Producer, Beatmaker, Vocalist

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

A: How did you get into music? My father was a singer when I was younger and he would take me to gigs with him. Music is genetic and there was no way music would not be part of my life.

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

A: It was my first project after I got my Bachelors in music where I actually got paid. It was the album of a local artist known as Yellohill. It was my first paying job and it was for an artist I respected. I was proud because he let me produce half the album and paid me for it. He had many producers and he gave me a shot and gave me the confidence to pursue music as a career.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am working as the audio engineer and co-composer for a pilot called American Guitar.

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

A: No I don't know anyone.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Analog has a warmth that digital doesn't have. Digital is just easier to work with. Mixing both just sounds really good.

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

A: I won't stop until you are happy with the project.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like that I get to make a living doing something I love.

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

A: That I look really tough, but I am actually a teddy bear.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What genre are we working with? What is your vision? What vibe do you want? Are you going to be performing yourself or is this for someone else? Are they going to be singing or Rapping? If you're singing, do you know your vocal range? If so what is it? When do we start? When do you need it?

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

A: Expect a lot of calls and follow ups from me.

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

A: My laptop, an interface, an Akai MPC, a nord stage 3, and a microphone

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

A: I've always known I wanted to make music a career when I was young. I first wanted to be an artist but slowly fell in love with the production aspects and just began to concentrate on producing and beat making. I started in high school in 2006 and have been doing it ever since

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Gritty and modern.

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

A: J. Cole because he is the best mix of 90's hip-hop and modern hip-hop. He just makes great music and I would love to be a part of that process.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Always save after every change in a session. Command S is your friend.

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

A: Hip-Hop, R&B, and most anything Urban

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My ears, I can tell when something isn't working or if something is needed.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Honesty, if something is not working I'll make sure to let the client know and offer a solution.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I have templates for different projects (i.e, mixing, tracking, beatmaking) and decide what I will work on first. When mixing, I listen to the track once without touching a thing. The second listen I tweak the levels for a rough mix and then begin to identify the frequencies. I then begin to asses the different tracks and begin to add plugins as needed until the mix sounds right and I've left enough room for mastering. When making a beat for a client, I go over the notes I took during the consultation and begin to build on what they want, keeping the client involved until I get the sound they were looking for.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have two set ups. My personal studio which consist of an iMac running Logic Pro X, Pro Tools 12, and Sibelius. I run a Focusrite Scarlet 8i8 2nd gen audio interface. For composition I use an Akai MPD 32 and a Novation Impulse 49 controller. For mixing I use a Behringer X touch console. I run multiple condenser microphones with outboard preps, compressors, and EQ's. My mobile set up consist of a Macbook pro running the same software as mentioned before. An avid m box interface. A vocal shield, a Sterling Audio stage 300 mic and an m audio oxygen 25.

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

A: The biggest inspiration as a producer for me was Dr. Dre. Hearing the production of the Chronic 2001 when it dropped changed the way I listened to music. Another inspiration for me is music composer Hanz Zimmer for the sheer reason that he makes music that makes you feel.

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

A: The most common service I provide for clients is recording, mixing, and composition