Trumpet & Flugelhorn recording

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

A: My trumpet of course, a guitar, a bass guitar, a piano and a drum kit. Just to have fun playing music all day if I would have enough food and people to play with around me.

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

A: At 7 years old I started playing trumpet in the local march band. Later on I started playing in different big bands and learned how to improvise. After years of trumpet lessons from great teachers and playing in jazz combo's, world music bands I started working with singer songwriters and recorded a few albums and singles which I still do. Last years I recorded a few albums with the Amsterdam Funk Orchestra as a lead trumpet player, albums with electronic music producer Trigg & Gusset as part of saxophone / bass clarinet duo and multiple pop / singer songwriter songs.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Some music producers think that trumpets always sound loud and shrill, but a trumpet is like a voice. It can sound warm, whispering soft and lyrical, but also screaming, ugly and yes, also shrill if needed. It's an extremely dynamic instrument.

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

A: Pop, soul, world, jazzy or folky music, singer songwriter, electronic music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My big, warm trumpet sound. Musically thinking simple: it should serve the music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Warm, atmospheric trumpet or flugelhorn sounds, tight section or solo parts, creative input when needed, music sheets when needed, but most important: soul.

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

A: I provide dry recorded trumpet and flugelhorn (dark & mellow sounding trumpet) parts for anyone that would love to work with me.

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

A: I'm an experienced trumpet player, but like most musicians, I have my musical and technical limits and strengths. The normal notes range on trumpet or flugelhorn is low F below staff to high C above staff in Concert Key. A trombone is an octave lower, but has an overlap in range. Trumpet can be extremely dynamic in volume but also in making different sounds (very soft, whispering fluffy to full blown ear tearing screaming loud and all in between. I can play high notes, but I'm not a typical high blower, or fast bebop jazz player (parts of my limits).

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I record in my small, treated dry sounding studio. Mic's: Coles 4038 ribbon, Electrovoice RE20 dynamic, No Hype Media LRM-2 ribbon. Pre amps: UAD Twin Finity, Triton Audio D2O, DAW: Logic Pro X + all kinds of professional plugins.

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

A: Lately I recorded the new Trigg & Gusset album, which will be released soon. It will sound amazing. I'm really happy with the end result. I can't wait to let other people hear the music.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working on my own music and a new Amsterdam Funk Orchestra album.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Trumpet is an analog instrument which can be translated to a digital file which can be used for music recordings. Pretty handy!

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

A: I will deliver the best possible quality I can offer, musically and technically.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: When all music parts fall into place and sound as a coherent whole, a big smile on my face will appear.

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

A: Would you like to work with me? Me: yes of course, let's discuss and get creative!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Do you have a specific melody / music part in mind that's already created in MIDI (or vocals)? Do you need me to write and arrange music parts? What kind of sound do you expect from me? Do you use my trumpet as part of a horn section or as a solo instrument?

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

A: Make sure you have some knowledge about trumpet sounds and also the range of the instrument. The relation between pitch and sound is pretty extreme on trumpet. The higher the pitch the thinner and shriller the sound will become. The higher you have to play on a trumpet, the more heavier it can be or even impossible (for me at least).

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Melodic and a bit melancholic that suits singer songwriter music pretty well. I can play funky thight horn section parts as well.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: 01. Briefing of the client. 02. listening to the music sent by the client. 03. Discuss wishes and creative advice when needed. 04. Agree on price. 05. Recording trumpet. 06. Revision(s) when needed. 07. Deliver .wav file to client. 08. Send invoice to my hopefully happy client.

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

A: Trumpet players like: Mathias Eick, Roy Hargrove, Avishai Cohen and Chet Baker. Bands like: Jaga Jazzist, New Cool Collective, Amsterdam Funk Orchestra, Sunny Day Real Estate, Zap Mama. Singer songwriters like: Thomas Dybdahl, Kings of Convenience, Jeremy Enigk and No Ninja Am I. I'm into jazz, pop, rock, soul, funk, world music.