Writer, Producer, Mix Engineer

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

A: Niclas Lundin is an excellent vocalist. https://soundbetter.com/profiles/386438-niclas-lundin

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

A: I'm proud of my four Ming + FS albums. Each one was a realization of an experimental audio concept or theme.

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

A: Damian Marley, Rufus Du Sol, Bob Moses, James Brown, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Boz Scaggs, The Neptunes, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Harry Styles, Disclosure

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both have their advantages. Let's not hang our creativity on gear.

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

A: I promise to do everything I can to help my clients achieve their musical goals. I'm committed to providing support and guidance throughout the song creation process, and I'm dedicated to helping my clients realize their artistic vision.

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

A: My advice would be, to be honest with yourself and with the provider you're considering hiring. Music is an art, and there are no hard and fast rules for success. Hiring a skilled team of professionals to help you through the process can be a significant investment in your career, so don't be afraid to ask for help.

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

A: Since this is a silly question, I'll answer with some gear that would be useful on a desert island: a tent, something to start a fire, a fishing net, water shoes, and some non-perishable food.

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

A: As a successful music creator, I'm open to working with a variety of artists. I'm passionate about music and I'm committed to helping artists achieve their goals. I've been a full-time record producer for over 20 years, and I've created many successful records, remixes, mixes, and masters for myself and other artists. In addition to my technical abilities, I have a wealth of real-world experience with promoting music and taking conceptual ideas from concept to finished product.

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

A: Many people think that anyone with a computer and some music production software can do what I do, but that's not the case. My skills and experience as a producer, combined with my knowledge of music theory, technical know-how, ear training, and psychology, give me a unique perspective and set of tools that I can bring to any project. It's true that there are many people who offer similar services at lower prices, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

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

A: "I can get that service online or cheaper, etc." Music theory, technical knowledge, ear training, psychology, and my real-world experience are invaluable tools that are all part of what a producer at my level can bring to your project. And, my skills have been honed through a lifetime of practice. There is always someone who you can hire for a lower price but you often get what you pay for so don't make this mistake.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently: writing, producing, mixing, and mastering records for Nogu Svelo, Mardoll, as well as my artist records; the mastering engineer for Whole Story Records and Insurgent Records; coaching future bass artist Ben Fortune and helping him with top-lines for his productions; Writing top-lines and recording vocals for other artists.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: From a young age, music has always been my guiding light. It lifts me when I'm down, gives me the courage to forgive, the energy to achieve, and the power to lead. The personal relationships I've formed through music have been some of my most intimate. Being able to share my passion for music with other musicians is the most meaningful career, and when you do something you love, it never feels like work.

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

A: Twenty-two plus years. Please see my bio.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I've bathed myself in edgy music, and like to help bring the best out of your music.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Before diving into trying to produce your music, spend time listening and analyzing other successful songs and productions. Being in the studio can seem sexy, but a lot of my preparation occurs by listening to music in lots of environments so that I'm prepared to find the elements needed for a cutting edge production, mix, or master.

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

A: I work on a lot of popular music, which consists of most dance genres, EDM songs, pop, hip hop, R&B, rock, alternative pop, and anything that is moving young people. I grew up playing in rock and metal bands, produced hip hop and drum and bass as an artist for four albums, and I have had my hand in many pop, singer-songwriter, r&b, and hip hop productions.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What genre is your music? Where does your music fit in on a Spotify playlist? Who would you like to open for on tour? Who are your influences? What part of the songwriting/production process do you feel most confident? Have you released any music? If you play live or DJ, do you play your music? Who are your favorite current artists? What was your favorite music growing up?

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: IMPORTANT: GEAR IS ONLY ONE PART OF MAKING PROFESSIONAL RECORDS. I'VE PRODUCED MANY UNIQUE RECORDS WITHOUT HIGH-END GEAR. TRUST YOUR EARS! And for you gear nerds, here's an incomplete list of the gear that I use to make my current records. I have a high-end project studio, centered around an 18 core iMac Pro w 64 GBs of RAM. I run Logic Pro X with a Universal Audio Apollo 8P and an Apollo Twin interface with an additional UAD-2 Satellite accelerator. My list of plugins is exhausting, and I have a professional relationship with Waves Audio, SoundToys, Native Instruments, and Pioneer. My main monitors are Focal Twin BE. Fender Custom Strat, Taylor Acoustic, Hofner Bass, Ibanez RG 760 Guitar, Gretch 1967 Chet Atkins Tennessean, Mesa Boogie Studio Caliber Amp, and some nice pedals. Mics: AKG 414, AKG D790, Shure SM58, and Heil PR 40.

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

A: What's your favorite plugin/piece of gear? Gear doesn't make music; people make music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I listen, not only to your needs but to what's happening in the industry. I'm always studying new songs from every genre of music. From pop to hip hop to dance to rock, etc., and I'm aware of trends. My weekly radio show challenges me to listen to all the cutting edge material coming out each month. And listening to all this new music gives me the unique ability to bring a fresh sound to your mixes and productions.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I'm what the industry calls an "all arounder," which means that I can help with songwriting, production, mixing, and mastering. Create an entire song and production or help with what is lacking. I like to be honest with my clients and help them craft the best song in terms of song arrangement, lyrics, and sonic quality.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Generally, I asked each artist to send me a playlist of the music that represents successful songs/productions in their genre. We review the music together and use that music as a starting place to converse about the music in terms of sonic quality, structure, arrangement, instrumentation, levels, and songwriting. The level of interaction depends on the needs of the client. A simple mastering job may need little to no face time, while a full production will require more considerable personal attention and interaction.