Vocals/Violin/remote sessions

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

A: The thing i'm most proud of is the amount of BBC theme tunes i'm playing solo violin on, and being a core composer/producer for the Filmstro app.

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

A: assuming there was electricity, neumann u87ai, Audient ID22, Casio Privia PX870 keyboard, Viola, I mac Retina 27and a very large external SSD drive ATH R70X headphones.

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

A: Above and Beyond and massive Attack as singer? Imogen Heap as a tea girl..

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have two set ups, one is based around an i mac 27 retna running Logic, and another is an even more powerful Hackintosh with 2 screens due to a temporary phase of hating Apple because they made it hard to get into my mac to upgrade things. But oooh i missed the retina screen so i go back and forth. with Audient id22 interface, chosen because i love the sound of their pre amps, i have a casio privia piano for midi and also a Kontakt S88 weighted midi keyboard, and a spongey cheapmidi keyboard also which i love for drums programming. and i have 2 mics to choose from, Tul F47fet and Neumann U87ai. i have Focal Shape 65 monitors and several headphones my favs being Audio Technica ATH R70x because they are comfy and very un hyped. I love my Grado labs SR125 also but they arent as flat. also ATHm50, but again, not used like the R70s i have a Aston Halo reflection filter. I also have the fill Kontakt library of sounds, full waves and many extra piano libraries and string libraries, as most people do.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: My own music and a load of Youtube covers, and backing tracks for them. A backing track for someone else they have asked me to do and several collabs ive out off for months. . Last year was busy but January has been quiet for me so i'm writing and producing my own music while i can.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: digital, for convenience and its not what you've got it's what you do with it boys. (and girls)

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

A: ill keep going till you are happy. if youre not, just tell me. I'm not easily offended.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: the creativity.

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

A: how soon can you get it done? and is it possible. once i listen then i tell them but my turn around can be from a day in emergencies to 4 days so im pretty fast.

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

A: that as a woman or maybe just generally, that i can't do the amount that i can do technically, that i can only do one area.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are they wanting and needing in terms of results, what DAW do they use, how do thy like to exchage files, is we transfer ok? do they prefer google drive? drop box? Would they like to Skype with me while i do the session? What budget have they put aside and what are they hoping for for that.

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

A: If it's for string overdubs, i don't think you'll get a better deal anywhere else. If it's for Vocals, then listen to my voice on my showreel and on my web site and decide if its the right style. Vocals are very subjective and i may or may not be right according to what type of voice your track needs.

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

A: ive been a musician since i was a child, i never stopped. From classical violinist in national youth orchestra to drummer for bands like Lewis Taylor's band in the 90s (Island records), to Touch and Go who had a hit called Would You, in the90s also, to then more songwriting and production moving into string sessions and remote collaborating and recording on lots of recordings, on many BBC theme tunes, writing top lines with people like Bob Bradley, i wrote one with him that was used a lot on Home and Away, in Aus. i've performed live and sung live in many bands, and busked from underground, to weddings and..a musicians life, from 2000 up till now, in 2020.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I'm a passionate singer songwriter in my own right and my style is quirky etherial soprano vocals though i do have a three octave range and can sing low, by timbre is soprano. I'm quite versatile.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: if editing vocals and you want them to be natural but good, don't use any auto tune type of plug in just because, if the vocals are fine anyway, just use melodyne for the odd but and do not snap to the grid. In terms of strings, youd be amazed how realistic overdubbing can be to create a string section, if you use two violas and two violins as i do. and overdub four parts to each line and pan laft and right. also you can make samples sound very real by mixing in the real with the samples. Samples can also provide orchestral depth, with the real strings providing realism of bow changes.

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

A: Music for media or pop in terms of strings, same in terms of vocals.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: top line writing and singing, arranging backing vocals, and strings overdubbing.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: real string section effect by overdubbing or solo violin/viola, lead female vocals, and/ etherial layered backing vocal arrangements. i can compose top lines also.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: i get sent an mp3 to evaluate how much time job will take, then i agree a price. I find out if they want to Skype with me as i do the session, as i have that facility for them to hear it in stereo and see my daw screen as i work and give feedback If its just vocals then that's one thing but if its vocals and strings together then its less money than if they did it separately. If its a few tracks, price may be negotiated down as its in bulk so that's all agreed first. Then i'm sent wav files and maybe pdfs of string parts or lyrics, or just midi, if its vocals, maybe just a guide vocal is included or ill be told verbally the feel and whats needed. maybe ill be replacing samples. I ask for bpm and the sample rate and what daw they use. i have perfect pitch so i can transcribe if needed. the written parts just save me needing to do it but if its simple no parts are needed anyway. They send me either a logic project i add files to it and send back to them or they send me wav files with the bpm and sample rate, and i will send parts back to them generally as a zipped we transfer folder to their e mail.

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

A: too any to list, but i love progressive trance meets lovely harmonies and songs that Above and Beyond do, and i'm inspired by felame singer songwriters like Kate Bush, or more modern day writer producers like Imogen Heap, and Billie Eilish and her brother, the way she uses intimacy in her vocal style and backing vocal arrangements and the way he makes the productions simple yet just right...and earthy. I absolutely LOVE the singing and songwriting of Alec Benjamin, and the way his songs are produced, that is so so good, for instance the track the water fountain, and the way the backing vocals and harmonies move at the end, and the fact it is main stream pop and yet so deeply moving to me that some songs i hear i can barely get half way through without tearing up.

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

A: it varies, but mostly people want violin and viola overdubbing to crate the sound of a string section or etherial backing vocal arrangements on music for media sountrack styled tracks. some people ask me to create backing tracks and sing lead vocals on covers for them and the other half of my work has been this along with some general music for media library music production of my own for the app Filmstro where i am asked to do what ever i want for them because of my unique ability with the string s and vocals makes my sound different and useful for them.