Producer, Mixing & Mastering

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

A: "Without You" by This Farewell. I wrote the base structure of the song, the hook, and the melodies. This was a project where I was part of the band, but ended up leaving due to other career opportunities. However, with this song I was able to work with producer Colby Wedgeworth and it was part of a series of productions I got to work on with him and learn most of the music production skills I employ to this day.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Some portfolio-building projects that I am doing free of charge for some future potential clients.

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

A: Not yet. Soon!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both -- some analog gear is outdated and unnecessary; however it is still fun to use and ads to the creative process.

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

A: I will work until the final production reaches true greatness -- from the perspective of you and I.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Creating a final productions that can be labeled as great.

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

A: How long will it take? It depends on what you want.

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

A: It's all fun and games because you just mess around with sounds. The music production process requires an arduous stage that is monotonous and repetitive -- e.g. listening to the same couple seconds of a song over and over; exploring the full spectrum of sound from 20 to 12K; finding the right reverbs and sounds to create a cohesive production; and much more. This process often exhausts the body, mind and ears -- and it is extremely easy to stop and find something else to do that is more pleasing. It's a job and shares every aspect a normal job has.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What's your career goals and sound trajectory? How do you see this project coming out and what are some similar projects?

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

A: Come prepared with what you want and know every aspect of the project you are working on. Additionally, be ready to build a network.

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

A: 1) PC 2) Interface 3) Mic 4) Headphones 5) Acoustic guitar *Assuming all chords will be provided

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

A: My entire life has been music-centric; from picking up the guitar in 2006 (age 12), performing with various groups in Sacramento, California, to working with top producers and engineers in the Sacramento area, I have been doing this professionally for about 10 years. This past year has been the first year I have decided to dedicate full-time to a music career, however. Prior to this switch, I was practicing Data Analytics in the finance industry after graduating with a degree in Economics from UC Berkeley. My passion lies in the arts and specifically with music, so I do not regret abandoning my economics and data knowledge for this field.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I have a unique sound that takes inspiration from soul music with a hint of classic pop, HipHop and rap. Many of my roots are in rock and indie music, so that definitely bleeds into my sound as well.

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

A: Kanye West because it seems like he is in this business for the creativity it allows -- he's not trying to package a product that will sell; he's making art that is great.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Do not try to cut corners -- e.g. when recording instruments, vocals, the like, take the time to find the best mic positions (take the time to find the best mic for the job); do not settle for a lackluster recording take; find the right sound effects and reverbs (etc.) to get a sound that complements the track -- take your time. The reason is, when you've moved on to the mixing mastering stage, many of the imperfections (pops, pitchy-ness, the like) will be extremely noticeable and will probably be the only things you noticed. At this point, it may be difficult to arrange the same room settings, mic positions, and energy to match the final track. You are just better off committing to the first takes, so get them right and be prepared prior. Lastly, if you find that you are getting stuck at certain stages of the process, you might just need to gain more experience and build strength in that area, thus you should reach out to a professional (here at Soundbetter.com) to assist you in that area.

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

A: Pop, HipHop, and Rap.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Creating hooks and melodies. Simply, I have no bounds on hearing a track and creating a melodic hook almost instantaneously.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Uniqueness; extremely solid hooks; a cohesive sound with calculated transitions equalling to a sound that would be difficult to mimic. Additionally, I bring professionally engineered tracks at a swift speed that is nice to the pocket-book.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: It varies depending on project needs. Post-production work -- Mixing, Mastering, editing, etc. -- is simply locking myself in the studio accompanied by a couple of Energy Drinks and some nice, dim lighting. Pre-production work is more involved and requires a generous amount of space to move around and get into the creative process.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Various locations: For live recording I will rent a professionally designed (acoustic architecture-wise) studio off studiotime.io (Peerspace.com for recording engineers) or use a friends studio; For general Mixing, Mastering, and editing, I use my humble home studio.

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

A: Paul McCartney; Phil Collins; Kanye West; Colby Wedgeworth; many more.

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

A: Vocal mixing on top of a pre-produced beat