Session Drummer, Producer

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

A: My own band's new record. I wrote or co-wrote all of the songs, produced the project, arranged the songs, (creating a lot of the parts recorded), programmed some bits, played drums, sang bgvs, engineered all of the vocals, etc. Sefi Carmel mixed it and took it to a whole new level.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Putting together live backing tracks for a tour!

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

A: Sefi Carmel!!!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital recording... don't have the experience, know how and time to buy and keep a 2" machine aligned and in working order as well as keep lots of tape on hand; although I'd love to have one and have someone else do it for me!

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

A: I will do my very best to get you a final performance that you love.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love playing and creating and then hearing that a client loved what I did.

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

A: I'll be asked to change things sometimes after I've recorded... "Can we double this section? Can you play that without the snare on 2... or can you change the bass drum pattern...?" My answer is "yes".

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

A: There are too many!!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: This may be more of a "keep your sanity" tip than production tip but it really does apply....If you're going to ask for opinions on your work, ask people who are knowledgeable supporters for their input once you're at that point; not people who you know/think will probably be critical. It doesn't mean that you simply ask for "kiss butt" opinions but having people be critical, especially early on in the process of creativity, can be a real killer.

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

A: My favorite drummers are out of the box players although I list Jeff Porcaro as someone I'm close to in drumming approach who wouldn't necessarily be thought of in that way. He played in very unobtrusive ways but so skillfully that you couldn't help but notice it. I listen a lot to producers who do music that encompasses many styles; I love "mutt" music. I love Trevor Horn's production... Seal and other artists like him. I loved John Leventhal's production on Shawn Colvin's record, A Few Small Repairs. I really love a broad palette of producers and listen to a lot of different music that inspires me.

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

A: The general public think that making music isn't really work; that you make a lot of money from it... well maybe that's changed somewhat.. that perception, and that if you're not making a great living from it and are famous, you should just quit and get a "real job". I think that a lot of music listeners love what they receive from music but have no idea what it takes to create it... the years of study and practice, the time involved to write songs, produce, create and record. The public in general don't understand everything that it takes to make great music and the trials involved sometimes, to just keep going at it. It's not a business for the faint hearted.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I want to get as specific as I can with how to meet their needs. I'll ask them what they heard of mine that made them interested in me and that might help me cue into what they may want. But then I'll also ask them if they can tell me any specific songs that they know of that would be like what they're hearing for their song. I also will talk to them about what kind of timeframe they need.

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

A: Listen to what they've done. Ask yourself if you like it and if you do, talk to them and ask questions about what they could do to help you. I worked with an amazing engineer I found here named Sefi Carmel. We communicated back and forth a good bit; I looked him up and I liked what I heard as well as read about him. I asked him if he was cool to do just one song and we could see how it went. He said yes and blew me away with his first mix and so I committed to do the whole project with him.

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

A: My Gretsch drums, my Taylor acoustic guitar and one of my keyboards; can't record... no audience... recording gear is useless but at least I could still enjoy playing.

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

A: I started on the road when I was 17 touring across the US, Canada and Australia for a company that produced cover bands. After 4 years of playing 500 shows a year doing that (crazy), I moved to northern California and played in some local bands but nothing that went anywhere. So after a few years of living there, I received a call from an old friend who asked if I'd audition for a signed artist in Nashville. So I decided to move there, as there seemed to be so many more opportunities. I got to Nashville, and started playing for a number of artists in the then, thriving CCM music industry. I met my wife and she was a background vocalist with a major artist and she was asked by that artist's management to sign a record deal with the label they owned. It began my songwriting interest and I was signed to BMG as a songwriter. I had been producing demos but that's when I became really interested in and tried my hand at producing; it was really a self dare! I've been at it for 36 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: In terms of drumming, I'm a rock/pop/groove drummer. In terms of songwriting, I can do a number of things especially on the lyric front.

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

A: Rock, Classic Rock/Pop, Groove music

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Playing for the song.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I am a songwriter and I think in terms of how the song can best be communicated, specifically focusing on the part I play. Sometimes, (as has been my experience in my own writing), I need someone coming from a different perspective to take it someplace I can't. I love being a sounding board for that process and I do my best to bring ideas that flow with the direction the artist/producer already has but also come up with something that expands what they're doing and takes it someplace maybe they haven't thought of.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I speak/write back and forth with the artist to get as clear of an understanding of what they're looking for and want. I ask them for references of what they're looking for/hearing. Once I feel like I know what they're wanting, I'll go ahead and track my part and send it to them to get their feedback. If they're happy, then I make any final potential adjustments to the files and send them over.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Currently, I use Pro Tools and have been since I started with a computer/interface. I have the Avid Carbon and love it; it sounds wonderful and because I'm in PT, I find that it interfaces a little more easily than with the UA Quad I had before it which I liked as well but chose to go back to this new Avid piece. I have my drums set up in a somewhat dead room and rely primarily on "in the box" reverbs, delays and room recreations. I've found that it's a bit easier starting with a sound that really captures the drums accurately and adding any spatial information after the fact. I have some great Neumann, Mojave, Shure and other mics. I have a UA 4-710D mic pre that sounds great and when I need additional channels, I have a Behringer X32 that has the Midas preamps that sound great as well.

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

A: My work varies from client to client. Some people know me/see me mostly as a drummer. Other clients see me as a producer. I also do a lot of live performance production with artists helping them learn how to connect with their current fans and potential fans as well, so some people know me primarily in that role. Every work day is interesting!