Producer | Writer | Mixer | NY

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

A: Be open, be kind, be professional.

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

A: My Gibson Southern Jumbo Acoustic, a notepad, a pencil, big bottle of water, and a capo

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

A: I've been at this for the better part of 18 years, though I've been playing guitar for about 25 years. Writing, recording, and producing began in high school and continued through college. I started booking acoustic shows at coffee shops and it slowly grew to small clubs and then some big clubs. I've been lucky enough to play with Norah Jones, Zac Brown, and even Buddy Guy at some pretty amazing venues. From there, it segued into the studio as I got more comfortable around all the gear and really fell in love with being inside a laboratory. I began licensing and writing music for TV shows and soon artists. Now, I split time between studio stuff and live stuff, depending on what's on my plate.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I've felt writing melodies has been a strong suit-- at least I hope. But, I also love to find ways of being creative as a mixing engineer, where the song has already been written. A mixer can add his/her own touch to a track that lifts it, so I do all I can include my influences from the past.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I try to bring honesty. I want the a song to feel real and feel like it took time to create. That doesn't mean a great song needs to be labored over for months and months, but I am against a cookie-cutter sound or a track that can be made exclusively with midi. Someone needs to play a real instrument somewhere. After all, we're humans with a message. If we want a computer doing all of the work, then there's little point. What inspires people is showing them what a human can do with his or her hands and mind.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: This is a difficult question to answer succinctly. It truly depends on thew project. But, it all starts with the skeleton of a song (the melody). I like to establish the melody because for me, it sets the tone and the mood. Once that is confirmed, lyrics (the message) of the song can be written so they match that set mood. I know this can vary for many writers and there are different thoughts on this, but for me, melody leads me to lyrics.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have two studio setups. The first is my main commerical studio space in Dumbo, Brooklyn. It's a fully stocked live room and control room with tons of modern and vintage gear from Neve, API, Manley, Universal Audio, Avalon, and lot more. The live room has a 1926 Steinway as well as gear froim Gibson, Fender, Vox, Gretsch, Ludwig, etc. The feel of the studio is a re-creation to a 1920's speakeasy, so it's very vibey and cool. My second space is my mixing and writing room in my New York apartment. Certainly not a big space, but it's cozy, warm, and has a lot of beautiful gear that I've collected over the years. I've recorded some stellar vocals and acoustic guitar there. For an intimate writing or producing session (or obviously mixing), it's perfect and feels like home.

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

A: I love the sound of British-rock and Brit-pop producers (among others). There is something about that Brian Eno or Nigel Godrich sound that has always intrigued me. It's probably why I love New Wave music as well as songs from Radiohead and Coldplay. They combine lasting melodies with a sense of melancholy that truly pulls at me.

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

A: I've worked on a wide range projects, but much of the work I do starts at the writing level. I co-write with many artists, aid in finding the right melody or topline that fits, as well as hone lyrics and the direction of a song. After that, production is something I've spent many years doing -- from rock/pop to electronic to acoustic singer/songwriter, I try to bring all I can to a track with elements that keep the original song intact of course, while adding useful production tricks and instruments that lift the song right to where it needs to be.