One stop shop for indie/bedroom pop production
Hi - I’m Kevin Buster
I'm a Tallahassee based songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. I want to help you fully realize your music project.
I've toured with Steven Dayvid McKellar of Civil Twilight, my music has been featured on CBS, and I was a part of the Nashville music scene for over 14 years. I write and record songs as Bucky Shorts and have an electronic passion project called Kevin Kendall. Bamboo Playground is the name of my studio and publishing company.
Please contact me for rates or questions about how I can help with your upcoming project. Thanks for stopping by.
Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Credits
19 Reviews
Endorse Kevin Buster
check_circleVerified (Client)Great Ambient Music! Thank you for choosing my services as a mastering engineer!
check_circleVerified (Client)Kevin was great to work with, his excellent production quality made the mix really enjoyable. Awesome stuff!
check_circleVerifiedTruly the best producer i’ve worked with. Very understanding and works hard to create the sound you desire. I had the best time working with Kevin and never felt more understood and learned so much from him while making my song. You won’t regret it.
check_circleVerifiedWorking with Kevin could not have gone any better. The artistic vision he brought to the song completely exceeded my expectations and the end result was nothing short of excellent. I highly recommend his services as he is truly a master of his craft.
check_circleVerifiedIt was a pleasure working Kevin. Within a short amount of time, he managed to realize my concept into a finished song, aligning wth my vision perfectly.
Kevin not only is centered and grounded, he is thorough, I came to Kevin with a rmb song and requested some jazz and soft rock elements and he gave me an amazing arrangement that included the smooth piano and bass of a Bobby blue band song, the guitar solo of a tender and longing Eagles song, and a diverse chorus
Sensual, Clever, Creative, Adaptive, Innovative
Some people lose the spirit of music, whether it’s because of age, experience, wealth, or because they lose their love of song, I am glad to report that Kevin’s got it, I personally can’t wait to see what he does next
Flexible and reliable!
Working with Kevin was great! He brings a lot of great ideas to the table and the songs we worked in together turned out great! A really easy and fun collaboration. I’d definitely recommend him and will be working with again soon.
I've had the pleasure of working with Kevin on a recent song I wrote. Kevin matched
exactly what I was looking for on a production standpoint and in adding finishing touches to the song. He was very receptive and flexible, to my needs as an artist and my back and forth on things. His communication is great, and not only is he a great producer, but his abilities as an artist and well-rounded musician are the overall best I've had the privilege of working with. I look forward to working with him a lot more.
Peter Eric Andersen
lumi karhu
Kevin and I worked on a song for my upcoming indie pop/ folk project. We talked about my vision for the song as well as my influences which were sufficient for him to start working on it right away. Shortly after, he sent me the first draft of the song which blew me away. Having such a great base made it a lot easier to talk about suggestions and improvements which Kevin always took on board and implemented flawlessly. His creativity, exceptional musicality and ability to listen to and apply feedback made working with him an absolute pleasure. I would highly recommend his services.
Kevin is one of those creators that is not only incredibly talented and intuitive, but also has exceptional taste. Be it indie-rock, ambient, jazz, funk, instrumental or house, I have solid faith and value in his instincts to add exactly what the project needs; nothing more or less. If all of this wasn’t enough to make the perfect collaborator, Kevin is also one of the most dependable, patient, kind and empathetic souls I know. I suppose this is why we have been making music together for almost a decade; Kevin is always the right choice.
Kevin is such a diverse musician. He fully inhabits any genre he puts his mind to. I’m always impressed to hear how he gets the subtitles of each genre he writes in. Not only that, he has an obvious sense of musicality, that natural flow that can’t be taught. He is a uniquely creative mind.
He is one of the most creative producers I have ever known in my life. His approach to making music is very different than the majority of DJs out there, and that is what makes his music so special. All of his productions have his signature sound and aesthetics that make them stand above the rest.
Kevin is one of those artist I have paid close attention to in Nashville because his work is full of surprises. He is an extremely talented producer that I have enjoyed working with in the past with a truly original sound. He is really easy to work with and super fun to collaborate with on projects. I look forward to seeing what else he produces in the future.
Kevin's approach to composition and production is filled with optimism and confidence in exploring new ideas. This is especially important when working alongside an artist/film maker/director where the project is new, the working relationship is new, and the page is blank. I admire Kevin's ability to try anything and everything in a musical setting to see what sticks to the wall and coincides with the project. Each idea that he brings to the table is uniquely his own, leaving his profound mark on every project he touches.
Kevin is a very talented producer. His critical listening and arrangement skills are superb!! , without compromising the natural improvisation that a project needs. Kevin also grasp ideas fast, If you need to start a project He will add the the proper mood into the work smoothly keeping it simple and pure. A great collaborator that will allow you to flow on your own rhythm. but at the same time will keep focus on the direction of the musical project
Kevin brings authenticity to every project he touches. He has elevated every track I have sent him. Always takes the project to another level.
Kevin is one of those naturally gifted musicians who not only wields the power of musical diversity, understanding and sensitivity, but also possesses a keen empathy; a skill that he clearly applies to all his creations. And that’s what makes him so amazing at what he does.
The electronic songs have a great groove and feel to them, his voicing of string and piano arrangements are unique and is very easy to work with...and fast too!
Interview with Kevin Buster
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I recenetly entered the Westworld scoring competition put on by HBO and Spitfire Audio. I've never gotten to score for a big budget show like that, and I felt I learned a lot. Even if I don't win I'm still proud of what I came up with. You can hear it on the player above.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: The next Bucky Shorts release.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I'm new to the site and I don't have any friends on here yet. But I think it could benefit them.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Whatever you got! Its way more fun to jam on analog hardware/synths but I really don't think the tools are as important as what's running them.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To make high quality music that the client is happy with.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Creating is fun, fulfilling work. I love making things, and I love getting to help people make things.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: I think people just want to be reassured that their money and creative work is well spent and in good hands. I really do think communication and setting realistic expectations is the key to a successful project.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: I haven't heard any.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I always ask for a song reference or two, that helps immensely just to get an idea of the style and sounds you're going for.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Don't hesitate to reach out to talk about any concerns or questions. Making music is all about the right fit! Its hard to tell over the internet, so the more communication the better.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Hmm. A mic, guitar, bass, drum machine, and something to record with I suppose.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've worked many different jobs, some in music and some outside of music. I spent most of my adult life in Nashville where I worked as a touring musician, a coffee roaster and barista, and whatever I can do to keep on trucking.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I'm a shapeshifter. Always on the search for my own voice/sound.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Connan Mockasin, he seems like a good hang.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Don't overthink! Go with the ol' gut.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I work on a lot of bedroom pop for my personal project, Bucky Shorts, lots of jamming on my Korg Electribe, and lately more experimentation with orchestral sound libraries.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Building up parts around an existing song/idea.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I feel I bring honesty and try to bring something different, just a tad off kilter.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I like to work on music first thing, I feel like I'm more fresh with a cup of coffee and a new day ahead. I'll work on whatever I'm feeling at the moment.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Small but mighty. I live in a small environment so I have to keep my gear to the absolute essentials or else things get cluttered and I can't think. I have my laptop and speakers, a keyboard and drum machine, a few guitars and basses, and some decent pres. I like running sounds into guitar pedals, and as far as software goes I use Reason and Ableton. I'm a big fan of the Soundtoys plugins too.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: There are so many greats! Some of my favorites are Prince, Connan Moccasin, Ryuchi Sakamoto, just to name a few.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: In the past I have taken existing material that the client gives me and built up the tracks and arrangements to deliver a finished product. These days I am wanting to do more composing for film/tv.
I was the writer, composer, producer, mixing and mastering enginner in this production
- ProducerAverage price - $600 per song
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $250 per song
Unlimited revisions (within reason)
Split songwriter share if applicable
- Yamaha PM-1000 console
- UA
- Soundtoys
- vintage guitars and synths
full length = discount
