Session vocalist/musician

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

A: I wrote and produced a record with and for a friend of mine; a talented Christian singer-songwriter named Kerrie Roberts. The record is called "Boundless". I played every instrument, and recorded everything at home but what makes me the most proud is that Kerrie and I really went for it. Lyrically it's got a lot of color and depth and musically, we took it places that CCM doesn't often get to go.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I have an album I'm writing and most likely producing for a band, a solo record, and various vocal/writing projects. Oh, and I have a punk solo project in the works as well.

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

A: Not yet, but I'm hoping to!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I used to have a romanticized view of analog, but there are so many pros to both, it doesn't matter, Tge digital workflow is insane.

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

A: I promise they will get more than they paid for.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like that I get to use my skill set and passion to make a living while working from home. Walking downstairs to have lunch with my wife and kids is a blessing.

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

A: How long will it take, and my answer just depends on schedule.

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

A: That it's not hard work. It's rewarding, but time consuming and tedious at times.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I ask prospective clients what references they have for the song and usually what sort of quirks they want to hear that are specific to the song.

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

A: Hire me! You won't regret it.

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

A: Assuming there is no power on a desert island, I would take my upright piano, acoustic guitar, a notepad, a pen and my Olympus stereo hand held recorder (battery powered).

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

A: I've been singing and playing piano since I was 5 years old. I began my professional career 20 years ago as the singer, writer and pianist of Warner Brothers Recording artist Melee. We had a 12 year run, with some big successes overseas. Now I primarily make a living as a songwriter, singer, producer and worship leader. All in all I have about 30 years of experience.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Piano driven pop rock, drunk on 70's songwriters and 80's panache.

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

A: Damon Albarn from Blur/Gorillaz. I would love for some of his magic to rub off on me.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: The best piece of gear to use is the one you have. Don't let gear or the lack of it get in the way of your creativity.

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

A: Pop, pop-rock, indie/alternative and worship.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skills are singing and writing in a way that draws peoples attention.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: As a writer and a singer, I'm well aware that the lyric and melody are without a doubt, the key component in a song. I try to always approach my writing and singing from a place of expressing an idea emotionally and viscerally. Being genuine is of the utmost importance to me, and I feel that I bring a high level of it to whatever I'm working on.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For vocals, I listen through the song a few times, read through the lyrics and listen to references to get an idea of where it should go. Then I track a full take to get a feel. After that I hit each section of the song, comp and tune and it's done! As a writer, more and more I've been trying to tackle the chorus first and let the rest of the song flow out of that.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio has gone from lazy and fat to trim and lean. I've gotten rid of a lot of unnecessary gear in favor of a less is more approach. My current set up for vocals is either a Mojave MA-200 or a Shure SM7b into a UA Apollo Twin and then into Logic. I have a treated room and an sE Reflexion Filter behind the mic. For keys, I use an array of keyboards including a Korg SV1, Korg Poly800, Novation Bass Station and software instruments from Arturia, XLN Audio, Native Instruments and more.

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

A: I am inspired by genuine artists; those that do what they feel, rather than what the market is doing. Blur is my favorite all time band, although as a singer the Buckleys, Bono's, Mercuries and Flowers of the world inspire me.

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

A: I primarily work as a session vocalist and top line writer (melody and lyric), although more and more I am getting hired to produce tracks as well.