Guitarist, Producer, Engineer

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

A: I performed recently with Luis Fonsi for the global festival "One World: Together At Home"

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Learning day by day!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both!!! The goal is to make music. Everything else is a tool.

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

A: 100% Satisfaction

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Everything!

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

A: Everyone is always hesitant about the sound I can get, but they get over it quickly after they hear the samples.

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

A: That I will turn every song into a guitar song.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: You ready???

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

A: Feel free to reach out. I try to be very welcoming and accomodating.

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

A: Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, headphones, a laptop, and an interface (hope to find power)

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

A: My father was a musician and started me in piano at age 4. I took up violin and guitar at age 11 and stuck with guitar. Started playing in church and top 40 bands while going to school for Jazz. Got my first tour with latin grammy winner Jon Secada, and then Julio Iglesias. Along the way, I studied production and session work, and played on several TV shows.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Versatile, musical.

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

A: Some of my idols are Stevie Wonder, Sting, Steely Dan.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Commit to a sound, and stick with it.

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

A: Latin, Gospel, Rock, Pop, Film Scoring, Country, Jazz/Fusion.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I think like an arranger and like a producer first, and then as a guitarist second.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I can bring any sound from atmospheric, haunting, textural guitars, to folky alternate tuned acoustics, to heavy, huge distorted guitars, to a big sounding acoustic or electric solo.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I will first talk to the artist/producer, to get an idea of the sound they want. I will ask for references of what inspired the song, and what they imagine the guitarist will do. I will listen to the song a few times over as I make a chart, and then will consult my ideas with the producer/artist. Usually, then I will record all the ideas the producer/artist had in mind, and then I will record anything that I hear. I will send a bounce for approval, and then I will send the session/WAV's.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I record electrics through different amps into a neve preamp, and into my Apollo X8. I record acoustics, and folk instruments through a different choice of mics, into my API 512c's, into my Apollo X8. I have some hardware compressors and preamps, which I will use for sounds I am certain I want to commit. For everything else, I will consult with producer. I record in ProTools 12, and will send either a PT session, or bounced consolidated WAV's.

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

A: I am inspired by honest music, written from the heart. I am also inspired by creative sounds and productions. Anything from Stevie Wonder, to Miles Davis, to Foo Fighters. I love it all.

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

A: I record guitars on a daily basis. About 20% of my monthly work is for labels, and 80% for independent artists and producers. I treat each song like it will be a hit record, and put all my creativity and sounds into each song.