Remote Music Producer/Composer

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I have a roster of about 8 artists I'm bouncing between at the moment! As well as working on producing my own EP, Five Loves.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital because I am not rich :) and no listener will ever know.

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

A: That we are in it together to carve out this song's best rendition, that I'm not here to impose my will or ego on the process, and that if I notice that I'm not the right person for the job, I will tell you.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Giving a mix back to an artist and having them love it. Writing and recording to try to please the world or "the industry" is a futile effort, but I feel like if I can help realize one person's artistic vision, my work hasn't been wasted.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I always ask about their vision for the song/album. I want to hear big picture, and I want to hear what excites and inspires them. I also ask for reference tracks, visuals, quotations... I want to amass a sort of mood-board in my mind before I start playing, if possible.

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

A: Make sure your producer has an ear for what you love. There needs to be compatibility of taste there, I think.

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

A: My computer, my headphones, my Roland FP-90, my Warm Audio WA-87, and my viola.

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

A: Well, after graduating with a music degree from music theatre school, I decided I wanted to be a video game composer. Then I found out if I wanted to write for video games, I couldn't just notate it—I would have to learn to produce and mix as well. I practiced that for 5 years while working on straight music composition commissions. At that point, I pulled out some old songs I had written, thinking I would take another stab at recording them. It turned out, I had gotten better enough to record them into an album. In the years following, I started producing more songs, largely for commercial listings, but what really opened up was producing for and with other artists. While I still write and release my own music, production is my path and my passion. It just took me a while to see it!

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Indecisive about whether it wants to be unvarnished or refined. Somewhere between Tolkien Elf and Keebler Elf.

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

A: Joanna Newsom. Her music is such a part of me that I think arranging with her would just *have* to coalesce into something beautiful.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't try to force the song to be something it isn't.

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

A: Folk, Alternative Pop, Alt-rock (a la Radiohead) and Classical/classical adjacent music is what I'm most drawn to. But I also have a deep love of Trip-hop like Portishead and Tricky.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Strings are where I'm most at home. I've been playing violin and viola since I was three, and playing in orchestras all my life. I just have a rooted-in understanding of what they can do.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring my ear as a longtime listener of alternative music. I would like to think I can add elements of unconventionality, complexity, and a sense of scope to a song.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I like to take the stems of a song, hear from the artist about their vision, and from there I just play. I'll pick up an instrument and layer it in, or lay down some kind of beat, and from there it's just growing the piece until it's ready to be heard by the artist again. From there, we'll have a dialogue and explore new ideas, or restart entirely. It's all in service of the song.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a classic basement setup. It's stuffed with acoustic paneling I hand-built, 3 guitars, a bass, a drum set, three pianos, an accordion, dozens of percussion toys, and a growing collection of microphones. I've worked hard to turn it into the best mixing environment it can be :)

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

A: I definitely look up to Jack Antonoff. His versatility, creativity, and collaborative outlook are what I aspire to. And of course, the artists he has worked with are some of my favorites as well.

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

A: Production—basically taking a song from a demo to the final arrangement.