Producer, Composer, Mix/Remix

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

A: It's not just about the money. It's about their full satisfaction and seeing themselves reflected in my work.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Job?! This is fun! I get paid to play and do what I do and what's best is that and I can lose myself doing that.

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

A: Thinking that the computer does all the work at the push of a button, forgetting about the hours we spent to acquire the knowledge, the craft and the experience or that computers can fix anything.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I want to find out who is their target audience. I also ask if they can provide reference tracks, from an sonic, emotional and performance prospective. I want to find out what type of contribution they expect from me. For example, if the need technical or creative input or both. It it's for composition/production, I will ask also if they have any genre, instrumentation, style preferences.

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

A: I generally ask them to come prepared and rehearsed (if it's a recording) or to provide me with material that have been vetted and finalised. To have a clear sense of what goals they want to accomplish with the project but also to keep an open mind. It is a creative process after all and sometimes great ideas might strike in the middle of the process.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: As much as I like to rely on physical interfaces to ease my workflow, I am pretty much an "in-the-box" kind of guy. I've been using Steinberg software since I started my career. These guys make products that are really solid, easy to use and are constantly looking for ways to improve the workflow. I also like Waves plug-ins and I'm constantly looking for new products to upgrade. But having said that I still haven't found an EQ, a Mic Pre or a Compressor that makes me a better professional. At the end of the day, it all comes down to how well you know your gear, your taste and your ears.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Probably by the time this interview is published, my answer to this question will be obsolete already. I'm constantly working on something if it's not a client, my personal stuff or building my music library. At the moment I just finished the audio restoration and sweetening of a dialogue track for a corporate video and secret surprise wedding song that a client commissioned to me for his bride-to-be. I'm helping a DJ friend of mine to produce a mixtape and I'm working with a Canadian singer songwriter in writing and producing some Butt Hole Surfers/Grinderman-inspired Indie Rock tracks.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I started professionally in the analog domain. I believe there's no "either or" in this profession. Both analog and digital have their advantages and limitations. My opinion is that it's just a matter of time and budget and if you can afford both worlds, why not?

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

A: Anyone with an open mind, who's not afraid to take risks and cherishes a bit of madness, irony, (dry & wry) humour but most of all, an impeccable work ethic and desire for excellence.

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

A: It really depends as I do both corporate and commercial works. I work quite often with vocalists and people who are looking for someone to help develop their ideas and also people looking for original music.