Produce, Mix, Record, Write...

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

A: This wonderful woman came to me with lyrics she loved and a melody she couldn't quit figure out, and wanted to make a rock song out of it. She is a great singer, but had only ever really sang Jewish prayers and hymns, which tend to be in a much different key than your typical pop or rock song. I helped her realize her vision - I rewrote the melody with her, made a couple minor lyrical changes so that her song fit the flow, recorded it for/with her (she ended up wanting me to join in as a singer, too), produced it (including playing the guitar and piano on the track), mixed it, mastered it and ultimately brought her dream to life. The song ended up being beautiful, and is to-date one of my favorite songs I have worked on. And, more importantly, she was ecstatic at the end.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: An EP - that's all the information I can really give, I apologize, but you'll see soon enough.

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

A: Not yet - I'm new here!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both have their respective times and uses, but ultimately I lean toward digital for the quickness and efficiency in laying down ideas.

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

A: I will treat your vision as though it were my own - with the highest levels of enthusiasm and creativity - and together we will make something extraordinary.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The freedom and opportunities for expression and real emotional experiences that come with music.

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

A: "What genre(s) do you produce?" A lot. "How comfortable are you with _______?" Very. "What's your favorite color?" Red.

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

A: I believe this is a large misconception in the producer / professional music community - that my life is spent hiding in my studio, away from the world, staring at a computer screen. I've found that in order to show up with the level of excitement and originality that I believe every project is worth, I need to make space to experience life and explore the world around me, possibly even more so than is necessary in many other professions. Simply locking myself away in a room is not going to bring fresh ideas or teach me anything, and I strive to always grow in my craft (and as an individual.)

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Totally depends on the job, but to generalize - I like to gather any and all information I can on the client's vision for their project, their wants and needs, what they would like my role to be, and anything else I believe is either necessary or would be helpful for me to fully understand the vision, so that I can ultimately move forward with confidence and creativity in the client's chosen direction.

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

A: Love your music, get excited and enthusiastic, and be ready to have fun.

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

A: My guitar, my laptop, audio interface, microphone, and - depending on how many outlets are on this desert island - either my monitor speakers or a great pair of headphones. I might try to sneak on a cell phone, too, just so I'm not stuck on this island forever.

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

A: My career path has been closely tied to my life's path from the beginning of high school up until now. I'd honestly need much more room than this to describe it in full, plus maybe a cup of coffee or two, but to try and summarize it - incredibly challenging, incredibly rewarding as I've gotten through each challenge, I am always learning, always growing, and experiencing so many aspects of life that I never would have imagined I'd get the opportunity to experience, which has shaped my musical style to be very unique, fresh, and skilled.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Original, usually incorporating aspects from multiple genres, paying strong attention to lyrics (when lyrics are involved), and with a strong vibe.

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

A: Hayley Steinfeld or Halsey - they both have gorgeous voices, and I love working with female vocals.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Work on one part of the process at a time, so as both not to get overwhelmed with ideas and to make sure each piece is given your undivided attention. This method also increases productivity and efficiency, in my experience.

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

A: I work with a large variety of music, spanning Hip-Hop in its entirety (from R&B to old-school to trap), Modern Rock and Alternative Rock, and Electronic ranging from ambient/chill to EDM to dubstep.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I've been a songwriter and lyricist for over a decade - if I had to choose only one skillset, I have to go with those. Then in a very close second comes production and mixing.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I approach every song as an entirely new entity, and therefore utilize my creativity, skill and talent to its fullest potential in every piece of work that I do. I bring an original, unique perspective to all of the songs I work with, as well as a highly-practiced set of skills and a great level of confidence. I not only know that I can get the job done, but I can do it better than my clients would imagine, all while maintaining your intentions for the project.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: First I gather as much information about the client's vision as possible, then let my creativity loose and allow that vision to take me where I feel it can and should go. After that initial process, which I do both quickly and effectively, I prefer to work closely with the client to fine-tune any specific details and create something extraordinary that goes above-and-beyond original expectations, all while maintaining the client's vision for the project.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I currently have a full home studio, including professional recording gear, monitoring equipment, a huge variety of software, various MIDI keyboards and controllers (including a full-size keyboard and a Maschine MkIII), a professional audio interface, and a gorgeous QHD screen.

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

A: Timbaland; Mura Masa; Julian Casablancas (emotion); Eminem (lyricism, rhyme scheme, storytelling, emotion); many others

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

A: Full song production; beatmaking; songwriting - lyrics and melody; mixing; singing / rapping