Audio Professional/Music Maker

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Young rapper in Atlanta called "Astrognaut." IG: @astrognaut We've done about 10 songs, and he's got more he's working on.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Neither is better than the other. Using the correct tool to convey your message is the important part.

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

A: I'll do the best job I can. I never sandbag. I never say "well, that's good enough."

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The moment when you know you have something special.

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

A: More people are interested in being criminals than they are in committing crimes. The same is true of this world. I don't want to be a criminal, I want to commit crimes. I don't want to be a music maker, I want to make music.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What were you feeling when you made this song? How do you want the listener to feel when they hear it? Can I try something real quick?

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

A: I will push you to take risks, but I will never force the issue. I have lots of wild ideas, but this is YOUR music. I want you to be happy with it. I want you to succeed.

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

A: A boat.

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

A: I'm 39 as of now. First paid gig as a drummer at 17. First time in a real studio the same year. Many bar gigs, house parties, DIY festivals. Audio school. Producing independent artists in Atlanta. Touring with Zac Brown Band. Mentored by real-deal industry pros. Side gigs. 2 Super Bowl gigs (no audio, doing production stuff, mostly logistics) Left the road. LiveNation gigs in Atlanta. Mixing gigs in Atlanta. Teaching at audio school.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I'm a musical bartender. You order the drinks, I make the drinks. I make them as delicious as possible.

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

A: I would like to work with Lil Uzi Vert. I appreciate artists that take risks and have surprises. Ski Mask the Slump God is another rapper I appreciate. His rapping is like drum line to me. On the more guitar side, Paulbearer is amazing and I'd love to see what we'd create. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard has my favorite band name of all time and I love the contrast of the heavy sound with the angelic vocals. All the other ones are dead. Prince...dead. David Bowie...dead. Ebo Taylor...dead. Elliott Smith...dead.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: If you want to write a hit, you need a melody that is strong without any production tricks. It should get stuck in your head just playing it on piano.

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

A: If I'm being honest, which ever type of music is signing the check. It really doesn't matter to me. I understand the conventions of all the major genres, so I can work within any space.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I am obsessed with music. I have been since I was 11 years old. This is the only job I've ever wanted.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I approach music production as adding to the narrative. Production decisions should elevate the story being told or the message being conveyed. That is how I approach an artistic collaboration. I am here to make your message stronger.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For mixes, edits, mastering, in-the-box type work: ->I'll do a first run pass in a single sitting. I'll take a break to clear my ears and mind, make adjustments, then submit to you. Then we'll run through 1-3 rounds of revisions until we're both happy with it. Live Sound ->I make a big effort to have fun at work. So I try to move quickly and efficiently so that we can have time to relax, eat, and have a good time with the day. That's just a day at the office for me. Performance ->For guitar/drums/keys that I add to an existing track, I'll track out a bunch of different ideas and see which ones stick. Its like cooking a recipe, but you have the option of taking ingredients away that don't make the dish better.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Home studio: Logic Studio rig. Shure SM27, Audio Technica AT4035, and a lot of other mics. I'm working on modifying some mics to upgrade their fidelity. A smattering of plugins I've collected. I have some analog outboard gear as well. Work studio: I have access to a studio with an SSL 4000G+ console. All the trimmings of a commercial studio. They also have a couple B-rooms with baby consoles. Gobs of outboard gear.

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

A: I'm a big Butch Vig guy and big Brenden O'Brien guy for guitar music. In the Hip Hop world, I especially enjoy Timbaland's work, Scott Storch's work for stuff when I was young. Newer sounds I like are from Pierre Borne, 808 Melo. For artists, I'm all over the map. I like anyone that can surprise me. Music is like a magic trick, like slight of hand. If the trick works on me, they've got something special.

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

A: I live in Atlanta, I find myself mixing a lot of Hip Hop, especially Trap and Dril. I really enjoy mixing heavy rock, low and slow doomy stuff, and jazz. I've slowed down on mixing live because I want to spend more time at home with my kid.