Songwriter/Vocalist/Producer

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

A: Son Little - his EP that just came out I was a songwriter and vocal producer on. He produced the record in France and when he came back, he asked how I felt about the vocal. It was only one vocal and very "scratch," so we re-cut in my studio and the song that we wrote came to life.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Chipmunks TV show, three commercial projects for Hook+Line, OKGO

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

A: Ashley Levy

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. I don't need a thousand pieces of gear as a songwriter first and producer second. A lot can be accomplished with plug-ins etc. It's amazing to have the real thing, but if you can't afford it, don't worry about it.

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

A: I will always deliver on time if not earlier.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Executing a creative vision for someone/seeing it come to life.

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

A: Can you pull off this style? Yes, always. If I can't sing in the style, or for example, if the project requires a male voice, I have access to whatever session players I would need to pull off the gig quickly and in budget.

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

A: that singing is "easy." When I record for the Chipmunks, I have to 1) write the song, 2) sing the lead, 3) comp the lead 4) do doubles of the lead 5) sing a trillion harmonies I can imagine the Chipmunks singing 6) mix a hundred vocal tracks so that they sound pristine and polished, using many a plug-in and effect, and automate so it's all breathing the way it should

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Any music references they have for a job, budget and timeline, where the piece will be living and for how long, what they do and don't like about the piece of music they're developing now

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

A: Don't worry about being "ready." I can hear through the idea, and also am great at asking the right questions to get to know your tastes. I am eager to please, and have zero ego having worked in the industry for ten years. My job is to make your vision come to life, and if you aren't sure what YOUR vision is, I'm happy to develop that with you.

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

A: my UAD Apollo, laptop, telefunken mic, my guitar, Arturia synth

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

A: I started out touring with the Barenaked Ladies with dreams of being a pop star. I then turned to advertising music in 2009 where I learned how to score music to picture, and have continued writing music for commercials for ten years -- only now I run a sought-after music production house Hook+Line. In that time, I switched to writing for other people vs myself, and for the past eight years have been hustling on pop major label cuts. I am still the featured artist on a lot of dance songs and TV, but I enjoy being on the other side.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my personal songwriting style as the more indie/alt side of pop. I like experimenting with sounds and vocal textures, while also maintaining a sense of form and a melody to latch onto. I am a poet and avid reader/absorber, and my songs are always grounded in a concept or phrase.

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

A: St. Vincent. I love the way she processes her vocals, and how her songwriting and production are so matched in a poetic dance.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: If something isn't working technically, 99% chance something is unplugged ;) In all seriousness, when it comes to creative and production, there is no "right" answer. One tip would be to use your ears, if something sounds too compressed, don't follow a template of what someone shows you -- use your own judgement.

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

A: Pop, film music - particularly emotional songs.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Songwriting.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a strong sense of lyric and melody. I've honed the pop form and the natural ebbs and flows of where a song should rise and fall.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Advertising and film music are similar: I am fielding an email or phone call from a client detailing the scope of the budget and the creative is usually discussed on that and a follow up call. I ask for the client to pull references and also pull my own so we are on the same page. I then compose the music to picture according to the creative notes, and make any desired tweaks from there. Pop music writing is a similar process. I receive the track, ask if there is anything lyrically or concept-wise that inspires them or references for vocalists or styles. The answer is most often no or vague, so I listen down to the track and see what comes to mind and also refer to my own collection of poems and notes in my brain. I record the vocal lead, comp, make a hundred thousand harmonies and deliver so it sounds like a hit. Because it will.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a house in LA with a professionally sound proofed garage studio. I have a variety of microphones and use all UAD equipment. I'm a Logic person and have a thousand plug-ins.

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

A: Jack Antonoff, Bryan Senti (my business partner at Hook+Line and composer of Transparent), Matt Mariano (client/collaborator who scored all ten seasons of Grey's anatomy), Bjork, Imogen Heap, St. Vincent, Jon Brion

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

A: I have spent the past 10 years doing music for advertising and have a Cannes award-winning company Hook+Line (hookandline.com) I'm an expert at creative directing and executing that process. I also write extensively for film/TV and am currently on the Chipmunks TV show on Nick. Outside of that, for the past eight years I have been writing professionally as a songwriter for Top 40 pop, collaborating with artists like OKGO among others.