Pop guitarist & producer

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

A: My proudest moment as a session musician was when I got asked to record guitar and bass at Abbey Road for a client here on SoundBetter. I wrote the parts in advance and got to the studio to record them with an award -winning sound engineer from Abbey Road. The client and the sound engineer were extremely satisfied with my work and I got invited to participate in another project with them.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently working on a few projects for my clients. I am co-writing a tune with an EDM producer and recording vocals for a returning client here on Soundbetter.

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

A: I know Taura Lamb on SoundBetter, we worked together on a few projects and she is a really talented songwriter and lyricist. I would really recommend her services as she's extremely talented and professional.

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

A: If I request a percentage of the royalties. It depends on the project, usually if I wrote the song I do also request a percentage of the royalties. I always appreciate being credited for the contributing to the song.

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

A: I do not mix and master the tracks I record. I only record the guitar/vocals parts and I deliver them without any additional edit.

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

A: I would suggest you express clearly what are your expectations and provide some references for the sound you are looking for.

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

A: Acoustic guitar, Shure SM7B, audio interface, laptop, and a pair of headphones.

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

A: I have been a guitarist, singer, and songwriter for over 12 years. I became a freelance session musician only in the last 3 years when I moved to London and started doing sessions in studios and building connections with the local musicians.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: As a guitarist I am greatly influenced by John Mayer, so I give a lot of importance to feel and delivery in my guitar parts. As a vocalist, I have been influenced by Ed Sheeran, James Bay, and old blues singers.

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

A: I am influenced by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, Bob Dylan, Frank Ocean, Avicii, Lost Frequencies, etc.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Nowadays digital has just become the standard, even major recording studios often use almost entirely digital software as they are more reliable and cost-effective.

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

A: My promise is that I will try my best to satisfy your requests and provide extra revisions for you to be completely satisfied with my delivery.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I like the most very about my job is that I get to work with incredible artists on very different projects.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I always ask them to send me the mix of the song, what they are looking for, a few references, and the BPM.

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

A: I would love to track guitar parts for Adele. I love how Adele sounds on piano-based music, but I think her music would shine on finger-style guitar too.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Once I finished recording the parts I usually wait before delivering the project and come back at it the following day with fresh ears so I can understand whether I achieved the result I was looking for or if I need to change something.

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

A: I usually work on the following music genres: pop, rock, EDM, electric, soul, and R&B.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skills are versatility and originality. I have worked on a variety of different musical genres over the years, from electronic music to blues, and always met the client's expectations by applying my artistic style to the client's needs.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring originality and feel to a song. I work extensively to find the guitar/vocal parts that work best for the song and serve its purpose.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I listen to the song carefully and discuss with the client their expectations. Then I import the mix to my Logic Pro and start tracking guitar parts or vocals. Once the recording part has been completed, I carefully listen back to it and provide adjustments if needed. Finally, I send the stems to the client in a wav format and wait for their feedback. I do provide revisions based on the client feedback as well.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a home studio set up, the room I am recording in has been acoustically treated. I record acoustic guitar using both the direct input (Taylor's expression system) and a Shure SM7B placed on the 12th fret, the combination of the two recordings gives the producer a great deal of flexibility in the mix. I record vocals using both a Shure SM7B and a Rode NT1 based on the customer's preferences.

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

A: I usually write and record guitar parts based on the client's needs. After listening to the client's project and reading their requests, I write back with a message clarifying how their expectations will be met and with a quote. After delivering the completed work to the client, I ask them for feedback and eventually revise the job based on this.