Session guitarist, producer

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: At the moment I am working on improving when it comes to producing and on writing and recording my own songs which hopefully will turn into my solo album.

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

A: Yes, Jay Stapley.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: These days it is quite hard to explore much of the analog world or at least it has been for me, so I can say that I have been satisfied with what the digital realm has offered me provided one has good knowledge and skill to make the most of the digital tools before one reaches a conclusion about what it can offer.

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

A: I treat their music with respect, I listen and try to respond as well as I can.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like working remotely and independently adding a meaningful contribution to what I love doing which is music.

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

A: How many revisions they can have which is 1 during which we can talk on Skype if needed and when is their track ready which will be by the deadline agreed on.

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

A: That it is easy, effortless and that my skills, passion and abilities were somehow just handed to me.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Depends on the job, but some general ones would be related to having a detailed enough brief, reference tracks maybe and for them to specify exactly what they wish me to deliver and to define my creative freedom.

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

A: Perhaps a similar level of understanding, attention and appreciation that I offer.

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

A: Electric guitar, Amp, Reverb, Delay, Wah Wah pedal.

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

A: Oddly I started to play the guitar quite late when I was 18. I loved it so much that in 3 years I was already accepted at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance at quite a tough BMus Degree in guitar playing. Ever since I started to evolve more and more, meet teachers, play with other people, started teaching professionally and also working as session guitarist as well.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: If I am talking about my instrumental rock comfort zone, it would be very melodic, expressive with nice tone, bending and vibrato combined with high energy and aggressive modern techniques and effects.

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

A: Anybody that I could learn from and that would enhance my own music too as we all stand on the shoulders of others.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Make sure that every single aspect from your rig works and sounds great from the beginning. This starts from your guitar pick or cable all the way to what amp or software you use as it is much better to polish an already great sounding track rather than to try to improve what is an imperfect recording.

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

A: Rock, Pop, Soul, RnB, Blues

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I think my rock guitar playing combined with good ear and listening. In terms of working with people, I believe that the quality of my attention to them and their goals is also a good ethic I have.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: When it comes to my guitar playing, I always try to bring emotion although it sounds cheesy, but that's what excites me when I listen to music whether it is a soft pop song or a heavy metal one.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I would say it starts with discussing the brief and then very importantly I listen and internalise the music I need to work with. In this way I believe my intuition and instincts dictate what the song needs based on what I can offer and then I put into practise all the technicalities to turn it into reality. I also keep the client updated and make sure that he is aware of my intentions and changes I am making to the track.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I mainly use Yamaha monitors with a usb audio interface. I run Logic Pro X on my mac and I either record guitars direct using my amps' pre-amps, processors, vst's or with my microphone in front of the guitar or speaker. I also have a rich collection of quality software and plug-ins from basic effects to great orchestral and cinematic samples and mastering gear.

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

A: I love a very wide range of music from orchestral movie soundtracks to old traditional music and modern avant-garde music. To name same names would be, Steve Vai, Tom Quayle, Guthrie Govan, Hans Zimmer, Michael Newman, Quincy Jones, Greg Wurth and many many others.

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

A: I record various guitar parts for their songs, I mix and master.