session fiddle player

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

A: I will take your song as seriously as you do

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Being my own boss. After University I was a school teacher for two years. The day I quit, I wrote a tune called "Everyday's a Holiday". I still smile at the memory, and it's as true now as it was then!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Is anything else going to go on the track after the fiddle? What reference tracks did you have in mind when you decided to add fiddle?

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

A: Listen to several tracks by the session musician you're considering. If you like the playing but don't quite hear the appropriate style, ask for another track which may not be on the Soundbetter site. Once you're into the recording stage, don't settle for second best; keep going till you get what you're happy with. Check each take thoroughly- make sure there's no clicktrack or external noise, and make sure you back up everything that is sent. The session musician isn't necessarily going to hang onto the parts he's recorded, and if you get back two weeks later asking for the same parts again, they may be already deleted. Tell the musician what you want, but also, on at least one take, give them a clear run to be inventive and take risks. They may well come up with something much better than you had i your imagination. By all means send themes, hooks or melodies, but don't try writing out solos. The musician will nearly always produce something better than you can compose.

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

A: The band I would most like to play with is Asleep at the Wheel. Western Swing may not be one of the most popular musical styles among the public, but for a musician there's nothing more fun.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Improvisation, using the language of a particular musical style, and bringing out all the nuances which no songwriter could be expected to be able to direct.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring decades of experience of working with singers, and listening to and analysing what other fiddlers have done.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I'll listen to your song, and try and relate it to other songs in the same ball park to give me an idea of what you might be hoping for. If I'm unsure of what you want, I might ask for a couple of reference tracks illustrating the kind of fiddle you like. I'll write out a chord chart, then play through the track until I'm happy with what I'm doing, then hit record. I'll make three passes, usually a safe one, something a bit bolder, and the third might include some more off the wall experimentation. I try to include plenty of stops, so you can edit between different takes.

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

A: I love jazz violinist Grappelli for the joy of his playing and his relaxed approach, but also Stuff Smith for his "in your face" aggression. Bluegrass/western swing fiddler Vassar Clements for his originality and amazing licks; Irish fiddler Martin Hayes for his dreamy sensitivity. Mark O'Connor for his precision, his slow vibrato and creamy tone.

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

A: I mostly work for singer-songwriters, either in Celtic or Americana styles. Usually there is no written part, and I improvise a part based on the feeling and style of the song.

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

A: Playing in Riverdance for a week at the Hammersmith Odeon. The music is extremely challenging, and I had to memorise the whole thing in a couple of weeks. It is one of the few musical shows where the commercial success matched the artistic triumph.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am completing a book on country and bluegrass fiddle for the publisher Schott, and beginning a library album of mandolin and fiddle tunes

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

A: Alan Dunn, the accordion player and keyboardist. He and I have worked together on many projects. He is a first rate player and thoroughly reliable.

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

A: I learned classical at School, then after University joined a prog rock band. I have been professional for around 35 years, playing in countless bands in the UK covering rock, jazz, country, Western Swing, bluegrass, Irish, Scottish, gypsy, klezmer and many others. Around 20 years ago I started studying these styles seriously, and putting my findings on my website, and in a series of fiddle books. I have been doing session work since the 80's. Besides commercial recordings, I have done many jingles, library albums and TV soundtracks, called on by producers looking for a particular niche fiddle sound.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: The copying of different styles in a range of genres is my speciality. However, free-flowing improvisation, a strong bluesy element, and a dark, breathy tone on quiet sections are common features of my playing.

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

A: Celtic, country and gypsy style songs, mostly for singer songwriters. I also do a lot of work on library tracks, and TV soundtracks

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a simple but effective home setup using Garageband, a desk and a high quality DPA mic. Initially I can send back a rough mix mp3 at 256 kbps, for quick reference, to give you an idea of my style. If you're happy with the general approach I'll then do three versions and send them as cleaned up AIFF 24-bit file (or WAV or AAC if you prefer)