). After High School I jumped into forming a band. The first group was a means to learn how to play in front of people and write songs. The second group was a means to get a deal with a label and start a career. My band landed a deal with Sony/Epic during the great generational change from Boomers to Generation X in the early 90s. I am an X'er and proud of it. I am still making music with my friends to this day. After the Sony experience I signed up as a session guitarist for a band on Mercury Records. I did this for 10 years. I want to stress that during the Sony and Mercury years (and after) i was recording, learning from the best, and doing my "10,000 hrs" in the studio and on stage. I somehow fell into a teaching job at two universities. This prompted me to get an a Degree in Behavioral Science. I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2016. I love learning! Needless to say, everything we learn affects everything we learn. Nuff said.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I listen... and get things done

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring 30 years of experience through discovery, mistakes, hands-on work, love of music, countless varied experiences, passion... and did i say mistakes? I learn and remember. I am a musician with an excellent ear, and excellent feel. I sing, I understand enough music theory to be dangerous, I speak the language of music, I love lyrics, I love recording sounds, I love finding that genuine moment of musical outpouring from individuals. I teach audio at a collegiate level and know what sound is and what it does. I know what all the knobs, dials, faders, and switches do... and if I don't, I'll figure it out. I am encouraging with out being placating. I push without being insensitive. I hate hyperbole and love finding brilliant people who exude creativity.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a studio I work out of but also do freelance work at other studios. I can even track things at my house for an intimate relaxing vibe (I have a Rhodes, Wurly, and Piano at home along with excellent tracking gear. My main space is called Catapult Sound. It is in North Wales Pa, just outside of Philadelphia. It is a well maintained studio with A-list gear owned by good friends that love music as much as I do. The studio has a NeoTek Series IIIC console, lots of well maintained microphones for all situations, excellent outboard gear, many guitar amps, a piano, bass amps, and a couple great drum kits. It's a good vibe with good people.

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

A: There are so many excellent engineers and musicians out there these days. I always hate when people say, "There is no good new music." I tend to enjoy working with down-to-earth people/musicians that just want to express something with a song in an authentic manner (regardless of experience). The music production folks I dig and find inspiring are usually those that know how to record real instruments/sounds/vocals, respect and use dynamic range for the sake of space and power, commit to sounds based on production intuitions, are imaginative, and inherently are transparent to the end product.

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

A: Usually, I am hired to record and mix a single track or a few songs from top to bottom. Within that situation I perform the functions needed to make this happen in the best possible manner, e.g., edit, fix, tune vocals, and play an instrument if needed – all based on time needed and budget set. I am also hired to produce artists. Many times, after working with an artist(s) and establishing a trust in one another, I sometimes fall into the roll of a producer because of my experience and tendency to want to enable the best possibilities for the music we are creating.

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

A: I finished a project with an amazing songwriter from Philadelphia. Her name is Katie Barbato. I was hired as the producer, engineer... and mixed the album. It was a 7 song EP and I loved working on it! The songs were stunning. My job was to not fuck them up and to elevate where needed. I loved the entire process – from Katie sharing cell phone versions of the songs to the final finished Master... it was a beautiful journey.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am writing songs for songwriters, film placement, and corporate mediums. I am also teaching a class in Sound Design at the Wilmington University. I am ALSO awaiting a hot-off-the-presses album mix project I just did that is getting mastered by Kim Rosen at Knack Mastering.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Easy, open, professional, and positive. As a producer I always lean towards serving the song as revealed in the arrangement, performance, recording, and mix. I don't let technology get in the way. Anything stepping on the intent of the song is superfluous. As an engineer I build sounds that work together to sell the song... and try to never say, "I'll fix that later in the mix."

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: 1) Talk to the folks that are hiring me so I can see what is needed, what my roll with be, who will be involved, what the goals are, and what the budget requires. 2) Begin at the set start time, make everyone feel comfortable, and get operational so we can start what needs to be done. 3) Be positive, open, professional, empathetic, and sharp during the session. 4) Be aware of time in an unobtrusive manner so that goals are accomplished in the booked time. 5) End the session with goals met and what the client expects... or better than what they expect. 6) Wrap up, shake hands, give hugs, let them know if they need anything I'll be around, and forge a solid relationship of trust.

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

A: Professionalism, a positive attitude, and respect and care for their endeavor. I will only constructively add to the project.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: That I'm not shingling a roof on a 95 degree summer day. But seriously, I love new experience, new tidbits of learning, and a chance to take part in a creative process that can give joy and allow for an emotional outlet.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I find out what they are hoping to achieve. I can generally get a sense of their experience from a phone call. I talk about money and temporal objectives when the time is right, yet up front. If i'm producing I check out the songs to see what's up. If i'm engineering I find out what style and instrumentation they employ.

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

A: I'll work with anyone that wants to create some music authentically and has some cash to pay for it. I've worked with many people that the masses will never know (or hear of) yet have inspired me though their raw talent, fearless ability to share themselves through music, and ability to connect with an idiot like me who is being blown away as they sing and play their hearts out in the studio environment. These are the people I like working with (and have worked with). With that said, I think if I could work with someone it'd be to experience and learn from engineers and producers I've admired over the years. I'd just sit back and absorb the styles, intuitions, knowledge, and conversations these folks utilize. Here's a few names: Jon Brion, Bob Clearmountain, Nigel Godrich, Andy Wallace, Jeff Lynne, Bob Ludwig, Tchad Blake, Steve Albini, Tom Schick, Joe Barresi, and many more.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Be transparent when needed – and be available and overt when needed.

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

A: Not yet, i have not looked.

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

A: I think the biggest misconception these days (due to the availability of good gear and DAWs) is that people think they can work for a couple hours, pay $50, and get a song that sounds like Nirvana or the Beatles.

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

A: I'd take a water purifier, a loaded tinder box, flares, a net, and a knife

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

A: I generally work with songwriters or bands looking to create a song or an album. But with that said, it is not uncommon for me to record a harp player (not harmonica.. but a harp), master an album, track a live blues band, re-amp electric guitars, or compose music for various visual or corporate mediums.